By Sean Labar
The Nebraska Cornhuskers have lost 4-straight games and fallen short from the expectations fans had early this season.
Freshman 5-star QB Dylan Raiola played well early this season, but has appeared to regress as the year has played out.
In his last five games, the former Georgia commit has thrown just two touchdowns to his eight interceptions during that span. He’s also been sacked 14 times over the last five games, which were all losses except for the win over Rutgers on Oct. 5.
It’s not uncommon for a true freshman QB to struggle when they make the transition to Power Four collegiate football and start their first year. But for the Cornhuskers, Raiola represents hope for the future and a chance to compete with the top teams in the country.
Matt Rhule has taken unprecedented steps to keep the young QB happy. Ahead of last week’s game vs. USC, offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield was demoted and Dana Holgorsen — who was hired as a consultant just two weeks ago — took over play calling duties.
The play-calling change didn’t yield the intended spark, as the true freshman tallied 191 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.
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Nebraska Cornhuskers QB Dylan Raiola Promises Bowl Game At End Of Season
Nebraska hasn’t played in a bowl game since 2016, and despite a (5-5) record with tough tests against Wisconsin and Iowa to close out the 2024 regular season, Raiola is confident the Cornhuskers will break the streak this year.
“I spent all bye week with (Holgorsen) and then obviously the game week,” Raiola said. “It’s important knowing what he’s gonna call and what he likes here and why he’s calling it so we can execute at the best of our ability. But we’re only gonna keep building on it these next two weeks. We’ll get the win next week and get us to a bowl.”
Despite the loss against USC, Raiola felt a difference with Holgorsen calling plays and believes with another week of practice, it will pay off for the Cornhuskers in their final two games.
“I like a lot of what we did,” Raiola said after the loss. “The tempo of it, the personnel. Things were kind of simplified for us a little bit so we could play faster and play more free. I think we did that. A few plays here and there, but overall I’m proud of our guys.”
If Raiola and Nebraska can finish strong, there will be optimism heading into 2025. But if the Cornhuskers lose, there will be questions on if Raiola will even stay in Lincoln next season.
