LINCOLN, Neb. — The principles of coach Matt Rhule's era are taking shape at Nebraska, where the need for competition is paramount in the middle of his second offseason.
After a month and a half of grueling mat training and a team commitment week after the Huskers returned from spring break, Rhule said the next step involves a quest for “competitive greatness.”
The rise and fall of the offseason may sound like a series of transitions from one cliché to the next. However, there is meaning in the rules method.
“A lot of our athletes are good at competing and doing what they love,” he said.
Compete against them in a Madden tournament, tug of war, or 40-yard dash, and just about any Husker can keep you up all day.
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— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) March 22, 2024
“Not everyone in life likes to compete in something they don't like,” Ruhl says. “We try to avoid things we don't like.”
Rhule's program requires players to train harder the more they hate drills.
As the expression suggests, take what sucks.
Whether spring practice fits into that category is up for debate.
Anyway, spring has arrived. The first of 15 practices will be held on Monday. Spring practice will culminate with the Red and White game on April 27th at Memorial Stadium. Rest assured, there will be plenty of competition over the next 33 days.
Here are five stories to watch in Nebraska this spring.
1. Preparing Nebraska's young quarterback. Dylan Raiola and Daniel Kaelin served as observers inside the Hawks Championship Center at last week's pro day to observe their pitching abilities. The true freshman duo, both Elite 11 finalists last June, served as a ball-feeding system for the receiver and running back groups.
Kaelin, an early enrollee from Bellevue (Neb.) West, stood tall and invested during practice. He performed well in an unfamiliar setting with 20 NFL scouts in attendance.
Raiola, as expected, is the more polished of the young QBs. His throwing motion looks effortless and fluid. The five-star prospect out of Buford, Georgia, throws with tremendous speed. He showed the ability to comfortably move his release point to suit the needs of different throws.
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Of course, the training was very simple, since there were no defenders on the field. Spring practice sessions should reveal more about their preparation.
2. The QB role as Nebraska looks to reverse its offensive woes. Whether or not they can fix the predicament from 2023 will depend entirely on the QB chosen as the starting quarterback — Raiola enters the spring as the favorite. of course not. The blame for the Huskers' 10 touchdown passes, 16 interceptions, and 6.2 yards per pass attempt (116th in the nation) last season doesn't lie entirely with the quarterback.
Of the three quarterbacks who started last year, only Heinrich Hurlberg returns. And if all goes well in the spring, Coach Hurlberg may focus on supporting Nebraska as a multi-skilled offensive weapon.
Ideally, offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield will find enough contributions from a revamped group of skill players this spring to take pressure off the quarterback. But he said Rhule believes in him if Raiola has to mature quickly.
“I see passion and competitiveness in Dylan,” Ruhl said. “He wants to be on top. He's chomping at the bit. He's there at 6 a.m. and throws the ball before he lifts. I see it in Danny too. They're both Winners. They're both competitive guys. I'm happy with their effort. Now they have to work on their football.”
3. Greater understanding of their role from Nebraska's older age groups. The Huskers got strong leadership last year from linebackers Luke Reimer and Nick Henrik, offensive linemen Ethan Piper and Noure Nuri, and defensive backs Quinton Newsome and Omar Brown. However, Rhule's first team featured a small senior class.
The veteran's potential impact in 2024 exceeds anything Nebraska has had in the seven seasons since it last posted a winning record. Coach Rhule set an example for linemen Bryce Benhart, Ben Scott and Ty Robinson, tight ends Thomas Fidone, Nate Borkircher and Luke Lindenmayer, and defensive backs Marques Buford and Tomi Hill. He said that he has taken up the challenge to demonstrate his true character.
“Young players will follow,” Rhule said.
The group of potential leaders is long. Also included are defensemen Nash Hutmacher, Javin Wright, DeShon Singleton, Malcolm Herzog, Isaac Gifford, MJ Sherman, John Brock, Chief Borders and Jimari Butler. The offensive line includes Gabe Irvin, Rahmir Johnson, Turner Corcoran, and rookies Jermall Banks, Teddy Prochaska and Alex Bullock.
Banks, a transfer from Wake Forest, raised the bar for Nebraska receivers this winter. “I learned more and more about the aura and atmosphere of this place,” he said. “The history is rich.”
4. Profiles of dynamic athletes. “We look big, strong and physical,” Rhule said last week. His recruiting strategy is built around strength at the line of scrimmage and speed all over the field. As Malachi Coleman and Jalen Lloyd develop, promising athletes like Demetrius Bell and Jeremiah Charles develop, and spring newcomers like Jacorey Barney and Keelan Smith get involved, coaches' Athletic ability should appear in the second year.
“I like where we are right now,” Rhule said. “We're going to keep pushing. We're going to keep recruiting guys because eventually that speed is going to show. That explosiveness is going to show.”
5. The next step for Tony White's defense. The second-year defensive coordinator returns after engineering one of the nation's top defensive turnarounds and leading Nebraska's best group since joining the Big Ten in 2011.
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Buford, a safety who played in the Huskers' final four games last season after returning from injury, said he doesn't expect to make any major changes to the scheme or strategy. Nebraska will use this spring to gain experience and become more efficient, especially in third-down situations.
“I played well last year, but it's never enough,” Butler said.
The Blackshirts are deep in the secondary league. They have experience up front and reinforcements among the linebackers with the transfer addition of Syracuse freshman starter Stephon Thompson for White in 2021.
Rhule said the purpose of defense and offense appears to be the same.
“We have a lot of young talent,” he said. “But we're going to have to compete a lot. Because what I want to see when the game is five minutes in the fourth quarter is to make one more play.”
(Photo: Dylan Widger/USA Today)
