Nebraska’s likely starting quarterback with some praise from the head coach Monday.
Coach Matt Rhule appeared on The Joel Klatt Show, talking about a number of topics. Among them was five-star freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola.
“Dylan’s talent is only matched by who he is as a person,” Rhule said. “His father was a great Husker. Great mom, great sister, great younger brother. His uncle’s our offensive line coach.”
Rhule noted the impact of Raiola on the recruiting front.
“You know that he came (to Lincoln) because he knew what the program was really like on the inside,” Rhule said. “That sends a message to everybody else in recruiting. So now you’re attracting players from all across the country that want to come play with him, but at the end of the day, it comes down to the football.”
In the Red-White Spring Game, Raiola went 16-for-22 for 239 yards and two touchdowns in limited action. “The football” with the new QB is good.
“He has a unique feel for the game,” Rhule said. “He’s really, really smart. You always hear Tom Brady and those guys talk about when your best players work the hardest, you have a great team. Dylan’s one of those guys who tries to work the hardest.”
Rhule sees Raiola’s immediate impact coming from helping the offense throw the ball better and reduce turnovers, something that plagued the Big Red in 2023. He notes that doing so will allow the offense to be more aggressive because they “trust our decision-making”.
“He certainly has helped us raise the level of play,” Rhule said. “And I think he’s going to be a guy that all of college football knows.”