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New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Dylan Raiola enters Year 2 to less fanfare, but is Nebraska's QB poised to break out?
LINCOLN, Neb. — The odd-couple award inside the Nebraska football program goes to John Butler and Dylan Raiola. Butler is the first-year defensive coordinator whose just-under-the-surface intensity demands attention. Matt Rhule, who plucked Butler last year to direct the Huskers' secondary after his 10 years in the NFL, said he's the most competitive person with whom he has worked. Advertisement Raiola is the 20-year-old quarterback, set to enter his second season as the Nebraska starter after he shattered freshman records last year at the school for completion percentage and passing yardage. He gives no indication that he's aware of critics who'd rather mock his headband or his warm-up routine than assess Raiola's throwing dynamics. When Raiola enters the practice environment, a laid-back exterior opens to reveal an inner fire and thirst to better his game. It is here that he struck a kinship in the early practices of the spring with Butler, who spent six seasons before 2024 with the Buffalo Bills. 'He came from the league,' Raiola said. 'He knows what it is.' Their relationship involves a daily sharing of information. 'A constant dialogue,' Butler said. 'I don't initiate it because I'm coaching on defense. But if he's coming to me with a question, I'll tell him. There's no secrets.' The Raiola storyline during this offseason that mattered to Rhule and to offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen did not involve anything that drove public awareness around the former five-star prospect. You'll hear no talk internally about Raiola's mimicry of Patrick Mahomes or of the apparent dismissal in national conversations of the traits that led Ohio State, Georgia and USC to prioritize their pursuit of Raiola out of high school two years ago. What captivates the Huskers about him? Raiola's desires to learn and to lead. It is perhaps most on display in how Raiola goes out of his way to match wits with the 52-year-old Butler. 'The No. 1 thing that impresses me about him is his curiosity for football, which is not common,' Butler said. 'That's very uncommon for all players.' The coordinator threw exotic looks at Raiola in offseason drills. The more complexities that the defenders showed the QB, the more engaged Raiola grew in trying to learn from Butler. Advertisement 'It's a competitive balance for me, where I'm like, 'OK, I don't really want to be messing with the quarterback, but I want to be able to teach our own defense about what he's seeing,' Butler said. 'Having been around Josh Allen for a good bit and having competed against guys like (Tom) Brady for a long time, I think that willingness to try to figure it out, that willingness to be like, 'I want to know the answers to the test if I can, based on how everything's put together,' that's an elite trait of his.' Butler said he talks often with his defensive players about 'expanding their football brain,' a tactic at which Raiola sets the standard, according to Nebraska coaches and teammates. That he also ranks among the most talented Huskers and plays the most important position bodes well. 'Nebraska deserves to be back on the map,' Raiola said. 'And it's not because of me or something that I did. But it's just the type of program it is. It's a program ready to go win.' Make no mistake, if it happens for the Huskers this year, Raiola is the most likely figure to stand at the center of the resurgence. A four-game losing streak for Nebraska hit in the middle of Raiola's freshman season last fall. It threatened to derail progress in Year 2 for Rhule. But the coach envisioned such struggles. He sold Raiola on the value of overcoming them when Rhule pitched the quarterback on the Huskers before he committed to Georgia — and ultimately flipped to Nebraska days before the signing period opened in December 2023. Rhule told Raiola what he already knew. Raiola could pick one of the most established programs nationally, a team that competed annually for national championships before he arrived. He could be asked to make a big throw to win a game, Rhule said. He might do it. But when Raiola got to the NFL and adversity hit, would he be ready? Advertisement 'I said, 'Come to Nebraska,'' Rhule said. ''It's going to be hard. There'll be adversity. You'll be frustrated sometimes. But we will eventually do something great.'' During that four-game skid, Raiola threw seven interceptions and two touchdowns. Holgorsen showed up to take over the offense before the final loss of the streak at USC. Raiola and Nebraska had possession, down 28-20 with a first down at the Trojans' 14-yard line in the final seconds. Four times last year in Nebraska losses, Raiola held the ball in the last three minutes with the Huskers tied or behind by one score. They lost all four games. 