Huskers about to take off if Matt Rhule's third season goes according to form of his previous stops

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — It's Year 3 of the Matt Rhule era at Nebraska, the one the program has been pointing to since his hiring.

The third season is where Rhule's previous college teams have made their biggest jumps, and the stage is set for the same to happen for the Cornhuskers.

Dylan Raiola will be in his second year as the starting quarterback and his first full season with offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. Veteran defensive coordinator John Butler enters his first full season running a unit ranked in the top 20 last year. The schedule is favorable.

“I believe we can do something special this year,” Raiola said. “We’ll find out pretty soon.”

Rhule in 2023 took over a proud program a quarter-century removed from its heyday under Tom Osborne. The Huskers had won no more than fi