Josh Dooley
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Behind Enemy Lines: Nebraska is looking to upset the Big Ten apple cart in Year 2 under Matt Rhule
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Will the Cornhuskers, Rhule, and former Ohio State QB commit Dylan Raiola give the Buckeyes a scare in October?
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s opponents. From looking at the Big Ten Conference to individual opponents, to specific players, we will bring it all to you. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Behind Enemy Lines” articles here.
On May 9, 2022, Ohio State landed its quarterback of the future in five-star signal caller Dylan Raiola. At least that was the assumption among those within the Buckeyes’ program.
However, in October of that same year, the globetrotting Raiola (four high schools in four years) took an unofficial visit to Nebraska, raising questions as to just how committed he really was to OSU.
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Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
Some brushed the Lincoln visit off as a big, fat nothing burger, given his family’s ties to Nebraska. But then in December, Raiola decommitted from Ohio State. And by January of 2023, the No. 1 QB in the 2024 recruiting class (for much of the cycle) was predicted to end up at... Nope, not Nebraska... Georgia. Yet another curveball.
247Sports also dropped a Crystal Ball (in March of 2023) for Raiola to land at USC because why not, right? But finally, mercifully, on May 15, 2023, the highly coveted high schooler did commit to Georgia, presumably ending his roller coaster recruitment. Only, the ride didn’t end or stop there, much to the chagrin of folks in Athens, GA.
If you know the story of Raiola, you know that his recruitment was actually far from over once he pledged allegiance to the Bulldogs. Eventually and unsurprisingly, he circled back around to Nebraska and committed to his dad’s alma mater one week before Christmas (2023). So for those keeping score at home, that’s four high schools, three (known) commitments, two de-commitments, and a partridge in a pear tree.
But now that Raiola has signed paperwork and enrolled at Nebraska, it seems safe to assume that he will still be a Cornhusker on Oct. 26, when Matt Rhule’s team visits Ryan Day and the Buckeyes in Columbus. Key word above is seems.
All joking aside, Raiola does raise Nebraska’s hypothetical ceiling for as long as he remains in Lincoln. He is the program’s highest-rated QB recruit/signing ever – by a country mile – and his arm talent is elite. However, he may not start right away for the Cornhuskers.
Heinrich Haarberg is the team’s only returning QB, and he would have finished last season as its starter were it not for injury. Still, the big dual threat started eight games in 2023 and surprisingly led Nebraska in rushing. While it wasn’t always pretty, there were times when Haarberg was the only semi-functional piece of the Cornhuskers’ offense.
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Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
That being said, most still expect Raiola to be the guy. As do I. Even if the latter does not start Week 1, I would expect his training wheels to be off by Week 3 or 4 at the latest.
Nebraska’s QB (and QB play) will likely determine – or at least help determine – the trajectory of the Cornhusker’s season, but what about the team as a whole? Will it be one that can challenge Ohio State and/or flirt with 8, 9, even 10 wins? Given Rhule’s coaching history and the talent he has assembled in Lincoln, it is certainly within the realm of possibility.
On the offensive side of the ball, things simply can’t be or get any worse than they were last season. So that’s actually a good thing. Due in part to the mess left by former coaches Scott Frost and Mickey Joseph, Nebraska rolled into the 2023 with a severe talent deficiency on offense. Trey Palmer was nowhere to be found, and Jeff Sims, despite history telling us that it would never work, was brought in as a last resort at QB.
Unfortunately, the latter proved (again) to be nothing more than a big athlete who can kinda, sorta throw, and absolutely no one stepped up to replace even half of Palmer’s production.
As a result, the Cornhuskers struggled to do anything and everything on offense. They averaged just 18 points per game, finishing 123rd in the country. Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield didn’t seem to help matters, but then again, he was essentially being asked to prepare a meal without any ingredients.
The good news for Nebraska on offense is that their pantry and/or refrigerator should be replenished heading into this season. Not only is Raiola in the fold, but Rhule and Co. also added a few playmakers from the transfer portal. On top of that, WRs Marcus Washington and Jalen Lloyd will be a year older, while the running back group – specifically Gabe Ervin Jr. – and offensive line should both be healthier.
On defense, the Cornhuskers return several starters and/or contributors from a unit that was very good statistically in 2023. Defensive coordinator Tony White’s group surrendered just 18.2 PPG, good for 13th nationally. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that Nebraska got at least half a sack from 17 (!) different players, displaying plenty of depth and versatility on that side of the ball.
Of course, it should be pointed out or mentioned that Ruhle’s squad did not face Ohio State, Penn State, or any of the new B1G teams last season. And when they hosted Michigan, the Cornhuskers gave up 35 point in less than three quarters, prompting Jim Harbaugh to call off the dogs. So there is definitely potential for regression, especially without stalwart linebackers Luke Reimer and Nick Heinrich.
What does this all mean as we look ahead to the 2024 season? Well, simply put, I think it means that Nebraska will be better on offense and worse on defense, to varying degrees. I see at least four losses on the Cornhusker’s schedule, including one at OSU. But seven or eight wins would be a big step in the right direction for Ruhle and his program. And if Raiola shows All-Big Ten potential, then I think that would go a long way in attracting new talent to Lincoln.
With Rhule in charge, don’t expect Nebraska to be a three, four, or five-win team for much longer. He’s shown the ability to get things turned around elsewhere, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he eventually does the same in Lincoln. But I would be (very) surprised by an upset on Oct. 26. The Huskers might very well be on their way back, but they haven’t arrived just yet.
