Dylan Raiola reacts to Matt Rhule saying he's pushing Nebraska offense to get to his level
Nebraska is off to a 2-0 start and looks poised to have its best season on the gridiron since 2016, when the Cornhuskers went 9-4. And much of the resurgence has been led by freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola.
After a 28-10 win over rival Colorado in Week 2, head coach Matt Rhule discussed how the next steps for the offense to improve likely involved the rest of the group catching up to Raiola’s advanced level. While the quarterback was certainly pleased his coach paid him such a compliment, he showed some of why he’s been so advanced when asked about the offense jelling.
“Yeah I think it’s just a matter of keep leveling up,” Raiola said. “And as a quarterback, we understand in our room that that’s the standard and I think that the standard should be acknowledged but I don’t I think it should be celebrated. Just because that’s what you want out of a quarterback room, is to elevate your team and you know, I can do a better job of getting our guys on the same page as I am. So, I’ll take some of that responsibility on me. And I know our guys will accept the challenge and they’ll be playing a lot faster this week.”
And if Raiola can push the Nebraska offense to another plane or two, things could get exciting in Lincoln in 2024.
Watch College Football Games Live -Try for Free Fubo! Click HERE NOW
Save $30 on your first month of Fubo by CLICKING HERE NOW! For a limited time, you can get your first month of Fubo for as low as $49.99. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and 200+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)
Nebraska is averaging 36 points a game after the two wins, and Raiola has looked crisp and clean. He’s completed 73.7% of his attempts (42-of-57) for 423 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions across his first two starts. The rushing game has been strong, too, racking up more than 350 yards in two contests.
Being at the center of this offensive elevation — and arguably driving it — is something Raiola isn’t taking for granted as a freshman. But again, as evidence to why he’s already caused so much success, he’s looking for more improvement from him and his teammates.
“Yeah, I think it’s cool,” Raiola said. “I think it’s a blessing. But also, I think that we’ve gotta play ball still and we’ve got a great offense. So, we just gotta keep the wheels turning and keep attacking our goal of playing more than 12 games of football.”