The Nebraska Cornhuskers are determined to create a more successful future in 2025. Year 2 of the Matt Rhule era continued to show a mix of success and areas for improvement, but the team’s trajectory has remained positive. After a 7-year struggle, they finally achieved bowl eligibility by securing 6 wins. Despite this achievement, they faced many challenges, with 5 of their 6 losses coming by just one score. This raises questions about how the results could have changed with a bit of luck and improved player personnel. To address these challenges, more support is on the way through the transfer portal.
Since the portal opened on December 9, many talented players have been transferring. The latest standout to enter is Williams Nwaneri, a former 5-star defensive lineman and the no. 6 overall recruit in his class. After just one year at Missouri, Nwaneri has announced his decision to transfer to Nebraska. On3’s experts Steve Wiltfong and Pete Nakos reported this development.
Huskers fan and insider Wilson Dittman shared insights on his YouTube channel, expressing his belief that Nebraska was a leading contender for Nwaneri. “I talked about him the other day. [I] said Nebraska is a player. Nebraska is likely going to land him. Things are moving very, very quickly here,” he noted. Dittman explained that Nwaneri’s decision to mark “Do not contact” in the transfer portal signals his intention to join Nebraska.
“When you enter the transfer portal as a player, you have the option to have two tags on your name…Williams Nwaneri put ‘Do not contact’…This means he knows where he’s going to commit to, and that’s likely going to be Nebraska,” said Dittman. This potential commitment bodes well for Matt Rhule’s efforts to strengthen the team’s pass rush.
Having played only 4 games at Mizzou and redshirted as a freshman, Nwaneri represents a rare talent with a clear path ahead. His potential transfer is seen as a vote of confidence in Rhule’s vision for the program. However, the past few days have also brought uncertainty to Nebraska’s situation, particularly related to rumors surrounding QB Dylan Raiola entering the transfer portal.
At the start of the week, reports emerged about Raiola considering the portal, sparking widespread concern. Though he has tried to dismiss these rumors by posting “All in” on Instagram, there are indications that the situation is more complicated.
In response to these concerns, Rhule emphasized, “I know [Raiola] put a message out [on IG] last night…he’s here, he’s with us. He’s been all in for us.” He acknowledged the competitive nature of recruiting and the challenges that come with it.
As Nebraska strives to return to its former glory, they need all their top players, including securing Nwaneri and retaining their star quarterback. The upcoming game in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium will be a significant opportunity for Raiola and the Huskers as they aim to end a 7-year bowl drought.
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