Nebraska Quarterback Anthony Colandrea ‘In a Great Place’

With the Huskers' season opener closing in fast, assistant coach Glenn Thomas is impressed with his QBs.

Nebraska quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas works with TJ Lateef. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Nebraska quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas is coaching from a perceived position of strength. The Huskers have three quarterbacks who have Power Four game experience, two as starters.

That’s the good news. The, well, unknown news is simple: Can these guys play winning, Big Ten football?

Anthony Colandrea, a senior transfer from UNLV, is the expected starter. TJ Lateef started four games for Nebraska as a true freshman last season. Daniel Kaelin, who is from Elkhorn, Neb., returned to Lincoln after spending 2025 at Virginia.

So as the calendar on the Huskers’ summer practice speeds up and the season opener is a little more than two weeks away, we’re about to find out. Thomas, for one, feels good about his quarterback room.

Play fast.
Process fast. @_CoachGThomas shares what he’s seen so far from the Husker quarterbacks. pic.twitter.com/WORNP4oVyi

— Huskers Radio Network (@HuskersRadio) August 18, 2026

“Super encouraged,” Thomas said of Colandrea in an interview that aired Tuesday on the “Sports Nightly” radio show. “I think [he's] doing great things, playing fast, processing fast, absorbing the volume of the installation at a very high rate, which I appreciate.

“Particularly with Anthony being new to the system and really building off the spring and the summer player-led practices. So, I think we’re in a great place with that.

"And then as we continue to build in situational-type concepts, how to process the decision-making that is needed within those context of those situations and how we can get better from it.

“I would say [I’m impressed with] both pre-snap and post-snap. Obviously, he has a lot of snaps under his belt in his career. So, I think he’s seen a lot. He's been able to react and process at a high level.

“So, I’ve definitely been encouraged by that and as fast as he can play and process, the better off we're going to be.”

Managing the game

An obvious concern about Colandrea is how he manages the game. Dual-threat quarterbacks run and scramble and put their bodies in jeopardy. 

“You do, you do,” Thomas said about managing Colandrea’s tendencies and the game situations. “You definitely don’t want to take the edge away, but there is an element of being smart, getting down when can I be a little bit more aggressive as far as getting a couple more yards, but yes, there is that element. So there’s a fine line of being being aggressive, attacking, but also taking care of yourself.”

Anthony Colandrea can make things happen with his mobility, but that comes with risks. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Colandrea’s approach to playing quarterback, the backup quarterbacks could be important.

Thomas is in his fourth season with head coach Matt Rhule at Nebraska. He coached Lateef last season. About Lateef, Thomas said: “Grown up a lot. He’s really taken a step in the right direction.

“And that was probably the best thing that could have happened for him last year as far as getting in there [after starter Dylan Raiola was injured with a broken fibula], getting all the reps that he did and having the success that he has.

“I think he’s really jumped up to another level over the summer and have no reservations about when he gets in there, the standard of play is going to be at a high level.”

Thomas said Lateef has benefited from his relationship with Colandrea.

Daniel Kaelin spent last season at Virginia before transferring back to Nebraska. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I think they’ve helped and even Danny, too, and Bode [Soukup],” Thomas said. “I think the room itself has really been in a good place that way.

As far as that communication, again, the fluidity of the reps has been pretty clean that way. And when they’re in there, they're very supportive.

“The communication of what they saw. How could I have handled this a little bit different or how did I handle this in a good way? I think that dynamic has been really a nice positive and has really created a a sense of an urgency of being better each day.”

About Kaelin, Thomas said: “Danny’s great. He’s a true professional. Obviously, he's a Husker through and through and it's a joy to be with him every day at work.

“He’s very diligent with details. He does exactly what you tell him to do and I love being around him every day and you know what to expect when you get on the practice field with him. He’s going to bring his best.”

Importance of the receivers

Nebraska’s receivers are a perceived strength of this team. Nebraska is deep and experienced with Jacory Barney Jr., Nyziah Hunter, Kwazi Gilmer, Quinn Clark, Janiran Bonner and tight end Luke Lindenmeyer.

Wide receiver Nyziah Hunter is an important part of an important position group for the Huskers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Thomas said the quarterback-receiver relationships are right where they should be.

“They’ve got an awesome relationship,” said Thomas, who also serves as co-offensive coordinator. “It’s been fun. Even after a play, they’ll come back, we’ll talk, ‘Hey, what’d you see here? I’m looking to throw the ball in this area versus this coverage.’

“So, that constant communication only helps us and as camp continues to dig in and go. We’re starting to see the benefit of that and getting better from play to play.”

Thomas was asked what he expects from his quarterbacks. “I think it's just decision-making. Whether you’re a 14-year league vet versus a freshman in college, I think it’s always a processing element particularly post-snap and those decisions that are being made whether it be on-schedule, off-schedule.

“I think we continue to grow with that and then maximize the situations we’re in. You know, whether it be a third down, a four-minute, two-minute, let’s continue to move the ball in the productive and acceptable way.”

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