"Earn your stripes. Earn your teammates": Dylan Raiola reveals Nebraska HC Matt Rhule's first impression before commitment

Quarterback Dylan Raiola’s decision to commit to Nebraska on Dec. 18, 2023, stood out as one of the most talked-about moments in the 2024 class. His dramatic recruitment journey included previous commitments to both Ohio State and Georgia, each lasting seven months.

Raiola cited Nebraska coach Matt Rhule as a major reason for his flip.

“Our relationship is special,” Raiola said during an interview with "Hail Varsity" on Sunday (via On3). “Right now, me and him (Rhule) are like closer than we’ve ever been, and it’s pretty unique. I never thought I’d have a relationship like this with the head coach, especially in college.

NCAA Football: Pinstripe Bowl-Boston College at Nebraska - Source: Imagn

“At the time [of my commitment], it was, ‘Come in. Earn your stripes. Earn your teammates’ trust and respect, and we could do something very hard but very worth it.’ His Year 3, my Year 2, we’re ready to go. It’s exciting.”

The commitment also held personal significance, as Raiola’s father, Dominic Raiola, was a consensus All-American offensive lineman at Nebraska more than 20 years ago. His father’s emotional reaction made the moment even more memorable.

"My dad started crying, which was kind of weird, because he never cries," Raiola said. "But it was a moment I’ll never forget."

Raiola’s uncle, Donovan Raiola, joined the Cornhuskers as offensive line coach in 2022, and his brother Dayton committed to Nebraska in September, becoming the first pledge of the 2026 class.

Dylan Raiola opens up about his candid confession to Matt Rhule following commitment

Dylan Raiola made an immediate impact as a true freshman quarterback for Nebraska in 2024, helping the Cornhuskers reach bowl eligibility. The former five-star recruit is set to begin his sophomore season with Matt Rhule's program on Aug. 28, when Nebraska faces Cincinnati.

Heading to 2025, Raiola is happy with the bond he made with Rhule.

"I’ll never forget telling Coach Rhule, ‘I want to make this place home, and this is what we’re going to do. And I can’t wait to do it with you,'" Raiola said (via On3).

“There’s so much power in telling someone that you want to do something together. We’ve been together ever since, and it’s just it’s a cool, cool journey.”

In 2024, Raiola completed 67.1% of his passes for 2,819 yards, throwing 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

About the author

Maliha is a High School Sports news and listicles writer at Sportskeeda. A post graduate in Management Information Systems, it was her love for writing and sports which led her down the path of sports content creation. An experienced NBA and NFL writer, she covered the two sports extensively at SportsZion and SportsKnot before joining SportsKeeda.

Maliha is a huge Baltimore Ravens fan and is in awe of quarterback Lamar Jackson's dual-threat abilities. She also admires Tom Brady and her all-time favorite coach is 3-time Super Bowl champion Andy Reid. She is a big advocate of high school sports and believes that elite athletes reach a top level owing to the discipline, hard work, team dynamics, resilience, adaptability and self-confidence learnt by playing sports in high schools. Aaron Rodgers leading the Green Bay Packers to victory on his debut against the Minnesota Vikings is one of her fondest NFL memories.

Maliha places a high emphasis on accuracy in her content. She does thorough research, always double checks facts, and only uses information from most relevant and credible sources for her articles. When not writing, she likes to read history and biographical books.

Know More

Edited by Maliha