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Nebraska's Dylan Raiola under the microscope ahead of make it or break it season
As the Nebraska Cornhuskers prepare for the 2025 college football season, the spotlight is squarely on quarterback Dylan Raiola.
After a rocky yet promising freshman year, fans and analysts alike are eager to see whether the former five-star recruit can make the leap in his sophomore campaign under head coach Matt Rhule and new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen.
Matt Rhule confident in Dylan Raiola's growth
Raiola's debut season saw flashes of his potential, most notably a solid performance in the season opener against UTEP and a win in the Pinstripe Bowl.
He ed for 2,819 yards with 13 touchdowns, but also threw 11 interceptions and was sacked 27 times.
With Nebraska finishing 7-6 overall and 3-6 in Big Ten play, there's a sense of urgency heading into this fall.
College football analyst Andy Staples addressed this on a recent episode of the HuskerOnline podcast, emphasizing how important Year Two is for quarterbacks.
"The biggest jumps tend to come between year one as a starter and year two as a starter," Staples said.
"So let's see what he does this year."
Staples praised the system Rhule has built around Raiola, including upgrades to the receiver room and the addition of Holgorsen.
Still, he noted, "I'm more worried about their defense replacing what they lost."
Nebraska's defense, which was among the best in 2024, has been significantly depleted.
The offense may now need to shoulder more responsibility, making Raiola's growth even more critical.
"If it's a significant amount of improvement, then we are talking about a pretty tough team to beat here," Staples added.
Off the field, Raiola has been at the center of discussion due to remarks from Rhule about his weight.
"He won't be a great quarterback at 240 pounds," Rhule said, later clarifying that Raiola was not actually at that weight.
Raiola responded candidly: "If I'm being honest, it sucks... It's a constant grind every day... I feel amazing right now. Probably in the best shape I've ever been in."
With a retooled offense and a coaching staff determined to reset the tone, Raiola has the tools in place.
Nebraska opens its 2025 campaign against Cincinnati at Arrowhead Stadium on August 28, an early test for a quarterback looking to silence the doubters and take the Cornhuskers to new heights.