It’s finally here. Game week is upon us and as Nebraska football heads into Year 2 of the Matt Rhule era, the Huskers are a popular choice by national pundits as a breakout program.
We’ve seen the Cornhuskers in this position before. Ostensibly on the cusp of returning to national relevance.
The 2007 Huskers — ranked 20th in the AP poll — had a lot of momentum heading into the season.
After a rough start to his tenure in 2004, which included the program missing a bowl game for the first time since the 1968 season, Bill Callahan’s Huskers made incremental progress fueled by outstanding recruiting. In 2005, they finished No. 24 after beating then-No. 20 Michigan in the Alamo Bowl. They followed that up with a nine-win season in 2006 that included a Big 12 title game appearance and a narrow 3-point loss to No. 10 Auburn in the Cotton Bowl.
Seemingly on the verge of turning the corner after detonating the Devaney-Osborne-Solich foundation and reimagining the program’s image, Callahan’s team crumbled. He was fired after a disastrous 5-7 campaign.
A decade later, in 2017, there was a lot of optimism surrounding Mike Riley as well.
Like Callahan before him, Riley took over from a successful coach — albeit one who couldn’t get the Huskers over the hump and return them to championship contention.
Riley also started slowly as he took over a divisive locker room that resented the fact their coach was fired. Nebraska backdoored its way into a bowl game despite finishing under .500 in 2015, but bounced back by winning nine games the following year. Many thought Riley’s program was about to hit its stride.
Then, Riley’s director of player personnel, Billy Devaney — a former NFL GM who was put in place by former AD Shawn Eichorst — “suggested” he fire his close friend and longtime assistant Mark Banker and replace him with former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco, thinking he was the missing piece to the program’s ascension.
They were wrong. Bob Diaco did his best Kevin Cosgrove impersonation and Riley was fired after an abysmal 4-8 season.
Two years later, in 2019, Nebraska entered the season No. 24 in the AP poll — the last time the Huskers were ranked. The program was coming off a 4-8 debut season under Scott Frost, but had won four of its last six games, with the team losing on the road to Ohio State by five points and to the Hawkeyes by three in Iowa City.
Quarterback Adrian Martinez received preseason Heisman hype, but the team ultimately fell on its face — a regular occurrence under Frost — before he was eventually fired after a 1-2 start in 2022.
Well, here we are again. The Huskers are at the starting blocks of a pivotal season. Nebraska won another offseason national championship while former coaches and analysts spent the summer talking up the program.
Will it turn out to be fool’s gold like previous seasons that were considered springboards for a return to prominence?
If you’re a regular reader of my columns, I think you’d agree I’m not one to drink Kool-Aid or pump sunshine. I tend to be pragmatic, leaning toward pessimistic.
I’m confident Matt Rhule has this program on an upward trajectory and will take a major step this season. I believe 2024 will be the precursor to an eventual return to national relevancy. I’m not predicting a playoff run by any means, but I will say I would be more surprised by 5-7 than I would be 10-2.
So why am I so confident this season will be different? Why will Nebraska finally give its fans something to be excited about this fall? Simply put, Matt Rhule has been as advertised. His well-earned reputation for culture building and player development has been on full display.
The roster is a really nice blend of seasoned veterans and talented youngsters. Every elite program — particularly those with sustained success — live in this sweet spot. Rhule already has Nebraska in this Goldilocks zone.
Just give this staff a few more years of recruiting and development. By the time these underclassmen have cycled through the system and become the veterans upholding the standard, Nebraska is going to be dangerous.
This year’s team will be led by a senior-laden defense expected to be Nebraska’s most formidable since joining the Big Ten. It’s an ideal situation for a team set to start a true freshman quarterback.
The Blackshirts are peppered with NFL talent at all three levels and return five players who were named honorable-mention All-Big Ten last season: Ty Robinson, Nash Hutmacher, Jimari Butler, Isaac Gifford and Tommi Hill.
The defense is deep enough to cycle through waves of players and not experience much — if any — drop-off.
