The Huskers’ football under Matt Rhule’s do-or-die third year is shaping to be a beast. As an early trailer, spring showcased a blend of scrimmage, carnival, football, and fun. The kick to hone the craft and fill up for the mistakes was there, but the flashes of the relationships, chemistry, and camaraderie steal the show. Who is leading the offense? Dylan Raiola, the 2024 freshman. However, he is not alone. There are also leaders like Heinrich Haarberg. Raiola doesn’t shy away from brushing off his skill with the senior players, running the culture with a wide smile. A video of the duo showcases just that.
Raiola is on a mission! He shed some pounds to fix his weight issues after Coach Rhule directly cast doubt on his ability to take the next step as the second-year starter. Raiola took it to heart and broke out in sweat in the gym. Hard work paid off as it always does, bringing him down from 240 to 230 pounds. Sign of slow yet steady growth. But Nebraska doesn’t just need a robust beast with a sleek frame. They need someone to influence the locker room, to be vocal, to be the man others can follow.
Matt Rhule once again expressed doubts about Raiola’s capacity to lead his peers. As a junior, it’s really hard to kind of boss around his seniors. But with the skills and the numbers in his favor, Raiola can reach that point someday. But for now, he’s more focused on learning his lessons from the senior players in the house, especially from TE Henrich Haarberg. A clip went viral from Saturday’s practice when the QB rushed to the TE and asked him to teach roping. Can Raiola take the chair? “I didn’t even know he wanted to. And then he came up to me and asked me to teach him. I thought he was going to go out there and get a rep, but he’s got a little work to do,” said the veteran TE in a post-spring interview with HuskerOnline.
Dylan Raiola started his rookie season with a bang, scoring 9 TDs and 2 INTs in the first five games. But he lost momentum quite a bit, ending the streak with 4 TDs and 9 INTs in the last eight games of his rookie season. Nothing off the chart. No proven scorecard to call him a breakout guy of the year in 2025. But if Nebraska has to improve on its 7-6 record from last season, Raiola has to have himself at the helm and earn his mettle.
However, the hybrid TE’s deeper bond with Raiola earned him a new nickname. Raiola admires Henrich’s unique tendency to gallop after catching the ball. He gave him the name Spirit, a horse referenced in a movie. “I think it was just one day, I kind of, there are some days where I kind of run like a horse a little bit, just like north and south, and you know maybe a little bit bigger than some of the other guys. So, they came up with Spirit. I don’t remember what the movie is, but Yeah Spirit,” Henrich revealed the origin of his name.
Moving ahead, the Huskers’ special teams coordinator is, meanwhile, doing his job to satisfy Rhule’s talent-stockpiling knack.
Matt Rhule tries to adorn the offense with more portal weapons
Rhule has filled his roster with a flurry of talents, both from in-state and out-of-state. While he bolstered the 2025 squad, the immediate next year is still in the early stages. But Rhule doesn’t wait for his turn. This off-season, he aggressively takes the initiative to strengthen the offense, particularly in the RB room.
His next target? CharMar Brown, a top Miami target, with a whopping 1181 yards under his belt. They took a trip to Lincoln this week. Rhule deployed his new special teams coordinator to influence his decision. And, quite unsurprisingly, it worked in his favor. The visit went as per the plan, as they had successfully built a good first impression.
“CharMar Brown, who’s a very quiet guy, that’s what you’re going to get to know about him. Very quiet. He’s like, “Okay, what’s actually going on here?” ”Mike Ekeler, who is this guy?” He had never met Mike Ekeler before. Mike Ekeler knows who Brown is, but not vice versa.” Wilson Dittman dropped a bombshell. “They’re getting close to lunchtime, or they’re getting not close to breakfast time. Mike Ekeler pops out of nowhere like a scare tactic. He points at CharMar Brown. He says, “And you, I don’t even know if I like you yet.”
“He’s talking about how Nebraska’s going to utilize him, what you can expect when you’re a corner, all this. And CharMar’s just taking it in. He’s not even talking. Mike Ekeler is giving him a whole spiel,” the analyst continued. It’s quite a no-brainer that Brown would swallow their juice and didn’t throw up. He said over breakfast that he really liked Ekeler.
Another portal win for Nebraska? Not a guarantee, but hope whispers.
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