Nebraska Football Coach Matt Rhule Discusses Year Three, Dylan Raiola

At the Big Ten Conference summit, the Huskers' head coach chatted about a number of topics with Big Ten Network's Rick Pizzo.

Matt Rhule on Upcoming Third Season With the Huskers, Expectations & More | B1G Today / Big Ten Football

Nebraska football is headed into year three of the Matt Rhule era.

At his previous two stops, the programs jumped to double-digit wins. How does Rhule feel about that progression in Lincoln? He sat down with Big Ten Network's Rick Pizzo to discuss that, Dylan Raiola, and more.

You can read Rhule's responses below.

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On making a bowl game in 2024

I think when you come into a program that hasn't been there in a long time, you're trying to teach the guys, amongst anything, how to be positive, how to work so hard and believe, just really on blind faith that it's going to work.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule holds the 2024 Pinstripe Bowl trophy as the team celebrates its win over Boston College. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

While it's not the ultimate step, it's a really positive step that the guys had a chance to accomplish something, go experience something that's part of college football and have fun. And winning the game was really important, too. I thought it was a great step for our program and our development.

On year three

When you look at my history, usually the first year is not real great. The second year, we're about .500. And we hope to make a jump in year three. We were able to do that at Temple, do that at Baylor. I thought when I came to Nebraska that we should be able to do the same thing.

Nebraska cheerleaders carry flags across the field after a score against Wisconsin last season. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

We have to make that jump. And I know every guy in our program...they didn't come to be 6-6. They didn't come to be average. We want to be a great team. We've had some moments where we feel like we've shown what we can be. Now we just have to live a life that doesn't tolerate anything else.

On Dylan Raiola

The first step was playing him as a freshman. That's not really the way of college football nowadays. You have to be willing as a young player to be resilient and live through the highs and lows, the ups and downs, take criticism. The criticism you take now because of social media and all that is a lot different than P.J. Walker at Temple twelve years ago.

But I thought Dylan was sensational through all that. He was resilient. He was tough. He earned his teammates' respect. I think coming into year two, he knows better what college football is all about. He's aware of, hey, this is how I have to protect myself. This is the situations. These are the things I need to do to be an elite player.

Dylan Raiola during an April 2025 practice. / Nebraska Athletics

He's taken his physical development to a whole other level. I thought he had an amazing spring. And I think those two things, being better physically and practicing well and maturing, allows him now to be a great leader.

On Dana Holgorsen

I think the magic to Dana is not in the X's and O's, which obviously, he's amazing at. I think it's in the detail and in the execution. He is unbelievable. He is unyielding in his commitment to like, hey, we're going to go out and make the routine play.

When he first got there, we continue to do a lot of the same things. This was just a little bit more intensity in terms of if you don't do this, you're not going to play.

Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

I think with a spring, with a fall, him being way more comfortable in terms of this is what we're going to do. The players understanding this is what coach wants. He's going to be explosive. He's going to be aggressive.

I'm kind of a defensive guy. You know, I'm an old, old line guy. We have a lead. We're going to run the ball and milk the clock. We were playing Wisconsin last year with a lead, and he's still throwing RPO slants, and I'm shaking on the sidelines. But that's why I hired him. That's why I hired him. I hired him to take me as a head coach to another level, take our program to another level. And I know we're going to have a good defense. Dana's going to do a great job offensively.

On the defense

John Butler, because he was here, a lot of it's going to be the similar. I think at the same time, we went back and looked and said, like, hey, to get where we want to go, you know, we have to make improvement to move past where we've been. But we also need to look at ourselves and say, like, how are we going to go play in the College Football Playoff someday? And how when we get there, are we going to go win it.

The Blackshirts take the field for overtime against Illinois in 2024. / Kenny Larabee, KLIN

A lot of the things that you do in two-minute, that you do in third down, a lot of the ways you attack protections, those are things John did at the Buffalo Bills, at the Houston Texans.

In my years, we've been in the 3-4, the 4-3, the 3-2-5. None of that matters. Get the best players on the field, run and strike. But John, I think, in the situational football will bring a lot to the table. And I think our players' IQ, their development has really been amplified because of his pro system.

Blackshirts poised to have a breakout year

I think you have to look at all three levels and I think you know you go back into the secondary DeShon Singleton was planning on going to get drafted. They had the injunction, with junior college players could have another year, and he's back. I think he's going to be one of the great players in the Big Ten.

Boston College tight end Jeremiah Franklin is tackled by Nebraska linebacker Javin Wright during the 2024 Pinstripe Bowl. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Javin Wright's another guy that was going to come out last year, had blood clots, could only play half the year, could never practice. He's had a breakthrough, so he'll be able to practice and play another year with us.

I think when you have experienced guys like that who had a chance to maybe go play pro football, had some opportunities, and they decide to come back, you expect them to play their best.

On the College Football Playoff

I wasn't in the College Football Playoffs, so obviously that can be kind of a sad thing, but I watched every single game. It was great to see teams from all across the country play against each other. It was great to see the matchups. I thought they were great games, exciting moments, and so why wouldn't we want more of that?

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith holds the trophy after the Buckeyes' 34-23 win over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff championship game on on Jan. 21, 2025. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

I'm hopeful that they'll continue to expand the playoffs. You see it, the NFL playoffs over the years have expanded. The NCAA tournament has expanded, play-in games and all that. We all want to see postseason play, and we all want to see a champion crowned on the field. And I think if you play in the Big Ten, man, it's quite a conference. The more people we get in there, I think we proved last year, the better it'll be.

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