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Dave Feit: Digging Into Dylan Raiola's Commitment
Five-star quarterback and Husker legacy Dylan Raiola has committed to play for Nebraska. After a lengthy, on-again/off-again recruitment, Nebraska was able to seal the deal.
Something that seven months ago looked like a moral victory has turned into one of the greatest recruiting victories in school history.
As we celebrate and look ahead, let's dig into some reactions and lingering questions:
There is no simple narrative for why he's here. In our 280-character world, the temptation is easy to try to boil down why a five-star QB recruit - with his pick of top programs - would come to a school with zero bowl game appearances since Barack Obama left office.
His dad played here. Nebraska offered the biggest NIL deal. This is a place where he could start Day 1. He's doing it as a favor to his uncle the O-line coach. He was scared of competition. And on and on. Rival fans (and spurned Georgia Bulldogs) can pick their favorite and move on with their day.
But the reality is there's no single reason why Dylan Raiola is coming to Nebraska. I suspect that in his lengthy recruitment - with previous commitments to Ohio State and Georgia - Dylan learned a lot about himself and big-time college football. He figured out what matters, and more importantly, what does not.
I'm guessing Matt Rhule sold Nebraska's tight brotherhood culture. He laid out his vision for rebuilding the once great program and showed how Dylan could be a centerpiece of that revival. Rhule likely talked about how Dylan could honor Dom's legacy* and potentially build something greater.
*The commitment video suggests Raiola will wear #15 at NU, which has a nice symmetry to his dad's number in the NFL: 51.
Bottom line: There is no single reason for why this decision made sense for Dylan and his family.
What does this mean for the QB room? Until I'm told otherwise, I'm operating under the belief that Raiola was not promised the starting job for 2024. This means there will be an open competition in the spring among Raiola, fellow true freshman Daniel Kaelin, returners Chubba Purdy and Heinrich Haarberg, and anybody else who joins the QB room between today and the start of spring ball*.
*I think there is some smoke to the Casey Thompson Redemption Tour rumors, which suggest the 2022 starter would come back from Florida Atlantic (and a knee injury) to mentor and back up Raiola. Thompson would (in theory) serve as the Chad Henne to Raiola's Patrick Mahomes. But just like Raiola's commitment to Nebraska, I'll believe it when I see it.
My expectation is that all of the QBs stick around and go through a legit open competition in the spring. After the spring is when we would likely see the room thin out - either through the portal or a position change.
Who will be in charge of the quarterback room? Nebraska does not currently have an official quarterbacks coach. Marcus Satterfield's title is simply "Offensive Coordinator," even though his Huskers.com bio says he "tutors" NU's quarterbacks.
With no disrespect towards Satt - who previously worked with former five-star QB Spencer Rattler at South Carolina - I'm not convinced the #1 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class is coming to Nebraska for his tutelage.
I would not be shocked if Satterfield retains his O.C. title but works with a different position group. Under Rhule, Satterfield has coached tight ends at Baylor and running backs at Temple. It would be interesting to see the ripple effects from an offensive staff shift.
I've seen a couple of potential names speculated as a possibility for Nebraska's new quarterbacks coach. At least one of those names is currently coaching in the NFL, so it may be a month or two before anything is finalized.
What does the Raiola commitment say about Nebraska's NIL potential? College sports business reporter Pete Nakos of On3 said "I can confidently tell you NIL factored in" to Raiola's decision. We'll never fully know how many zeros are in his deal, but it is clear that Nebraska's NIL collective(s) were able to be a difference-maker.
When the Raiola speculation started last Monday, I really liked how the 1890 Initiative - currently Nebraska's primary NIL collective - put out a very direct tweet asking fans to "Make an Impact." I likened it to passing the collection plate after a very stirring sermon by Reverend Rhule.
That tweet by 1890 has been part of a month-long media blitz to raise awareness, raise funds, and educate fans on 1890's purpose and methodology.*
*Or, as cynics might say, address some of the criticisms, distrust, and other perceived baggage that has held 1890 back.
So far this month, 1890's president, former Husker Matt Davison, has taken part in a live chat with Husker Online and appeared on two local radio shows to talk about the collective and its "Countdown to Signing Day" drive.
1890's increased presence is apparent on social media as well. As of this writing, 1890 has put out 43 tweets in the month of December. They sent a total of 41 tweets between Aug. 1 and Nov. 30, with almost 40% being promotions for their "Cornhead" brand beer and vodka.
We all know that NIL will be a key component of Nebraska's future success - both in attracting and retaining players. I'm glad to see the 1890 Initiative stepping up its game.
Who has more pressure: Dylan or Uncle Donnie? It is pretty easy to paint Dylan as a savior who will lead Nebraska back to national relevance. But what about the guy in charge of making sure the quarterback stays on his feet: offensive line coach - and uncle* - Donovan Raiola?
*Let's all agree to stop with the narrative that Uncle Donovan was hired, retained, and/or given a hefty raise solely to secure the commitment of Dylan. No sane coach - or in this case, coaches - would ever do that. While I'm not here to convince you that Donovan Raiola is the 21st century version of Milt Tenopir, it's obvious that Matt Rhule believes in him as an O-line coach.
Assuming Dylan plays as a true freshman, he'll likely need time to adjust to the speed of college football. An offensive line that can give him time to set his feet, read the defense and make unhurried throws will be crucial to his early success. So, while all eyes will be on the QB, the pressure lies with the line.
In August, I said I was bullish on offensive line's potential for 2023. Despite a multitude of injuries, the Huskers did finish second in the Big Ten in rushing.
I remain optimistic that another offseason in the strength-and-conditioning program plus another year under Donovan's guidance will lead to improvement from the line. The return of veteran tackle Bryce Benhart should help a lot.
Will Dylan Raiola spark a poetry revival? In his announcement tweet, Dylan shared a short poem describing his decision to flip from Georgia to Nebraska.
I'm not here to bash on the kid - or his poetry writing prowess. Instead, I commend him for putting himself out there in a unique way while giving insight to his decision. Hopefully, he can also get credit for the poem in his high school English class.
Even though I'm primarily a prose guy, I'd love it if Raiola made poetry popular. One fan tweeted a story of a friend who would be interested in a haiku tattoo if Raiola brings home a championship. That would be a good start.
