Five Reasons To Be Excited About Husker Football In 2025

Three months to go.

Three months.

It’s almost June, which means we’ve entered that part of the calendar where my mind starts honing in on the start of another football season. When February arrives, I’m usually excited to come up for air. Especially if it follows a season that (A) felt like a grind or (B) featured a team I dislike winning it all in college and/or the NFL. The 2024 year featured a little bit of column A and a disgusting 2/2 in column B, with Ohio State and Philadelphia winning championships.

Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule holds the championship trophy as Cornhuskers players celebrate after the game. — The Huskers hoist the 2024 Pinstripe Bowl trophy after their win over Boston College. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It was nice moving forward for your boy.

As the calendar flips to March, I’m more interested in how things improve away from sports. The sun is setting later and later, the temperatures are (usually) improving, and things just feel nice outside. There’s spring ball to follow, but I don’t need the season to arrive. Ditto for April, especially this year, as I ran in my first ever Boston Marathon.

Then it’s May. Sun still setting later. Weather still getting better. Spring ball is now done and you’re getting caught up on what happened, who got better, and where questions remain*. I find myself thinking about the upcoming season more and more, mainly from the content standpoint; what kind of things could we do in the offseason? What positions do I like and dislike? How would one break down the schedule?

*I had a classic “what did we learn during spring ball?” column planned, but there weren’t as many answers as I was hoping for, so I decided against it. That said, I do think we learned the coaches really like and believe in the offensive line. Column done!

But then it’s June. Or in today’s case, May 28. The season is officially three months away from starting.

And now, the season is close, but still so far away at the same time. If you’re not following the day-to-day of Major League Baseball, or you’re not into sports like golf or tennis, June marks the end of sports that help me bridge the gap between February and now. The NBA will end soon. The NHL too. And don’t forget about the Men’s and Women’s College World Series.

You’ll understand why this month is so important to me mentally.

So, with all that in the rear-view mirror, today seems like the perfect time to get excited. There’s plenty of time to concern troll about position groups, coaches, and potential matchups. Today is the day to look ahead and dream big dreams, to wonder about what the season could bring (or mean) if certain things go Nebraska’s way.

I’m excited for the 2025 Nebraska football season and I can tell you why in five ways.

1. Dana Holgorsen getting a full offseason to improve Nebraska’s offense: Surely you remember the end of the 2024 season. Following the 27-20 loss to UCLA in early-November, Matt Rhule announced Dana Holgorsen would take over at offensive coordinator for Marcus Satterfield. Nebraska, losers of three games in a row, needed to go just 1-2 to finish up the season if they were finally going to make a bowl game again.

They did just that.

Nebraska Cornhuskers assistant coach Dana Holgorsen during warmups. — Assistant coach Dana Holgorsen observes warmups before Nebraska's 2024 game against Wisconsin. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The 44 points in Nebraska’s 19-point win vs. Wisconsin showed why Rhule made the move in the first place. Nebraska went three touchdowns better than their season-long average, and put up more than 100 yards vs. what they averaged for the entire year. Dylan Raiola finished with 293 passing yards, which would be the second-most* he had in a game all season long.

*First? 297 yards in the 31-24 OT loss to Illinois. Meanwhile, Nebraska only rushed for 48 yards in that game (partly because of all the sacks in said OT), while they put up 180 in the win over Wisconsin.

Otherwise? Results were mixed. In four games calling plays, Holgorsen’s offense averaged 23.5 points-per game, which was… the exact average they had all season long. The offense looked better, but still stalled out in losses to USC and Iowa, and even in the bowl win over Boston College.

But that all makes sense. He barely knew the names of the players!

All these months later, I can’t help but get excited thinking about Holgorsen’s offense and what an entire offseason could mean for things. The first player you think about is assuredly Dylan Raiola, but what could he mean for the run game? With sacks counting against the run game, Nebraska averaged 124.9 rushing yards per game in their first nine contents. After Holgorsen took over? 143.5. Not that much better, but better nonetheless. Add on top of that a retooled wide receiver room, with a new coach to boot, and an offensive line that many* are bullish on, and it’s easy to understand why one would be a believer in this side of the ball.

*Myself included.

It’s Dana Holgorsen! Nothing more needs to be said, right?

