Dave Feit: Questions for the 2024 Nebraska Football Season

What is the Huskers' "Andy Dufresne Moment"? Which rule change will have the greatest impact on Nebraska's season? What players are primed for breakout seasons?

Oct 1, 2022; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers fans cheer during a break between quarters against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

With the start of the season right around the corner, there are still a lot of unknowns in and around the Nebraska football program.   

Some are big picture, some are very specific, and others may not be answered this season. 

Let’s ask the questions, and find the answers: 

What is Nebraska's "Andy Dufresne Moment"? And will it happen this year?  

We all remember the famous scene in "The Shawshank Redemption" where Andy Dufresne - having spent 20+ years in prison for a crime he didn't commit - finally breaks free.   

As Morgan Freeman's character described it:  "Andy crawled to freedom through 500 yards of s___-smelling foulness I can't even imagine - or I maybe just don't want to."  Once free, he raises his arms to the sky in triumph. 

A year ago, I wrote:  "Friends, we’re not quite to the Andy Dufresne crawls out of the sewer pipe moment. But it is coming." 

I know that moment is coming, but I'm not sure what it is … or when it will happen. 

Is it beating Colorado in what should be a memorable environment?  Becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 2016?  Starting 7-0?  Beating a ranked team, like Ohio State?  Having a winning month of November for the first time since 2015?  Nine or more wins?  Sneaking into the College Football Playoff?  

I truly have no idea what that moment will be - or if we'll see it this season.  All I know is it will feel glorious … and it won't be the end of the road for what Nebraska is capable of. 

Which rule change will have the greatest impact on Nebraska's season? 

There are a number of NCAA rule changes - both on and off the field - that could have a major impact on Nebraska's season.  I see four that could impact games: 

• Schools can essentially have unlimited assistant coaches working with players.  Nebraska has added about 10 different coaches, analysts, and administrative staff.  I can see these new coaches paying dividends, especially if it allows Nebraska to give practice reps to their entire roster with the same principles being taught across the board. 

• Helmet communications.  One player on the field (offense and defense) will be able to receive communication and instruction from a coach until there are 15 seconds left on the play clock or the ball is snapped.  For a team with a freshman QB, having a calming voice in his ear could be very beneficial.  It's worth noting this is the second year that NU has practiced using helmet communications. 

• Tablets on the sideline.  Teams can have up to 18 tablets on the sideline, showing video from the current game only - no film from other games, practices, or other analytics.  Having immediate video will be great for coaches and players to correct technique and spot tendencies. Also, it is worth pointing out that any coach who tries to show a tablet video to a ref will earn a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct. 

• Two-minute warnings.  Just like the NFL, the two-minute warning is coming to college football.  This shouldn't be a huge deal for Nebraska, as Matt Rhule and several members of his staff have NFL experience.  If anything, it provides an extra timeout for end-of-half situations. 

While all these rules should provide benefit to Nebraska, and their desire to be a developmental program, I think the one with the biggest impact will be the helmet communications.   

Which new assistant coach will have the biggest impact on the season? 

With all due respect to Aaron Coeling, Josh Bringuel, Rashaan Melvin, and the numerous other new assistants and analysts, I'm going to limit the question to Co-Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas and Pass Game Coordinator / Secondary coach John Butler. 

Both Thomas and Butler come to Nebraska with impressive resumes full of NFL and power conference coordinator experience.  And both will lead position groups that are vitally important to the success of the team. 

Butler - who joined the staff in mid-July - has hit the ground running.  His presence has calmed some of the offseason fears about the secondary being a weak spot of the defense.  If Tony White becomes a head coach in 2025 (as is widely expected), I don't think it is out of line to think of Butler as the "defensive coordinator in waiting." 

Thomas doesn't lead a very big room, but whenever you have a five-star quarterback under your tutelage, the spotlight will be bright.  I was impressed by Thomas's pupils in the spring game, especially the improved accuracy from Heinrich Haarberg, who completed just 49% of his throws in 2023. 

For my money, Thomas - who will get credit for Raiola's play - will have the bigger impact.  But I won't turn down a lockdown, ball-hawking secondary. 

Which players are primed for breakout seasons? 

For our purposes, I'm defining a "breakout season" as one where a player either produces in their first extended playing time, or a returning player who significantly elevates their game. 

• Thomas Fidone II, tight end.  Fidone is a walking mismatch, and he's arguably as healthy as he has been since arriving in Lincoln.  "But Dave," you say, "Nebraska has criminally underutilized their tight ends for YEARS".  I'll respond by noting that Nebraska has rarely - if ever - had a quarterback with Dylan Raiola's skill set.  And this year, the guy calling plays just happens to be Fidone's position coach. 

• Riley Van Poppel, defensive line.  Van Poppel didn't record a lot of stats in his freshman season (5 tackles, one for loss, and half of a sack), but he still flashed when he was on the field.  That epic goal line stand against Illinois?  Van Poppel made the tackle on fourth down. 

• Vincent Genatone, linebacker.  Genatone, a North Platte native and transfer from Montana, is poised for a breakout year.  I've never seen Genatone play, but his high school resume (won the Class A wresting title at 220, a 100-meter dash in 10.5 seconds, and all-state in football) tells me he's a very gifted athlete.  With Javin Wright out indefinitely, Genatone will get plenty of chances. 

• Brian Buschini, punter.  Am I trying to will improvement into existence?  Maybe, but I do believe Buschini is not the guy who averaged a very average 40.7 yards per punt in 2023.  I know he has battled multiple leg and ankle injuries in his time at Nebraska, so the hope is that he is finally healthy.  If so, maybe he can recapture the success he had at Montana:  46.0 yards per kick in 2021, which earned him FCS Punter of the Year, and All-America status. 

Where would the Kool-Aid level be if the Big Ten West still existed? 

As it stands, the optimism for this season is higher than it has been in a long, long time.   

But what if the Big Ten West still existed?  Would the fan fervor be higher or lower? 

For our purposes, let's swap the scheduled USC and UCLA games for contests versus West foes Northwestern and at Minnesota.  Would the Huskers be one of the favorites to win the division and play for the Big Ten Championship? 

Based on the preseason conference rankings, Iowa would be the favorite, with Nebraska and Wisconsin right behind them.  The Black Friday showdown in Iowa City would likely decide who would go to Indy, and have an inside track for the playoff. 

But alas, East and West now sit alongside Legends and Leaders in the divisional graveyard.  And with 18 teams in the conference, making the Big Ten Championship game is a tall order, much harder than qualifying for the playoff. 

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