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Good article about Donovan Raiola and Rhule recruiting win with Tyler Knaak.
LINCOLN, Neb. — Asked after Nebraska’s last practice in April about the need to add depth up front on offense in the remainder of this offseason, coach Matt Rhule looked straight ahead and did not deviate from his talking points of the spring.
Nebraska might not take anyone else from the transfer portal, he said.
“We have the players we have,” Rhule said. “We have some (freshmen) coming in. We’re going to coach them. So we’re not thinking about anybody other than the guys on our team.”
A month later, the Huskers did, in fact, take a transfer, landing tackle Tyler Knaak from Utah this week after his two-day visit to Lincoln.
Knaack, 6-foot-6 inches and 305 pounds, redshirted in his lone season with the Utes, who won the Pac-12 title in 2022 and lost to Penn State in the Rose Bowl.
He left over a “disagreement with the coach on playing time,” he said.
So what changed? It was a match that worked both ways.
“Just being able to play the sport I love, that’s what I’m here to do at the end of the day,” Knaak said. “I just want to play football.”
Nebraska coaches, as Rhule explained often in the spring, committed to the players they inherited. After a period of roster growth that included the addition of 11 winter transfers from Power 5 programs — and the attrition needed to keep the Huskers in compliance with the 85-player scholarship limit — Rhule wasn’t prepared to jump at anyone who looked good in a Nebraska uniform.
But a tackle with a solid upside and four years of eligibility who formed an immediate bond with Nebraska coaches and players? Yes.
Knaak’s commitment brings the Nebraska scholarship count to 14 on the offensive line. That’s counting four true freshmen, although perhaps the addition of Knaak allows Mason Goldman in August to try defensive line — at which he would need to gain less weight and could perhaps better put to use his mobility.
Regardless, Knaak provides Nebraska with options.
Without him, it had to more strongly consider the need for Turner Corcoran to stay at tackle and rotate with Teddy Prochazka and Bryce Benhart.
But if Knaak can crack the rotation and allow time for true freshman Gunnar Gottula to develop, it makes easier the choice to slide Corcoran inside to his more seemingly natural spot at guard.
And as a domino effect, the load handed to guards Nouredin Nouili, Ethan Piper and Henry Lutovksy would look more easily manageable.
“I can’t walk in somewhere and expect to start the first game,” Knaak said.
“But there’s definitely going to be the chance to compete.”
Other revelations from this first acquisition for Nebraska since February:
• Donovan Raiola gets credit for the recruiting win.
Things happen fast in the portal. Knaak settled on the decision to leave Utah late last month. Not long after, he visited Hawaii to vacation with his family on the island of Kauai, where his mother spent part of her childhood.
By the start of this week, Knaak had packed his Utah apartment in anticipation of the move to Lincoln.
In the interim, Raiola, on the island of Oahu in Hawaii to evaluate prospects, connected with the lineman.
They finished their days around the same time.
Late at night on the U.S. mainland, time remained for Raiola and Knaak to visit.
They traded texts and talked on the phone.
“I just knew he was my guy,” Knaak said.
“We had a great connection on the phone. And I knew it was just going to get better in person. I could tell that he was going to be my coach. It’s one of those feelings where when you know, you know. And I knew.”
Raiola, the lone coaching holdover for Rhule from the 2022 Nebraska staff, isn’t known yet as a dynamic recruiter. He had no experience before last year in recruiting off campus. He’s tight-lipped with the media. The Huskers’ signees on the offensive line, aside from Arizona State transfer Ben Scott, all came from inside the state of Nebraska.
But Raiola’s work with Knaak was impressive.
• Rhule, too, made a strong first impression. As with the Huskers’ most recent commit out of high school, quarterback Daniel Kaelin — with whom Nebraska had to navigate a tightrope during its pursuit of Raiola’s nephew, five-star QB Dylan Raiola — Rhule showed his recruiting savvy in working on Knaak.
Rhule stood out for his depth of knowledge about Knaak and the level of interest in the player’s skill set.
“It’s hard to find that in a head coach,” Knaak said.
The coach made a point to talk to Knaak about his wrestling background in high school. Knaak’s experience on the mat taught him the work ethic required to succeed in football, he said.
“To see that (Rhule) has that much appreciation for (wrestling), it really just hit home with me,” Knaak said. “And meeting him in person, he knew his stuff.
You could tell he didn’t just check up on the film. He watched it and took his time to look at who I was as a player to make sure I was a good fit.”
• A narrative about Nebraska’s offensive linemen has emerged in Rhule’s six months. The coach has defended their play despite offensive struggles during the past two years largely blamed on performance up front.
According to Rhule, the line took too much of the blame. And the linemen are working harder than any position group to turn into a strength for Nebraska. Their actions and attitude of togetherness are unmatched on the roster, coaches and players said.
“Every single thing that you’ve heard is correct,” Knaak said. “Showing up Day 1 (for a visit), three O-linemen came to dinner. They travel in groups. They show up to practice together. They get out of practice together. That’s a tight group. It’s something I’m really look forward to, having that sense of unity.”
It’s notable that Utah last season ranked ninth nationally in gaining 5.44 yards per rushing attempt and allowed 15 sacks in 14 games. (Nebraska allowed 33 sacks in 12 games.) Knaak knows a good offensive line when he sees it.
“New year, new team, new facility,” Knaack said. “These (offensive linemen) are ready to play, 100 percent.”
