Dylan Raiola’s departure from Nebraska wasn’t the smoothest exit we’ve seen from players entering the Transfer Portal. Because of that, some believe Matt Rhule and his former star quarterback parted on bad terms. For his part, Rhule said Monday that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Thanks to his win over Michigan State on Saturday evening, he didn’t see Raiola take the reins of the Oregon offense after Dante Moore was injured. He didn’t see his former star pupil throw for 289 yards and 2 touchdowns. But he heard about it and, on Monday, told the media he was thrilled with how Raiola stepped up.
“There’s no doubt that Dylan is an elite quarterback,” Rhule said at his weekly press conference. “He got in there, he got a chance to play. I hope Dante’s okay. It’s kind of an unfortunate football play.”
Rhule has often talked about his relationships with former players. He’s mentioned how much he loved coaching Christian McCaffrey when both were with the Carolina Panthers, and how he still stays in touch with the All-Pro running back, who is now with the San Francisco 49ers.
Matt Rhule rejects bad blood rumors after Dylan Raiola transfer to Oregon
The Nebraska head coach reiterated that he’ll always root for the players he coached, even if they go elsewhere. He did so ahead of the Michigan State game when he talked about Kenneth Williams, who started his career with the Huskers as a running back and kick returner.
Williams transferred to the Spartans over the offseason after a very productive 2025 season with Nebraska (12 kick returns for 395 yards and a 95-yard return for a touchdown).
This year, he has 8 kick returns for 172 yards. On Saturday, he returned 3 kicks for 90 yards against the Huskers and had his longest return of the season: 47 yards. He also had one carry as a running back for eight yards.
Of course, when Williams left the Cornhuskers, it was a relatively under-the-radar departure. It was certainly a painful loss for the special teams unit, but Raiola as the starting quarterback was much higher profile. The former QB1 left after Rhule fired his uncle, Donovan Raiola, and took his brother, Dayton, with him, fueling talk that the coach and his quarterback were no longer getting along. That Raiola didn’t issue a goodbye on social media to the Husker fans further drove that narrative.
“I love Dylan,” Rhule said. “Great, great, great kid, great family. Played here for me. Everyone that plays for me, I root for.”
Nebraska and Oregon lock horns on October 17. With Dante Moore still recovering from his concussion, Raiola could start the game in Eugene.
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