Matt Rhule shares TJ Lateef update that boosts Nebraska’s Las Vegas bowl outlook

Despite being a true freshman, TJ Lateef has done and said everything right leading up to Nebraska's second straight bowl game. As Huskers head coach Matt Rhule revealed this weekend, everything Lateef has done right leading up to the Las Vegas Bowl includes recovering from a hamstring injury and getting ready to play against Utah.

There was some question whether the quarterback pressed into duty after Dylan Raiola's injury would be able to play in the Huskers' bowl game. However, the long layoff has given him the time to get ready. To heal and to show he can be "the man" in 2026.

"Yeah, I think TJ is going to play great," the Nebraska head coach told the media on Saturday.

How Nebraska football’s game plan changes with TJ Lateef trending the right way

"You know, it's been good for Jalen [Gramstad] and Marcos [Davila] to get a bunch of reps early," Rhule added. They both prepared as though they would start the bowl game against No. 15 Utah when Lateef was recovering.

"And then TJ took, you know, he would take reps that didn't require him moving, you know. And then today, you know, he just took every rep. So he's, you know, we've been cautious with him because obviously we have a game. We want to get him to the game. But he looks fast. He looks like he can, run the football. I think the entire offense is up with him. And we'll run him. We'll move him around and we'll play."

That Lateef is "full go" for the Las Vegas Bowl is good for the quarterback. It's also good for a Nebraska team that will likely show more of what it plans to do in 2026. Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen called plays geared more toward an immobile signal-caller in Dylan Raiola. However, the Huskers are transitioning to a more mobile quarterback attack.

With Lateef able to do everything that's asked of him, and a month to get ready, Nebraska's attack could look quite different on New Year's Eve than it did during the regular season in 2025.