Anthony Colandrea's Confidence, Expectations Are Exactly What Nebraska Football Needs

The UNLV transfer isn't shying away from expectations in Lincoln, and he believes several young Huskers are ready to help raise the program’s ceiling in 2026.

Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea looks for a receiver during the 2026 Red-White Spring Game. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

The Cornhuskers have a quarterback talking like Nebraska should matter again.

In senior transfer signal-caller Anthony Colandrea, who's started 31 collegiate games, the arguable face of the program does not lack confidence. Through his eyes, neither should his teammates, coaches, or the fanbase.

In a recent interview with Pete Nakos of On3, the senior opened up about the expectations he has for Nebraska in 2026 and the young players he believes can help elevate the program during his lone season in Lincoln.

NEW: Nebraska QB Anthony Colandrea tells @PeteNakos expectations have changed in Lincoln👀

"You’re not here to just not win a national championship. I’m not coming here to just win eight or nine games. I want to win a national championship; I want to go to the playoffs. I have… pic.twitter.com/sja4nXfb2q

— On3 (@On3) May 13, 2026

Setting the Bar High

After accounting for more than 8,600 all-purpose yards and 61 touchdowns before arriving in town, Colandrea has reason to be confident. The senior transfer has played a ton of football and turned himself into one of the more productive signal-callers in the country since coming to college in 2023.

His comment that “I’m not coming here (to Nebraska) to just win eight or nine games” reinforces how bought in he already is ahead of what could be his final collegiate season before pursuing a professional career. The 6-foot, 200-pound quarterback may not have overwhelming size, but the swagger and confidence he plays with suggest otherwise.

For Nebraska, he'll need to back up that mentality on the field. The program hasn't exceeded expectations in years, and confidence alone won't change that. To help make it happen, Colandrea will lean on a veteran offensive line, proven returning production at wide receiver, and a freshman running back in Jamal Rule, whom he believes could make a “huge impact” this upcoming fall.

Are Expectations Okay?

Truthfully, most of the high expectations surrounding Nebraska are coming from within the program itself. Back in March, Vegas set the Huskers’ win total at 5.5, and much of the fanbase still needs convincing that Matt Rhule’s team can even reach bowl eligibility for a third straight season.

However, in my eyes, Colandrea’s confidence is a good thing. For too long, those around the program have simply hoped NU would return to relevance. That idea has surfaced every offseason, yet the results have never matched. Heading into 2026, the bar is arguably as low as it's been this century. That gives the Huskers a real opportunity to overachieve.

The most important player on the field believes Nebraska can accomplish more than just another decent season. Realistically, eight or nine wins would satisfy much, if not all, of the fanbase. It hasn't happened since 2016. Colandrea, however, is aiming higher than that. Whether the Big Red reaches those goals or not remains to be seen, but if anyone inside the program should believe in the ceiling of the team, it might as well be the person touching the ball every offensive snap.

The Weapons at His Disposal

The Huskers return 164 receptions, 2,042 yards, and 14 touchdowns worth of receiving production from 2025. None of last year’s key contributors transferred, with the departures instead coming from players moving on to the NFL. For Colandrea, there are few better situations to step into on a new team.

He recognizes that opportunity and has been quick to embrace it. The will-be senior called rising sophomore Quinn Clark a “big piece,” returning starter Jacory Barney a “really good player,” and UCLA transfer Kwazi Gilmer a “stud.” His praise extended beyond just the passing game. On the ground, Colandrea is also high on what freshman running back Jamal Rule showed this spring, expecting the first-year ball-carrier to make an impact as soon as game one.

Why It Will Gel

Rule is a prototypical between-the-tackles back. Listed around 6-foot and roughly 210 pounds, he's going to have to earn everything he gets in the Big Ten. For now, based on what he showed in the spring game, he looks like a player who will find his way onto the field early. For the Huskers, that adds both depth and a potential answer to arguably the biggest question mark on offense, the running back group.

In Clark, Colandrea has a 6-foot-5, 210-pound pass-catcher who's started to generate some serious buzz. As a redshirt freshman, he only totaled 132 yards and one touchdown on five receptions, but showed flashes of what he can become. The version of him in the Red-White scrimmage is a good reference point.

Through the air, Clark has a chance to develop into Nebraska’s best red zone threat. In fact, he may need to be. There simply isn't another receiver on the roster with his combination of size and athleticism, but he still has to prove it consistently. On the ground, Rule already flashed what the staff was hoping for, including a 75-yard touchdown run on March 28. It's still just a scrimmage, but it's the kind of play that stands out for a reason, and one deserving of a chance to see more of against a real opponent in the fall.

Can Colandrea Lead Nebraska to a Playoff Spot?

The senior transfer may be trying to manifest a College Football Playoff berth, and at this point, there's no real reason to knock the confidence. On the field, he's shown he can play at a high level, and there's little reason to believe he can't find success under Dana Holgorsen. With better surrounding talent than he has had at any of his previous stops, there's still room for growth.

Still, there's no ignoring the recent trajectory of the program. If a former five-star quarterback in Dylan Raiola couldn't return Nebraska to national contention, then it is fair to question whether Colandrea, the Huskers' secondary option via the transfer portal, can change that either.

That said, two things can be true at once. NU could finish with a worse record than in 2025 while still being a significantly better overall team. And realistically, that could be the staff's own version of selling progress.

No one outside the program is truly predicting a playoff run. But Colandrea clearly is not operating with those same limitations. Time will tell how right or wrong he was in May.