Matt Rhule felt "really bad" following harsh comments on Dylan Raiola
Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola was a coup for coach Matt Rhule when he switched his commitment from the Georgia Bulldogs to the Cornhuskers in December 2023. After a stellar start to the 2024 college football season, Raiola's form took a nosedive alongside the team's.
Last week, while speaking to reporters after a spring training session, Rhule's comment highlighted Raiola's weight as a future concern, which stirred a storm among football fans on various social media platforms.
While speaking to reporters on Thursday, Rhule clarified his comments about the mercurial Raiola and how his comments were received.
“I felt really bad,” Rhule said. “I thought it was poor on some people’s part. If you went back and listened to what I said, I said ‘He knows he can’t be 240.’ I didn’t say he was 240. Some people ran with that and it’s unfortunate. I’m very marked with how I say things, I say things in a specific way. And all I said was he knows he can’t be something.
He’s done a really nice job with his body and he’s continuing to do that. He’s a big man, he’s going to be a big man … He’s been really, really focused this offseason on ‘I’m going to get myself to the right weight, get myself down to where I want to be.’ I think you can already see it.”
Dylan Raiola details offseason fitness regimen
On the Nebraska Cornhuskers' website, Dylan Raiola, who has styled himself around Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, is listed at 230 pounds. Speaking to reporters after Thursday's spring training session, he shared that he has stuck to a strict workout regimen during the offseason that has seen him drop 9-10 pounds, dismissing the storm around coach Matt Rhule's weight comments.
"If I'm being honest, it sucks," Dylan Raiola said. "I'm just being honest. It's a constant grind every day. Sometimes you don't see change right away. In this instance, a physical body standpoint doesn't change in a day, it doesn't change in a week, it doesn't change in two weeks, not even three. There's just the consistency of staying on it and keep going on it."
During his freshman season, Raiola tallied 2,819 yards, resulting in 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 13 games, ending the Nebraska Cornhuskers' bowl-eligibility drought. After the hype surrounding his entry into college football and his comparisons to Patrick Mahomes, the Nebraska quarterback will be under the spotlight even more during his sophomore year.