Whether Dylan Raiola actually orders a coffee or not in Glengarry Glen Ross closer fashion, that’s unclear. But he’s there. Seemingly always there.
«I think he’s at like every dinner when all these kids come in for the transfer portal visits,» Dana Holgorsen said. «I think he’s there most of the time because he understands the importance of getting guys in there that can help us win..»
That Raiola routinely holds down such a seat for the program when prospects are visiting is one area that makes an impression on the coach.
Certainly so does the quarterback’s football IQ.
A team guy, added Nebraska’s offensive coordinator during a Pinstripe Bowl Zoom call on Thursday. A guy who knows he needs to do all he can to add ballers to that team.
«It’s tremendously important,» Raiola said Thursday of his peer recruiting role. «In order to get where we want to get we’ve got to get good players. In that process now of portal guys coming in and just going to dinner, hanging out with them. You try to get to know them before they get on their visits so when they’re here you know a good bit about them. It’s been fun and definitely a priority. It’s cool to meet new guys who come from different programs.»
QB1 will definitely like having that 6-2, 210-pound option. And Nebraska fans will like the idea of how Raiola could flourish with a full offseason of football conversations with Holgorsen.
The coach said it’s Raiola’s football intelligence that continues to stand out to him now as he’s had more time to get to know him even more away from that push of game week preparation.
He can tell his father, Dominic, and his uncle, O-line coach Donovan Raiola, have probably had checking out football film when he was about 10.
«Just his intelligence, it never ceases to amaze me. I sit in those quarterback meetings and Coach (Glenn) Thomas is an incredible quarterback coach, and very smart and drills them on protections and coverages – and Dylan always has the right answer,» Holgorsen said. «I’ve never been around a freshman quarterback that has those answers. I’ve been around freshmen in general that are playing at a high level. But not to the point where they understand those questions.»
Raiola made clear via a social media post his commitment to the program early last week, putting an end to any speculation he could end up elsewhere after his first year at Nebraska.
«Those days were crazy. Kind of out of control in whatever happened and spiraled. For me, honestly it was unfortunate I kind of had to reassure everyone I was here,» Raiola said. «You know I never officially entered and never really was shopping around. I really don’t have much to say other than that whole kind of deal was kind out of out of control and I’m playing quarterback at Nebraska.»
And he knows how important it is his next game as NU’s QB ends in a win in New York City. A victory over Boston College in the Dec. 28 Pinstripe Bowl would give Nebraska its first winning season since 2016.
«We’ve seen a lot of progress and a lot of things have gone as expected and better,» Raiola said of this December time alongside Holgorsen. «It’s a long time before a bowl game so kind of taking this month like a pretty good offseason kind of deal, and next week get ready to play this football game.»
It’ll be fun being in New York City with his teammates, he knows. Seeing some famous landmarks.
Bowl games are supposed to include such fun.
«But understand we’re going up there to win a football game.»