Matt Rhule means business. He’s changed the faces of programs like Baylor and Temple, and people had hoped he’d do the same at Nebraska. As he leads the Huskers into the 2025 season, Rhule has to do better than he did last year. There are some gaps that Rhule needs to work on. Another key issue is developing a plan for his star QB, Dylan Raiola.
Rhule led the Huskers into a bowl game after 8 years since the last one, which was in 2016. But 2024 was not one of the best years for both him and the program. Their game against Indiana was a complete washout, losing 7-52. With 7 wins and 6 losses, Rhule barely got to deliver the baseline outcome expected out of a season. Now, with transfers and drafts, Nebraska is staring at two important issues to fix. He has to address the running back and offensive lineman situation.
In a March 23 video, Wilson Dittman shared his thoughts on who could be the best picks for either position. When it comes to the running back, Dittman said, “There’s been an overall perception that we need this big, bruising power-back that Dante Dowdell was.” He added, “In my opinion, when evaluating this Dana Holgorsen offense, we don’t really need that. What we need is a short-yardage back.”
Dittman specifies that this is a player who can deliver at “third down and two” kind of situations. He also said that this is someone who doesn’t need to be the most “athletically gifted running back in the world” but someone who can “push the pile.” This is an RB who can “quickly move his feet, find the gap—the A gap and B gap—and shoot through it to get a couple of yards and to convert the change.” “That’s what Nebraska desperately needs right now,” he said.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Matt Rhule press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz Nov 28, 2022 Omaha, Nebraska, US Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule at the introductory press conference at the Hawks Championship Center on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. Lincoln Hawks Championship Center Nebraska US, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xStevenxBranscombex 20221128_jla_bc7_032
Dittman suggests Rhule look at the transfer portal for this. He suggests focusing on TJ Harden from UCLA Bruins and Harrison Whaley from Wyoming. They’ve both got impressive stats and skill sets to suit the role.
The other problem Rhule needs to address is the offensive linemen situation. Why? Well, two of them might be looking to leave Nebraska. “There’s a lot of question marks. You don’t know the status of Teddy Prochazka and Turner Corcoran right now,” Dittman says. They are both coming into 2025 after facing injuries in the last season.
“Those guys might enter transfer portal,” per Dittman. “[T]hey’re not guaranteed to start […] Why would they want to sit on the bench with their last years of eligibility?” He also notes that there’s not much depth for tackle either, and Nebraska gets injuries often. Say, if a man goes down, there needs to be a reliable talent to back him up, should Prochazka and Corcoran vacate their spots at Nebraska.
Along with this, Rhule also needs to work on improving Dylan Raiola’s game. There were some serious lapses made by him in the 2024 season, despite it being his first year as a starter. The problem is that Raiola has moved on from the ‘breakout star’ fever that surrounded him. Both he and Rhule need to improve their performance before they step into the 2025 season.
Matt Rhule and the Dylan Raiola situation
Dylan Raiola finished his debut year at Nebraska with 2819 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He also bagged the Big 10 Freshman of the Year award, which proves that this is a player with some serious potential. Some of it failed to play out in 2024, and Rhule has to work hard to get that to happen in 2025.
Raiola is now in year two, and that means the newbie leniency will no longer be a comfort he will enjoy. With Dana Hogerson heading the Huskers’ offense, the young quarterback will be getting a different level of training. He told Urban Meyer while appearing on The Triple Option Podcast that they were working on him a great deal. “You get to year two, and you’re really trying to master all the parts of the offense. I think for us it’s him doing that while at the same time becoming dominant in the little things,” Rhule said, coach to coach.
Matt Rhule did not disappoint after his stints at Baylor and Temple, and those same expectations carried over in his second year at Nebraska. He’s already got the debut year leeway; this is the year he must act. He’s got to get some reliable talents in the roster to up its standard. Rhule can also transform Raiola into one of the season’s most coveted players if he exploits his potential.
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