“He won’t be a great quarterback at 240 pounds“. Matt Rhule’s message to Dylan Raiola was simple: The Nebraska HC wanted to continue his past records achieved at Baylor and Temple to finish in double digits in his third season. Raiola reciprocated with determination. Early morning 6 a.m. boxing sessions followed, nutrition and weight management were done almost religiously, and sauna sessions were added for conditioning. By spring, the weight objective wasn’t a miracle but a result of grit and discipline, Raiola executed by losing 10 pounds. The QB looked sharp in spring practices, and the program’s future now with him looks promising. But the QB might have some help, too. Both Matt Rhule and Dylan Raiola have a secret weapon to power their resurgence, and the player is locked in too.
Last year, Nebraska finished 7-6, improving its record from 5 – 7, made it to the bowl game, and won it. The feat wasn’t necessarily monumental, but it showed that Nebraska can dream now. After all, they had their first bowl victory since 2015, and with new offensive stalwart Dana Holgorsen coming in? Those 10-win dreams are now closer to reality, right? Still, one glaring issue needed the fixing. This was the rushing woes the team had since they were ranked 92nd nationally with just 129.8 rushing yards per game. But this year? The woes are looking to go away. All thanks to determined backfield leader, Emmett Johnson’s proclamation.
Johnson is currently the best running back for Matt Rhule on his roster right now. Just last year, the guy ran for 598 yards and also received 286 yards and emerged as the starter throughout the season. Remember Emmett Johnson’s Wisconsin game? With the help of Dana Holgorsen’s offense, the running back rushed for 113 yards on 16 carries and took six catches for 85 yards. But that was just the teaser of what Emoney can offer. Now in 2025, he looks quite determined to probably do a 1,000+ yards season.
Emmett Johns0n shared an electrifying highlight reel recently of a compilation of the best moments of his 2024 season and backed it up for the 2025 season by saying. “Now I know you say, now I’m in the lead role or anything, but I’m still hungry, still trying to prove myself to be the best running back, I’m not going to be satisfied at all. I will never be satisfied”. That’s the mindset you want in a game-changer. Even Dylan Raiola was impressed as he commented on Emmett’s post, “My Brodda“. And Matt Rhule? Well, the head coach posted Emmett’s post on his IG story. Moreover, Emmett can surely exceed all expectations.
Standing at 6 feet and 200 lbs, Emmett is undoubtedly an All-American talent. His footwork is elite, his agility is top-notch, and he can function as a receiver if needed in RPO situations. Moreover, with the addition of new OC Dana Holgorsen, who had an illustrious career of producing All-Americans? Well, the sky is the limit for Emoney now. Moreover, the O-line has seen bolstered and will help in the ground game both for Johnson and Raiola. For that, Rhule has brought in 6’6″ and 310 lbs tank Elijah Pritchett from Alabama. Also with veterans like Henry Lutovsky and Justin Evans returning, the O-line would dig deep for Emmett and Dylan when needed. Still, there may be some concerns that Matt Rhule would need to alleviate.
Injury woes for Matt Rhule’s ace tight end?
We all know that Nebraska brought in several high-performing returners. The list includes Jacory Barne, coming after a 584-yard receiving season, and Carter Nelson, the tight end. But Carter is going through with a hip injury right now, and his recovery was expected to be before the fall camp. But in a recent revelation, there are dark clouds all over Carter’s successful return this season, and he might be sidelined for its entirety.
Wilson Dittman, in his May 19th video, spoke about the problems Matt Rhule can face due to Nelson’s absence. “He did not compete at all during spring ball. He really has not been in the weight room. And there has been a lot of concern over the past couple of weeks that he might not play at all this season.” The verdict is that the tight end spot might not be as prolific as Matt Rhule would want without Nelson.
Sure, Luke Lindenmeyer is coming back as a red-shirt junior who produced 50 receiving yards last season. But Nelson was a different breed, even during his recruitment and when he played for the team last season. The tight end came as a third-ranked player in his position and had a high ceiling. Moreover, he produced 86 yards in receptions last season, the number might not be eye-popping. But considering the player he is and Holgerson’s bolstered offense, the future was bright for him. With his absence, the season remains uncertain under the lights of Memorial Stadium.
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