'When I got here,' Holgorsen said, 'Dylan's head was swimming a little bit. He kind of hit that freshman wall.' Now? 'He's out there running things,' the OC said. 'He's like an extra coach.' Listen to Dylan Raiola break down a play… 🤯 We've all heard the praise he gets for how well his mind works and how advanced he is in that regard, but for the first time — we get to see that in action. This is incredible stuff. — Blackshirts (@blvckshirts) August 2, 2025 From the most painful moment of last season came perhaps the most growth. In the regular-season finale against Iowa, Nebraska controlled the flow through three quarters but found itself tied at 10 with 15 minutes to play in a hostile stadium. Three fourth-quarter possessions produced nothing for the Huskers. On the last drive, starting with 1:42 to play, Raiola moved Nebraska to its 43-yard line before he lost a fumble while getting sacked. Iowa's Drew Stevens kicked a 53-yard field goal as time expired to win it. Raiola didn't watch the kick. He looked away, hoping Stevens would miss or that the Huskers could block it. 'It was a feeling I won't forget,' the QB said. 'There were a lot of instances like that. But it's a matter of how you respond and get back up and keep swinging.' Advertisement From the experience at Iowa, Raiola progressed in managing reads, Rhule said. The QB took a step against the Hawkeyes by keeping his running back inside to pick up blitzes. Raiola recognized the next move — to change protections at the line of scrimmage so that his back could release and beat the blitz. He put the skill into action in the Pinstripe Bowl, Rhule said, as Nebraska beat Boston College to earn a seventh win for the first time since 2016. 'It's the game within the game,' Rhule said. 'It'll manifest itself, and it won't be a 'wow' play that will show up on ESPN. It'll be a check down. His command of those things — and his willingness to take the play that's there and not try to make too big of a play — is what will allow us to play championship football.' Holgorsen hammers the same message. 'Just keep controlling the game,' he said. 'His football knowledge is advanced. And so we're putting a lot of things on him as far as going to the line of scrimmage and getting us in the best play. And he can do that at a very high level.' Raiola conquered the first challenge placed before him in 2025. He hired a chef and put in extra time with strength coaches and a trainer. A leaner body allowed him to gain quickness. The Huskers want to feature his mobility more regularly than in his first season. By spring, the routine took hold. Raiola moved on to football-specific challenges — comparatively easy for him. Atop the list: Leadership. 'Since that moment he stepped in, you could tell he was different,' offensive guard Henry Lutovsky said. 'He's always been that natural leader.' But was it natural last year when he was 19 and months out of high school? 'Everybody forgets that he was brand new, just because he's 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds,' Holgorsen said. He led all freshmen and ranked 13th in the FBS with a 67.1 percent completion rate. His 13 starts and the struggles that Raiola endured midseason earned him equity with old and new teammates. Transfer wide receivers Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter talk about Raiola with a degree of respect that could only come with experience. Advertisement 'He works his butt off, man,' said running back Emmett Johnson, among Raiola's closest friends on the roster. 'He's been doing a great job. He's becoming a better leader in Year 2. He's way ahead of where he was last year.' Less than three weeks from the Nebraska opener, Aug. 28 against Cincinnati at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, maybe he's not the hotshot who has fans nationally on the edge of their seats to see him perform. Maybe he's something more consequential to Nebraska. He's someone, in the gloom of a morning practice in August, who's bending the ear of the defensive coordinator on how to decipher disguise in a coverage plan. 'Doing something hard is worth it if you come out on the other side,' Raiola said. 'It's trusting it, trusting the process. As much as I didn't want hard things to happen in our program, they happened. And I'm still here now, right?' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Five-star safety from Omaha excited about relationship with Nebraska football
