Matt Rhule is out on a mission in his third year. In his previous two stops, he led the program to double-digit wins. Of course, not anything to be elated about, but definitely something for a program that used to be nothing a few years back. But the talents didn’t sign up for going 7-6. Rhule knows it best. The air in the locker room strives for a better, stronger season up ahead. The offseason trajectory is on the line, with Rhule minutely crafting his recruitment class, snagging a total of 12 four-star players for the year 2025. But his biggest weapon? Still, the one with the most passing records under his belt, Dylan Raiola. But he comes with an ambiguity.
Raiola has worked on his physique and his performance this offseason to chisel out the best. After Rhule’s words on his weight issues, the Huskers’ QB 1 took it to his ego and stayed dead loyal to his gym routine and diet. Result? 10 pounds down within a couple of months. He looks more seasoned now with a solid 6 ft 3, 230 lbs frame. But what happened with his incredible rapport with the deep balls?
Image Credits : Imago
“His arm strength’s always been there, obviously has a great build on him. He was a former five-star recruit. We know that he has the potential to be a potential Heisman guy to be a first-round draft pick. But in his high school film, his deep ball was actually just phenomenal. He was always hitting guys,” Wilson Dittman shed light on one of the most underrated red flags in Raiola’s brief collegiate stint: “After 40-50 yards down the field in 2024 as a true freshman, we just didn’t see that.”
In his true freshman season at Nebraska, Raiola racked up a total of 2819 yards with a 67 percent completion, 13 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. But at times, his tendency to overthrow the ball, missing the targets, under tremendous defensive pressure, left a blemish on his films. “He didn’t have any touch on that football. There were a couple of times where Nebraska’s Jaylen Lloyd would be wide open, whether that was in that Iowa game, and he absolutely overthrew him,” Dittman explained one slip day from the season when Raiola made a mess with the ball in his hand. But that’s not it.
Probably the biggest misfire came against the Huskers’ cursed game against Illinois in late September. “There was a big play in the Illinois game from last year where Luke Lindenmeyer was on a post route,” Dittman explained the horror that haunts. “They would have won the football game if Dylan had thrown him in the numbers, and he had completely overthrown him. So there were a couple of times where Dylan just completely missed his man.”
Tagging the moment as Raiola’s worst freshman drop won’t be a mistake. Just before that game, the first-year quarterback showcased tremendous grit and control, being unflappable for four full games. Even his very few interceptions ripped out of receivers’ hands when they fell on the ground! Raiola was picture-perfect in his plays. But above and beyond all, the off-season comes off as one of the biggest learning curves for the rookie quarterback. He gets a lot of time and chance to capitalise on his talents, and he’s not missing out on that.
Coach Rhule shows firm faith in Dylan Raiola
Raiola is no longer a rookie. He has had his lessons, and he navigated through them with grace and confidence. After that, Illinois misfire, Raiola didn’t hesitate for a moment to take all the blame on his shoulders. Moreover, the defense was on a hanging rope, giving up 383 yards to the opponent. But Raiola, like a true leader, focuses on his part. He certainly didn’t forget that night, that pale faces at the conference, and his low-voice confession. He has looked back, collected the loose knits, and honed his skills better.
On May 27, Big Ten Football podcast host Rick Pizzo asked the head coach about how Raiola swam through all the ups and downs and stands at a pace of huge growth right at the moment. “I think the first step was playing him as a freshman, that’s not really the way of college football nowadays,” the coach said, “You have to be willing, as a young player, to live, be resilient, and live through the highs and lows, the ups and downs, and take criticism.”
“He was resilient, he was tough, he earned his teammates’ respect. I think coming into year two, he knows better what college football is all about.” Rhule added. Certainly, he should. Just imagine someone playing their fourth collegiate games and getting called out for a third-down throw. A kid could have fumbled a bit, trying to hold others accountable or simply just avoiding his role. But that’s a kid’s terms, not a leader’s. Raiola embodies the latter. We will need to see how Raiola’s off-season learning and an indomitable spirit translate to Rhule’s redemption challenge in year 3.
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