Nebraska football: Matt Rhule 'accelerating the pace' for younger stars

If the Nebraska football team is going to have the success some analysts believe they will, they’re going to need some very young players make some very big impacts. Knowing that the Huskers are going to have young guys need to grow up quickly, head coach Matt Rhule talked about the way he’s changed his approach a bit this spring.

Part of that new approach is apparently getting the kids like Dylan Raiola and Daniel Kaelin to try and learn on their own as much as possible. He wants the freshmen quarterbacks to study and learn and make sure that they aren’t missing assignments when they go through a practice session.

Rhule is also making sure that the young quarterbacks are ready for the season. He understands that there’s quite a bit at stake in 2024 and he knows that beyond Heinrich Haarberg, there isn’t anything resembling a veteran presence at the position.

"It’s year two,” Rhule said after Nebraska football’s practice on Thursday. “The best thing you have in year two is that other players can teach their teammates, ‘Hey, this is what that means.’ So you have that (advantage). But both those guys came here to play. And, again, it's a marathon, not a sprint for young players. It’s not about where you are today. It's where you are three, four years from now that determines your future.”

Nebraska football knows things need to be on a faster pace

While Rhule knows that sometimes development needs to be slown down, he also knows that things needs to get a boost for the fall of 2024.

“We are accelerating the pace for all of our young players,” Rhule added. “Because just like we need those guys ready to play, we need some of those young receivers ready to play. And so we're, as a coaching staff, taking that personally.”

Here’s hoping that last big doesn’t make the Colorado Buffaloes think the Nebraska football coach is taking a shot at Deion again.