Carriker Gut Reaction: Huskers' New O-Line Coach, Raiola Fired & Bowl Game

Matt Rhule and Nebraska football fire offensive line coach Donovan Raiola, then hire Geep Wade, and Nebraska fans learn the Huskers are playing Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. The Huskers lose out on a top defensive coordinator candidate as well. Fans are wondering about quarterback Dylan Raiola's future, and running back Emmett Johnson is gone to the NFL. Adam Carriker shares some never-before-told things about Donovan Raiola.

Hit the play button to watch and listen, and scroll down for a synopsis.

Carriker shares a raw and honest reaction to Donovan Raiola being let go, one you may not hear anywhere else. Then Adam discusses how skeptical he was about the new offensive line coaching hire. Not about who Matt Rhule hired, but because he always wants to be excited about new hires, but Nebraska football history has taught him it doesn’t always work out.

What Adam did know before he looked into coach Geep Wade was that Georgia Tech legit had a good offensive line, was a legit good running team and did not give up many sacks. Georgia Tech also beat several teams and competed with several teams who flat-out had more talent than them the past couple years. When Adam started looking into Coach Wade more, you discover that he’s been an offensive coordinator, a recruiting coordinator and he’s been coaching offensive lines for over 20 years. Then you learn that Georgia Tech led the ACC in rushing a season ago and also allowed nine total sacks in their most recent season. That's the fewest sacks allowed by any team in the ACC and No. 3 in the country.

You follow that up with the fact that two of Wade’s offensive lines in the past have been in the conversation to win the Joe Moore award. That’s the award given out to the best offensive line in the country. And his Georgia Tech offensive line was a semifinalist for the Joe Moore award, which means they were considered one of the nation's top 10 offensive lines. It is hard to think that moving on from Donovan Raiola and hiring Coach Wade was anything but an upgrade.

Adam then gives an update on the defensive coordinator search. Nebraska had a top candidate in town this weekend, and they lost out on him to Syracuse, so who is Nebraska targeting next? Who is the best candidate and also the most likely candidate from Matt Rhule to hire?

The Huskers also learned they will be going to the Las Vegas Bowl, which excites Adam because it’s warm and the family will be going to the bowl game again this year. Besides that, the Huskers will be playing Utah, a top-15 team that has 10 wins this year. It’s undoubtable that Nebraska will be a double-digit underdog, but what happens as the game gets closer as far as players who are sitting out and other things that will make an impact on this bowl game? As we know, a lot of times teams that play in bowl games look a lot different than the team that played in the regular season. Also, will this be the final game for Kyle Whittingham, Utah’s head coach? Because bowl games are all about motivation as well. If it’s his final game, Utah may show up a little extra motivated. If it’s not, maybe they won’t. Either way Nebraska should be all-around very motivated.

Go Big Red and always remember to Throw the Bones!

☛ Get more Carriker Chronicles here on Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, at Adam's website and on YouTube.

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