Everything Nebraska football QBs coach Glenn Thomas said about the starter, all others in Huskers QB room

Glenn Thomas has seen every Nebraska football practice this fall, in addition to each of the team’s practices and scrimmages during spring ball.

In terms of the team’s QB, specifically, the journey of naming the starter reached its logical conclusion last week with Dylan Raiola being named the starter ahead of backup Heinrich Haarberg and third-string QB Daniel Kaelin – in addition to fourth-stringer Jalyn Gramstad.

Matt Rhule has touched on Raiola’s progress under center, why and how he earned the starting job. Thomas, however, had not yet been afforded that opportunity in the public eye. On Wednesday night, during an appearance on Huskers Radio Network, the team’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach got the chance to discuss his true freshman starter.

Here’s everything he said about Raiola winning the QB1 job, then added thoughts on Haarberg and Kaelin and, finally, broke down what Gramstad brings to the table as an extra veteran in the QB room.

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Q: What distinguished Dylan Raiola as your number one guy?

THOMAS: “I think he had a great camp. He had that same approach (as the entire offense), we kind of had some up and downs, but just learning opportunities as camp went on and continue to get better. Overall, felt like he gave us the best opportunity – down in, down out – to move the football. I think he’s becoming more and more confident, obviously, with that news out there. He can take a step forward from a leadership standpoint because everybody knows the situation, and I think he’s accepted it very graciously and humbly and excited about the opportunity.”

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Q: Early in camp, you guys mix and match so much. Have you now pared it down to where he’s working with the guys that he’ll probably be throwing to a lot Saturday?

THOMAS: “Yeah, for the most part, we really have because now you’re really trying to fine-line the timing, the spacing, that trust between receivers and quarterbacks. So that’s really kind of been the approach, as well as trying to implement (reps for the backups). That’s always the struggle with the backup quarterbacks, if you will, to get them enough reps because we’re still wanting to get Danny reps. We still want to get Heinrich the reps. Coach (Rhule) does a fantastic job, probably the best I’ve ever been in my career, as far as getting those backup guys reps. So we feel like each one of those guys in that room are continuing to get better.”

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Q: Rhule was asked at his Monday presser about easing Raiola into the offense and the role of QB1. Rhule said they will not be approaching things with that mindset. Have you been a part of coaching staffs that did ease their young QBs into things? What are your thoughts about the way Rhule wants to go after this?

THOMAS: “It’s kind of different every year. I’ve had freshmen quarterbacks play, though maybe not game one. At Baylor, it was game four or five. At UNLV, it was two, three or four games into the season. (At Nebraska), maybe it’s a little different (with a freshman quarterback from) game one.

“But it’s so unique with the spring enrollees. These guys have had hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of reps. Now, they haven’t been in a (full) stadium and (experienced) some of the newness of that. But these guys have a lot of reps under their belt. He knows what he’s doing, he has confidence in what he’s doing, he knows where everybody’s gonna be. So we feel very, very confident about what he’s doing and not having to limit the playbook based on that situation.”

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On Tuesday, Raiola was asked how the receivers can gain HIS trust. Raiola, though, looked at it from the opposite perspective.

“Honestly, I’m gonna flip it on you,” Raiola said. “I have to earn their trust. They can run – they run so hard every day in practice – and if I can’t give them a ball that they can catch and the timing (isn’t right), I’m wasting their time. So I think it all starts with the quarterback, it starts with myself. And if I can give them an accurate ball, how hard it’s coming and when it’s coming in, I think that’s how the timing goes. If I’m not, (then) I’m not doing them justice.”

Raiola’s QBs coach was thrilled to hear that perspective from the young true freshman.

THOMAS: “It is (a great comment), and it’s so true. It really is. I think there is a time and a place where you have to assert yourself from a leadership standpoint, but you also have to walk the walk. And I think he appreciates that, he acknowledges that, and I think that speaks volumes for him and his maturity to understand that aspect of it.”

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Q: How’s the room been off the practice field, in the meeting rooms, studying their playbooks and those type of things?

