Nebraska’s ‘Patient Fan Base’ Could Have Reason to Celebrate This Football Season

Scott Dochterman covers the Big Ten and the national college football beat for The Athletic. He senses not only a continuing resurgence for Nebraska under Matt Rhule, but possibly a return to much more.

Dochterman appeared Wednesday on “Full Ride” with Rick Neuheisel and Chris Childers on SiriusXM College Sports Radio.

He attended Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas last week and was asked by the SiriusXM hosts what he had learned about Nebraska.

“You want to talk about a patient fan base and it sounds strange but I think Nebraska fits it,” Dochterman said. “It’s been a long time since they’ve [Huskers] been anything representative of what they once were.

“But there is a lot of faith, both internally and externally, that Year 3 of Matt Rhule is going to take that next step. I mean, getting to a bowl game, which once would have sounded preposterous for that program, was a big step for them. And then they won their bowl game, they got to seven wins and they lost a couple of close games.”

Better than 7-6 record?

A building consensus around the Huskers is that last season’s 7-6 record was the beginning of something grander.

“So there is a lot of thought that they are going to be a competitive team in the Big Ten, potentially,” Dochterman said. “I kinda have them in a middle tier. From about four to 11, I think is pretty even and a lot of really good teams in that mix.

“They are in that potential. And I think not only with Year 3 of Matt Rhule and the way he’s built that program, but Dylan Raiola who’s an obvious talent, a five-star [recruit] last year was really good early in the year then once he got into the Big Ten season kinda struggled. But again, true freshman taking his lumps.”

How much will the portal help the Huskers?

Nebraska has appeared to strengthen its offense, especially, through the transfer portal, with a potentially important wide receiver, and two linemen from big-time schools.

“I think the people they positioned around him [Raiola] puts them in a place to where Nebraska can be an upper-level Big Ten team,” Dochterman said. “When you get Dane Key from Kentucky, really good receiver there and now he’s got an elite passer with him.