Connect with us

Published

on

Dylan Raiola, ESPN’s top pocket-passing quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class, told ESPN on Monday he’s switching his college commitment to Nebraska from Georgia.

The decision marks a potential seismic shift in fortunes for Nebraska football, as Raiola’s commitment makes him the highest-ranked high school recruit to pick the Cornhuskers since ESPN began tracking rankings in 2006, per ESPN Stats & Information.

Raiola is ranked No. 8 overall in the 2024 ESPN 300.

In a phone interview Monday, Raiola detailed how a lifetime of being intertwined with Nebraska football played into his decision. His father, Dominic, was an All-American offensive lineman there, and his uncle Donovan is the school’s offensive line coach.

“I firmly believe that Nebraska is in my blood,” Raiola told ESPN. “It’s a great opportunity to be part of something bigger than myself. Nebraska is a special place.”

Nebraska marks the third school Raiola has been tied to in his recruitment. He committed to Ohio State early in May 2022, only to decommit and choose Georgia in May 2023.

The Bulldogs on Monday learned that quarterback Carson Beck, who had a 12-1 record in his first season as a starter, will return in 2024 for his senior season.

Raiola said there’s allure to potentially restoring glory to the Cornhuskers amid the program’s seven-year bowl drought spanning three head coaches. Nebraska’s history includes five national championships and three Heisman Trophy winners.

“I think it’ll mean a lot to bring it back,” Raiola said. “Just because of the legacy of so many great players that have walked through that locker room that’s been established there — to keep doing what they established.

“… Just the history of the Nebraska football program. It’s not just another program.”

The flip to Nebraska marks a major touchstone early in the tenure of Matt Rhule, who finished with a 5-7 mark in his first season. Nebraska had inconsistent quarterback play this year, with the country’s No. 126 passing offense and No. 120 scoring offense. The Cornhuskers had top-20 finishes in scoring defense, rush defense and total defense.

Rhule previously found success as the coach at Temple and Baylor, and he spent three seasons as an NFL coach before returning to Nebraska. He made a strong impression on Raiola.

“I believe from my dad being there, I understand the history of the program,” Raiola said. “I also understand my family legacy there and the fan base and aspirations. I strongly believe in the vision and culture that Coach Rhule has established with his staff.”

Raiola played high school football in both Texas and Arizona before he transferred to Buford (Georgia) High School this past summer. He threw for 2,666 yards, 34 touchdowns and just 1 interception in his final season.

Raiola plans to enroll early at Nebraska and be on campus in January. He visited over the weekend, with the outside expectation that he planned to eventually commit there.

“I went up there with an open mind,” Raiola said. “I think it was just another opportunity to be around the whole coaching staff and understand really Coach Rhule’s vision and culture and what he intends for Nebraska to be. He understands that himself. That’s huge. He can implement that into his coaching style and the way he interacts with his players.

“… I noticed the way that his players gravitate to him. He really cares about the person and the man that you are becoming. He uses the football platform to help develop you as a man. That’s what makes him the most special. He gets the most out of them, because he’s built strong relationships.”

Raiola has spent his whole life rooting for the Cornhuskers, as his dad won the Remington Award in 2000 as the top center in college football and earned first-team All-America honors. He was also a finalist for the Lombardi (top lineman) and Outland Awards (top interior lineman).

When asked who his favorite Cornhusker player growing up was, Dylan Raiola said he “rooted for the whole team.”

“That speaks a lot on how much it meant for my dad. My dad instilled that legacy in me,” Raiola said. “What he’s instilled in me and all that he’s taught me growing up is that he learned a lot of that from his time at Nebraska.”

While there’s no definitive starter at quarterback for 2024, Nebraska has avoided taking a high-profile quarterback from the NCAA transfer portal. Raiola said he’s eager to compete this spring and knows nothing will be handed to him.

“You have to go in and earn your stripes and compete and fall in line with what guys established last year,” Raiola said. “You’re still a freshman. You have to listen to everyone ahead of you. That’s the beautiful thing about it.”

When asked to write the perfect script of his career at Nebraska, Raiola acknowledged that it won’t be linear but said he’s looking forward to the adventure.

“I don’t think there’s a perfect vision of what it’s going to be,” he said. “There’s going to be ups and downs. … I can’t tell you what it’s going to be, but it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Continue Reading

Sports

Hurricanes: ‘Tough look’ not sticking up for Aho

Published

on

By

Hurricanes: 'Tough look' not sticking up for Aho

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Carolina Hurricanes regretted not sticking up for star center Sebastian Aho when he was mauled by Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk late in their Game 3 loss on Saturday night.

In the third period, with the Panthers cruising to a 6-2 win and a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals, Tkachuk went after Aho with a series of shoves and cross-checks, eventually putting him in a headlock and bringing him down to the ice. The incident was seen as retaliation for Aho’s low hit on Florida’s Sam Reinhart that injured him in Game 2 and kept the forward out of the lineup on Saturday.