One of the top recruits in the state of Nebraska is impressed by the Huskers' recent recruiting efforts. Omaha Central safety Tory Pittman III told KETV that Nebraska is the one school that has caught his eye. Pittman recently earned his fifth recruiting star. The class of 2027 recruit is the No. 1 prospect in the state of Nebraska and the No. 1 safety in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite score. "From the jump, they tried to get to know me as a person. Coach Matt Rhule has stayed in constant communication since my eighth-grade year when they first offered me." The recruit has played both safety and wide receiver for the Eagles. In his first season, Pittman totaled 34 tackles and two interceptions and caught three passes for 70 yards in eight games. This past year, he racked up 54 tackles and three interceptions and hauled in 26 catches for 458 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games. Nebraska's class of 2027 holds one commitment. Four-star quarterback Trae Taylor committed in May. Find more from Tory Pittman below. Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions. This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Nebraska football recruiting target Tory Pittman excited about Huskers
New York Times
05-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
The emotional domino effect behind Nebraska volleyball's high-profile coaching transition
LINCOLN, Neb. — Sarah Murray's phone rang on Tuesday, Jan. 28 around 6 p.m. She answered and John Cook greeted her. They've talked regularly for years but never more often than in the past 12 months as Cook helped her daughter, Harper Murray, through a life-altering time. He got to the point quickly. Advertisement 'Sarah,' Cook told her, 'I'm retiring.' She doesn't remember her response, only the shock. Cook, the Nebraska volleyball coach with four national championships in a historic 25-year run, began to recruit Harper when she was in eighth grade — eight years after Sarah's husband and Harper's father, former Michigan football star Vada Murray, died of cancer. After Harper suffered a severe depressive episode a year ago as a freshman at Nebraska, Cook became like a father figure to her. He constructed a road for her to regain love for her sport and to earn second-team All-America honors as the Huskers returned to the Final Four in December. In a consequential moment during the monthlong chain of events that led to perhaps the most visible coaching transition ever in collegiate volleyball, Cook told Sarah he wanted to inform Harper privately of his decision to retire. They knew it would generate shockwaves. Nebraska rates among the most financially successful programs in women's college sports and attracts attention unmatched in volleyball. It is woven into the fabric of communities in Nebraska, a state treasure by Cook's description. Sarah agreed such an arrangement would work best. Cook wanted her input. Should he talk to Harper on Tuesday night or Wednesday before a scheduled team meeting and announcement? Could Harper keep quiet if she knew a day in advance? 'No, absolutely not tonight,' Sarah said. Suddenly, Sarah said, worries rushed in. She feared Cook was sick, so she requested permission to ask his reasoning for the unexpected retirement. He answered in the same way to Sarah as at a packed news conference in Lincoln on Thursday morning. The time is right. 'We're at the top of our game,' Cook said. 'It's a great time to be a cheerleader now.' From his heart to yours, a message from the legend himself. — Nebraska Huskers (@Huskers) February 3, 2025 Much like in some 50 other instances over the past year, Sarah said, she choked up and thanked him for everything. 'Mainly for him believing in Harper when she didn't believe in herself,' Sarah said. 