Lateef Leads NU To a 28-21 Road Win In First Career Start

No More Freshman
Throw out the word freshman when describing the play of Husker QB TJ Lateef. Based on his performance Saturday night, Lateef played like a seasoned veteran.

All he did was pass for 205 yards (13-15 for 87%) with 3 TDs, ran for 31 yards and had zero fumbles and interceptions. In the process, Lateef helped his team win the game, win a road game, win a conference game, win a one-possession contest and extended NU's season record to 7 victories-the most regular season wins since 2016.

As most Husker fans know, TJ replaced two year starter Dylan Raiola when Dylan broke his fibula the week before at home vs USC. Dylan is out for the rest of '25.

How have some other replacement Husker QBs fared under similar circumstances?

Turner and Mark 1981
Husker QB Turner Gill took over for Husker starter Mark Mauer during the Auburn game that year. Gill got his first career start the following week against Colorado. In a 59-0 blowout, Gill threw for 4 TDs, went 9-14-0 for 178 yards and ran 6 times for 46 yards. NU would go on to play for the national championship two years later in the Orange Bowl.

Note: That year, Gill was a sophomore while Mauer was a senior.

Brook and Tommie 1994
One of the most notable examples of a backup QB filling in for an injured Husker QB was Brook Berringer coming off the bench in 1994 vs Pacific. It wasn't until a week later (vs Wyoming) that Berringer got his first start, He replaced Tommie Frazier, who had been sidelined with blot clots. Frazier missed the rest of the regular season that year. Berringer went on to help lead NU to a perfect record that year. NU (with both Tommie and Brook) went on to beat Miami in the Orange Bowl and earned Tom Osborne his first national championship as head coach.

In the Wyoming game, Berringer ran for 3 TDs and 74 yards and went 15-22-1 for 131 yards passing in a 42-32 win.

Note: Both QBs were juniors in '94.

Bobby and Eric 1998
The Crouch-Newcome case may be more like the Lateef-Dylan Raiola example.. Why? Because it was freshman (Crouch) who took over for sophomore QB (Newcome).

Note: Bobby was a wingback the previous season when NU won Osborne's third national title. Crouch redshirted in '97 and didn't play at all that year.

Newcome tore his PCL in the very first game of the year in a 56-27 win over La Tech in Lincoln. Crouch split playing time with QB Monte Christo the next week vs UAB. It wasn't until the third game of the season at California ( 24-3 Husker win) that Crouch got his first career start for Nebraska.

His first start numbers weren't spectacular: Passing: 6-16-1 for 74 yards. Rushing: 16 for 59 yards and two TDs.

Eric Crouch would go on to win the Heisman in 2001 and lead Nebraska to the national title game in the Rose Bowl that same year.

And there you have it. So, could TJ Lateef have a similar career at Nebraska as Eric Crouch? Based on what we witnessed Saturday night in the Rose Bowl, I'd say yes.

You may email me at HuskerDan@cox.net.

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