After an offseason full of storylines, Nebraska football is back in action as it played its annual Red-White spring game on Saturday.
Among all the storylines that have arisen this offseason, one stands above the rest: The quarterback situation.
This offseason, the Huskers brought in two freshmen, Dylan Raiola and Daniel Kaelin, to join junior Heinrich Haarberg. Haarberg has experience starting for Nebraska, however, Raiola and Kaelin both have challenged Haarberg for the starting spot all spring.
Although the spring game is not the only factor in the quarterback race, it gives a glimpse into how it may pan out. Each contender in the race competed and showed why they may be the Huskers’ signal caller this fall.
Here is an evaluation of the quarterback performances in this year's spring game:
Heinrich Haarberg:
Last season, Haarberg stepped up for the Huskers when starter Jeff Sims went down. Haarberg showed flashes of talent, on the ground and through the air but still had his share of struggles.
He dealt with turnover issues, throwing seven interceptions and having trouble protecting the ball at times. He also struggled with his throwing motion. It’s evident that Haarberg has tweaked his motion this spring and is still looking to improve.
“It’s by no means anywhere close where I want it to be,” Haarberg said postgame, “Part of that is just work and being more comfortable.”
Haarberg was the first quarterback on the field today and it took him a while to find a rhythm. He completed some short passes early on his first drive but struggled to get any substantial gains through the air.
On his second drive, Haarberg got a little more comfortable, looking down the field more, but could not fit the ball into tight windows. It did not seem like the game was going to go well for him after the first two drives. However, he found a spark on his third.
On his third drive, Haarberg found freshman receiver Jacorey Barney Jr. for a 41-yard touchdown. Haarberg kept that momentum going, as he charged the offense 94 yards down the field to find the endzone again.
Haarberg made one of his best passes of the day on this drive, a touchdown to junior tight end Thomas Fidone II, where the pocket collapsed but he stayed poised and made the right read. Last year, Haarberg may have taken the sack but the touchdown on that play shows him improvements from this past year.
Despite the slow start, Haarberg made a stamp on this game.
Dylan Raiola:
As one of the highest-rated recruits in Nebraska history, Raiola has had all eyes on him since he stepped on campus. He has drawn comparisons to legendary quarterbacks since he was in high school and Husker fans had their first glimpse of him today.
When Raiola came onto the field for his first drive, the crowd erupted with excitement. Many players would fold under this pressure, however Raiola thrived.
He showed why he was one of the top recruits in the country on his first drive of live football in Memorial Stadium. On his first possession, Raiola went 4-of-4 for 40 passing yards and capped it off with a 16-yard touchdown toss to sophomore receiver Janiran Bonner.
His next possession was not as productive. It ended after a pass went through the hands of freshman receiver Demitrius Bell and was intercepted.
“That’s on me,” Raiola said postgame. “Ball placement has to be better.”
Despite the turnover, Raiola wowed the fans on his next drive as he lofted a 64-yard touchdown to freshman receiver Jalen Lloyd.
In just the first half, Raiola went 15-of-21 with 239 yards and two scores. He might not have been perfect on Saturday, but Raiola put on a show that many fans will remember heading forward.
Daniel Kaelin:
Kaelin is a wildcard in this quarterback battle. Like Raiola, he is also a freshman but was not as highly touted coming into this spring. Despite the lack of hype, Kaelin has still turned heads at practice and has given himself an outside chance for the starting job.
But on Saturday, Kaelin struggled to make his mark. On his first drive, he failed to move the ball much and on his next possession, he threw an interception.
On his lone scoring drive, Kaelin started with the ball on the opponent’s 16-yard line after a long return from Barney. As the game went on, Kaelin did seem more comfortable in this offense however his overall performance today moved him farther out of contention for the starting role.
The Verdict:
There is still a lot of football to be played and a lot of decisions to be made, however after Saturday’s spring game it’s still a two-man race for the starting job between Haarberg and Raiola.
Haarberg is the only quarterback on the roster with college game experience and is a guy that head coach Matt Rhule loves.
“He’s truly a dual-threat quarterback that can change the game,” Rhule said postgame.
Despite Haarberg’s experience and offseason improvements, Raiola has generational arm talent and an undeniable feel for the game. Rhule understands the rare talent he has in Raiola but wants to see him improve on some details.
“He’s got a great feel for the game, he’s got a big-time arm, but it’s going to be the little things,” Rhule said.
After Saturday’s game, it seems like Raiola has a leg up in the race for the job. Still, Haarberg is not the kind of player who will sit down and let his spot be taken.