'I just expressed my gratitude that he's been a part of her life. And that I'm sad it couldn't be for four years, but I'm really, really happy that it was for two. And that his impact on her will last a lifetime. I'm so grateful.' Then Sarah said goodbye and sat at her kitchen table in Michigan and cried. The path to last week began in 2022 after Dani Busboom Kelly signed a contract extension at Louisville. She negotiated a clause that allowed her to leave the school without penalty only if she went to Nebraska. Busboom Kelly, 39, was a four-sport standout at Adams Freeman High School in rural Nebraska about 30 miles south of Lincoln. She committed to the Huskers as a sophomore and won a national championship as a setter-turned-libero under Cook in 2006. She was on his bench as an assistant coach for Nebraska's title run in 2015. Advertisement In 2017, Busboom Kelly left Nebraska for Louisville. The Cardinals beat No. 2 Texas in 2019 to make their first Sweet 16 appearance. In 2021, she was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association coach of the year for winning 32 consecutive matches before a five-set loss against Wisconsin in the national semifinals. After that season, she connected with Cook while on the road to recruit. They met for dinner, an annual event, Cook said, and she told him about her new contract with the non-buyout clause. 'That means you want to come back?' Cook said. 'Yes,' Busboom Kelly said. 'That was it,' Cook said. 'She planted that seed. I knew that was her dream.' Less than three years later, in December 2024, Louisville hosted the Final Four. Nebraska made it for the seventh time in 10 years. Busboom Kelly was there, too, with her team for the third time in four seasons. They played in opposite semifinals. Louisville upset top-ranked Pitt to reach the championship match. Penn State stunned the favored Huskers with a reverse sweep victory in the nightcap, Nebraska's first loss in 104 matches after it won the first two sets. No one in the arena — not even Cook — knew it would be his last match. 'It doesn't take a genius to think at some point he's going to retire,' Creighton coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth said last week. 'And I think everyone in the volleyball world knew that Dani was the person that was going to follow him.' Cook wasn't thinking about retirement on that night, he said. He was hurting for the Huskers. The 2024 team had been one of his best, and it failed to reach the championship match after getting there and losing in 2021 against Wisconsin and 2023 against Texas. Penn State beat Louisville in four sets for the championship on Dec. 22. A few days after the season ended, Cook began to contemplate his future. He talked extensively with Lindsay Peterson, who played on his first title team in 2000 and has worked for 20 years as Nebraska's director of operations. Advertisement Peterson urged Cook to take his time and avoid making an emotional choice. She advised him not to chase a final victory. 'He had earned the right to go out when he felt right about it,' Peterson said. 'I told him, 'I don't think there's ever an easy time, but you want to go out when you still love it.'' Cook felt a knot in his stomach. He called Busboom Kelly after Christmas. He told her how he felt. 'There wasn't a moment,' Cook said. 'It was just a feeling.' All that Cook could do in volleyball, he said, he's done. In 2023, his team filled Memorial Stadium with more than 92,000 fans to set a global attendance record for a women's sporting event. The remaining challenges, he said, 'are left for Dani to take on.' On Thursday at the Devaney Center — the arena at which Nebraska has sold out every match since it opened as a volleyball venue in 2013 — the school will hold a public event to welcome Busboom Kelly, the fourth head coach in program history. Thursday is DBK Day in Lincoln. Join us in welcoming @danib18 + her family back to Nebraska for a celebration at The Bob. Event begins at 2:00pm CT and is free and open to the public. ℹ️ Full details » — Nebraska Huskers (@Huskers) February 3, 2025 Their meeting was on the calendar for a few weeks prior to Jan. 21, a normal opportunity after the season for a head coach and athletic director to review and discuss goals. Cook delayed it for two days as he worked through his thoughts. 'I felt the scale tipping,' Peterson said. 'And as it started to tip, I also started to feel the freedom and the calm and the overwhelming joy that he had. I knew that he was content.' Cook sat down with AD Troy Dannen on Jan. 23. 'He said it was time to talk transition,' Dannen said. Cook wasn't sure about his future on that Thursday, but he wanted to start the conversation. The coach endorsed Busboom Kelly as his potential successor. Dannen was impressed by her work and agreed to make her the primary candidate. Advertisement Dannen needed to meet the Louisville coach, though. One day later, Busboom Kelly visited Omaha to watch two of her former players compete for the Madison, Wis., team in the new League One Volleyball professional organization. Busboom Kelly sat courtside, a few chairs from Cook, who was there to see five ex-Huskers, including U.S. Olympians Jordan Larson and Justine Wong-Orantes, in uniform for the Omaha squad. Cook and Busboom Kelly briefly talked at the match. They did not mention the brewing bombshell. Next to Busboom Kelly for part of the night sat Bernthal Booth. The Creighton coach said she caught wind of nothing afoot. At one point as fans filtered to the court level to take pictures with the two women, both Nebraska natives and known well in this environment, Bernthal Booth turned to Busboom Kelly and joked, 'Are you ready for this when you come back?' 