Dave Feit: What to Expect From Nebraska's Dylan Raiola in Year 2

That's a big reason why I prefer to think of Raiola's freshman year as three distinct mini-seasons. When we view his 2024 season in those individual chunks, the big picture becomes a lot easier to see: Dylan Raiola was statistically strong in 2024, finishing with the seventh-most passing yards in school history and leading NU to its first bowl game in a decade.

With a good understanding of where he has been, it's now time to look forward.

Aside from - knock on wood - injury, I have a hard time thinking of a reason why he would regress or struggle in 2025.  

If anything, I think Raiola could have a breakout year.

* * *

In football, quarterbacks are ultimately judged by how many points their offense scores and if the team wins. Mostly, it is the latter.

And yet, so many of the things that go into points and wins are out of the quarterback's control. A year ago, several of these things worked against Raiola. But in 2025, most (if not all) of these things he cannot control should make his life easier:

What did defense do on the previous drive? Did they get a stop or turnover? Or did they allow a score that the offense needs to answer?  

Honestly, I don't really know what to expect from the 2025 Blackshirts. Maybe they're better. Maybe they're worse. I think they'll be a work in progress for a month or so.

Let's call this one a push and keep going.

Where will each offensive drive start? Assuming Nebraska gets the ball from a punt or kickoff, the special teams determine how far Raiola and the offense need to go for a touchdown. Think about it: Would you rather drive 80 yards or 65?

In 2024, Nebraska's average offensive field position (OFP) was 72.7 yards away from the goal line. That ranked 102nd in the nation.  

I'm optimistic that a renewed focus on special teams - led by coordinator Mike Ekeler - will result in better starting field position than 2024. They may not match the starting OFP of 67.2 yards Tennessee had last year (fifth-best in college football), but shorter drives should lead to more scoring opportunities.

How will the offensive line block? Can the line give Raiola enough time to find an open receiver? Or will he be running for his life when the ball is snapped? Raiola was sacked 28 times in 2024. We saw what he looked like operating on two good legs (Season 1) and what he looked like banged up (Season 2).

Dylan's uncle Donovan has been busy "watering the bamboo" on the offensive line. I'm on record that the line will be one of the better units on the team in 2025.

Who is calling the plays? For most of 2024, it was Marcus Satterfield. That didn't work out.  

In 2025, it will be Dana Holgorsen. As we saw in the third of Dylan's 2024 mini-seasons that was a good fit with a lot of promise.

I'm excited to see what their chemistry looks like after a full offseason together.

How good is the running game? I don't know what Holgorsen's ideal run-pass ratio is, but having an effective running game takes some of the burden off Raiola's shoulders. Emmett Johnson appears poised for a breakout season of his own as Nebraska's featured back.

The depth behind Johnson is a gigantic, unproven question mark with a ton of potential.

Will the receivers get open? Will they catch - and retain - the ball? In 2024, the NU receiving corps often struggled to get open against aggressive Big Ten secondaries. Additionally, Nebraska was hurt by dropped passes and two completions (including a touchdown) that turned into interceptions when the defensive back wrested the ball away from a Husker receiver.

The talent in the wide receiver room - led by Jacory Barney and Kentucky transfer Dane Key - should be much improved over 2024. I believe new receivers coach Daikiel Shorts will have a positive impact.

The tight ends lost Thomas Fidone to the NFL and Nate Boerkircher to the portal, but Heinrich Haarberg, Luke Lindenmeyer and Carter Nelson should be able to fill the void.

Can the 10 other players on the field avoid penalties? In the Purdue game, a touchdown was called back because of a questionable offensive pass interference penalty. Multiple big gains throughout the season were lost due to holding and illegal-block penalties.

Breaking news: It is easier to convert a first-and-10 than a first-and-20.

If a drive stalls in the red zone, can Nebraska come away with points? In 2024, Tristan Alvano and John Hohl were a combined 9-18 on their field goal attempts, with two kicks blocked. There were issues with the entire operation - snapping, blocking, holding and kicking.*

*But other than that, things were great! 

I'm optimistic that between Ekeler and transfer portal additions Kevin Gallic (long snapper) and Kyle Cunanan (kicker), field goals will not be the wild adventure they were last year.

Nebraska may not be automatic inside 45 yards, but as long as they're not adjusting their philosophy and play calling to avoid kicking field goals, this can be a win.

Each of those eight areas (and likely a few that I missed) will impact how we view Dylan Raiola… even though he has no control over any of them. At least six should be noticeably better than they were a year ago.  

That leaves Raiola to focus on the things he can control: his physical condition, how he reads defenses and what he does with the ball. Which receiver he targets, where the ball is placed, when to throw it away, when to take a sack, and when to run.*

*I'm leery about Raiola running more. There's a difference between being mobile in the pocket - which was a struggle in the middle "Season 2" of 2024 - and trying to be a dual-threat QB.   

Yes, it would be nice if Raiola can scramble and pick up the occasional third down. (Better decision- making around when, where and how to slide would definitely help.) But I don't need him trying to be Taylor (or Adrian) Martinez.   

I'm okay if Raiola ends the season with less than 50 yards rushing… as long as he ends the season on the field. He was the first Nebraska quarterback to start every game in a season since Tanner Lee in 2017. 

* * *

Much like last year, I have no desire to set any arbitrary "he needs to throw for X thousand yards with Y touchdowns, and only Z interceptions" statistical expectations.  

The vast majority of those are based on absolutely nothing and are worth even less.

Instead, my biggest hope for Dylan Raiola in 2025 is going to be based on the 2023-2024 Nebraska basketball team.*

*Stay with me, this will make sense. I promise. 

The 2023-24 edition of Nebrasketball was headlined by guard Keisei Tominaga, the team's leading scorer. Tominaga possesses the rare ability to a) do ridiculous athletic feats and b) make them look incredibly easy. When Keisei was on one of his heaters, it was appointment viewing… especially if he was carrying Nebraska to victory.

Dylan Raiola possesses a lot of those Keisei qualities. The athletic gifts (which are clearly inspired and influenced by one of the best players in the game). The ability to make difficult things look routine. A showman's confidence and charisma. I don't think Raiola has truly carried Nebraska to victory yet… but that feels like a question of "when" instead of "if."

For as great a college player as Keisei was, there were holes in his game. Smart coaches schemed up ways to limit his effectiveness and impact. The Big Ten's defensive coordinators will undoubtedly try to do the same to Raiola.

On that 2023-24 Nebrasketball team, guard Jamarques Lawrence was another valuable player. He had 86 assists - second best on the team behind Reink Mast. Lawrence didn't score a ton (his 6.9 points per game were seventh on the team, between Josiah Allick and Eli Rice). But J. Law typically made the other players on the court better when he was out there.

So, while Dylan Raiola has the ability to be a Keisei Tominaga, I really just want him to be a Jamarques Lawrence.*  

*Or, if you prefer, a more traditional point guard.   

Keep the offense flowing. Distribute the ball to your playmakers - the football counterparts of Brice Williams, Juwan Gary, Mast and others. Make everyone else better. If there's a layup or open shot, take it.  

Just because Raiola has the Tominaga-esque ability to throw a football into a basketball hoop from 40 yards, I don't need him to flash it on every down. Control what you can control and trust that many of the things around you will be better than it was a year ago.

If Dylan Raiola can do that, his stats - and Nebraska's win/loss record - will take care of themselves.