Big Ten Media Days Storylines to Watch for Nebraska
The Huskers are heading to Las Vegas. Head coach Matt Rhule, quarterback Dylan Raiola, offensive lineman Henry Lutovsky and defensive backs DeShon Singleton and Marques Buford will represent Nebraska at the 2025 Big Ten Media Days. Buford is Nebraska’s social correspondent.
Rhule attends his third Big Ten Media Day while all four players are new to the experience. Nebraska will take the podium on Tuesday, July 22 at 2:30 p.m. CT. Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, and Rutgers go on Tuesday as well.
Here are storylines to watch during Big Ten Media Days.
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Dylan Raiola needs to hit his sophomore stride
Raiola had a great freshman season, one of the best by a true freshman quarterback in Husker history. He set the freshman passing yards record (2,819) and the freshman completion percentage (67.1).
However, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound QB has improvements to make for his sophomore season. Raiola already looks physically improved, dropping weight and adding muscle in the off-season.
Raiola spent the entire offseason knowing he was QB1. Ahead of his freshman season, he was competing against Heinrich Haarberg and now Virginia QB Daniel Kaelin. He also had an entire off-season with new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, who coached the final four games of Nebraska’s 2024 season.
A year of Big Ten experience and a new offensive coordinator with Holgorsen’s experience should set Raiola up for a big sophomore season.
Nailing down to offensive line, rise of Lutovsky
Nebraska has four of its offensive line pieces seemingly locked down. Center Justin Evans, left tackle Elijah Pritchett and right guard Rocco Spindler have been clear starters from the beginning. Lutovsky appears to have secured the left guard starting position.
Lutovsky is an experienced, versatile lineman in Donovan Raiola’s group. The position coach seemingly feels confident enough in several other players to handle the right tackle position.
During spring ball, Lutovsky resembled a likely starter, but where he ended up depended on the return of Turner Corcoran and Teddy Prochazka from injury. Gunnar Gottula, who started in nine games in 2024, will battle for the right tackle job vs. Corcoran and Prochazka.
Lutovsky being chosen to represent Nebraska at Big Ten Media Days shows how important he is to this O-line, the offense, and the team.
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Nebraska’s new coordinators, coaches
Rhule has three new coordinators for the 2025 season. He promoted DB coach John Butler to defensive coordinator and hired Mike Ekeler back to NU from Tennessee. Rhule brought in Holgorsen to take over for OC Marcus Satterfield with four games left in 2024.
Nebraska also hired associate head coach Phil Snow, DB coach Addison Williams, WR coach Daikiel Shorts Jr., D-Line coach Terry Bradden and OLB coach Phil Simpson.
All three phases of the game will look different this season. All three needed to improve after the 2024 season.
Singleton needs to build on a breakout season
Singleton’s return was huge for Nebraska. He had by far his best season as a Husker in 2024. He posted a career-high 71 tackles, the second most on the team. The safety added 1.0 tackle for loss, a career-high three pass breakups, one interception and one fumble recovery.
2024 was Singleton’s first full season at Nebraska. After transferring from Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, he played on special teams in 2022. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound DB started the first five games of 2023 before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
2024 was his breakout season. Now he’s back for one more, his actually last season of college football. Can Singleton build on a great 2024 season?