2. Emmett Johnson’s continued improvement: You probably thought I’d dive a little deeper into Dylan Raiola in my second reason to be excited, didn’t you? Sorry to disappoint.

I’ve spent a lot of time writing and talking about Emmett Johnson this offseason. I am a believer in his 2025 prospects, with one giant if; If he’s able to carry the workload of what he did to finish 2024, he could put up the best season for a Nebraska running back since Ameer Abdullah in 2014.

Let me explain.

Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Emmett Johnson. — Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson (21) celebrates with teammates after a touchdown during the second half of the 2024 Pinstripe Bowl. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

In 2024 Johnson finished with 884 yards from scrimmage; 598 on the ground and 286 receiving. He scored three total touchdowns and averaged 5.1 yards per rush and 7.3 yards per reception. Certainly nothing to write home about in either regard, but if you dive in a bit deeper, you find a player that might not have been used the best before the coaching change.

In Nebraska’s first nine games, Johnson carried the ball just 58 times (6.4 rushes per game) and had just 16 receptions (1.8 receptions per game). He had 284 yards rushing (31.6 per game) and 116 yards receiving (12.9 per game). “Nothing special” doesn’t really describe what was happening. He was fine. But look at what happened after Holgorsen took over.

17 total touches for 91 total yards against USC.

22 for 198 against Wisconsin.

24 for 96 against Iowa.

19 for 99 against Boston College.

In Nebraska’s final four games, Johnson carried the ball 59 times for 314 yards (5.3), while taking in 23 receptions for 170 yards (7.4). You extrapolate those numbers for a 12-game schedule and suddenly you’re looking at an average of 20.5 touches for 121 yards per game. That would make for a season with 246 total touches for 1452 yards.

Can he do that?

Undoubtedly, it’s a lot. Only 17 players averaged more than 121 yards per game from scrimmage in 2024. And looking at the numbers above, the Wisconsin games ups the averages tremendously, as he closed in on 200 total yards in his best game as a Husker. So while 121 yards every single game might be asking for more than Johnson can deliver, what about 100 yards on the ground and through the air?

Holgorsen used him more (and better) than Satterfield had in close to two years as Johnson’s OC. And with a 2025 running back room filled with plenty of questions, Johnson could end up being a guy that's leaned on more, much to his benefit.

3. Special teams (probably) not being a disaster: Is it good or bad that two of the first three items are about a change in coordinator’s effect on an entire side of the ball? Not to mention, a lot of my bullishness on Johnson comes from Holgorsen as well. Thus is the story of Nebraska football in 2025, as all three phases will feature (mostly*) new coordinators. I don’t want to say “none is more intriguing than ______” because I imagine Husker fans are split on which guy they’re most excited about. That said, Mike Ekeler coming back to Nebraska is absolutely fascinating.

*We’re saying mostly here because of Holgorsen’s four games. But for all intents and purposes, I’m viewing this team as one with new coordinators on offense, defense, and special teams.

Just look at what happened at Tennessee once he took over in 2021:

Ekeler helped Tennessee in the top 20 nationally in five special teams categories in 2021 and were either first or second in the SEC in punt-return defense, punt-return average, net punting and kickoff-return average. Jones led the SEC and ranked second nationally in punt-return average (27.3) and combined for 900 kickoff and punt-return yards, the second-highest single-season total in program history.

The Vols were third in the FBS in punt-return yards in 2022 thanks to Williams, who had two career punt-return touchdowns at Tennessee, and ranked ninth in ESPN’s special teams efficiency rankings, the program’s highest finish since the metric was introduced in 2005.

Tennessee ranked in the top 25 nationally in five special teams categories in 2023 with Williams ranking sixth in the FBS and third in the SEC in punt-return average to finish his career with a 15.4-yard punt-return average.

The Vols led the SEC in punt-return average for the third time in four seasons in 2024.

Former Tennessee Outside Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator Coach Mike Ekeler. — Assistant coach Mike Ekeler reacts after a play during a 2022 Tennessee game. | Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Nebraska meanwhile? Horrific doesn’t even approach how bad things have been under Matt Rhule (and Scott Frost before him). Since 2018, Nebraska’s special teams have averaged 108.4 in Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings. So, what happens when Nebraska has someone with a track record in charge of a unit that is in dire need of improvement? What happens if Nebraska’s special teams – routinely a tire fire – is merely average? And if they can get to an average level in 2025, what could Ekeler do for that group heading into 2026 and beyond?

