WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Matt Rhule thought if he stayed on the white strip that separates the playing field from the sideline, he could hurl his headset to the ground without penalty. And so that’s what he did on Saturday in the fourth quarter as Nebraska led by two scores when wide receiver Jahmal Banks was flagged for holding to wipe out a first-down run by Emmett Johnson.
“I was just mad,” Rhule said before the Huskers left Ross-Ade Stadium with a 28-10 win against Purdue, their first on the road in the Big Ten by a three-score margin in nearly five years.
He was mad at the officials who flagged Banks — and who called tight end Thomas Fidone II for holding on the first play of the second quarter, a fourth-and-3 throw and run after the catch of 22 yards to the end zone from Dylan Raiola to Rahmir Johnson.
Two years ago when the Huskers played here and gave up 608 yards in a loss, such setbacks might have sent them into a tailspin. Same with the 2019 Nebraska team that squandered chances in West Lafayette and left with one of the most baffling defeats in a disappointing past decade of football.
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Those teams at Nebraska did not have Rhule. And they certainly did not have the freshman Raiola. The coach-QB duo plans to pull the Huskers along — drag them if needed — to play the kind of football that Nebraska fans want.
This Saturday’s showing by Nebraska at Purdue illustrated the growing effectiveness of the Rhule-Raiola resilience and leadership. The Huskers (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) shook off the effects of a mistake-filled, scoreless first half to explode for four touchdowns in the final 30 minutes.
The headset toss got Rhule hit with a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. On top of the holding call, it backed Nebraska into second-and-29. Raiola connected with Emmett Johnson for 27 yards on the next play. And Jacory Barney Jr. scored on a 25-yard run two plays later to ice the win.
Rhule didn’t want the penalty. But he did want the Huskers to see him, their second-year coach, “out there fighting for them today” after Nebraska lost in overtime a week ago at home against Illinois.
“Someone’s going to have to start to fight for Nebraska,” Rhule said. “All right? So I’m here to fight for Nebraska.”
He brought some additional fire on Saturday. Before kickoff, Rhule gathered the Huskers in a big circle and called a few players into the center in groups of two, pitting them against each other in one-on-one collisions.
“It’s about attitude,” former All-America center Dominic Raiola said as he watched the pregame activity from the sideline, clearly loving it.
Dominic’s son delivered some attitude, too.
Dylan Raiola hit 16 of 26 passes for 244 yards and one touchdown, threading balls through a Purdue defense intent to sit in zone coverage and make the rookie beat the Boilermakers in his first road appearance. Raiola’s precision also led to six pass-interference calls.
His stat line through five games: 99-of-141 passing (70.2 percent) for 1,211 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions.
Raiola’s performance at Purdue might rank as his most impressive with the Huskers.
When Nebraska struggled on third down in the first half, when it missed three field goals and committed drive-killing penalties, Raiola’s work to drive six times inside the Purdue 40 failed to produce a point. Still, he did not force throws. He kept his composure and kept leaning on Purdue. It broke defensively after halftime.
“We just stay the course and we keep grinding,” Raiola said,
Nebraska trailed 3-0 late in the third quarter. On third-and-goal from the 6, Raiola shortened the cadence as the play clock dwindled and switched to a silent count amid rising noise. He found Banks in the back of the end zone.
His presence calms the Huskers on offense. With Raiola at the helm, Nebraska has committed just three turnovers one year after it lost the ball 31 times. It’s plus-5 in turnover margin, on track to finish in the black for the third time since Frank Solich was fired as coach 21 years ago.
Raiola acts the part of a leader. He needs help, of course. But faster than planned, the Huskers are turning into his team. Even with expectations through the roof for the former five-star prospect, he’s a year ahead of schedule.
“This week was all about us and getting back to who we were,” he said. “We got punched in the mouth last week. And it was just all about our response.”
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The other cornerstone, Rhule, said he urged the Huskers after last week to rid themselves of the pressure. He wants them to find the joy in competition.
“Let’s just go play,” he said.
At halftime, while Husker Nation fretted about the missed opportunities, wondering collectively if Nebraska would leave on empty like in 2022 and 2019, Rhule did not harp on the mistakes.
“I told them,” he said, “‘This is exactly where this team needed to be.’”
They needed to show that they could win in the second half.
“I love the fact that they didn’t flinch,” Rhule said.
Nebraska’s problems on special teams are glaring. Its offensive line is a patchwork product. The run defense, with unbeaten Rutgers and top back Kyle Monangai visiting Lincoln this week, appears vulnerable.
“People can spend all their time trying to think what we’re not,” Rhule said. “I choose to see what we are.”
He pounded his hand four times on a table for emphasis in saying that Nebraska has improved incrementally.
“We went on the road after a devastating loss last week,” he said. “And we found a way to win. And I couldn’t be prouder. It wasn’t the best football. We have a lot to fix. But I’m proud of the heart of that team.”
Their heart, their direction, their ability to open doors long shut at Nebraska? It all starts with the coach and the QB.
(Top photo of Dylan Raiola: Marc Lebryk / Imagn Images)
