Dave Feit: Tantalizing Possibilities for Nebraska Football

Sure, it was an inferior opponent. But there were moments during the 2024 opener against UTEP that fueled optimism about the Huskers’ ceiling.

Aug 31, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) runs onto the field before a game against the UTEP Miners at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

One of my first-game traditions is using this space to remind Husker fans to not overreact - good or bad - to what they saw in the first game.  That has been one of my first-game themes for years and years.   

Late in the second quarter, I was planning to run it back again.  Nebraska was looking good, but it was against a UTEP program that has lost ten or more games in a season four times since 2013.  The Huskers weren't facing Georgia. 

Then Nebraska got the ball with 2:05 left in the first half, and everything changed. 

NU gained possession on a Malcom Hartzog Jr. interception, the first turnover of the day from the defense.  The entire team – coaches and players – danced on the sidelines. 

On first down Dylan Raiola was sacked, his helmet flying off in the process.  Heinrich Haarberg came in and handed it off for a four-yard gain.  Facing 3rd & 12 from Nebraska's own 39, Raiola came back on the field.  If NU threw an incompletion, the clock would stop and the Miners could get the ball back with time for another speedy scoring drive. 

Matt Rhule let the play clock wind down to 1 before calling timeout with 1:12 to go in the half.  That’s smart clock management.  On 3rd & 12, Raiola hit Isaiah Neyor for 15 yards, crossing midfield.  And it was on. 

Eight yards to Jahmal Banks.  A three-yard rush to convert a 3rd & 2.  Fourteen yards to Janiran Bonner.  Spike it to stop the clock.  With eight seconds left, NU had time for one shot before settling for a field goal attempt.   

That's when Dylan Raiola - the five-star true freshman quarterback - threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Banks, putting the ball in a spot where only Banks could catch it.  NU goes up 30-7, and the game is over. 

And that's moment where I - proud purveyor of cautious optimism and intentionally low expectations - started to believe what might be possible. 

An interception.  Team unity.  Smart clock management.  The freshman phenom - looking like a fourth-year junior - calmly throwing darts to wide (open) receivers.  A running game that got the yards they needed in a big moment.  And a dagger through your opponent’s heart.  You can't script a better outcome than that. 

Yes, UTEP wasn't very good.  Every FBS team on Nebraska's schedule would beat them 40-7 (or worse).  If one game is a small sample size, a ten-play sequence at the end of a half barely counts as a blip. 

And yet, that sequence showed me what this team is capable of.  It showed that Nebraska has a very high ceiling. It re-enforced that Colorado is a "must win" game for so, so many reasons. 

Nebraska won't make the playoffs because of a single possession in the season opener.  But they showed us what is possible when it all comes together. 

Things I believe 

Freshman five-star quarterbacks will have "Oh No" and "Oh Wow" moments.  Here's the most important thing to remember throughout Raiola's first year:  He's ridiculously talented, but he's also ridiculously raw.   

That means "what are you doing?" moments and "did you see that!" plays. 

Aug 31, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) rolls out to pass against the UTEP Miners during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

On Saturday, they happened on back-to-back plays. 

The offense had just stepped on the field after Ty Robinson's safety.  On first down, Raiola didn't see a wide-open receiver, instead throwing across his body to Neyor, who was triple teamed.  Raiola was lucky the pass was not intercepted. 

On the next play, Raiola threw a deep ball to Neyor, who scored from 59 yards out.  The pass looked like an effortless flick of the wrist, yet it travelled 40+ yards in the air and hit Neyor perfectly in stride. 

I doubt we can expect every bad decision to be immediately followed by a highlight-reel play, but hopefully it serves as a reminder to not get too critical when he makes a mistake.   

Otherwise, you'll be like a guy behind me who had barely finished saying "Jesus Raiola, open your effing eyes!" before standing slack-jawed as we celebrated his first career touchdown. 

Nebraska’s depth is much better. When Nebraska went up by 30 midway through the third quarter, the starters came out and the backups came in.   

As I watched the first offensive drive with the reserves, I was struck by how many of the players I knew.  I realized that many of them (such as Heinrich Haarberg, Alex Bullock, Nate Boerkircher, and Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda) were either starters last year or played significant snaps.  