4. The 2025 transfer portal class: I won’t go as so far to say this could be the most impactful class of the portal era*, but I’m almost there.

*2018 and beyond.

Dane Key usually kicks off discussions like this, and rightfully so. The fourth-year player has upped his receptions, yards, and yards per receptions over the course of his first three seasons, doing so in the SEC at Kentucky. He has 14 touchdowns. In a room full of questions, he and Jacory Barney should be an exciting duo together.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish offensive lineman Rocco Spindler — Notre Dame offensive lineman Rocco Spindler transferred to Nebraska during the offseason. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Sticking on offense, the additions of Rocco Spindler and Elijah Pritchett to the offensive line, provides starting experience, not to mention both come from Notre Dame and Alabama. Pritchett in particular was a guy I wasn’t too excited about when his addition was announced, for both reasons on and off the field, but from all reports, spring couldn’t have gone better for him.

But it’s on defense where I look when I try to find reasons Nebraska could pick up an additional win or two on the schedule. It’s no secret Nebraska lost a lot of experience, particularly on the defensive line. Yet, Marques Watson-Trent, Dasan McCullough, and Andrew Marshall bring accolades and varying levels of experience at different levels of the sport. And of course, it’s hard not to wonder about Williams Nwaneri, given what type of prospect he was viewed as when he was in high school.

Throw in additions on special teams as well and I think it’s fair to say this class could be the difference between Nebraska finishing with another 6-6 or 7-5 record, or hitting that eight or nine-win mark.

5. The pressure of year three: I am what I am. I can’t just be excited about potential positives; I also need to write (again*) about the importance of 2025, good or bad, as it pertains to the future of the program with Matt Rhule in charge.

*For more on year three, I direct you to this column!

Through two years at Nebraska, Matt Rhule sits a pedestrian 12-13. Before Nebraska picked up the 44-25 win over Wisconsin last November, his teams had gone 0-8 in games with bowl eligibility at stake. 0-8! On top of that, all but one of those eight losses came by eight points or fewer. And while they picked up the win over Wisconsin, the air was let out of the balloon a week later, when Nebraska somehow gave the game away to Iowa and finished the regular season 6-6. The bowl win over Boston College kept Nebraska from finishing with a sub-.500 record for the eighth straight season.

Which brings us to 2025.

Head coach Matt Rhule and athletic director Troy Dannen walk off the field after Nebraska's 2024 win over Wisconsin. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

In the next three months, I’ll spend many hours thinking about the 2025 campaign. Holgorsen, Johnson, and Ekeler, as mentioned above, will be on my mind. As will the offensive line, the young linebackers, and transfer portal players expected to make an immediate impact. But ultimately, I’m going to spend the next three months (and the three months to follow) trying to figure out the answer to one question:

How good does Nebraska have to be to believe Matt Rhule has things going in the right direction?

That’s really what we’re all wondering, right?

7-6 with a bowl win was progress. You might not have liked the four-game losing streak, or 1-5 finish, or that five or the six losses last year were by a single score. It wasn’t fun seeing the offense regress just enough, or the offense get bogged down, or special teams stepping all over themselves. In the end, the team got to 6-6 and went to a bowl game. That’s progress! They took the tiniest step forward.

Let’s say they go 7-5 in the regular season with a bowl win to finish 8-5. Or they lose the bowl game and finish 7-6 again. Would both represent progress? Either? Neither?

Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola. — Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Barring some breakthrough campaign of 9-3 or 10-2, I imagine the answer to the “was this progress” question will mostly come down to vibes. If the record is better, no matter how it looks, many will point to the raw data; “Seven is more than six, so that’s progress.” Others might not.

Mostly, I think the apparatus that is Husker football just wants to know where things are going, positively or negatively.

The pressure is on the shoulders of Matt Rhule, Dylan Raiola, and the dozens of others that’ll have a say in what 2025 (and the overall future and health of the program) looks like.

If you have a comment for Josh, send him an email: joshpeterson.huskermax@gmail.com.

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