Nebraska Football 2024: The MVPs, Best Wins, and What Could Have Been

Offering superlatives and plaudits for the Huskers’ 2024 season.

Nebraska running back Rahmir Johnson holds the MVP trophy and celebrates with teammates the Huskers' Pinstripe Bowl win against Boston College. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Chris Fort offers some superlatives for the 2024 Nebraska football season

Dec 28, 2024; Bronx, NY, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) throws the ball during the second half against the Boston College Eagles at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Offensive MVP: Dylan Raiola

To be sure, the offense struggled for much of 2024, finishing on the wrong side of the national rankings in most every category. But Raiola, while he had his share of freshman moments, was not to blame. Rather, he was the straw that stirred the Huskers’ drink, piloting them to wins over the Badgers and Buffaloes with stellar outings. He finished with the most yards passing of any true freshman ever at NU, surpassing Adrian Martinez’s 2018 effort.

Runner-Up: The Offensive Line

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Nebraska defensive lineman Ty Robinson bats down a pass from Northern Iowa quarterback Aidan Dunne. / Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Defensive MVP: Ty Robinson

Cue Ty as the team’s overall MVP to boot. He was a heart-and-soul leader that never shied from reporters after a tough loss and collected his best season as a Husker, grabbing 37 tackles, 13 TFLs, 7 sacks, and forcing defensive coordinators to gameplan around him. He also added a couple pancakes on offense for good measure. For his efforts, he garnered second-team All-Big 10 honors and even snagged an honorable mention on the SI All-American squad.

 Runner-Up: John Bullock

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Brian Buschini sends the game's opening kickoff to a UCLA returner. / Amarillo Mullen

Special Teams MVP: Brian Buschini

Boom-Schini as he’s affectionately known by fans, Nebraska’s senior punter had a big rebound year after a frustratingly mixed 2023. He nearly edged Sam Koch’s single season record for punt average in a season but fell short after a disappointing Iowa performance. Still, he was a rock for the Huskers in 2024 amid an otherwise bleak Special Teams season. Bonus points for completing two fake punt passes for first down, as he did against Rutgers and Boston College.

Runner-Up: John Hohl

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Nebraska wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. makes a catch against UCLA on Nov 2, 2024. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

True Freshman of the Year: Jacory Barney Jr.

Let’s take Dylan out of contention this round. Barney was every bit as good as the hype that surrounded him pre-season, as he led the team in receptions while acting as the Huskers’ gadget guy and occasional kick returner. He tied JD Spielman’s freshman record for receptions (55) to boot. A big game against the Badgers also earned him Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. It doesn’t hurt that he seemingly loves being a Husker.

Runner-Up: Vincent Shavers Jr.

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Nebraska defensive back Ceyair Wright celebrates a stop during the second half against the Boston College in the 2024 Pinstripe Bowl. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Transfer of the Year: Ceyair Wright

The USC Trojan/Space Jam actor left Hollywood for Lincoln and made a big impact, earning PFF honors after a huge game against Rutgers and filling in nicely for Tommi Hill and Blye Hill after injuries slowed them in 2024.

Runner-Up: Dante Dowdell

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Tommi Hill celebrates in the endzone after a pick-six against Colorado. / Amarillo Mullen

Costliest Injury: Tommi Hill

The Husker senior was being penciled in as a first-round draft pick by some after a hot start to the season that included a pick six of presumptive number one pick, Shedeur Sanders. But a stubborn case of planter fasciitis resulted in missed games and tough outings against the likes of Illinois and USC. A healthy Tommi may have been the difference in nailing down a seventh or eighth regular season win.

Runner-Up: Teddy Prochazka

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Nebraska running back Dante Dowdell rushes for a 13-yard gain in the first quarter against Colorado. / Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Best Win: Colorado

The Huskers hosted their old conference foes, winners of the last three matchups in the renewed rivalry, and demoralized them from the first drive, resulting in 28-0 margin at halftime. Only some second half miscues and questionable officiating calls robbed them of running up the score further. This was the most complete game by both the offense and defense and the result was a rousing victory over a team that finished with a 9-4 record on the season.