Why Nebraska football took O-line transfer Tyler Knaak, what it reveals about Huskers
By Mitch Sherman May 25, 2023
LINCOLN, Neb. — Asked after Nebraska’s last practice in April about the need to add depth up front on offense in the remainder of this offseason, coach Matt Rhule looked straight ahead and did not deviate from his talking points of the spring.
Nebraska might not take anyone else from the transfer portal, he said.
“We have the players we have,” Rhule said. “We have some (freshmen) coming in. We’re going to coach them. So we’re not thinking about anybody other than the guys on our team.”
A month later, the Huskers did, in fact, take a transfer, landing tackle Tyler Knaak from Utah this week after his two-day visit to Lincoln.
Knaack, 6-foot-6 inches and 305 pounds, redshirted in his lone season with the Utes, who won the Pac-12 title in 2022 and lost to Penn State in the Rose Bowl.
He left over a “disagreement with the coach on playing time,” he said.
So what changed? It was a match that worked both ways.
“Just being able to play the sport I love, that’s what I’m here to do at the end of the day,” Knaak said. “I just want to play football.”
Nebraska coaches, as Rhule explained often in the spring, committed to the players they inherited. After a period of roster growth that included the addition of 11 winter transfers from Power 5 programs — and the attrition needed to keep the Huskers in compliance with the 85-player scholarship limit — Rhule wasn’t prepared to jump at anyone who looked good in a Nebraska uniform.
But a tackle with a solid upside and four years of eligibility who formed an immediate bond with Nebraska coaches and players? Yes.
Knaak’s commitment brings the Nebraska scholarship count to 14 on the offensive line. That’s counting four true freshmen, although perhaps the addition of Knaak allows Mason Goldman in August to try defensive line — at which he would need to gain less weight and could perhaps better put to use his mobility.
Regardless, Knaak provides Nebraska with options.
Without him, it had to more strongly consider the need for Turner Corcoran to stay at tackle and rotate with Teddy Prochazka and Bryce Benhart.
But if Knaak can crack the rotation and allow time for true freshman Gunnar Gottula to develop, it makes easier the choice to slide Corcoran inside to his more seemingly natural spot at guard.
And as a domino effect, the load handed to guards Nouredin Nouili, Ethan Piper and Henry Lutovksy would look more easily manageable.
“I can’t walk in somewhere and expect to start the first game,” Knaak said.
“But there’s definitely going to be the chance to compete.”
Other revelations from this first acquisition for Nebraska since February:
• Donovan Raiola gets credit for the recruiting win.
Things happen fast in the portal. Knaak settled on the decision to leave Utah late last month. Not long after, he visited Hawaii to vacation with his family on the island of Kauai, where his mother spent part of her childhood.
By the start of this week, Knaak had packed his Utah apartment in anticipation of the move to Lincoln.
In the interim, Raiola, on the island of Oahu in Hawaii to evaluate prospects, connected with the lineman.
They finished their days around the same time.
Late at night on the U.S. mainland, time remained for Raiola and Knaak to visit.
They traded texts and talked on the phone.
“I just knew he was my guy,” Knaak said.
“We had a great connection on the phone. And I knew it was just going to get better in person. I could tell that he was going to be my coach. It’s one of those feelings where when you know, you know. And I knew.”
Raiola, the lone coaching holdover for Rhule from the 2022 Nebraska staff, isn’t known yet as a dynamic recruiter. He had no experience before last year in recruiting off campus. He’s tight-lipped with the media. The Huskers’ signees on the offensive line, aside from Arizona State transfer Ben Scott, all came from inside the state of Nebraska.
But Raiola’s work with Knaak was impressive.
• Rhule, too, made a strong first impression. As with the Huskers’ most recent commit out of high school, quarterback Daniel Kaelin — with whom Nebraska had to navigate a tightrope during its pursuit of Raiola’s nephew, five-star QB Dylan Raiola — Rhule showed his recruiting savvy in working on Knaak.
Rhule stood out for his depth of knowledge about Knaak and the level of interest in the player’s skill set.
“It’s hard to find that in a head coach,” Knaak said.
The coach made a point to talk to Knaak about his wrestling background in high school. Knaak’s experience on the mat taught him the work ethic required to succeed in football, he said.
“To see that (Rhule) has that much appreciation for (wrestling), it really just hit home with me,” Knaak said. “And meeting him in person, he knew his stuff.
You could tell he didn’t just check up on the film. He watched it and took his time to look at who I was as a player to make sure I was a good fit.”
• A narrative about Nebraska’s offensive linemen has emerged in Rhule’s six months. The coach has defended their play despite offensive struggles during the past two years largely blamed on performance up front.
According to Rhule, the line took too much of the blame. And the linemen are working harder than any position group to turn into a strength for Nebraska. Their actions and attitude of togetherness are unmatched on the roster, coaches and players said.
“Every single thing that you’ve heard is correct,” Knaak said. “Showing up Day 1 (for a visit), three O-linemen came to dinner. They travel in groups. They show up to practice together. They get out of practice together. That’s a tight group. It’s something I’m really look forward to, having that sense of unity.”
It’s notable that Utah last season ranked ninth nationally in gaining 5.44 yards per rushing attempt and allowed 15 sacks in 14 games. (Nebraska allowed 33 sacks in 12 games.) Knaak knows a good offensive line when he sees it.
“New year, new team, new facility,” Knaack said. “These (offensive linemen) are ready to play, 100 percent.”
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