'I Want to be a Husker, That's Why I'm Here': TJ Lateef on Nebraska QB Competition

They say it's hard to let go of power after having it, and sophomore quarterback TJ Lateef isn't interested in doing so after tasting the starting role in the final four games of 2025.

Still, he'll fight an uphill battle to emerge as the Huskers' QB1 this upcoming fall. Regardless of that, the second-year signal-caller is focused on doing whatever it takes to win the job, and during his time at the mic during media availability earlier this week, Lateef embraced the challenge ahead and dove into his decision to do so for the first time in 2026.

With that in mind, here's everything the sophomore had to say in his first appearance since NU's bowl loss to Utah on New Year's Eve.

After learning some valuable lessons during the final four games of Nebraska's 2025 campaign, Lateef's conversation with the media immediately started out with the underclassman quarterback detailing his growth plan. Leading the Huskers to a 1-3 record during his time in the starting role, NU struggled to move the ball consistently when he was taking snaps. Still, the soon-to-be sophomore realizes where he needs to get better, and his answer isn't as complex as it might seem.

“Being able to play the next play,” said Lateef. “It’s football. There are going to be some good plays. There’s going to be some bad plays, but [not letting] the bad play affect the next play” is where he's set his focus on this spring.

In total, the at-the-time true freshman totaled 1,024 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns in his first season in Lincoln. Now, he's tasted what it's like to be the starting quarterback at a Big Ten school and understands that his best attribute as a playmaker is being just that.

The mobile signal-caller does more than just move the ball through the air. In fact, arguably his best plays during the 2025 season came as improvisations when his protection broke down. Leaning into that this spring, Lateef's center of attention has shifted back towards what makes him the dynamic athlete he is. And the thing he's chosen to focus on in his development is allowing himself to be the player he knows he can be.

“Being less mechanical,” he said. “One of the things I’m good at is making plays off-schedule. So, if I need to make a play off-schedule, make the play off-schedule, instead of being mechanical and sitting in the pocket”.

It's clear he knows where he threatens a defense the most, and now, without as much pressure to succeed on his shoulders, Lateef is intent on getting back to playing ball the only way he knows how. Recovered from injury with a chip on his shoulder, the second-year quarterback is looking to prove to his coaching staff he's the right man for the job.

After adding two transfer portal players to Glenn Thomas' room over the offseason, Lateef knows he'll have his work cut out for him to do just that. But instead of taking the easy way out and finding a school with less competition, the California native says it was never a thought.

“No,” he said. “No decisions. I’m here. It was nothing to think about. I wanted to compete for the starting job, so that’s what I’m doing”. He doubled down on his statements once again when a reporter asked him a follow-up question about his reaction to the additions made. “No reaction,” said Lateef. “It just makes it more fun. I feel like people shy away from that stuff. I don’t shy away from it, I embrace it. I want to be a Husker, so that’s why I’m here”.

Not only has Nebraska's offensive coaching staff raved about his competitive nature in previous media availabilities this spring, but the will-be sophomore offered his own thoughts on the subject matter in a resounding way. It's clear as day he's here to compete. Now, it will be up to him to take the reins of NU's offense before the end of the spring.

With soon-to-be senior Anthony Colandrea hot on his tail, Lateef didn't take a stab at his new teammate. Instead, he suggested that the former Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year has helped him raise his game. While Thomas also stated the signal-callers are doing well at supporting each other this spring, they ultimately know that only one man can play at a time. Of that, Lateef is enjoying the challenge it has been to become the player that rises to the top.

“It’s been fun,” he said. “I wouldn’t want it any other way. We’ve got good quarterbacks. A big thing that I like is iron sharpens iron. So, every time we go out on that field, we’re making each other better.”

He even suggested that Colandrea and fellow sophomore Daneil Kaelin are pushing him to do things he's never done before. With that in mind, the signal-callers aren't just battling for the starting job; they're making each other better within the flow of Dana Holgorsen's offense as a result. Competition is king, and NU's quarterback room may have the fiercest of any position group on the roster to date. Still, Lateef has reason to believe, on his own accord, that he can be the one who emerges victorious from the pack.

Lateef also shed light on the development of Nebraska's retooled offensive line room after the hiring of offensive line coach Geep Wade and run game coordinator Lonnie Teasley. Being the quarterback he is, the soon-to-be sophomore offers escape ability, but ultimately it is on the boys up front to protect him and the other quarterbacks long enough to deliver the ball on time. From his words, it sounds like the line of scrimmage is living up to the hype after making three transfer portal additions to the unit this offseason.

"It's a great offensive line," he said. "That's where it starts. It starts up front. I can't be who I am, the running backs can't be who they are, the receivers can't go get the ball unless the line is right. And the line is right".

For a team that surrendered 33 sacks in 13 games in 2025, improvements up front are paramount to success this fall. And while it's not often that a hopeful starting quarterback would ever verbally denounce the play of the players responsible for protecting him, it sounds as if those improvements are already being seen. If that is the case, the entire offensive unit is better as a result. For now, they appear to be taking some serious strides, but time will tell if that remains the case come September of this year.

Nebraska quarterbacks Dylan Raiola and TJ Lateef during the USC game. | Cory Edmondson, KFGE

Overall, Lateef sounded every bit as confident as his fellow players and coaches made him out to be before his first time at the mic in 2026. Heading into his second season with the Big Red, if he can take control of the starting job, it will come with expectations that he has improved. For now, the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder will look to prove it on the practice field, but it won't be long before fans can see the competition with their own eyes.

The Huskers' Spring Game takes place on March 28, and a major storyline until that day will continue to be the development of the signal-callers on Nebraska's roster. Whether it is indeed Lateef or the likes of Colandrea or Kaelin, NU's re-kitted position group heads into the 2026 season with as much apparent depth as it's ever had under the current regime. Still, the players around them, specifically the offensive line, will need to be the units that step up. Doing so makes the job of the signal-caller significantly easier, and that is exactly what the Huskers coaches are looking to provide to whoever assumes the QB1 spot come game one.

There's plenty of time for growth, but cashing in on that opportunity will be the main challenge. For Lateef, he's faced adversity his entire collegiate career, and he won't look to stop doing so now. The growth potential is there, but ultimately, he will have to elevate himself to do just that. If his words offer any indication, that is the will-be sophomore's priority number one. Expect more to come from the California native, and be far from assuming that his days as the starting quarterback at Nebraska are done. Whether it's this year or later in his career, Lateef is sure to have a say in the Huskers' offense yet again in the near future. And don't be surprised if he puts himself in a position to do that this spring.