Matt Rhule is gearing up for his third season at Nebraska, viewed by many as the pivotal season for the head coach’s tenure.

Throughout his career, Rhule has followed a pattern of teams struggling in Year 1, improving in Year 2 and fully breaking through in Year 3. That pattern followed Rhule at Temple and Baylor, and Nebraska’s past 2 seasons have started the first steps of that pattern.

As Rhule enters his 3rd season, one of the key players that will have a significant role is 2nd-year quarterback Dylan Raiola. During the 2024 season, Raiola was the rare freshman starting QB, and Rhule knows there were a lot of things Raiola accomplished that most first-year players cannot.

“If you go back and look at Dylan’s year as a freshman, I think he did a lot of things not many freshmen do,” said Rhule on Tuesday in his first press conference of the spring. “He was really up there in terms of passing percentage and all those different things. And then I know there are things he would love to improve upon. He’s going into Year 2 now. Last year, as a highly recruited freshman at this time, I think he was just trying to keep his voice quiet and earn everyone’s respect. Now, he has to step up and lead when able.”

Along with his leadership, Rhule says there is a focus for Raiola to improve his body. Though listed at 230 pounds in Nebraska’s roster, Rhule said Raiola won’t be a great player at 240 pounds.

The goal is to improve Raiola’s mobility both in the pocket and when he begins to scramble for the first-down marker:

“He’s really working on his body composition. He won’t be a great quarterback at 240 pounds. So, getting his body composition to one where he can be fleet of foot, where he can slide nimbly and move within the pocket and convert 3rd downs with his feet,” Rhule explained. “I think that’s something that we’re all bought into and he has to continue to do. So there are things he needs to work on.”

Even with the inexperience and his current body composition, Raiola appeared in all 13 games for Nebraska and showed some promising flashes throughout. He threw for 293 yards and a touchdown in the bowl-clinching win vs. Wisconsin and completed 73.3% of his passes in the bowl win over Boston College.

The one major drawback for Raiola last year was 11 interceptions. The hope is that he can elevate his game and further his development under new OC Dana Holgorsen after some key performances late in the year.

If Raiola does improve his body and takes the next step in development, a true breakthrough moment for the Huskers could be in store this fall.