Nebraska’s New QB: A Fresh Start for the Huskers

Nebraska has welcomed a new quarterback, Anthony Colandrea, who came from UNLV after playing at Virginia. He has already started 14 games for the Rebels and led his conference with 3, 459 passing yards in 2025. Colandrea’s career numbers show he can throw well: 627 completions on 983 attempts, a 63. 8 percent completion rate, and 49 touchdowns versus 29 interceptions. He also added 7, 542 passing yards and averaged 8. 3 yards per attempt. In addition to his arm, he can run. He rushed for 649 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025, and over his college career he has 1, 151 rushing yards on 328 carries. Nebraska’s offense will feel a shift because the team is losing a key runner, Emmett Johnson, who carried 1, 451 yards last season. With Colandrea’s legs, the Huskers may find more balance and reduce sacks, a problem that cost them 33 last year.The real test is how Colandrea performs against the tough Big Ten competition, where national champions like Ohio State and Indiana have strong quarterbacks. CBS Sports ranked him 11th among the conference’s projected starters, noting that he could fit well in Nebraska’s system but it remains unclear if he will outshine the current starter, Dylan Raiola. Nebraska faces a mix of top quarterbacks this season: from Oregon’s Dante Moore to Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, and even the defending champions’ Josh Hoover. Each game will challenge Colandrea’s abilities in different ways. Whether the Huskers can turn their season around may hinge on Colandrea’s performance. His past success, including being named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year in 2025, suggests he has talent, but the Big Ten is a steep learning curve. The 2026 season could be a turning point for Nebraska, and fans will watch closely to see if the new quarterback can lead the team to better results.