Nebraska Freshman QB TJ Lateef Is the Focus of Iowa Football Prior to the Black Friday Rivalry Match The Hawkeyes are preparing for a completely different challenge than anyone anticipated a few months ago as Iowa gets ready to wrap up its regular season with the always thrilling Black Friday game against Nebraska.
Dylan Raiola, a highly anticipated freshman quarterback whose arm strength and polish had garnered national attention long before he took the field, was at the center of Lincoln’s storyline at the beginning of the season. However, everything changed when Raiola sustained a leg injury that ended his season. Suddenly, TJ Lateef, a freshman who has started to establish himself in a demanding role, was given control of Nebraska’s offense.
An inexperienced quarterback is typically a favorable situation for Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker. When it comes to perplexing and overwhelming young passers, few college football coaches have a track record quite like his.
But both Parker and head coach Kirk Ferentz are emphasizing that this isn’t your normal backup quarterback scenario as Iowa gets ready for Lateef. Lateef is capable of playing. Ferentz gave a preview of Friday’s game, saying, “We have a lot of good video on Lateef, and he’s done a really nice job.” “He’s performing well out there. Their offensive style has somewhat changed, but not significantly. You still need to get ready.
The distinction between Raiola and Lateef was not sugarcoated by Ferentz. Even seasoned coaches are impressed by Raiola’s exceptional, nearly uncommon passing ability. Ferentz remarked, “The other guy was just an unusual passer.” “A very talented and gifted passer.” There aren’t many men in the nation with his level of ball-throwing ability.
However, without its standout freshman, Nebraska hasn’t collapsed. If anything, the Cornhuskers have adjusted their offensive strategy to complement Lateef’s skill set and found stability faster than some may have anticipated. The Huskers’ transition has been “pretty fluid,” according to Ferentz, and it “hasn’t affected them at all.”
Ferentz views the Hawkeyes’ possession of two complete games’ worth of film on Lateef as both comforting and difficult. He remarked, “The good news is that we have film of him and film of them playing with him.” “Trying to stop what they’re doing with him is now the challenge.”
Iowa has a lot to learn from Lateef’s early performances. After helping Nebraska defeat UCLA 28–21 in his first two starts, he lost 37–10 to a formidable Penn State team. He caught 34 of 52 passes for 392 yards and three touchdowns during those games. He showed glimmers of the dual-threat profile that made him a sought-after prospect after graduating from Orange Lutheran High School in California, adding 46 rushing yards and another touchdown.
Lateef had plenty of suitors during his recruitment, as 247Sports rated him as a four-star recruit and the No. 20 quarterback in the 2025 class. Offering schools included Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Ole Miss, Penn State, Texas A&M, and Indiana, but Nebraska prevailed. He was a foundational prospect for the Huskers, not just a depth player.
He is now expected to mature rapidly against two of the nation’s most formidable defenses in back-to-back weeks. The game comes at a crucial time for Iowa. Particularly under Parker’s direction, the Hawkeyes take great pride in their defensive identity, scheme, and discipline. However, the uncertainties associated with a young quarterback and an offense that is still developing around him add another level of unpredictability.
Ferentz has seen enough to realize that it would be foolish to ignore Lateef. He has enough arm talent, poise, and mobility to stretch an unprepared defense. It is anticipated that the Hawkeyes’ defensive strategy will combine disguised coverages, pressure, and the kind of physicality that frequently reveals rookie decision-making. However, Lateef has already demonstrated his ability to play consistently, and Nebraska obviously has faith in him.
The quarterback plot gives this year’s Iowa–Nebraska game an extra twist, but it still has the same edge. A rivalry game with postseason implications between a seasoned Iowa defense and a rising freshman is the kind of matchup that usually results in memorable moments. One of the key questions on Friday afternoon in Lincoln will be whether Lateef can handle everything Iowa throws at him.
