In a world where style trumps substance, Dylan Raiola continues to hone his craft in Lincoln with intense offseason work.
Daikiel Shorts, the new Nebraska wide receivers coach, recently heaped nothing but praise on Raiola.
Dylan Raiola’s Work Ethic Receives High Praise
When you hear a position coach praise a player in another group, that tends to raise eyebrows.
During his short time with the Cornhuskers, Shorts already sees a special level of dedication, preparation, and effort from Nebraska’s soon-to-be second-year starting quarterback.
“It’s hard not to like Dylan (Raiola) if I’m being honest.”
QB1 has already impressed new Nebraska receivers coach Daikiel Shorts Jr.#GBR | #Huskers pic.twitter.com/LTu2ZiaJ5S
— Hail Varsity (@HailVarsity) February 26, 2025
In a way, compliments from a receivers coach to the starting quarterback seamlessly fit into a synergy that benefits winning teams. Shorts didn’t need to throw effusive praise, but those words rang true. Rolling into the weight room at six in the morning to see the starting quarterback doing boxing drills should inspire teams to do the same.
Even before Shorts’ quotes, Raiola earned a reputation for being a diligent worker. Instead of biding his time at Georgia, he chose to attend the university that holds a special place in his family’s collective hearts.
His father, Nebraska legend Dominic Raiola, won the Rimington Award for the best center in college football before playing 14 seasons for the Detroit Lions. Instead of resting on the laurels and accolades his father earned, the young Raiola chose to carve his own path. Yet, he did inherit the tireless work ethic his father became known for.
Railoa Could Have Nebraska on the Right Track
If you are a certain age, you can remember how dominant Nebraska played in the 1980s and 1990s. Due to atrocious coaching hires and flawed recruiting, Big Red fell precipitously from national relevance.
After a year, Raiola, and by extension, head coach Matt Rhule, started making incremental progress on the road back. Following a seven-year hiatus, Raiola led the team to a bowl game. More importantly, the Huskers claimed their first bowl victory since the 2015 Foster Farms Bowl. While no one with common sense expects a return to Tommie Frazier and the option, winning consistently matters.
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Shorts, as a former WR, understands what excellent QB prep and work ethic looks like. That quality manifests itself on game days. As the Cornhuskers continue to slowly climb back from football purgatory to fielding competitive teams, Raiola will be at the epicenter of the revival to comprehend what helping Nebraska win truly means.
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