by T.J. Birkel
We’ve been talking about Anthony Colandrea all offseason on the Common Fan Podcast. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say he might be the most important player on the roster for Nebraska football this season.
That’s not to suggest Nebraska doesn’t have talent elsewhere. The skill position talent might be as good as we’ve seen in years – certainly for the entire Rhule era. There are plenty of questions heading into 2026, but also legitimate reasons for optimism across the roster.
But if Nebraska is going to make a jump from where they’ve been the last few years, it almost certainly begins with No. 10.
As the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year in 2025, Colandrea was best known for his mobility. Husker fans love a quarterback who can move; all of our best signal callers since the beginning of time could run. It’s enough to make Big Red hearts go pitter patter.
Beyond that, I found it interesting that Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen commented this week about Colandrea’s ability to process and his arm talent. “He’s checking all those boxes right now,” according to Holgorsen, “and we’re very excited about where he’s at.”
I must admit, it’s difficult to think about this conversation without the context of the last two seasons. Yes, I’m talking about Dylan Raiola.