Anthony Colandrea showcases elite talent in debut with Huskers
Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea throws a pass downfield during the Red & White Game Saturday March 28, 2026 at Memorial Stadium. (Lynn Harrington/stayaliveinpower5)
LINCOLN, Neb. — After giving Big Red Nation a glimpse of his skills in the spring game, the senior is making a strong case to be Nebraska’s top quarterback for the 2026 season.
Anthony Colandrea didn’t disappoint on the hype, and appears to be ahead of schedule with learning a new system. With the way he commands the huddle, attacks the defense, and executes passes, it’s obvious Colandrea is having a smooth transition with the offense.
The Florida native led Team Huskers on two long touchdown drives in the first half, where he displayed an accurate arm, and dangerous mobility. Although the quarterbacks were off limits for physical contact, Colandrea made the most out of his snaps. He completed 12 of his 19 passes for 80 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Not to mention Colandrea put up those numbers in the gusty wind.
Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen is using a lot of tempo, which Colandrea is familiar with, and comfortable operating from his time at Virginia, and UNLV.
“I think Coach Holg (Holgorsen) does a great job of knowing when to tempo, and the guys, they love tempo because it catches the defense off-balance,” Colandrea said. “So it’s huge for us to do in the long term.”
Team Huskers drew first blood towards the end of the first quarter after Colandrea orchestrated a 14-play, 60-yard drive, that drained nearly eight minutes off the clock, and ended with a touchdowns pass to wideout Jacory Barney. However, Colandrea made a costly mistake on the first drive of the second quarter. He tried to force a pass downfield, which ended up behind his intended target, and the ball ricocheted into the hands of cornerback Donovan Jones.
It was the only turnover of the game, and one Colandrea later realized he should have thrown away. The six-foot, 205-pounder made up for it on Team Huskers’ next possession though. Colandrea led the offense on an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, that took over five minutes off the clock. The drive included a 27-yard strike to Barney in tight coverage along the sidelines, which ended up being the longest pass of the game. Colandrea capped off that drive with a nine-yard pass to wide receiver Quinn Clark in the corner of the endzone.
The impressive part about the throw is how Colandrea put the ball over Clark’s shoulder, and away from the defender. It was a place where only Clark could make the catch, and he hauled in the pigskin with one hand, which was one of the game’s best highlights.
“We called the same play like three times in a row, and I had Jacory on it, tried to go back to him and it didn’t work,” he said. “We put Quinn back out there, he ran a great route, had an insane catch, with one hand, and that was awesome.”
Colandrea likes what he’s seeing out of the wide receiver room, and feels that unit has the depth it needs. Regardless, the gunslinger wants to continue to build chemistry with the rest of the group, and believes they can execute at a high level.
Although Colandrea understands that all eyes are on him because of the fierce competition with TJ Lateef, and Daniel Kaelin, he didn’t feel any pressure performing in front of 28,000-plus Nebraska fans.
The spring game is over, but it remains to be seen if any of the three quarterbacks separated himself from the rest of the pack. Which is why Colandrea intends on staying hungry over the next few weeks, knowing the coaches aren’t giving away handouts.
“We’re still doing football, and just because we’re done with spring ball, doesn’t mean we’re going to stop doing football,” the 21-year old said. “The next couple of weeks we’re still going to be out there, running through plays, and I can get connection with the receivers, running backs and tight ends.”
Colandrea is enjoying Holgorsen’s offense, and plans on soaking it up like a sponge. Most importantly, he’s proud to be part of a program that has the best fans in the land. There’s no denying that Colandrea’s debut performance is leaving a lasting impression on everyone, including the fans, his teammates and coaching staff. Having Coach Matt Rhule’s full attention is huge, considering he feels Colandrea is only cracking the surface of his potential with the offense.
“He (Colandrea) is playing 100 miles per hour, he’s going to go through his progressions, avoid pressure by getting outside of the pocket to try to make plays, and trusts the guys to make the plays.”
