Due to a busy sports weekend with my kids, I wasn't able to attend or watch the Nebraska football spring Red and White game live. I had to wait for the BTN TV broadcast later.
As I watched, a few things came to mind.
Don't overreact to scrimmages.
Honestly, I started dreaming big after Raiola scored a spectacular touchdown on Janiran Bonner's first drive.
Saturday's Kool-Aid flowed strong and sweet. There was a lot to be optimistic about heading into the fall. We had three talented quarterbacks! Speedy big play receiver! A practical running game!
But let's stop and remember how many defensive stars were sidelined or played limited snaps. Of note are the five Blackshirt players who earned single-digit uniform numbers last fall (Ty Robinson, Nash Hutmacher, Isaac Gifford, John Bullock, DeShon Singleton), as well as Tommy Hill and DeShon Singleton. Other veterans. The defender who played was not allowed to touch the quarterback.
Remember: There is a yin and a yang to the scrimmage.
When one unit shines (Jacory Burney Jr. had a great kickoff return!), it means another unit struggles (NU tackles Tristan Albano to prevent a kickoff return touchdown! was required).
Okay, enough disclaimers, let's have a drink.
So Raiola's kid is pretty good.
What's your favorite Dylan Raiola moment? Was it his first drive as a Husker, 4-4? That gorgeous touchdown to Bonner? An easy deep ball to Lloyd? A physics-defying throw for a two-point conversion?
For me, it was watching him pre-snap. He didn't look like a real freshman. He seemed mature, comfortable, and confident. Yes, there are a lot of asterisks, but I couldn't help but be impressed by what I saw.
If this is what all five-star recruits are like, Nebraska needs to get some more.
New quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas is like a keeper.
Remember the 2023 version of Heinrich Harlberg? He is a great runner with strong shoulders, but his accuracy leaves something to be desired. It's worth noting that his one spring scrimmage sample size is very small, but Hurlberg completed 8 of 13 passes for 163 yards. I wonder how much of that is due to his new position coach.
More importantly, Harlberg showed improved touch on short throws. Would anyone bet on him being the only one of the three QBs not to throw an interception?
Daniel Kaelin, another true freshman, looked great as well. From what I see, he'll be a Plan C in the fall. But I would feel more comfortable playing him than any other Plan C in recent memory. And I feel that his growth is progressing smoothly.
The highlight of the day, other than the quarterback, was listening to Matt Rhule in the broadcast booth.
The Husker head coach spent most of the second quarter in the booth. Mr. Rhule clearly spent his time selling his program (more on this in a moment), but he also spent time selling his team, what they were coaching, and what he was looking for. You also provided some great insights. He was surprisingly attractive from scrimmage. There's a reason the network wanted him after he was fired in Carolina.
Rhule is great at pointing out the little things and explaining why they make a big difference. For example, he was frustrated with defenders getting low on ball carriers in the red zone. The rules want the runner to “thump up” because when he goes low, he can fall forward and gain more yards. It's a small detail, but there are some games where the defense gets a critical stop because of it.
BTN's broadcasts, especially Rhule's time in the booth, were a great selling point for Nebraska.
During the second quarter, the broadcast team (Larry Puntney and former Husker Kenny Bell) took turns hitting softball lobs. Rule, being a great communicator, continued to knock them out of the park. Among the topics discussed were:
• Multi-sport athlete from Nebraska. A lot of talk has been made about athletes like Jalen Lloyd and Jeremiah Charles, who are on the NU track and field team, and Nash Hutmacher, who wrestled during the winter. Rhule made it clear that if you're talented enough to play multiple sports, he'll support you.
• The culture of Rhule's program and how few players have entered the transfer portal.
• New Tom Osborne Legacy Center and new weight room. Pantony brought up the topic while an injured player was being carted away. It was unfortunate and inevitable timing. While Rhule showed concern for his players, he appreciated that he didn't waste the opportunity to sell the new facility.
• Kudos to Nebraska fans, including the 60,452 fans who attended the 11 a.m. game less than 24 hours after tornadoes ripped through the state.
If I were a recruit or the parent of a recruit, Nebraska looked very attractive during that telecast.
Tony White received on-the-job training.
Even though it was a scrimmage, BTN continued the interview by saying, “Let's talk to the coach when the team goes into halftime.” But with Rhule still out of the broadcast booth, that responsibility fell to defensive coordinator Tony White.
White was considered for several head coaching positions during the offseason. With his impressive resume, he is almost certain to become a head coach in 2025. There's a lot White can do to prepare for the next step in his career, but it ends when he enters the locker room, where it's hard to practice answering questions from reporters on the sideline seconds after the end of a quarter. I think that's probably one of the things we have to do…unless we have a chance to do it in a scrimmage.
I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Ruhl made sure to stay in the press box long enough to ensure Mr. White had a chance to speak.
As expected, White did a great job. Some teams will be really lucky to have him.
The playcaller may feature his buddies.
Some of the plays offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield called ended up putting the ball in the hands of the position group he currently coaches: tight ends. The stats for the spring game were a bit mixed (defensive lineman AJ Rollins contributed with two receptions), but the tight end had about 180 receiving yards.
That makes sense. Thomas Fidon has a mismatch in walking. Nate Verkircher is a crafty veteran. Luke Lindenmayer, Ismael Smith-Flores and Ian Flint have shown promise.
I'm not alone in my opinion that Nebraska has criminally underutilized its predicament for much of this century. Nebraska has a great team, led by a guy who is poised to have a breakout season, and I'm sure no one knows that better than the position coaches. And he just happened to call the plays.
Kenny Bell made me laugh.
The former Husker wide receiver served as a color commentator and did a great job Saturday. In a game where Nebraska threw a lot of passes, Bell provided great insight into the finer points of playing as a receiver. Bell, who was an excellent blocker at the time, was quick to criticize today's receivers who thrive on the perimeter. But he had a funny moment during the second quarter.
As the camera focused on Tom Osborne, Matt Rhule (who was in the broadcast booth at the time) spoke of his respect for the legendary coach the first time he met him. Bell asked the TO what he thought when Bell walked into the room wearing his trademark afro, and he responded by telling a story about meeting Osborne on his recruiting trip.
On the other hand, Bell's line “Who is this (expletive)?” – is true) That's not something you can say on TV. b) That's definitely what Osborn was thinking, and it confused me.
