Nebraska Football Sees Early Dividends on Transfer Portal Investments

Key transfers Isaiah Neyor, Jahmal Banks and Dante Dowdell shined in game one for Nebraska on Saturday against UTEP.

Aug 31, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Dante Dowdell (23) runs against UTEP Miners linebacker Dorian Hopkins (41) and safety Xavier Smith (2) during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

The Dylan Raiola era at Nebraska kicked off with a promising start on Saturday against UTEP in the season opener. The first true freshman starter at quarterback since Adrian Martinez in 2019, Raiola displayed his dazzling traits that made him one of the top ten prospects in the country in route to a 40-7 season-opening win over the Miners. 

However, Raiola’s connections with his transfer wide receivers also gave everyone notice. Under former Athletic Director Trev Alberts, Nebraska had an arm’s reach relationship with the 1890 Initiative and its efforts to leverage the NIL space in the state. Once Alberts left for A&M and now-current AD Troy Dannen came in, everything changed.

Dannen saw first hand at Washington how lucrative the results can be if you invest in NIL. With donors and fans alike hungry for success and a coach in Matt Rhule who has a proven track record of rebuilding programs, the Huskers have a path to reestablish itself to respectable levels in college football. Dannen’s openness with NIL has already shown with On3’s Pete Nakos ranking 1890 as the eighth-best NIL Collective in the country. 

On Saturday, everyone could see the early dividends of the Huskers’ investment. Rhule and wide receivers coach Garret McGuire brought in a pair of transfers to boost the receivers room and give the Huskers two tall, physical players in a brutal Big Ten. A 6-4 Texas and Wyoming transfer, Isaiah Neyor proved to have the best connection with Raiola on Saturday, hauling in six catches on eight targets for 121 yards. One of those catches came in the form of a 59-yard score on a deep pass in which Neyor broke a pair of targets for his maiden score of the season.

Wake Forest transfer Jahmal Banks caught four passes of his own for 61 yards and a 21-yard corner end zone touchdown with two seconds left in the first half. 

“It’s about trust. It was conversations we’ve had, practices we’ve had. We just went and got it. As far as it being about us, that’s just what we do,” Banks said on his score with Raiola. “That’s what we train for, that’s what we sacrifice and suffer for, is moments like that to just go execute, so we did it.”

Aug 31, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Isaiah Neyor (18) catches a pass against UTEP Miners linebacker Josiah Allen (22) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Former Oregon Duck Dante Dowdell was another important addition for the Huskers over the offseason to build depth in the running back room after an injury-riddled 2023 campaign. In a season-opening win that saw all four of Nebraska’s top backs get action, it was Dowdell who impressed with 55 yards on eight carries and a five-yard touchdown for the first score of the game. 

“They all made plays. It was a shame that Dante (Dowdell) had that fumble, but he was really running well,” Rhule said. “Dante has done such a good job. At the end of the spring, I probably would have put him fourth. He was the second back in the game today. Dante, I thought he was really playing well, running the ball well, and then had that fumble. I’m happy to see him come back.” 

Throw in the start from Baylor and Florida transfer Micah Mazzccua at offensive guard and you can see how much of an impact these transfers are having. The path to success in modern college football is to lean on high school recruits, but plug holes in the transfer portal. Nebraska looks to have followed that sentiment and we’ll see soon enough how far it takes them. 

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