Recently, rumors swirled that Dylan Raiola, after a rollercoaster freshman season, could’ve taken the easy way out and entered the transfer portal. But Raiola shut it all down, doubling down on his commitment to the Huskers. Now, connecting that loyalty to the field, how is Raiola doing as Nebraska’s quarterback? His freshman year was a wild ride. He began each game, set school records for freshman regular season passing yards (2,819) and completion percentage (67.1%), and took the Huskers to a bowl game for the first time since 2016. But it wasn’t smooth sailing by any means. But Raiola concluded positively with the Huskers’ Pinstripe Bowl victory and throwing 72% of passes successfully down the stretch.

His toughness and ability to recover from rough times have earned him the respect of his teammates and supporters. Off the field, Raiola’s leadership is developing. He has lost weight, asserted himself in the locker room, and intends to correct the late-game execution deficiencies that hurt Nebraska last year. With expectations ratcheted up for 2025, everyone is watching Raiola to determine whether he can step up and return Nebraska to Big Ten prominence.

In a recent Nebraska football news, host Wilson Dittman presented some perspectives on why Raiola could finish the year as a top-10 quarterback, on the 14th of June, in his program. “The first thing I’m looking out for, Dylan Raiola, is just to humble himself, and I think he’s already done a good job at that. Like he’s already a very humble individual,” said Dittman. “I love Dylan Raiola going to all these events all the time being basically a celebrity for Nebraska. That’s a good look for the program. But he needs to get in the practice field a lot as well. He needs to get back in the weight room. He [also] needs to define his body,” he continues.

During the offseason, he’s been training alongside some of the game’s best, including Patrick Mahomes himself and Mahomes’ trainer Bobby Stroupe. It’s not just about learning tricks; it’s about developing the kind of physical and mental resilience that divides great quarterbacks from good ones. Dittman adds, “He needs to dramatically improve his deep ball accuracy. He needs to dramatically improve his accuracy over the middle of the field with that bullet. He needs to dramatically improve his relationship with guys like Dane Key … Those guys need to be best friends.”

Dane Key would be spending his final season suited up in a Nebraska Jersey, catching passes from Raiola. Key says, “It was just time for a change. With three different offensive coordinators, I played with three different quarterbacks. It was just time for a change.” Every great quarterback-receiver duo has that almost telepathic understanding. Perhaps Key’s alliance with Raiola, maybe the playoff dreams won’t be too far-fetched.

Dittman also includes an extremely significant effect of Raiola’s new indictment. “I’ll just tell you this, if Dylan Raiola can become a top 10 quarterback, which I think is doable, there’s no reason why Nebraska can’t make the playoffs.” He added, “If you’re a top 10, if you’re on the upper echelon, you can will your team to a win. We haven’t had that in Nebraska in a very, very long time since Eric Crouch.”

Crouch received the Heisman in 2001, and Nebraska was a legitimate contender due to it. Ever since? The Huskers have had their fair share of good quarterbacks, but none who could put the team on his back and carry them to victory when it was most needed. That is what you get when you don’t possess a quarterback on the upper tier. The top teams in college football, the ones who get into the playoffs or win huge bowls, nearly always follow the same blueprint. Can Dylan Raiola be that missing piece in Nebraska’s roster?

Nebraska’s new Quarterback savior

Nebraska’s been mired in mediocrity for decades, but now the entire state’s hopes are riding on Raiola’s shoulders. Expectations? Off the charts. Pressure? Sky-high. Matt Rhule, having an interview with Jim Rome, set it all out. He acknowledged that Raiola had “everyone reaching out to him” following last season, offering him a new beginning at another program. Some of them may have been easier, less pressure, and possibly less responsibility. But Raiola? He stayed back.

And Rhule did not hesitate to say how unusual that sort of loyalty is today, particularly when the journey up ahead is this challenging. Rhule stated, “He’s got so many eyes on him. He has the weight and pressure of an entire fanbase, of an entire state, of a blue blood like Nebraska.” And Raiola’s first year wasn’t flawless—there were slumps, there were turnovers, there were times when he was every bit the freshman that he was.

What’s most revealing is how Rhule envisions Raiola maturing. He spoke of the young quarterback’s physical condition, his football intelligence, and how the game is second nature to him mentally. “But he’s worked so hard at it. He knows everything inside and out. His body looks great. Tremendous shape. Where I see him growing is in the phases of leadership and the phases of mental toughness. Handling adversity. And I think he’s going to have a great year,” said Rhule.