Nebraska’s offense has been nothing short of electric in 2025. The sophomore Dylan Raiola, or should we say Patrick Mahomes, has been one of the nation’s elite quarterbacks this season. He has completed 75.6 percent of his passes for a total of 1137 yards and 11 touchdowns with just one interception as of now. Raiola ranks fourth nationally in completion percentage and has kept Matt Rhule’s third-time’s-a-charm still in play with a 3-1 start. His chemistry with Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter has been phenomenal. But still, there has been one glaring absence in this passing attack, and it’s been a while, but Nebraska has not been habitual to that absence.

The absence we are talking about is of Demetrius Bell, the forgotten weapon who was supposed to be the next best thing out of Nebraska. Bell’s nightmare began on what should’ve been a celebration of spring football back in April 2024. The former four-star recruit from Nashville’s McGavock High School was turning heads during spring practice, looking every bit the playmaker that Nebraska envisioned when they landed him. But then came one unfortunate day in 2024 spring practice when Bell suffered a season-ending knee injury, which sidelined him for the entire year. Bell had already redshirted for his first year in 2023 and was finally ready to contribute before the unfortunate incident happened.

And now, Bell was finally getting back to 100% and had made it to practice this week. This was the best news for Nebraska and had people optimistic for his return after more than 500 days of rehab. But yet another setback hit him almost immediately. Justin Frommer reported on Oct 2, “#Nebraska HC Matt Rhule said WR Demetrius Bell returned to practice and injured his other hamstring. Not a super long-term thing, but it will delay his return.” While a hamstring tweak is not a really big deal and would not have any negative long-term effects, it still would delay his return for another couple of months.

Unfortunately, Bell’s comeback journey has been plagued by setbacks of this kind, which have pushed his timeline into oblivion. Back in August, Rhule discussed how Bell was experiencing numerous aftereffects of his knee surgery, including significant pain and swelling. He said, “It’s just the aftereffects, pain tolerance, different things. Every time we’ve gotten closer, he’s almost back, it’s a little bit of a setback.” But Rhule has been cautious because players like Mac Markway and Teddy Prochazka aggravated their past injuries when they were rushed through the rehab process

For Dylan Raiola and Nebraska’s passing game, this news stings because they are losing out on a player who has an extremely high ceiling. He is an explosive and dynamic receiver who could’ve been the X-factor of this team. Bell was supposed to be ‘the’ guy who could’ve elevated this surging offense even more. But all hope is not lost. The season has just approached the midway mark, and the way Nebraska is playing, who knows, we might see Bell in the playoffs, cashing in some touchdowns with his trademark route running. Until then, we hope he recovers well.

Leadership through adversity

The aftermath of Nebraska’s heartbreaking 27-30 loss to Michigan was sad. Well, it was supposed to be, but not when Dylan Raiola is in the room. Raiola had a touch of disappointment, but nothing more than that. He took the defeat and accountability gracefully and showed veteran maturity. When he was asked about being pressured, his response was a powerful one. He said, “Point it at me. I’ll take it.” Seven words have never been this powerful. Rather than giving excuses and whatnot, he took the entire blame and moved on.

He also respected the opponent, crediting their defense. He said, “Hats off to them. I need to find a way to get the ball out quicker,” acknowledging his own need to improve. He also gave props to Michigan’s run game for rushing almost 300 yards: “They play hard, and they get to the football.” When asked about the locker room atmosphere following the gut-wrenching defeat, he projected confidence with a warning that should send chills through the rest of the Big Ten: “Be careful. We’re gonna come together and do something scary.” He also backed his teammates despite their struggles, noting that Nebraska’s rushing attack managed just 43 yards on 31 carries: “You can’t take one game and judge it off that. They’re gonna come back stronger than ever.” And this is why Raiola is one of the elite signal callers in the college football landscape right now. The poise, maturity, and accountability in the face of defeat are what separate good players from the best.