This is the deepest, most talented defensive line we’ve seen in Lincoln in a long time. Robinson, Hutmacher and Butler have NFL futures, and that might also be the case for sophomore Cam Lenhardt. The staff is high on the next wave of guys too.
Riley Van Poppel, Elijah Jeudy, James Williams, Kai Wallin, Vincent Jackson and Sua Lefotu would start for a lot of teams. Also keep an eye on true freshman Keona Davis. His first season at Nebraska could look a lot like Van Poppel’s, who played 113 total snaps in 11 games last season. Davis might have the highest ceiling in the room. Defensive line coach Terrance Knighton is very high on him.
Losing Javin Wright for an extended period of time hurts, but there are still four players the staff likes who will rotate between the two inside linebacker spots: John Bullock, Mikai Gbayor, Stefon Thompson and Vincent Shavers — another true freshman the staff is extremely high on.
MJ Sherman and Princewill Umanmielen are basically co-starters at the Jack position. The two have really pushed each other this offseason. Sherman, a fifth-year senior, still has another level to reach, while Umanmielen — in just his second year — already shows NFL upside. Redshirt freshman Maverick Noonan and true freshman Willis McGahee IV are waiting in the wings and pushing for snaps this season.
The secondary has felt unsettled thanks to the offseason storyline of who would man the cornerback spot opposite Tommi Hill. But ultimately, I think this is going to be one of the best groups in the Big Ten.
Hill is one of the best corners in the country, while Isaac Gifford and DeShon Singleton are two outstanding safeties. Malcolm Hartzog is solid, but I think he eventually gets replaced in the starting lineup once Blye Hill is fully healthy — or someone else steps up and takes the job.
I continue to believe the staff would prefer to play Marques Buford at field safety and are waiting for someone to show them they can be trusted at that cornerback spot before moving him back. Perhaps coaches use the nonconference schedule to see how that spot plays out.
Having an 18-game starter and single-digit jersey recipient like Hartzog relegated to rotation duty would be a testament to the talent and depth being created in the backend.
I think coaches feel comfortable with five guys playing safety heading into the season: Isaac Gifford, DeShon Singleton, Marques Buford, Malcolm Hartzog and Koby Bretz, with Rahmir Stewart on the cusp of joining that group. They are probably confident with six guys at corner right now: Tommi Hill, Blye Hill, Marques Buford, Ceyair Wright, Amare Sanders and Jeremiah Charles.
There are a bevy of newcomers the staff is extremely high on. Along with Sanders — who the staff loves — other true freshmen impressing in their first fall camps are Mario Buford, Larry Tarver and Caleb Benning. Under normal circumstances, it would be difficult to keep those guys from seeing the field as much as their talent would suggest. Depth will make it difficult, but I expect those guys to see time this season.
There are pieces in place on offense that should allow coaches to put a solid supporting cast around quarterback Dylan Raiola.
Like every good team, it starts up front with what should be a pretty good offensive line — barring another injury at tackle. Despite losing Teddy Prochazka to a season-ending injury — his third in four seasons — Nebraska’s starting O-line boasts 137 career starts.
With a true freshman running the offense, don’t underestimate the value of having a veteran center with 39 starts under his belt. Ben Scott will call the protections, communicate any necessary shifts or blocking adjustments, and help identify where blitzes may be coming. Scott, Micah Mazzccua and Bryce Benhart should be one of the most formidable right sides in the Big Ten.
I was extremely skeptical of Rhule retaining Donovan Raiola from the previous staff. I’ve been googling crow recipes just in case this group takes the next step many are expecting this season.
Nebraska’s O-line coach will ultimately be judged by how this unit looks when his hand-picked recruits emerge from their chrysalis and fille all five spots upfront. If Raiola can re-establish Nebraska’s Pipeline reputation long-term, I’m leaning toward Cajun style.
One of the most talked-about storylines this offseason has been the makeover of the wide receiver room. It’s remarkable how different the perception is compared to this time last year. That group could go about eight deep this season and not miss a beat with explosive playmakers all over the room.
