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True-Freshman Husker Starters at Quarterback


It turns out Dylan Raiola has even more company in Husker football history as a true-freshman starter at quarterback.

Last week, we told the story of Ted Kenfield, the starter in Nebraska’s 1943 opener against Minnesota and four other games that season.

Gulp! We failed to notice something: In two of the three games Kenfield didn’t start, a pair of other true freshmen got the nod: Walt Wilkins (against Kansas) and Morris Galter (against Missouri). The only non-freshman starter in 1943 was roughly a decade older than the three others: Clark Beaver, a 27-year-old married man with a leg injury that made him a 4F military reject.

The following season, 1944, saw at least two Husker true freshmen start at least one game apiece (but not the season opener) at QB: Bill Betz and Ed Gradoville.

That makes at least nine Nebraska quarterbacks who have started as true freshmen, more than double what we have been led to believe. Are there even more? Feel free to do your own digging and report back.

Regardless of the growing numbers, one thing does seem safe to say: When Raiola takes the field Saturday against UTEP, he will be just the second true freshman in the post-World War II era to start for the Huskers at quarterback in a season opener. It’ll be interesting to see whether the TV announcers get it right.

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, following HuskerMax on X, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.





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