LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — It's Year 3 of the Matt Rhule era at Nebraska, the one the program has been pointing to since his hiring.
The third season is where Rhule's previous college teams have made their biggest jumps, and the stage is set for the same to happen for the Cornhuskers.
Dylan Raiola will be in his second year as the starting quarterback and his first full season with offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. Veteran defensive coordinator John Butler enters his first full season running a unit
ranked in the top 20 last year. The schedule is favorable.
“I believe we can do something special this year,” Raiola said. “We’ll find out pretty soon.”
Rhule in 2023 took over a proud program a quarter-century removed from its heyday under Tom Osborne. The Huskers had won no more than five games in six straight seasons before Rhule arrived. His first team went 5-7 with five one-score losses. His second team ended a seven-year bowl drought and finished 7-6 with five more losses by eight points or less.
At Temple, Rhule was 2-10 and 6-6 before going 10-4 in 2015 for the first of two straight double-digit win seasons. At Baylor, he was 1-11 and 7-6 before going 11-3 in 2019 with a Sugar Bowl appearance.
“You just look at what he’s done in the past,” Raiola said, “and all you can do is trust his process and see it works.”
Raiola looks to build off a freshman season of ups and downs. In nine Big Ten games, he threw just seven touchdowns and was intercepted nine times. He should benefit from an improved offensive line and an upgrade at receiver.
“His leadership is outstanding, the play is fantastic,” Holgorsen said. “He’s making throws that I’ve never seen before, to be honest with you. He’s in a good spot and ready for game day.”
The competition between Jalyn Gramstad and TJ Lateef for the backup quarterback’s job continues to be one of the under-the-radar battles.
Gramstad is going into his sixth year of eligibility and his second at Nebraska. He led Northwestern College (Iowa) to the NAIA championship in 2022 and was NAIA player of the year with another title-game appearance in 2023. He played a total of eight snaps last season, all in the opener against UTEP.
Lateef, a freshman, was a three-star recruit out of Compton, California. He enrolled in January.
Don't go to the concession stand or refrigerator when Archie Wilson lines up to punt. It could be very entertaining.
The Australian freshman alternates between kicking right- and left-footed. A natural left-footed kicker, he grew up playing Australian rules football and went through the Prokick Australia program.
Wilson said he had always tinkered with right-footed kicking but didn't get serious about it until three years ago when he had a minor injury to his left foot. A Prokick coach asked him to kick a couple balls with his right, and he nailed both.
Switch punting can provide an edge because the ball spins differently depending on which foot it comes off, making it more difficult to field.
Linebacker Javin Wright is a rare seventh-year player who is expected to be a major contributor. After enduring a run of health issues, he's all in for this season. He was able to trade in his No. 33 jersey for No. 0. Single-digit jerseys are awarded by vote of the team to players who show the most toughness and leadership.
“Javin’s playing on borrowed time,” Rhule said. “He had it taken from him. He’s playing for the joy and passion of playing, so that’s infectious to those guys.”
The Huskers open against Cincinnati on Aug. 28 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. They open Big Ten play at home against Michigan on Sept. 20 and close the regular season with a visit to No. 2 Penn State on Nov. 22 and at home against border rival Iowa on Nov. 28.
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