Will Nebraska's New QB's Style Cause Trouble For Big Ten Defenses?

Anthony Colandrea quickly ingratiated himself with his Nebraska teammates. To be determined, and more important, is whether he can win more games in the Big Ten Conference than his predecessor.

The Cornhuskers thought they had their answer at quarterback two years ago when they landed Dylan Raiola, the highest-ranked high school recruit in program history. It didn't work out; Raiola left for Oregon to back up Dante Moore this year.

The Huskers went to the transfer portal to sign Colandrea, the 2025 Mountain West offensive player of the year for UNLV after generating just under 300 yards per game.

Anthony Colandrea led UNLV to the Mountain West Championship game in 2025. (Photo by Tyler McFarland/Getty Images)

Colandrea has much to prove, though. He started 31 games for Virginia and UNLV but never played against a ranked opponent. At Nebraska, he could face three top-five teams over six games in October and November (Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State).

Colandrea established his leadership in the spring and bonded with some of his top receivers this summer during a trip to Tampa, Florida, to train for a few days.

"Getting to know Anthony on and off the field has just been great," said Nyziah Hunter, the Huskers' leading receiver last season. "He's a great dude, great quarterback and has a lot of ball knowledge. When he came here, it was really welcoming and open arms with him."

The 6-foot, 200-pound Colandrea gives the Huskers the mobility they had been lacking at quarterback. Whether it was because of a leaky offensive line or him holding onto the ball too long, Raiola was an easy target for pass rushers. He was sacked 27 times in nine games before a broken leg ended his season. His 9.7% sack rate was tied for eighth