It’s always going to come back to the offensive line, Raiola noted.
He constantly needs to watch film, pick up blitzes, make calls affecting the blocking scheme, know the snap count and identify likely formations the opponents will throw at the offense, along with other responsibilities. Instead, he concerns himself with working hard every single week. Raiola insists he doesn’t think about that kind of role. “It’s good for the kids back at home to see that there are guys off the island who are making it and getting national recognition for what they do,” Morse said. Raiola and his fellow statesmen bring a different flavor to Big Ten football and provided an example for other players from Hawaii. When it came time then for the younger Raiola to choose a program, his brother suggested Wisconsin, not particularly known for Hawaiian recruits. Dayne rushed for a school-record 339 yards that day behind the UW offensive line. Although he became a Cornhusker, it was when Ron Dayne and the Badgers visited Hawaii in 1996 that Dominic Raiola got a first hand look at Wisconsin football and liked what he saw. “He helps me out a lot with little things, little parts of my game that I can improve,” Raiola said.ĭominic attended the University of Nebraska en route to winning both the Rimington and Outland trophies in 2000. Raiola spends summers working out with the two NFL stars in a small Hawaii gym and talks to his brother by phone on a regular basis. They include his brother, Lions starting center Dominic Raiola, and Olin Kreutz, Pro-Bowl Chicago Bears center and a close friend of the Raiola family. Last year, defensive back James Kamoku joined the three Hawaiians on the roster.Īlong with Morse and Maiava, Raiola shares the Great Lakes with two other Honolulu football names. Morse and defensive lineman Lyle Maiava make up a trio of Honolulu-hailing Badgers of the 2001 recruit class. “It (Hawaiian style) is just real laid back, happy, real relaxed,” Raiola said. However, in describing Raiola, it is hard to deny his uniqueness - something he frequently refers to as “Hawaiian style.” It’s more than likely to happen every week, I guess, but it’s about having fun.” While relatively laid-back and easy going away from the game, Raiola can get a bit crazy on the field.Īlong with aforementioned sideline shuffles, fans frequently witness Raiola speaking his mind to the coaching staff after a drive or growing heated with opposing players to fire up his team.
In addition to performance, Hueber attributes some of that hype to the colorful yet controlled personality Raiola displays on the field. His solid play earned Raiola a designation on pre-season watch lists for the Rimington and Outland Trophies, awarded to the nation’s top center and interior lineman, respectively.
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