“I don’t really look at it as intent or intimidation at all. It’s just sticking up for teammates,” said Tkachuk, who was given a roughing penalty and a 10-minute misconduct. “We’re a family in there. It could happen to anybody and there’s probably 20 guys racing to be the guy to stick up for a teammate like that. That’s just how our team’s built. That’s why we’re successful. I don’t think any of us would be thrilled at that play in Game 2.”

But while Tkachuk was on top of Aho, who remained in the game, there was no chaotic response from the Hurricanes, nor any retaliation for the rest of the game. Carolina forward Taylor Hall said, in hindsight, there needed to be some reaction.

“I think what happened is that we don’t want to take penalties after the whistle, and they’re very good at goading you into them. But we have to support each other and make sure all five of us are having each other’s backs,” Hall said. “That was a tough look there, but we’ll battle for each other to no end.”

Coach Rod Brind’Amour said there needed to be a response, especially since the game was all but over on the scoreboard

“In that situation, there probably does. There’s a fine line. You don’t want to start advocating for that kind of hockey, necessarily. But with the game out of hand, yes, we have to do a better job of that with the game out of hand,” he said.

The Hurricanes face elimination on Monday night in Sunrise. They also face a 16th straight loss in the Eastern Conference finals, a streak that stretches back to 2009.

“We’re going to give our best tomorrow,” Hall said. “I think that we have a belief in our room, honestly. We’re playing for our season.”

Continue Reading

Sports

Stars rule forward Hintz out for Game 3 vs. Oilers

Published

on

By

Stars rule forward Hintz out for Game 3 vs. Oilers

EDMONTON — Dallas forward Roope Hintz has been ruled out for Game 3 of the Stars’ Western Conference finals series against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday.

Hintz was a game-time decision for Dallas after leaving the third period of Game 2 on Friday with an injury. The center took a slash from Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse less than four minutes into that final frame and was helped off the ice without appearing to put weight on his left leg.

Stars’ coach Pete DeBoer said on Saturday they were awaiting test results on Hintz before determining his status for Game 3. Hintz travelled with the team from Dallas and arrived at Rogers Place on Sunday without wearing a walking boot.

DeBoer still declared Hintz’s status uncertain about an hour before puck drop. Hintz took warmups with the Stars before Game 3 but left several minutes early without participating in line rushes.

Hintz has five goals and 11 points in 15 postseason games and ranked fourth on the Stars in regular-season scoring with 28 goals and 67 points in 76 games.

Continue Reading

Sports

Horse trainer Clement dies from rare eye cancer

Published

on

By

Horse trainer Clement dies from rare eye cancer

Christophe Clement, who trained longshot Tonalist to victory in the 2014 Belmont Stakes and won a Breeders’ Cup race in 2021, has died. He was 59.

Clement announced his own death in a prepared statement that was posted to his stable’s X account on Sunday.

“Unfortunately, if you are reading this, it means I was unable to beat my cancer,” the post said. “As many of you know, I have been fighting an incurable disease, metastatic uveal melanoma.”

It’s a type of cancer that affects the uvea, the middle layer of the eye. It accounts for just 5% of all melanoma cases in the U.S., however, it can be aggressive and spread to other parts of the body in up to 50% of cases, according to the Melanoma Research Alliance’s website.

The Paris-born Clement has been one of the top trainers in the U.S. over the last 34 years. He learned under his father, Miguel, who was a leading trainer in France. Clement later worked for the prominent French racing family of Alec Head. In the U.S., he first worked for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.

Clement went out on his own in 1991, winning with the first horse he saddled at Belmont Park in New York.

“Beyond his accomplishments as a trainer, which are many, Christophe Clement was a kind and generous man who made lasting contributions to the fabric of racing in New York,” Dave O’Rouke, president and CEO of the New York Racing Association said in a statement.

Clement had 2,576 career victories and purse earnings of over $184 million, according to Equibase.

“I am very proud that for over 30 years in this industry, we have operated every single day with the highest integrity, always putting the horses’ wellbeing first,” he wrote in his farewell message.

One of his best-known horses was Gio Ponti, winner of Eclipse Awards as champion male turf horse in 2009 and 2010. He finished second to Zenyatta in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic.

In the 2014 Belmont, Tonalist spoiled the Triple Crown bid of California Chrome, who tied for fourth. Tonalist won by a head, after not having competed in the Kentucky Derby or Preakness that year.

Steve Coburn, co-owner of California Chrome, caused controversy when he said afterward the horses that hadn’t run in the other two races took “the coward’s way out.” He later apologized and congratulated the connections of Tonalist.

Clement’s lone Breeders’ Cup victory was with Pizza Bianca, owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Clement had seven seconds and six thirds in other Cup races.

“It was Christophe’s genuine love for the horse that truly set him apart,” Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National Horseman’s Benevolent and Protective Association, said in a statement. “He was a consummate professional and a welcoming gentleman whose demeanor was always positive, gracious and upbeat.”

Clement’s statement said he would leave his stable in the hands of his son and longtime assistant, Miguel.

“As I reflect on my journey, I realize I never worked a day in my life,” Clement’s statement said. “Every morning, I woke up and did what I loved most surrounded by so much love.”

Besides his son, he is survived by wife Valerie, daughter Charlotte Clement Collins and grandson Hugo Collins.

Continue Reading

Trending