One of the offseason focuses for the Nebraska football offense and quarterback Dylan Raiola has been becoming more effective in the red zone.
The Huskers scored points on just 75.47% of their 53 total trips into the opponent's 20-yard line last season. That ranked near the bottom of the country (118th) and in the 18-team Big Ten (17th), better only than Northwestern's 68.42%.
For Nebraska's offense to take the next step, becoming more efficient with its red zone offense is key. That means scoring more touchdowns. On those 53 red zone trips, the Huskers found the end zone at a 54.72% rate, 103rd in the country and 14th in the Big Ten.
"CFP teams, the ones out of our conference, were all like 70-plus (percent) touchdowns in the red zone, where we were like 50-something," Rhule said this spring. "So we've emphasized that a lot."
Indeed, the four best Big Ten teams at scoring touchdowns when in the red zone were the ones in the College Football Playoff — Indiana (79.71%), Ohio State (75.81%), Oregon (73.02%) and Penn State (72.73%).
The offense didn't click with Marcus Satterfield as Raiola's playcaller. The low point of that marriage was a four-game stretch from Oct. 5 to Nov. 2 where Raiola struggled the most.
In the four games against Rutgers, Indiana, Ohio State and UCLA, Raiola completed only 58% of his pass attempts and threw six interceptions with just one touchdown. Nebraska went 1-3 with the lone with coming at home against the Scarlet Knights, a team the Huskers have never lost to.
As Nebraska fans know, Dana Holgorsen was introduced to the equation following the home loss to UCLA.
Nebraska's offense was in an odd spot with Holgorsen calling the plays. There's no doubt Holgorsen, one of the more respected offensive minds in the country, was a massive addition to the coaching staff. But it wasn't his system in the four games he called.
Not wanting to attempt a large change midseason — there was little time to do so as the Huskers chased a sixth win and bowl eligibility — Holgorsen tried his best to adapt to Satterfield's playbook, keeping what he liked and tossing what he didn't.
Simplifying Satterfield's vast playbook was the goal, and helping Raiola make quicker decisions and getting the ball out of his hand sooner is what the plan will be moving forward.
On the season when Nebraska's offense was in the red zone, it ran the ball 91 times and attempted 65 passes — more runs instead of passes is understandable with a then-freshman quarterback. In the final four games with Holgorsen calling the plays, Raiola unofficially completed 54% of his red zone passes with two touchdowns and one interception, which was a desperation heave into the end zone as time expired at USC.
There were mixed results, but for the most part there was plenty from Raiola that would lead fans to believe he'll take a step forward and be more efficient in the red zone.
