The 2024 season held chances of a glow-up for Matt Rhule and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Do you remember how their QB Dylan Raiola turned heads walking into the practice? The young chap pulled off a perfect Patrick Mahomes look, sporting broccoli hair and Oakley glasses. Was he able to create terror like the Kansas City Star? 

Sadly, no. And obviously, he had to bear the blows. It did not come easy as it cost Rhule’s quarterback a 5-figure setback in NIL. On the flip side, the Nebraska HC is trying to write a fresh story. This time, his priorities are slightly different.  

Matt Rhule’s newfound focus on the other side of the ball

Well, we know ever since Rhule was hired as the HC in 2022 he planned to replicate the blueprint that worked so well for him at Temple and Baylor. In that way, he had always kept himself safe from diving into the transfer portal. Rather, Rhule always chose to build a foundation from the ground up by signing large high school classes. However, gradually, it became more and more difficult for the HC to stick to this strategy. All thanks to the 105-man roster cap and unlimited transfers. After closing the season with a 6-6 record, Rhule’s Huskers lost 22 players to the winter window. So, he had started the damage control real quick. 

On the On3 podcast, co-host Steve Wiltfong stated, “They host some of the nation’s best particularly on the offensive line. Three On3 100 recruits Kelvin Obot, Gregory Patrick, and Claude Mpouma.” The three guys will be on campus. However, Rhule might be getting some flashbacks from the 2024 season that might have propelled the HC to change his priorities in the recruiting drive. In 2024, the Huskers ranked 18th in total defense, 17th in scoring defense, and 9th in rushing defense. Maybe that’s why Rhule might have thought of putting his attention on the defense team. 

“On3 100 defensive end McHale Blade from the Chicago land, Matt Rhule was recently out to visit him,” stated Wiltfong. Blade currently has offers from the Georgia Bulldogs, the Michigan Wolverines, and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. But what makes Rhule run after him? Standing tall at 6’3” weighing 240-pound edge rusher ranks second in Illinois. He also ranks 8th in the nation. While Rhule has been busy with the portal, someone else had a setback. 

Dylan Raiola’s 2024 graph 

Before the 2024 season started, Raiola did have a good breakthrough when it came to NIL. Even though he did not throw a ball in college back them he sealed NIL endorsement forms big shots. Back in August, Rhule’s QB’s NIL value rounded off to $958,000. That made him the 12th highest-ranked player in college football. This success came up with EA Sports and Panini, the trading card company deal. 

There came a time when Raiola’s value saw an upward move while Shedeur Sanders suffered a whopping $380,000 drop in his NIL value. Yes, that’s how unpredictable the NIL landscape is. Right now, it’s time for Rhule’s quarterback to find himself in Shedeur’s shoes. As per On3 reports, Raiola’s NIL value is $2 million. However, his value went down by $44,000. 

That’s mainly because Matt Rhule’s offensive line has failed to protect Dylan Raiola. In the 2024 season, he was sacked 27 times. The biggest example was being sacked by his namesake Dylan Rosiek during their face-off against Illinois. More than the HC, the offensive coordinator Donovan Raiola will have to figure things out for Raiola. More so because the quarterback is his nephew.