Runner-Up: Wisconsin

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Nebraska linebacker Mikai Gbayor carries the Freedom Trophy after the Huskers beat Wisconsin on Nov 23, 2024. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Turning Point: Wisconsin

The narrative going in was that Nebraska may sit at home again for bowl season, having lost four straight games when trying to achieve their bowl-clinching victory. The pressure sufficiently mounted, the Husker offense put on its best game. Time shall soon tell if this was the page-turning performance some felt it was.

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Nebraska wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr misses the catch, but the ball remained up for UCLA's Kaylin Moore to get the interception. / Amarillo Mullen

Worst Loss: UCLA

Indiana was a playoff team, so the 49-point loss, as humbling as it was, is still more justifiable than the Huskers' inexplicably flat effort against the Bruins of LA. The Huskers were playing for bowl eligibility against a team that finished with five wins. This would be Nebraska’s only loss to a team that finished with a losing record.

Runner-Up: Indiana

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Nebraska offensive line coach Donovan Raiola / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Best Coaching Job: Donovan Raiola

The offensive line didn’t get enough praise this year. Their running yards and sacks allowed don’t necessarily show it, but the O-Line played better than they have in a long while, putting it all together against a good Wisconsin defense on Senior Day. Just two years after fielding arguably the worst O-Line in modern Husker history, Raiola put together a dependable unit despite being without both top left tackles and often without their best offensive guard in Micah Mazzccua.

Runner-Up: Terrance Knighton

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Nebraska special teams coordinator Ed Foley talks to tight end Thomas Fidone during the Huskers' 2023 game against Purdue. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Most Disappointing Coaching Job: TIED between Garret McGuire and Ed Foley

The Huskers appeared loaded at receiver in preseason, and early outings against UTEP and Colorado demonstrated as much. But a midseason slump, highlighted by a receiving corps that couldn’t – or wouldn’t – run-block or get off press coverage emphasized their offensive woes. That falls on McGuire, who now coaches with his dad in Lubbock.

Foley likely deserves to occupy this distinction outright, but Nebraska’s special teams have been awful since before his arrival so he’s merely carrying on the legacy he inherited from Frost and Co. Still, his lack of coaching acumen resulted in Nebraska giving up ten – 10! – blocked kicks on the year, three alone against Purdue. Going into the bowl game, the Huskers ranked in the hundreds nationally in net punting, punt returns, and punt/kick return defense. His unit cost Nebraska a victory against Iowa and nearly handed Boston College the win in the bowl game. Shame.

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Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola waits for a snap during the Huskers' game against Wisconsin on Nov 23, 2024. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Best Offensive Performance: Wisconsin

As if it could be any other game. The Badgers came into the game winners of 10 straight in the series and having just taken number one Oregon to the wire at home. Nebraska proceeded to pile up nearly 500 yards of offense, not allowing a negative yardage play until the final kneel down. Emmett Johnson and Jacory Barney had career days, with Barney garnering Big Ten freshman of the week honors for his exploits.

Runner-Up: UTEP

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Nebraska linebacker Princewill Umanmielen sacks Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. / Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Best Defensive Performance: Colorado

The Blackshirts harassed Shedeur early and often, nabbing a touchdown on Tommi Hill’s pick in the first quarter. The Buffs only managed 260 yards of offense, most of which they piled up in garbage time. Eventual Heisman winner Travis Hunter was held without a touchdown in a frustrating outing for Coach Prime’s ballyhooed charges.

Runner-Up: Rutgers

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Nebraska running back Rahmir Johnson celebrates after scoring the first touchdown in the 2024 Pinstripe Bowl. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Most Heartwarming Performance: Rahmir Johnson vs. Boston College

The New York City native, who battled through a litany of injuries and a bizarre position move in 2022, ended his Husker career rather poetically, taking home game MVP honors after securing his first rushing touchdown in three years and sealing the victory with a tough run on 4th down. Only after the game was it revealed that Rahmir lost his mom to illness during the season. The sixth-year do-everything senior stuck with the team throughout the ordeal and capped the season with a trophy.

Runner-Up: James Williams vs. Rutgers

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