Dylan Raiola entered last season with plenty of promise. He had the hype, the name, and a fast 3-0 start, capped off by a 28-10 revenge win over Deion Sanders’ Colorado squad. That game showed off Raiola’s early swagger and seemed to justify the sky-high expectations Nebraska fans had for him. But as the season dragged on, the shine wore off. The Cornhuskers ended the year at 7-6, and Raiola’s flaws started to stand out. Eleven interceptions told the story—growing pains, inconsistency, and a learning curve that might be steeper than Nebraska hoped. If they still dream of a national title, that version of Raiola won’t cut it.

That’s why all eyes are now locked on his growth. Because let’s be honest—Nebraska’s success in the Big 10 hinges on how much Raiola improves. And according to Wilson Dittman, that improvement needs to come fast under new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen.

Dittman said, “Dylan Raiola’s development single-handedly is going to impact this season. Because we know with this Dana Holgorsen offense, we’re going to be airing out the football a lot more. If Dylan is only a top 30 quarterback in America, like okay cool, we’re only going to win maybe six or seven games. We know that’s how it is.” But that doesn’t mean Raiola is sitting still. In fact, he’s already making moves.

Heading into year two, Raiola’s under pressure—not just to produce, but to prove he’s physically ready. When his weight became a talking point, he dropped nearly 10 pounds in the offseason. It’s a sign of his commitment, and it impressed head coach Matt Rhule, who said, “He is ten steps ahead of where he was, and where he was was pretty cool.” Still, one issue could derail all of it: his accuracy.

Dittman didn’t hold back. He issued Raiola a challenge—fix the flaw or forget the playoff dreams. “If Dylan can be consistent, can fix all of his accuracy issues, and can take that big leap that we know he can as a former five-star quarterback to be a top 15 quarterback in America—his arm alone is going to win us a lot of ball games. Quarterbacks can change the dynamic of a team just by their arm alone. Dylan Raiola can do that.” But it’s the pressure situations—when the pocket collapses, or the timing breaks down—where Raiola’s decision-making has shown cracks.

Take the Illinois game. Raiola threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns and completed 24 of 34 passes. But he fumbled twice while under pressure. Sure, Nebraska recovered both, but it’s a warning sign. Then there was the UCLA matchup, where he threw an interception and struggled to settle into a rhythm. His full-season stats look solid—2,819 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, 67.1% completion—but those 11 picks? They speak loud.

So if Nebraska wants to level up this year, Raiola must too. “I’m worried about Dylan Raiola’s development. I’m concerned about that because that really is the difference between us only winning six games to potentially winning eight to potentially making a College Football Playoff. If he’s elite—if he’s a top 10 quarterback—I see no reason why Nebraska can’t win 10 games,” Dittman added. And just when Dylan could’ve used some space from the noise, guess who stepped into the conversation?

Dylan Raiola receives brotherly critique

The latest critic? None other than his own younger brother—Dayton Raiola.

Dylan’s second year at Nebraska comes with massive expectations. He’s already proven he’s more than a big name, but the weight of the family legacy is real. His dad, Dominic Raiola, was an NFL veteran. His uncle, Donovan, is Nebraska’s offensive line coach. And now, his younger brother Dayton is committed to the Huskers’ 2026 class, throwing his own name into the family legacy with confidence.

Dayton is already a name to watch. At Buford High School, the 6’3” quarterback threw for 1,953 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just three interceptions while leading his team to a 5-1 record. And while he shares his brother’s strong arm and love for the deep ball, he wasn’t shy about pointing out the differences.

“So, I mean, I think we both have pretty strong arms, humbly speaking. We both like to throw the deep ball,” Dayton said. He then added a more candid take: “I think the difference between me and him is that I like to use my legs a little bit more, I mean. I wouldn’t say Dylan’s afraid of contact, but I think I like contact just a little bit more, like early on in games. I always like to, maybe, like, throw a block in every now and then just to get some contact, and it settles me; it settles me down.”

That quote didn’t go unnoticed. In a way, Dayton exposed a side of Dylan that others had only hinted at—his struggles with mobility and handling pressure physically. And the timing of it makes things even heavier.

Both brothers are built similarly, but Dayton has been more vocal about staying in a comfortable playing weight. “I think my freshman year, I was 5’10, probably, and 215. So, I was a little more chubby, I’d say. But as I just kept growing over the years, kept getting taller, I tried to just maintain my weight. So right now, I’m about 6’2” or 6’3, and I’m staying between 210 and 215. That’s what I’m comfortable with.”

Dylan, who is also 6’3”, entered last season weighing around 230 pounds. After losing weight in the offseason, he’s closer to that 215 mark now. While fitness is no longer a concern, the spotlight has shifted back to his pocket presence and accuracy.

Oddly enough, one of Dylan’s most memorable moments from last season came during a game where his team struggled—against UCLA. He dropped a 40-yard bomb to Jacory Barney Jr., one of the longest completions of the day. That drive led to a Dante Dowdell touchdown and kept Nebraska in the game. It was a flash of what he can be when everything clicks.

Now, Nebraska’s playoff dreams don’t rest on scheme, or the strength of schedule, or even the defense. They rest on whether Dylan Raiola can become the quarterback everyone believes he should be.