Nebraska Cornhuskers have received the best news possible that can legitimately serve as the foundation of making Nebraska a cornerstone in college football again. While initially committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes, and Georgia Bulldogs, like the wandering prodigal son, the Nebraska Cornhuskers family is ecstatic to welcome him home.
Nebraska Cornhuskers Early Impression
After months of emotions, It seems now that Dylan Raiola was always meant to be the signal caller for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. A poem revealed that his new home would be Nebraska, all pieces of his journey have aligned to him coming to Nebraska.
Throughout the process, it seemed that his decision consistently had the Nebraska Cornhuskers on the forefront of his mind. And it’s easy to see why.
His father has his jersey retired from his playing days, and his uncle, Donovan Raiola, is the offensive line coach. The family connection, and lineage go a little deeper than that. Through his trips, he saw first hand what playing for a university like Nebraska is like, not just for during your playing days, but your continued story as a whole.
An avid fan, and student of football, he has a developed an appreciation for the history of the game. Growing up in a Husker household, he understands how massive a program they once were and how special it would be, to be a big piece of the resurgence.
Raiola had a chance to meet the man that took snaps from his dad, Heisman winner Eric Crouch. Citing two other Nebraska greats in his poem as well, Johnny Rodgers and Mike Rozier, he has decided to put all his effort into brining Nebraska back into national relevance.
Nebraska Cornhuskers Recruiting Push
Matt Rhule and his staff made it no secret that they were looking to add Raiola to the 2024 class for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In an unusual recruiting move, the Nebraska Cornhuskers sent multiple staff members to visit with Raiola, to show how serious and genuine their recruiting intentions were.
At the time, his father, Dominic Raiola had the following to say, according to a 247Sports article, about the newer staff:
If you listen to the new coaches comments and where they come from, they appreciate the tradition there.
While there will always be plenty of speculation about why a high profile recruit elects to switch schools, this decision by Raiola only makes sense if you view it from the lens of an emotional connection with a place, combined with the down to earth approach of Rhule. Circumstances changed at other locations, and when it came time to make a final decision, Raiola recognized:
Nebraska is in my blood!
Nebraska Cornhuskers From Here
In a phone interview with ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Raiola made it clear how excited he was to be coming to Lincoln:
It’s a great opportunity to be part of something bigger than myself.
Similar to how he was sounding in his announcement post, he knows the work ahead, but he also knows how much more rewarding the prospect of being the head of a sleeping giant can be for his personal success, and his legacy.
For the Raiola’s, family means a lot, and no one is more happy than they are, that everything worked out for Dylan Raiola to play where his father did, and where his uncle is currently coaching.
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