Maybe the fault was in Dylan Raiola and Matt Rhule’s stars. After all, one couldn’t have had a better start for the 2024 season than Nebraska did. Raiola beautifully curated an ambience of terror, pulling off a Patrick Mahomes doppelganger look. The broccoli hair, the Oakley glasses, everything ticked off the boxes. Going by the buzz, to make his Mahomes’ dream come true, he flew off to Kansas City to be coached by Mahomes’ private QB coach, Jeff Christensen. Unfortunately, in the long run, Rhule’s quarterback failed to leave a mark. Walking into the 2025 season, the ground is already slippery for him, as an alarming threat is looming in the corner.  

Do you remember that day from the Huskers’ training camp in Omaha? It made fans wonder, ‘What’s Mahomes doing here?’ But then it clicked that the look-alike QB wasn’t anywhere near the Kansas City Chiefs star. In his debut against UTEP, Rhule’s quarterback completed 19 of 27 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns in less than three quarters of action. Apparently, it would make you blurt out, ‘Good job!’ However, there is another side to the coin, too. Those sack numbers next to Raiola’s name? Yeah, they’re the kind of stats that’ll make fans break out in a cold sweat. Rhule’s QB got sacked 27 times. So, moving into this time, the head coach has set up a safety net.

Matt Rhule upgraded the wide receivers’ room, Dane Key, and Nyziah Hunter. While Hardley Gilmore IV was also there, he has been displaced by the team. Plus, the running back room also looks good, with Emmett Johnson expected to be the leading rusher.

On the May 17th episode of the HuskerOnline podcast, the question arose, “What are your thoughts of him [Raiola] going into year two…?” To which Andy Staples replied, “My thing is we have not seen him as a sophomore yet. The biggest jumps tend to come between year one as a starter and year two as a starter for quarterbacks. So let’s see what he does this year.” Turns out that Staples is satisfied with all the precautions Rhule has taken for his quarterback.

Key brings a proven track record with him to Lincoln. In three seasons at Kentucky, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound wideout caught 1870 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. In that way, if Raiola can connect with Key, no force can turn him down. However, something is making Staples concerned about Nebraska this season….

The offense seems promising with its receivers, running backs, a quarterback with potential, and the new offensive coordinator, Dana Holgorsen. However, “I’m more worried about their defense replacing what they lost,” Andy Staples said. Now, this was not expected from a program that is led by Rhule. 

In 2024, the Huskers ranked 18th in total defense, 17th in scoring defense, and 9th in rushing defense. The numbers were even better in 2023. In this offseason, they have lost a number of rising defensive stars, Keona Davis and Dwight Bootle II. Before that, five defensive linemen had already left Rhule’s squad, including Kai Wallin, Jimari Butler, freshman Vincent Jackson, and sophomore James Williams.

So, the pressure is squarely on the offense and their quarterback. “I do think we’re gonna see improvement from Raiola. The question is how much improvement? Because if it’s a significant amount of improvement, then we are talking about a pretty tough team to beat here,” Staples added. And just when it seems like Rhule has enough challenges, here comes another one.

Matt Rhule warned about the easy traps coming their way

It’s time to take no one lightly. MIND YOU, NO ONE. The 2024 season showed Rhule’s Huskers that overconfidence is not at all good. Nebraska sought their revenge against Colorado, which handed them a 34-14 loss back in 2023. Plus, they qualified for the Pinstripe Bowl, which marked their first Bowl appearance in a span of 8 years. But was Rhule able to sustain the success in the long run? Sadly, no.

They wrapped up the season with a 7-6 overall record, carrying the burden of an under-performing quarterback. That’s when analyst Wilson Dittman dished out a fresh serving of reality checks for Rhule and Co. Hope that will be enough for the Huskers squad to wake up from their nap. The analyst dropped the bomb, “Talking about the biggest obstacle that’s in Matt Rule’s way. From only winning six games next season to potentially being in the mix for the cultural playoff nobody’s talking about this.”

He is expecting a 100% effort from all the members of the Nebraska team. 2025 is not the right season for trial and error. If Rhule’s boys are to win six games, they must ensure winning ALL SIX OF THEM. Compromise and distractions are a big NO NO. “We never focus on the games that when you’re looking in May… in June, you’re penciling down as W’s. Because those are always the games that we sit here in the fall, Nebraska shows up and plays in Illinois, they play in Northwestern, they play in Minnesota, and they lose.” Lesson 101: Underestimate them, and you’re already losing.