Outside of a special talent here or there like Trey Palmer, Samori Touré or Wan’Dale Robinson, the Huskers have been largely devoid of big-time playmakers at wide receiver going back to at least 2016, when the team had guys like Stanley Morgan, Jordan Westerkamp, JD Spielman and Brandon Reilly. Top to bottom, this group is better and deeper.
So much so, a guy like Jaidyn Doss — who was the most impressive newcomer in that room during fall camp last year before an arm injury derailed his progress — has moved to corner after being recruited over. Keelan Smith, Dae’vonn Hall, Isaiah McMorris and Quinn Clark have impressed since arriving on campus but are expected to redshirt because of the newfound depth at the position.
The tight end spot is also deep. Thomas Fidone has NFL talent, while Nate Boerkircher and Luke Lindenmeyer are both multi-game starters who are capable as well.
The running back room won’t knock your socks off, but between the four guys battling for playing time this fall — Rahmir Johnson, Emmett Johnson, Gabe Ervin and Dante Dowdell — the team has enough to establish an effective running game. Coaches will use the nonconference schedule to see who separates themselves from the pack before settling on a pecking order.
Looking beyond this season, the staff needs to continue to address the position to make this offense special. In my eyes, it consists of high-floor/low-ceiling players and without an elite talent in the bunch — although Dowdell has the pedigree to suggest he could be that guy down the line.
Signing Dylan Raiola accelerated the trajectory of the program. I’ve been effusive in my praise ever since I scouted him in high school and subsequently spoke to people I trust since he’s hit campus. Raiola’s a special talent who takes a professional approach to the position. The rare arm talent is obvious and by all accounts, Raiola checks every other intangible box. Greatness happens when elite talent is paired with hard work and preparation. I expect Raiola to develop into one of the best quarterbacks in college football.
However, fans shouldn’t expect him to come out of the gate torching defenses like Trevor Lawrence or Caleb Williams.
While I personally believe Raiola’s talent is on par with theirs, he won’t be asked to throw for 3,200+ yards and 30 touchdowns like Lawrence did as a true freshman. And don’t expect him to be second-team all-conference in Year 1 like Williams. Those stat lines and accolades are more realistic down the line. Nebraska won’t need that from him this season.
Coaches want him to be a game manager in Year 1. They need him to make good decisions and distribute the football like a point guard to playmakers like Jahmal Banks, Thomas Fidone, Isaiah Neyor, Jaylen Lloyd, Jacory Barney, Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda, Malachi Coleman, Carter Nelson and Janiran Bonner.
Another reason for optimism is a favorable schedule. Nebraska opens the season with four consecutive home games and should be favored in their first seven contests overall — with Rutgers being the only team in that group to make a bowl game last season.
Ohio State (#2), USC (#23) and Iowa (#25) are the only teams on the schedule that are ranked heading into the season. With nonconference games against UTEP (3-9 in 2023), Colorado (4-8) and FCS Northern Iowa (6-5), it’s arguably the easiest schedule Nebraska will navigate since joining the Big Ten in 2011.
Those first seven games should give Dylan Raiola a nice runway to get his sea legs under him as he adjusts to major college football. Ideally, the offense can use the first two months of the season getting into a rhythm and establishing an identity — something it hasn’t done going back several coaching staffs.
It should also allow for the defense to work out any kinks and get to a point where it’s playing fast, confident and with an edge. The defense will need to be hitting on all cylinders by the time the team closes the season against Ohio State, UCLA, USC, Wisconsin and Iowa.
Outside of Ohio State, who, for my money, has the most talented roster in the country, there isn’t a game on the schedule where Nebraska either won’t be favored outright, or one where you don’t have to squint too hard to see them winning.
If Nebraska can gain some momentum early on, the Huskers will be a tough out come November, when they could be positioning themselves for a prominent bowl game. I’m going to sign my name on 8-4 this season, with losses coming to Rutgers, Ohio State, USC and Iowa.
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