Last month, following the win over Wisconsin, Huskers’ freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola eased doubts about his future in Nebraska. He sounded all confident about going hand-in-hand with HC Rhule to make it to the “Playoffs next year.” This was assuring given how there were reports of schools tampering and impermissibly contacting Raiola. But with the transfer portal looming could things change? 

Matt Rhule took a big step to try and ensure that Raiola sees his future with the program. After hitting a rough patch of three defeats during which the 19-year-old threw five interceptions, Rhule hired Dana Holgorsen as offensive coordinator replacing Marcus Satterfield. This was seen as a key step to possibly keeping Raiola with the program in 2025. But trepidation among the Nebraska fans regarding his future remains and it was evident after Raiola shared an end-of-the-season message on social media.

Taking to his Instagram on December 3, Raiola posted a series of photos from the Iowa game, which the Huskers lost 13-10. While some of the photos were captivating, the caption of his post left room for speculation and interpretation. “Patience…stay on that side,” it read. It seems the young QB plans to do well in the program’s first postseason game since 2016. It could be an indication of him waiting for things to turn around for Nebraska, but at this point, it’s all shooting arrows in the dark from our end. However, as far as his future goes there are some teams that would like to see him line up for them next season.

First up is Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes as their star QB Cam Ward will be off to the NFL. Given that Ward could end up being the very first QB pick of the 2025 draft, the prospect of working with Cristobal could excite Raiola. Moreover, Miami could offer Raiola a whole lot more to work with, and the influx of NIL funds in the program will only enhance their chances.

Then comes Ryan Day and Ohio State Buckeyes as their QB Will Howard’s eligibility is soon going to run out after his fifth season. Day will be under pressure to deliver the goods and while he can opt to recruit under the radar, it will make sense to go for an experienced and talented QB like Raiola. Joining the Buckeyes means, he will get to stay in the Big 10 and the program could offer him a great to succeed on top of the financial incentives.

Apart from these two programs, Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs are also a possible destination. Their QB Carson Beck’s departure will open the door for him to step in, not to mention that before joining Nebraska, Raiola was committed to the Bulldogs for seven months. Georgia has won two of the last three National Championships and always has high expectations. Recruiting Raiola to their ranks will put them in a strong position to repeat their success. 

But at the moment, Matt Rhule will be confident of keeping hold of the QB, especially after making a coaching change to help him and his team out. But the fans have their doubts and flocked to the comment section of Raiola’s IG post to plead with him to not transfer.

Dylan Raiola urged by fans to “come back”

Even though Raiola pulls up the iconic Patrick Mahomes look, he has yet to reach his stature. But given the college football scenario, he has been impressive. Through the regular season, Rhule’s QB has completed 66.6 percent of his throws for 2,595 yards topped with 12 touchdown passes. He will be a key part of plans in Nebraska next season and understanding this, one fan urged, “Please don’t transfer bruh.”

In their latest game against Iowa, the QB completed 22 of 32 passes for 190 yards. So that makes it 68.75% showcasing his USP in accurate short and intermediate throws. Without him, Rhule and Co. will find themselves rebuilding again, something that isn’t ideal. Thus another fan dropped a heartfelt message, “Please stay Dylan we love you my boy♥️.”

The move to bring Holgorsen as the OC could be seen as a big factor in Raiola turning up for the Huskers next season. Speaking on  SiriusXM’s Big Ten Radio last month, Husker Online senior writer Robin Washut claimed, “If Matt Rhule didn’t make a move, the odds of Dylan Raiola not being here next season go up dramatically. So I think they had to do something.” Raiola himself seems to be enjoying working with the experienced coach.

“It’s really hopeful, just building that relationship and understanding what he wants to call when he wants to call it. Just being around him for everyone on the offense got more comfortable. You can see that as we kept progressing throughout the game,” Raiola said about his relationship with Holgorsen. It seems Matt Rhule’s actions may pay dividends after all.

“Good season man, come back next year please 🫡🙏,” commented another fan who has been mesmerized by Raiola’s work this season giving his best against UTEP, Northern Iowa, and Wisconsin. 

Dylan is a legacy player at Nebraska, with his father Dominic Raiola also turning up for the Huskers from 1998-2000. This family connection was a major reason behind Dylan’s commitment to the Huskers and may yet hold him at the program at least for another year.

Under his IG post, one fan drew inspiration from his caption and hinted at how the Huskers are the best fit for the QB, “Stay on that side,” they wrote. A fan came with a heartfelt request, “Don’t go breaking my achy breaky heart Dylan.” 

So it’s up to Dylan Raiola then. Whether he chooses to stay and build on his father’s legacy or takes a dive into the transfer portal to see what is out there for him, it is all down to him and the Nebraska fans can only hope for the best.