Dylan Raiola, last year, emerged as a QB1 for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and amassed 2,819 passing yards, setting the program record for the highest passing yards as a freshman. But will his 2024 performances be able to lead Nebraska to its long-awaited 10 wins in 2025? Probably not! And while he has developed quite excellently, even losing almost 15 lbs., according to a Nebraska insider, there are still some issues that need to be fixed.
Remember the Indiana game last season, which resulted in a disappointing 7-56 loss? The defense failed to perform, and Dylan Raiola wasn’t at his best. The QB1 passed for 234 yards and gave away 3 interceptions, completing just 28 of the 44 passes. Moreover, what the QB lacked the most was his rushing ability, as he ended with -11 yards. But this isn’t the only game in which Raiola’s rushing suffered, and the issues were persistent, with an insider pointing out some of those issues.
Bud Elliot of the ‘Cover 3 Podcast’ sat with Huskers 247’s Michael Bruntz and echoed some of the issues that must improve in Dylan Raiola in 2025. “They want him (Dylan Raiola) to be able to make plays with his feet. I mean, you’re not going to see a lot of reads option stuff or anything like that, but if you need to go out and pick up third and five on a scramble or something like that, I think they want to see more willingness on his part to do that,” said Michael Bruntz when Elliot asked him, “where do they want to see Dylan improve the most?” That said, Dylan Raiola has improved, too, for the 2025 season.
Nebraska has its new offensive coordinator, Dana Holgorsen, who came in midway last season and is expected to elevate the offense this year. Holgorsen’s spread offense, which incorporates the air-raid system, will play to Dylan’s strengths, along with plays designed to make decisions after the snap. Also, the offensive line has been upgraded with key returners and incoming transfers like Rocco Spindler from Notre Dame and Elijah Pritchett coming in from Alabama. Still, despite these developments, Michael stressed another thing that Dylan needs to improve.
“They want to see more improvement in how you hit on more of those deep balls. I think that was one thing that they felt was going to be in the offense a little bit more going into last season. I think part of it was Dylan maybe not hitting those throws, part of it was the wide receivers just weren’t winning one-on-one enough outside, and I think those two pieces of it are where you need to see a little bit more in year two,” said Michael Bruntz. Now speaking of the WR room, this year, the offense looks revamped in that regard.
Nebraska brought in Dane Key from Kentucky, who last year received 715 yards and 636 yards a year before that. Apart from him, Nyziah Hunter also comes in from California, who last year received 578 yards. Then there is Jacorney Barney Jr., returning, who had received 447 yards. Moreover, players like Cortez Mills and Isaiah Mozee will be key freshman wide receivers who are also expected to play a key role.
Dylan Raiola gets the backing of the Cornhuskers’ OC
This year, for Dylan Raiola to succeed, the offensive prowess of the 54-year-old OC, Dana Holgorsen, will come in handy. The man, midway through the season, elevated the offense. The offense was worse than a bottom-rung G-5 team with Satterfield, as they were ranked 103rd nationally in total offense. Moreover, despite Holgorsen having limited options to work with, he still led the team to a win against Wisconsin and then in the Bowl game. And this year, he says some of the issues that Raiola faced have been elevated.
“When I got here, Dylan (Raiola) was hitting that freshman wall a little bit — so much was asked of him. He was a little overwhelmed, and we had to take a deep breath and give him the confidence to be able to get through the season, and we did that successfully,” said Holgorsen, and also provided the upgrades that have happened in the offense. “Dylan’s in a very good headspace in terms of what the offense is. He looks good. He feels good. He’s leading at an elite level. I just think Year 2 for him is going to be a little bit different.” The verdict?
Yes, it’s quite obvious that Dylan needs to work on the issues that plagued him last year and also become a mobile QB. That said, the developments and the weight loss that Dylan has undergone in year 2, and the offensive pieces that are coming in. They all point to just one thing: Matt Rhule is most likely to continue his year 3 record like he did with Baylor and Temple and lead Nebraska to a 10-win season.
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