Dylan Raiola isn't the only reason to be optimistic about Nebraska's offensive improvement in 2024
Dylan Raiola stole the show in Nebraska’s spring game over the weekend, dazzling the Big Red faithful enough to spark another round of offseason optimism for the Cornhuskers.
Perhaps this time it won’t be fool’s gold, though.
The 5-star quarterback had a debut to remember Saturday, and while it was only a spring scrimmage, it sure seems like Matt Rhule landed a gem in the son of former Nebraska All-American Dominic Raiola.
For a program desperate for hope, Nebraska’s highest-ranked signee ever looked the part as one of the top prospects in the 2024 recruiting class during the Red & White Game Saturday.
A big, college-ready frame. A deep ball. A quarterback with accuracy and touch.
When the day was over, Raiola had piloted a trio of touchdown drives, throwing for two scores and a two-point conversion. His performance cranked up a hype machine to near combustible levels, and yet, what was most striking from Nebraska’s spring game wasn’t just the play from their All-American quarterback recruit — it was the overall competency from the entire offense.
From Raiola to the Cornhuskers’ other two quarterbacks. To a new set of playmakers on the perimeter. To Oregon transfer tailback Dante Dowdell.
Sure, Nebraska sat a number of key defensive players, but still, pure offensive competency was a very positive sign for 2024!
“We’re going to focus on Dylan, I get that,” Rhule said after the scrimmage. “But you could see the improvement in Heinrich (Haarberg). You could see Danny (Kaelin) as a true freshman go out there and complete 60 percent of his balls, or whatever he did today (9 for 16 for 91 yards, with an interception).
“I want the quarterback play to be great.”
Good quarterback play would be a monumental improvement after the last several seasons for Nebraska, so that even being on the table is a gigantic achievement this spring entering Rhule’s second season.
Nebraska was dreadful offensively in 2023
Last season, Nebraska was allergic to throwing the football with any proficiency — ranking 13th in the Big Ten in yards and completion percentage (52.1). Yet somehow, the Cornhuskers still led the conference in interceptions (16).
The offense averaged just 18.0 points per game and had the worst turnover margin in the country — the combined self-immolation that resulted in the program’s seventh-straight season of missing a bowl game.
As Rhule told me back in January, “There’s no doubt to say that the offense has to improve. The turnovers, I’ve never been a part of anything like that before. …If you don’t have a -17 turnover ratio last year, we probably go from 5-7 to an eight, nine-win, maybe 10-win team.
“Who knows?”
Well, Rhule knows a freshman quarterback — no matter how talented or how hyped Raiola is — won’t independently solve the Cornhuskers’ offensive woes. Raiola’s talent certainly can (and will) elevate an offense desperate for legitimate quarterback play, but he can’t do it alone, which is why it was so encouraging to see other bright pieces on display Saturday.
Transfer wideouts Jahmal Banks, who led Wake Forest in receiving with 653 yards and four touchdowns, and Isaiah Neyor, who averaged nearly 20 yards per catch with 13 total touchdowns for Wyoming in 2022 before tearing his ACL at Texas last season, are real upgrades outside for the Cornhuskers.
Freshman wideout Jacory Barney Jr. flashed as a speedy playmaker, and 6-6 tight end Thomas Fidone looked like a solid safety valve for the freshman quarterback. Nebraska is also set to get back wideout Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda — a potential WR1 if healthy after missing the 2023 season with a knee injury.
Notably, Raiola hasn’t even been named Nebraska’s starter yet because incumbent Heinrich Haarberg, who went 5-3 as as starter in 2023 after Rhule benched Jeff Sims, was much-improved, too. Like Raiola, Haarberg also led multiple scoring drives, including a 41-yard touchdown strike to the freshman Barney.
The combination of it all — starting with Dylan Raiola down to quarterback depth and real weapons at receiver and tailback— should have Cornhuskers fans excited.
Might this be just more faux offseason smoke out of Lincoln?
Perhaps.
But it sure seems like the fumes emanating from Lincoln are white this time around.
The Cornhuskers look to have their guy in Dylan Raiola, but the quarterback might finally be surrounded by the requisite pieces to make the entire offense actually click, too. What that might mean for 2024?
In the words of Rhule, “Who knows?”