It is clear that Dylan Raiola wants to awaken the sleeping giant that’s Nebraska football. Most fans expect exactly that from him. But the caveat is that he is not the kind of superstar some already consider him a real newcomer.

One of the things that stands out most about last season is that the Huskers didn’t need spectacular quarterback play to get to a bowl game. They just needed consistent and competent quarterback play.

Had Nebraska football gotten a quarterback who simply made one or two fewer mistakes over the course of the season, NU would have at least gone bowling. Get a quarterback who is solid, even if he isn’t spectacular, and it’s not hard to imagine seven, eight, even nine wins.

Sam McKewon of the Omaha World-Herald pointed out that the type of play the Huskers want from their new true freshman quarterback is the bare minimum, and the verdict is that Raiola just needs to be “stable.”

“The Huskers are banking on Raiola’s talent in the arm and maturity beyond his grade level — he’s seven months older than Adrian Martinez was in 2018 — to make him a good fit in an offense full of seasoned veterans. Raiola doesn’t need to be spectacular; consistency is enough. NU’s defense and running game can do the rest if No. 15 avoids bad turnovers.”

McKewon also knows what “simply solid” play from Raiola means.

“If Nebraska’s offense scored just one more touchdown per game in 2024, the team could be competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff. That’s a big “if,” but it’s no joke. Nine wins is a topic for CFP conversations. Ten wins gets a lot of attention.”

Naturally, if the opposing teamwho happens to be 28 points behind the Nebraska football team decides to target Raiola, one wonders how good he will show them what he can really be.