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2023 Off Season Thread

vailhusker said:
JFC Frost



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Donovan Raiola is ready for Round 2 with this Husker O-line.

There's hope some definite be benefits come from growing together last year too.

"It's a process with offensive line play, right? They're learning new technique, a new kind of language. So everything was new last year and I'm just really happy going into my second year with these guys. Their comfort level is totally different," he said during a 'Sports Nightly' radio appearance on Monday night.

The Husker offensive line coach reiterated what was said over the course of the spring: it's a tight-knit group. Matt Rhule has said it's as close of a group as he's had as a coach.

Raiola believes that can be useful come the season too.


"No matter what the situation is, you're never going to be too high, too low. You're always going to face some form of adversity, but knowing your brother has your back – that's big," the O-line coach said. "That's what's really special. They love being together. That's a great thing."

Raiola thought the group improved as the spring went along at picking up the new offense and terminology under offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield.

"We just stayed focus on the standard and improvement and they got better and better and better and you saw some young guys take some strides too."

Some individual notes of interest:

– Teddy Prochazka is ready to go. He got some spring work in but was still in a green jersey at that point. Sounds like it's full go now.

"He's really taken steps in improving his body, improving his movement, his conditioning. He's ready to go. He's back. He's had an offseason of workouts, an offseason of training and I'm really excited for Teddy moving forward."

– The smarts of Ben Scott stand out to Raiola, as the transfer from Arizona State looks to own that center spot. Good spot to have a veteran and Scott is that. "He kind of settles the group just understanding the game."

– Raiola said Turner Corcoran is working hard on his strength and mobility and also is willing to speak up when the group needs to hear it. "We'll see a big improvement from Turner as well." Ethan Piper is a guy similar to Corcoran who can play multiple spot, be it guard or center. "I just love his energy. He's the same person every day. He's really taken that leadership role and he's a great example for everyone on the team. Not just offensive line."

– Bryce Benhart has improved his strength, the coach said. He said he's looking to him having a great year. While Benhart looks to lock down right tackle, Nouredin Nouili was out there at right guard in the spring game. "He's focused. He's working his but off," Raiola said of Nouili. "He's a special player. He's still learning, going through that process of understanding the game ... He works really hard at it ... Getting him back in the unit is going to help us a lot."

– Raiola said the older guys are really helping newcomers like Jacob Hood (the Georgia transfer who was here in the spring) and Tyler Knaak (the transfer from Utah) know the standard for the room.

"Really excited for Tyler and just what he brings to us. He'll develop well and he's working his butt off."

– The coach expressed enthusiasm when asked about Henry Lutovsky, who he thinks is one of the stronger guys on the team. Lutovsky got some game snaps at right guard last year as a reserve.

"Yes, absolutely, I think Henry is going to play a big role for us. He's just getting stronger and getting more experienced, understanding the game." Raiola called him a sponge. "You tell him something and he'll do it exactly how you asked."

– Justin Evans-Jenkins is trying to bolster depth at center and Raiola is excited about his development. He's strong, Raiola said. And tough as nails. "He's as tough as they come."

– What about the first-year frosh?

"Really happy with Gunnar," he said of Gunnar Gottula, who was here in the spring and fit in at tackle. "Kind of follows those older guys around and learns a lot from those guys. ... Really excited for him in those six months in how far he's grown." Raiola believes Gottula can play multiple spots of guard and tackle.

– Sam Sledge is a summer arrival who could be a future leading option at center, some think.

What's Raiola say so far? "I love how Sam works and he's very focused with everything he does. On the field, off the field. He's a conscientious young man."

Raiola added that Brock Knutson, Sledge and Gottula really work hard together as a group. With the freshmen additions, and Knaak now here, as well as walk-ons who can hang in there like Dylan Parrott and Keegan Menning, Raiola feels good about the numbers, which have climbed since spring.

– From a lineman's standpoint, Raiola also likes the addition of the grass fields and Rhule wanting to practice more on that surface.

"As you get older you realize it's so much better on your body. At times the turf feels nice and comfortable and you love running around on it but over time you see it takes a toll on your back, your knees, your joints, your hips – all those different things," the coach said. "You don't realize it in the moment until you get older. That grass is going to be awesome out there."

And, oh yeah, "it looks really nice too."
 
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