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Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Will the Cornhuskers, Rhule, and former Ohio State QB commit Dylan Raiola give the Buckeyes a scare in October?
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s opponents. From looking at the Big Ten Conference to individual opponents, to specific players, we will bring it all to you. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Behind Enemy Lines” articles here.
On May 9, 2022, Ohio State landed its quarterback of the future in five-star signal caller Dylan Raiola. At least that was the assumption among those within the Buckeyes’ program.
However, in October of that same year, the globetrotting Raiola (four high schools in four years) took an unofficial visit to Nebraska, raising questions as to just how committed he really was to OSU.
Some brushed the Lincoln visit off as a big, fat nothing burger, given his family’s ties to Nebraska. But then in December, Raiola decommitted from Ohio State. And by January of 2023, the No. 1 QB in the 2024 recruiting class (for much of the cycle) was predicted to end up at... Nope, not Nebraska... Georgia. Yet another curveball.
247Sports also dropped a Crystal Ball (in March of 2023) for Raiola to land at USC because why not, right? But finally, mercifully, on May 15, 2023, the highly coveted high schooler did commit to Georgia, presumably ending his roller coaster recruitment. Only, the ride didn’t end or stop there, much to the chagrin of folks in Athens, GA.
If you know the story of Raiola, you know that his recruitment was actually far from over once he pledged allegiance to the Bulldogs. Eventually and unsurprisingly, he circled back around to Nebraska and committed to his dad’s alma mater one week before Christmas (2023). So for those keeping score at home, that’s four high schools, three (known) commitments, two de-commitments, and a partridge in a pear tree.
But now that Raiola has signed paperwork and enrolled at Nebraska, it seems safe to assume that he will still be a Cornhusker on Oct. 26, when Matt Rhule’s team visits Ryan Day and the Buckeyes in Columbus. Key word above is seems.
All joking aside, Raiola does raise Nebraska’s hypothetical ceiling for as long as he remains in Lincoln. He is the program’s highest-rated QB recruit/signing ever – by a country mile – and his arm talent is elite. However, he may not start right away for the Cornhuskers.
Heinrich Haarberg is the team’s only returning QB, and he would have finished last season as its starter were it not for injury. Still, the big dual threat started eight games in 2023 and surprisingly led Nebraska in rushing. While it wasn’t always pretty, there were times when Haarberg was the only semi-functional piece of the Cornhuskers’ offense.
That being said, most still expect Raiola to be the guy. As do I. Even if the latter does not start Week 1, I would expect his training wheels to be off by Week 3 or 4 at the latest.
Nebraska’s QB (and QB play) will likely determine – or at least help determine – the trajectory of the Cornhusker’s season, but what about the team as a whole? Will it be one that can challenge Ohio State and/or flirt with 8, 9, even 10 wins? Given Rhule’s coaching history and the talent he has assembled in Lincoln, it is certainly within the realm of possibility.
On the offensive side of the ball, things simply can’t be or get any worse than they were last season. So that’s actually a good thing. Due in part to the mess left by former coaches Scott Frost and Mickey Joseph, Nebraska rolled into the 2023 with a severe talent deficiency on offense. Trey Palmer was nowhere to be found, and Jeff Sims, despite history telling us that it would never work, was brought in as a last resort at QB.
Unfortunately, the latter proved (again) to be nothing more than a big athlete who can kinda, sorta throw, and absolutely no one stepped up to replace even half of Palmer’s production.
As a result, the Cornhuskers struggled to do anything and everything on offense. They averaged just 18 points per game, finishing 123rd in the country. Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield didn’t seem to help matters, but then again, he was essentially being asked to prepare a meal without any ingredients.
The good news for Nebraska on offense is that their pantry and/or refrigerator should be replenished heading into this season. Not only is Raiola in the fold, but Rhule and Co. also added a few playmakers from the transfer portal. On top of that, WRs Marcus Washington and Jalen Lloyd will be a year older, while the running back group – specifically Gabe Ervin Jr. – and offensive line should both be healthier.
On defense, the Cornhuskers return several starters and/or contributors from a unit that was very good statistically in 2023. Defensive coordinator Tony White’s group surrendered just 18.2 PPG, good for 13th nationally. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that Nebraska got at least half a sack from 17 (!) different players, displaying plenty of depth and versatility on that side of the ball.
Of course, it should be pointed out or mentioned that Ruhle’s squad did not face Ohio State, Penn State, or any of the new B1G teams last season. And when they hosted Michigan, the Cornhuskers gave up 35 point in less than three quarters, prompting Jim Harbaugh to call off the dogs. So there is definitely potential for regression, especially without stalwart linebackers Luke Reimer and Nick Heinrich.
What does this all mean as we look ahead to the 2024 season? Well, simply put, I think it means that Nebraska will be better on offense and worse on defense, to varying degrees. I see at least four losses on the Cornhusker’s schedule, including one at OSU. But seven or eight wins would be a big step in the right direction for Ruhle and his program. And if Raiola shows All-Big Ten potential, then I think that would go a long way in attracting new talent to Lincoln.
With Rhule in charge, don’t expect Nebraska to be a three, four, or five-win team for much longer. He’s shown the ability to get things turned around elsewhere, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he eventually does the same in Lincoln. But I would be (very) surprised by an upset on Oct. 26. The Huskers might very well be on their way back, but they haven’t arrived just yet.
Continue reading...