Matt Rhule opens up on what it will take to win Nebraska’s quarterback job

Matt Rhule is in no rush to name a starting quarterback for Nebraska with spring practice around the corner. The Cornhuskers have a couple of different options with returning junior Heinrich Haarberg and incoming five-star freshman Dylan Raiola, and both have compelling cases.

Haarberg brings the experience after starting eight games this past season, but Raiola has a lot of hype after flipping his commitment to Georgia to join Nebraska. Speaking with On3‘s J.D. PicKell, Rhule seemed to indicate that it’s an open competition between the two to open the spring.

“I think when we know, we know,” he said. “It’s one of those deals like, I don’t want to play games with people. If we know, we know. At the same time, I’ve watched enough major college football and we’ve figured out here, it’s gonna take a couple guys. Most years you’re not gonna play just one quarterback. So our job is to push all of those guys to be great. Our job is to give them all opportunities to show what they can do and grow.”

Raiola is Nebraska’s highest-rated recruit in the 2024 class and the only five-star. He comes in as the No. 21 overall prospect and No. 3 quarterback in the 2024 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

There’s a lot of buzz for him to start as a true freshman, but he’ll have to prove himself better than Haarberg beginning this spring.

Haarberg led Nebraska to a 5-3 record as a starter in 2023, throwing for 967 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also showed great effectiveness on the ground to rush for 467 yards and five touchdowns.

Rhule went on to note that developing both players will be important regardless of who starts. As he’s learned throughout his many seasons as a coach, you never know when the backup may be asked to step up due to injuries or other reasons.

“We played three quarterbacks last year,” he said. “You go back to our last year at Baylor and we sat there with Charlie Brewer all year long. All of a sudden he’s hurt and we’re in the Big 12 Championship Game and we’ve got our third-string quarterback who’s played one snap the entire year out there trying to bring us back, which he did.

“So we’re gonna coach everybody, but in terms of naming a starter, we know when it’s clear we’ll do it.”

Nebraska ended Rhule’s inaugural season 5-7, just missing bowl eligibility, and the quarterback battle will be an interesting one to follow throughout the offseason. Both Raiola and Haarberg will get their shot when the Cornhuskers open spring practice on March 24.