That says a lot about the talent NU brought into the program over the offseason, and provides comfort if a starter goes down. 

Speaking of Haarberg, let's be sure to acknowledge how well he did in relief of Raiola.  He went 5-5 for 35 yards.  His passes were accurate and on target, and he looked comfortable running the offense.  I don't know if credit goes to Haarberg, Quarterbacks Coach Glenn Thomas, or both, but his improvement was noticeable.   

Special teams were better than expected.  Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda returned three (!) punts for 25 (!) yards.  I'm adding the exclamation points because three returns for 25 yards represents 19% of NU's total punt returns and 52% the team's return yardage from 2023.  That's progress.  Later in the game, NU almost blocked a punt. 

Elsewhere on special teams:   

• Brian Buschini averaged 48.5 yards on his two punts. 
• Tristan Alvano made all five of his PATs and a 20-yard field goal. 
• Jacory Barney Jr. had 75 kickoff return yards, including a 35-yarder. 
• John Hohl's first kickoff went out of bounds.  His remaining six kicks - and the coverage - were great.  Two touchbacks, a fair catch, and three returns that didn't make it past the 25-yard line.  Any time the opponent starts inside the 25 is a field position win. 
• I didn't notice long snapper Camden Witucki, which is about the highest praise a long snapper can receive.  

Again, the sample size is small, but the early results are promising. 

Things I don't know 

Why didn't Nebraska move to the west side decades ago?  Saturday was Nebraska's first game on the west sidelines since…. I don't know.  But given the multitude of benefits for being on the west side (shade, not staring into the sun, coaches in the press box can't steal your signals, and it's much quieter in front of the west stadium "blue hairs" than a full marching band), I cannot understand why Nebraska didn't make the move years ago. 

Heck, I suggested it back in 2013, and I doubt I was the first to do it.  If you know of something older, send me a link.   

Aug 31, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule reacts during the second quarter against the UTEP Miners at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

I know a primary reason was that the east sideline had more space behind the benches than the west.  That obviously matters when you dress 100+ players every week.  But was moving some chain link fencing (as NU did over the summer) really the biggest obstacle?   

During the telecast, the FOX crew said that between the covered benches in the shade and misting fans, it was 65 degrees on the west sideline.  Meanwhile, over the east side - on a cloudless and sticky August day – it probably felt like the surface of a propane grill on burger night. 

It was weird to see the opponents on the east side, but I'm very happy that NU made the switch.  It just makes sense. 

Will any of the running backs separate themselves, or will the committee continue to meet? The first meeting of the Nebraska Running Committee was a rousing success.  The quartet of Dante Dowdell, Gabe Ervin Jr., Emmett Johnson and Rahmir Johnson combined for 200 rushing yards on 33 carries (6.1 yards per rush) and three touchdowns. 

Each had some very impressive moments.  And each had a play that they would want back (notably, Dowdell’s goal line fumble).  But the plusses outweighed the negatives. 

I'm interested to see if Nebraska continues their committee approach with down and distance being only discernable separator on if one of the Johnsons or big backs (Dowdell or Ervin) is on the field.  

Or are the coaches hoping that somebody will separate themselves from the pack and try to claim the majority of the carries?  Sharing the load works great when the offense is rolling, but it is much easier to criticize when they're struggling to run the ball.  I suspect the committee will continue to meet throughout September. 

Has Marcus Satterfield improved, or does his QB make him look better?  Nebraska's offensive coordinator has many critics, who are very happy to tell you all the ways in which he has stunk, going back to his days at South Carolina. 

Regular readers will know that I'm not a member of the "Hater-field" army.  I understand that in 2023, Satt was asked to make orange juice out of onions.  He didn't pull it off, but it wasn't for a lack of trying.  2024 is where we can truly see what his offensive vision is, and if it is right for Nebraska. 

While one game against an overmatched C-USA team is the definition of "small sample size", the results (40 points, 507 yards, and success in almost everything they tried) were very positive. 

It remains to be seen if that is due to finally having the pieces to run what Satterfield wants, his growth as a play-caller, or if having a guy like Dylan Raiola is going to make anybody look good. 

Huskerigami Update 

A “Huskerigami” is a final score combination (win or lose) that has never happened in the 130+ year history of Nebraska football. 