'I didn't know that she probably knew already that she was a week away from being that person,' Bernthal Booth said. The following morning, Busboom Kelly trekked the 50 miles to Lincoln. Dannen notified Louisville AD Josh Heird that he wanted to speak with Busboom Kelly. Around noon that Saturday, as Dannen waited with Kristen Brown, Nebraska's deputy AD and senior woman administrator, Busboom Kelly entered Memorial Stadium through a back door. Secrecy was important. They met for about three hours, then Cook joined for 90 minutes, according to Dannen. 'When she left,' Dannen said, 'I looked at Kristen and just raised my eyebrows and said, 'She's everything I hoped and thought she'd be and then some.'' But Cook had not made a final decision. 'When he decided the time was right, the time was going to be right,' Dannen said. Two days later, on the evening of Jan. 27, the time was right. Cook called Dannen. Then Cook called 87-year-old Tom Osborne, the legendary former football coach and AD, and thanked him for his guidance, taking pride that they both retired from coaching after their 25th seasons at Nebraska. Advertisement Dannen set Wednesday for the announcement. Nebraska had less than 48 hours to orchestrate everything internally and with Louisville. Most important to Dannen, he wanted to maintain confidentiality. 'It was maybe a once-in-a-lifetime sequence of how it worked,' Dannen said. From Monday night until Wednesday afternoon, Brown checked social media and the Volley Talk Internet forums for any hint that word leaked. 'The number of people who had to know for certain things to be executed,' Brown said, 'you get nervous that someone will get loose with the lips. We wanted to do right by both coaches, but most importantly by the players. And so it was a lot to keep under wraps, but it speaks to the respect that everybody has for coach Cook and Dani.' It stayed quiet. And when Wednesday arrived, Cook asked Harper Murray to meet with him at 3 p.m. GO DEEPER Dani Busboom Kelly is right for Nebraska, which is not doomed to repeat old mistakes Sarah Murray didn't sleep well on Tuesday after her call with Cook. She was on edge, Sarah said, not knowing what time Cook was scheduled to meet with Harper. Cook, in his conversation with the 19-year-old outside hitter, didn't get through the word 'retirement,' he said before Harper turned 'very, very emotional.' 'My phone rang, and she was just sobbing,' Sarah said. 'Just sobbing. There's no way to console that. I just felt like she needed to cry. I listened to her cry and tried to remind her that he's always going to be there for her.' Sarah wanted to see her daughter, so she asked Harper to switch their call to FaceTime. 'She was a crying mess,' Sarah said. After a short time, Sarah said, Harper looked at the clock. She had to end the call, Harper said, because their team meeting would begin in 15 minutes. 'I need to stop crying, Mom,' Harper said, according to Sarah. 'I want to put on a brave face for the freshmen. I don't want them to freak out.' Advertisement For Sarah, Harper's maturity spoke to the culture Cook built and the confidence he enabled her to regain. 'She was really caught up in her emotions and really sad,' Sarah said, 'but she was also thinking about her teammates.' In the team meeting at 4:30 pm., Cook said, two Huskers held Murray's hands as he told them of his plans. Busboom Kelly met with the Louisville players at the same moment. The Nebraska players asked Cook for five minutes alone. They returned to him and said they pledged to support Busboom Kelly. She is one of them, after all, and she's keeping Cook's Nebraska assistant coaches, Jaylen Reyes and Kelly (Hunter) Natter in addition to Peterson. Busboom Kelly spoke to the Huskers immediately via FaceTime. Nebraska distributed the Cook announcement via email to the media at 4:42 p.m. The hire of his replacement was announced at 5 p.m. A Husker homecoming for DBK. Introducing the 4th Head Coach of Nebraska Volleyball, Dani Busboom Kelly. — Nebraska Volleyball (@HuskerVB) January 29, 2025 A new era of Nebraska volleyball began.
