Dylan Raiola’s selection as Nebraska’s starting quarterback is explained by Matt Rhule: “I’ve been very honest with the guys.”
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule has a decision to make at quarterback before the Huskers open the 2024 season. Does he go with returning starter Heinrich Haarberg, freshman five-star Dylan Raiola or fellow newcomer Daniel Kaelin?
It’s a question Rhule tip-toed around throughout spring.
“So there’s three guys there,” Rhule said on Always College Football. “It would be different if they all played for us before, then you could maybe come out right now and say, ‘Hey, I think you’re I think you’re the quarterback or maybe really early in the camp.’ For me, this is such a growth process. You know, you have two guys who literally when they show up to campus this fall are beginning their freshman year of college football, so let’s say that they’re the starter before that even starts, that doesn’t make sense to me.”
He figures to be the Huskers’ starter this season, but Rhule has not made that decision.
“I mean, the thing for me is I’ve been very honest with the guys,” Rhule said. “I don’t live in fear of the transfer portal. I think the best thing you can do with a portal is be completely transparent with guys and that way they know when you tell them that it’s in your best interest to stay, they’ll trust it. But I think we’ll know when we know.
“And I know that sounds crazy, you know, but what I’ve liked is when one player has had a really good day, the other two guys kind of come in the next day with their hair on fire and they have a good day and at the end of the day, I’ve got to elevate the quarterback play and having competition elevates it. I don’t care what anybody says.”
Haarberg is the only quarterback on Nebraska’s roster with experience and played well down the stretch last fall. It would not surprise anyone if Haarberg starts the opener, but there’s an entire fall camp for Raiola to keep improving and and trying to master Marcus Satterfield’s personnel package-heavy offense.
