Just over two years ago, Dylan Raiola made his first start at Nebraska as a highly-touted five-star freshman. After picking the Cornhuskers over Georgia, Raiola was supposed to be a transformative player, one who restored Nebraska to its former glory. On Saturday, Raiola will make his first start for Oregon as it takes on UCLA.
Relegated to a backup role with the Ducks, Raiola got the starting nod because Dante Moore suffered a concussion against USC. The No. 2-ranked quarterback in the 2024 signing class, Raiola had his pick of elite programs around the country. He received offers from Alabama, Michigan, Miami.
USC and Notre Dame -- in addition to Nebraska and Georgia. The Huskers pulled out a late recruiting win over the Bulldogs in a major coup for a program that desperately needed one. In the span of just two seasons, Raiola went from the savior of Nebraska football to another program entirely.
It was a split that began after the young quarterback's first season in Lincoln and finally came to a head at the end of a disappointing 2025 campaign. Here's why Raiola left Nebraska and chose to accept a backup role at Oregon. Back in May, our own Chris Hummer reported on the split between Raiola and the Huskers, and it boiled down to a difference in vision between his family and the program.
According to Hummer, Raiola actually weighed transferring after his freshman season in 2024. That put the marriage on thin ice going into the 2025 campaign, and the on-field product certainly didn't help. A broken fibula limited Raiola to just nine games last season, but even before that, Raiola and the Huskers struggled to find consistency.
Raiola completed 72.4 percent of his passes, but he averaged just 222.2 yards per game with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions. In the process, Raiola absorbed hits frequently. The Huskers allowed 2.54 sacks per game, which ranked 113th nationally.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