Final score:  40-7 

Is that a Huskerigami?  No.  It has happened three times before.  The first time was a loss at #4 Oklahoma on November 22, 1958.  The most recent was the 2011 opener against Tennessee-Chattanooga.  Coincidentally, that was the last home game I missed. 

5 things I loved 

1. Greg Sharpe.  No matter what happens the rest of the year, one of the highlights of the 2024 season was hearing Greg Sharpe's voice on Saturday. He's in one hell of a fight, but set a goal to be in the booth for the opener.  You will not find anybody anywhere with a bad thing to say about him, which is one of the ultimate marks of a man.  My lone regret from Saturday is that fans did not get a moment to recognize his return and shower him with love and support.
2. Dylan Raiola.  The numbers (19-27 for 238 and 2 TDs) were great.  The throws with the Mahomes-ian arm angle were a lot of fun.  His accuracy and effortless touch were exciting.  But the thing that impressed me the most was Raiola's poise and calm on the field.  He didn't seem rattled by the environment, and definitely did not look like a true freshman leading Nebraska on one of their best two-minute drills in recent memory.  
3. Third Down.  In the first three quarters (i.e. before the benches emptied), the offense's third down conversion rate was 10 of 13.  On the other side of the ball, the Blackshirts held UTEP to just 1 of 7 on third down.  Those are obviously not sustainable numbers, but that level of efficiency is the key to big wins.  
4. Isaiah Neyor.  Six catches for 121 yards, including a 59-yard bomb that started the avalanche.  His ability to stay on his feet and score was impressive.  But I really liked his leaping catch of a Raiola fastball earlier in the second quarter.  At 6'4", Neyor can snag passes that Billy Kemp could only dream about.  And being a proven threat opens up more opportunities to Jahmal Banks, Jaylin Lloyd, and others. 
5. Empty benches.  Nebraska emptied the benches in a way that hasn't been done in a long time.  By my rough counts:  107 Huskers played on Saturday.  29 recorded a tackle.  21 ran the ball or caught a pass.  And my favorite:  the sons of (at least) three former Huskers made their NU debuts (Quinn Clark, Maverick Noonan, and Keelan Smith). 

Honorable mention:  The entire sideline dancing after turnovers, Ty Robinson, Jahmal Banks, Heinrich Haarberg, all of the running backs, the Mazzccua brothers, Jalyn Gramstad, Nash Hutmacher fighting the urge to pin a UTEP ball carrier, the Lindenmeyer family (TE Luke caught a 12-yard pass, his parents were recognized for their military service, and their pride for each other's accomplishment was awesome), Will Compton's hype video, and everybody who got their first snaps as a Husker. 

5 areas for improvement 

1. Dante Dowdell.  I was very impressed by Dowdell in his Nebraska debut.  But being responsible for NU's lone turnover - especially in a 33-point, feel-good win - will get you top billing on this list.
2. First-quarter slump.  On a day where everything went very well, there was one really stinky sequence at the end of the first quarter.  The offense gets stopped on fourth down.  UTEP goes 63 yards in three plays to tie the game at seven.  The Huskers go three and out.  On their next possession, the Huskers fumbled at the goal line.  The key takeaway is not the slump – those happen – but how the team, led by the Blackshirts, was able to steer out of the skid. 
3. Pass rush.  I think we all know that one sack - as NU recorded against UTEP - won't get the job done next week.  But I also know that Tony White's defense played a pretty vanilla game.  The silver lining is that - for one week at least - fellow Gretna Dragon Mason Goldman leads the team in sacks (1.0). 
4. Fullback usage.  Nebraska won by 33 points, with eleven different players getting a carry, but we can't give a single one to a fullback?  Nothing for Barret Liebentritt?  No touches for Trevor Ruth?  My guy Izaac Dickey can't even get on the field?  Maybe we should fire Satterfield. 
5. Nebraska political candidates.  For decades, candidates have been handing out campaign fliers with their name on one side and a NU roster on the other.  But on Saturday, I couldn't find a roster, which sucked on a day that NU played 100 guys.  By the start of the fourth quarter, I would have considered voting for the presidential candidate I despise if their campaign had given me a roster.

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