THOMAS: “They’ve been great, they’ve all been supportive of each other. Obviously, a little bit of a unique situation with not naming the starter early. So they were all kind of competing against each other for the same job, but it’s been cool to see. They’re all very humble, very gracious, trying to help each other, asking each other questions, trying to get each other better because at the end of day, we’re gonna need all of them to be at their best. I think they understand that, and it’s very appreciated, for me as a coach, to have that type environment in the room.”

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Q: In what areas did Heinrich improve since last spring?

THOMAS: “He just continues to improve in all levels. I mean, obviously he has athleticism, he has the size and that skill set. But as he sees the field, as he’s getting through his progressions, he’s utilizing touch and not just pace balls. Ball I.D., you know? Hey, I want the ball on the left shoulder or the right shoulder. Or, hey, I got to get it into this second window. As he continues to get those reps and sees why we’re trying to get (done) what we’re getting done, he continues to improve. I’ve been pleased with him because he continues to (progress). The arrow’s up, for sure.”

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Q: How did he handle the news of not being named the starter?

THOMAS: “To be expected. I mean, he (has) top-notch character. Like Coach (Rhule) said, (Haarberg) is all for the team. ‘Whatever I can do to help this team, I’m gonna do it.’ And I have the utmost respect for him, as does everybody in that locker room, for how he has approached the situation before the news and even after the news. Like I’ve said, we’re gonna need him – in more ways than one – and then he’ll step up to the challenge, no doubt about it.”

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Q: Is there a chance Heinrich could be used at positions other than QB?

THOMAS: “I think he’s got the skillset to do that, for sure. I mean, he’s one of the most athletic guys in the building – big, strong, fast – I think he brings a lot to the table, not only at quarterback but in other positions, for sure.”

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Q: Danny, your other freshman quarterback in there, I’m sure you’re seeing growth with him as well?

THOMAS: “Yeah, it’s been fun to see. And he’s so eager to learn, so eager to apply classroom to the field. Again, he’s been one of those delights to (have) in the room, great addition to the room. Nothing but humble, team-first and ‘whatever I can do to help’ (attitude). He really takes that approach every day.”

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Q: What has Jalyn Gramstad added to your quarterback room?

THOMAS: “He’s been a great addition. I mean, I don’t think there’s anybody in our room, or in that building, that wouldn’t think that, if he’s in there, he could help us move the ball in a productive fashion. He’s had a team-first mentality, he’ll do anything he can. Obviously, he’s had all the success he’s had before coming here, but he’s been super humble, very proactive learner – not only just (on the field), but (also) off the field stuff. Very productive, he’s got a really nice skillset on the field. So I think he’s been a huge addition for us.”

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Q: Gramstad came to a camp around mid-June. Take us back to the story of that camp and how you would him.

THOMAS: “He came and worked out for us. Didn’t know much about him, heard his name when he came to and obviously knew about some of the stuff that he had done at his other school. He came in, played well, and it worked out. Their school did a fantastic job of letting him graduate and work him through that process. He’s been here six weeks now – two months now, I guess – but he hit the ground running fast, for sure, as far as trying to learn it.”

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Q: He can certainly be a help, maybe on a game day, but also for scout work during the week to take snaps and simulate the other team’s offense. Will he be involved in some of that?

THOMAS: “Totally. Totally, because he has the arm talent to do it, but he also has the athleticism to do it. He can run around, do the zone-read stuff, the off-schedule and out-of-pocket stuff. He can give you a lot of stuff, not only for the scout team, but also for us – if and when we need him.”

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THOMAS: “Bode (Soukup) from Blair (Blair High School in Nebraska). Bode’s been great. He did a great job, came in in the summer, just kind of sitting back, trying to learn. The young guys, obviously, we’ve really tried to push the reps with the other guys, so he hasn’t really, necessarily gotten a lot of reps in there. But he’s (gotten) the mental reps and really trying to be proactive to be a part of it, and he’s been a nice addition to the room as well.”