An early look at Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola, Troy Dannen’s first days on the job

Take a breath because it’s time for spring football, where plenty will be learned about Nebraska’s progress. Let’s drop into coverage:

With Nebraska hiring an athletic director and its Board of Regents naming a priority candidate for system president on Wednesday, Nebraska football’s Pro Day may have been lost in the shuffle.

It was an interesting scene inside the Hawks Championship Center as news broke while dozens of current and former Huskers mingled and watched the drills.

Former Nebraska offensive lineman Cam Jurgens, set to take over as the Philadelphia Eagles’ starting center this season, attended the Pro Day for the second year in a row. Offensive linemen Ben Scott and Bryce Benhart, who both carried one-gallon water jugs, spent several minutes chatting with Jurgens.

The Pro Day began inside Nebraska’s new weight room inside its football facility, which is seamlessly connected with the Hawks indoor practice field via a newly installed garage door. When head coach Matt Rhule took questions from reporters, he mentioned that football staffer Troy Vincent Jr. organized the Pro Day.

“I think the attention to detail here is better than I’ve ever seen it,” Rhule said of the Pro Day schedule.

Vincent, who is listed as a football intern in Nebraska’s staff directory, also took on a bigger role in NU’s recruiting operations this spring after the departures of Omar Hales and C.J. Cavazos.

The highlight of the Pro Day was seeing quarterback Dylan Raiola throw passes as a member of the Nebraska football team. Sure, the stakes were low — Raiola only threw simple passes during the drills — but his talent was obvious.

Raiola spent several minutes warming up with sophomore wide receiver Malachi Coleman, throwing 45-yard passes with ease. The quarterback’s throwing motion is smooth to the point it sometimes seems casual and effortless, while Raiola put plenty of power on his throws during the drills.

Pro Day participants Billy Kemp and Anthony Grant caught passes from Raiola and they were cordial and complimentary of his skills. However, they’ve been away from campus unlike the teammates and Nebraska staffers who Raiola chatted with throughout the morning.

Regardless of the position and player, starting spots are earned, not given — but even as a freshman early enrollee, Raiola looks the part.

It’s been quite the week for Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen. Hired on Wednesday, Dannen was in Lincoln on Thursday where he briefly addressed the football team before heading to Memphis, Tennessee for the Nebraska men’s basketball team’s NCAA Tournament game Friday.

On Saturday, Dannen was back in Lincoln trying to get a first look at Nebraska’s baseball and softball programs before heading to Corvallis, Oregon, to watch the NU women’s basketball team in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

I ran into Dannen in the Bowlin Stadium press box and asked him how the last few days had been.

You don’t get into a job like this if you don’t want to be busy — and there’s an early sense of appreciation around the level of commitment he’s shown. We’ll hear from Dannen in depth on Tuesday when he’s formally introduced as Nebraska’s next athletic director.

The Nebraska football team spent part of the last week working out on the Nebraska State Capitol’s lawn, including a tug-of-war competition posted to social media on Thursday.

Nebraska’s freshmen lined up against its seniors, eager to impress and show their strength — only for the seniors to let go of the rope and watch as the freshmen backpedaled and tripped over each other. The good-natured prank led to smiles and laugher, and it’s also an example of how the spring will look different for NU’s veterans as opposed to its early enrollees.

The veterans have been around the block and know what to expect; the freshmen need to learn those lessons over time.

“We’ve got some guys in their sixth year that maybe they don’t need to do a ton of spring football,” Rhule said Monday.

Nebraska has 10 players on its roster who are in their fifth or sixth college season. Several are recovering from offseason surgery, while others like defensive back Isaac Gifford and defensive lineman Ty Robinson may also take it slow and preserve their bodies for the fall.

For the freshmen, though, their first spring can represent a frantic period of growth and competition as they try to get as many reps as possible.

Keep your eye on Nebraska’s redshirt freshmen, some of whom will be going through the spring for the first time.

Asked on Wednesday who to watch in the wide receiver room next season, Kemp was quick to name Demitrius Bell and Jaidyn Doss.

In the secondary, Jeremiah Charles’ athleticism continues to impress coaches while Dwight Bootle II could’ve had a major role in 2023 if not for a season-ending injury. That’s also true of linebacker Maverick Noonan, who has the physical tools needed to be an impact pass rusher.

There are many, many more redshirt freshmen who could grow into major roles — and the spring is their opportunity to make that leap.