Nebraska's Starting QB to be 5-Star Freshman Dylan Raiola
As anticipated, Cornhuskers' coach Matt Rhule announced that freshman Dylan Raiola will be the starting quarterback for Nebraska's first game against UTEP on August 31st.
The most recent, and only, true freshman to start at quarterback for Nebraska was Adrian Martinez in 2018. Raiola will be the fourth true freshman in the history of the Huskers to start in any game at quarterback, joining Martinez, Tommie Frazier (who started seven games in 1992), and Cody Green (who started two games in 2009).
During an interview earlier this week on "The Jim Rome Show," Rhule praised Raiola, 19, for his all-around abilities.
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"He possesses exceptional arm talent. He's also big and physically strong," Rhule stated. "But it's not until you see him in action that you truly understand what makes him stand out. He's an outstanding teammate who puts in the work all day long. He's one of the first players to arrive at the facility and one of the last to leave. And he exudes a humble confidence that sets him apart."
Raiola beat out returning starter Heinrich Haarberg and fellow true freshman Daniel Kaelin to secure the starting position.
Originally from Buford High School in Georgia, Raiola changed his commitment from Georgia to Nebraska just before the early signing period last December.
At the time, the five-star recruit was ranked as the sixth best prospect overall in the 247Sports composite rankings. He initially committed to Ohio State in 2022, but decommitted before the end of the year and ultimately chose Georgia over Nebraska and Southern California in May.
When he signed his national letter of intent, Raiola became the second highest-rated recruit in the history of the Nebraska program.
His father, Dominic Raiola, played center at Nebraska and went on to have a 14-year career in the NFL with the Detroit Lions.
Rhule is currently in his second season at Nebraska, tasked with revitalizing a prestigious program that has not played in a bowl game since 2016. The Cornhuskers finished with a record of 5-7 last season.
