LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska’s coveted single-digit jersey recipients and their guests joined Matt Rhule and his family at the coach’s home Thursday for a smoked meat dinner and, no doubt, some football talk, one of the last boxes to be checked in this preseason.

On Wednesday evening, while sitting in the car with his wife, Julie, Rhule was busy listening to a radio interview with UTEP first-year coach Scotty Walden.

The Huskers open play against UTEP on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.

Rhule, who admittedly is a “control freak,” left no issue unaddressed ahead of his second season opener at Nebraska.

Here are several storylines to watch on Saturday for the Huskers, looking for their first win in a season opener since 2019:

The freshman QB, making his college debut, may have impressed the Huskers more with his preparation work at this point than with his arm and physical skills.

Rhule said he was getting text messages from Raiola every night of last week, asking him to break curfew so he could spend more time at the soccer complex. Then, on the morning of Aug. 23, Rhule said, he arrived at work and went to do “my little old man workout,” and there was Raiola, riding his bike in the cardio room.

“He understands that you have to work,” the coach said.

When asked about the young QB, tight end Thomas Fidone recited an axiom: “There’s magic in the details.”

“I think Dylan is someone who embodies that,” Fidone said. “I’m here on the weekends, when there’s no one else — or very few people — and he’s in the weight room, doing all the little things to get his body right.”

Raiola’s mentality

The former five-star QB hopes to become the latest in a line of true freshmen making their mark on the sport.

Rhule recently took Raiola aside to show him a clip of 60 plays that showcased Tom Brady’s QB skills.

Rhule’s intention? To make it clear to Raiola that the goal for him is not to improvise. If he can stay calm in the pocket and master his footwork, he’ll have the best chance of success.

The Brady film was “enchanting,” Raiola said. “He’s always on time. He’s always on stage.”

Rhule wants Raiola to stay on stage too. And never play for the praise of anyone other than those in his inner circle.

“I remind him of this position, ‘You’re the quarterback for the University of Nebraska,'” Rhule said. “You’ve got to be prepared for the highs and the lows — and your life can’t revolve around what other people think.”

Raiola is rarely active on social media, especially during the season. He said he focuses on his teammates.

“I have to earn their trust,” he said. “They run so hard every day in practice. If I can’t give them a ball that they can catch with timing, I’m wasting their time.”

More than a week after the Huskers named Raiola their starting QB, Heinrich Haarberg remains in the mix to influence the offensive scheme. But how?

Rhule said last week that Haarberg, who started eight games last season — including each of Nebraska’s five wins — wants to provide help in a role other than Raiola’s top backup.

“He’s too athletic to hold a clipboard,” offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield said.

Satterfield said he expects Haarberg to play “a lot” next to Raiola. Haarberg could obviously fit in as a QB or as a wideout, tight end, running back or H-back.

“Whatever it takes,” Raiola said. “Heinrich is one of the best athletes in our building.”

Raiola lockers next to Haarberg. The freshman said he learned from the fourth-year junior and leaned on him.

“If I need him anywhere,” Raiola said, “he’ll be there.”

Nerves at the first match

The Huskers haven’t opened the season at home since a 2019 win over South Alabama, and Rhule said he can feel the nervous energy.

“This is a good football team,” the coach said Thursday. “Now we have to take the step to play like a good football team.”

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Defensive coordinator Tony White said he expects the Blackshirts to feed off that energy. The best defensive group is loaded with experience. Nine of the 10 single-digit jerseys, chosen by a team vote to recognize the strongest Huskers, will be worn by defensive starters.

“The boys are feeling it,” White said. “They know it. You can feel it in the air, just the vibes. It gives you goosebumps just talking about it. It’s going to be a great day.”

Wide receiver Jahmal Banks wears the lone single-digit, No. 4, on offense. He’s set to make his Memorial Stadium debut as a transfer from Wake Forest who caught 101 passes over the past two seasons.

“Coach Rhule talks about feeling fear, but not being fearless,” Banks said. “We’re going to feel that emotion, but the key is to let it pass.”

Rotation of running backs

The Week 1 depth chart shows Rahmir Johnson, Emmett Johnson, Gabe Ervin and Dante Dowdell are even.

All four backs are expected to play in the first half of Saturday. Rhule said the Huskers will make situational changes and try to get each runner to find a rhythm.

“I was hoping we would have a little bit more awareness of where they are,” Rhule said. “But I feel like they’ve fought enough that we’re going to give them all a chance.”

The Huskers are looking to the start of Big Ten competition on Sept. 20 as a time frame to identify their most effective defenders.

“I don’t want a season with four running backs,” Satterfield said. “I want one or two guys who can go out there, run the ball, be pass-protective and be physical.”

All kinds

• Expect at least five true freshmen to play against UTEP: Raiola, wide receivers Carter Nelson and Jacory Barney, linebacker Vincent Shavers and cornerback Amare Sanders.

Barney, Shavers and Sanders came to Nebraska from Miami. “The game’s not too big for them,” Rhule said. “They’ve been playing big games since they were (little), if you know what youth football is like in that area.”

• Don’t expect him to make an impact this week, but Mac Markway, a former LSU tight end who played in 12 games for St. Louis last year, arrived in Lincoln this week as an unexpected addition to the roster.

Markway left LSU in early August and completed the work on his own to enroll at Nebraska. The Huskers were not allowed to recruit him.

“I was shocked,” Rhule said. “It’s an incredible surprise.”

• No. 2 right tackle Gunnar Gottula and reserve defensive lineman Brodie Tagaloa will not play Saturday because of injuries. Offensive guard Henry Lutovsky and cornerback Blye Hill have been cleared medically but could be stuck for another week, Rhule said.

• At kicker, returning starter Tristan Alvano is back from an abdominal injury. Newcomer John Hohl will handle kickoffs and possibly long field goal attempts, with Alvano taking shorter attempts.

(Photo: Dylan Widger/USA Today)