Nebraska Coach Matt Rhule Assesses His Quarterback Room as Spring Practice Continues

Nebraska’s 2026 football season likely will be determined by the success of its quarterbacks, as is often the case in the sport.

The Huskers have an experienced quarterback room with three players with college experience. But still there are questions. Do they have one who can thrive in the Big Ten, the home of the last three national champions, two of which are on the Huskers' 2026 schedule?

UNLV transfer Anthony Colandrea, a senior, is competing with returning sophomore TJ Lateef and Virginia transfer Daniel Kaelin, a sophomore, has returned to Lincoln.

Colandrea has a boatload more experience than the other two combined and appears to have an edge. Colandrea’s experience isn’t a guarantee that he will be the opening-day starter. Spring practice and the rest of the offseason will determine the Huskers’ starter. But many presume he will be the starter.

Huskers coach Matt Rhule, at a news conference Wednesday, talked about his quarterbacks. He sounded confident about his group — a byproduct of spring. That wellspring of good faith always is easier in March than once the season is under way.

“Anthony, he’s got like a burning desire to be great,” Rhule said. “He’s unbelievably confident yet unbelievably approachable and not cocky.

Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea at a Huskers' spring practice session. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

“I think that rubs off on the guys around him. He can extend plays. He can make plays with his feet. He’ll throw the deep ball. He’s not afraid by any stretch of the imagination. He wants the ball in his hands, and he wants to make plays.

“He plays really fast. I think part of that is having him make the right decisions at the right times, while not slowing him down. I think he’s had a really good spring so far.”

About Anthony Colandrea

Colandrea played two seasons at Virginia and spent 2025 at UNLV. His career stats: 627-of-983 passes (63.8 completion percentage) for 7,542 yards, 49 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. He’s also rushed for 1,151 yards on 328 rushes with 12 touchdowns.

At practice this week, Rhule said the Huskers worked on a scramble drill, as Nebraska works on adjusting to Colandrea’s style of play. “If you look at the National Football League, so many plays happen off-schedule,” Rhule said.

“So having guys [receivers] understand that the top end of the route is just the beginning. They might get the ball right away if he [Colandrea] throws it on time. But they can certainly create.

Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea had impressive stats in 2025 at UNLV. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

“There’s really opportunities to break free, get open, maybe make some big plays off of it. For us, the scramble plays should be the first trick play of the game. Having that mentality of hey we have a playmaker let’s go make plays with him.”

About TJ Lateef

Lateef started the Huskers’ final four games in 2025 after Dylan Raiola went down with a broken fibula. Lateef’s first start was a huge success, a 28-21 win at UCLA. He was 13-of-15 for 205 yards and three touchdowns.

Lateef’s season, along with Nebraska’s, went downhill after that. The Huskers lost at Penn State, to Iowa at home and to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. Lateef, who had an opportunity to establish himself as a starter-quality player, struggled against these teams with strong defenses.

“TJ, as a young player, as a freshman, it’s his second spring,” Rhule said. “You look at him he looks like a grown man but he’s still really young.

“Obviously he had the benefit of playing. He had some really good moments when he played. You can tell him, after having played and now watching Anthony play, you can see him speeding up and getting through everything that he’s doing.”

Nebraska quarterback TJ Lateef with quarterback coach Glenn Thomas at a Huskers' spring practice session. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

About Danny Kaelin

Kaelin, who started his career at Nebraska, played in five games for Virginia in 2025. He completed 30-of-52 passes for 339 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

“Danny is a guy that’s really smart, his brain processes really quickly,” Rhule said. “He can see it. Just keep getting reps.

“It’s a really healthy quarterback room. To have three guys out there who have played as much as they’ve played is pretty unique and it’s a cool thing to see.”

Nebraska quarterback TJ Lateef (14) and Anthony Colandrea at a Huskers' spring practice session. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Spring ball

Rhule said the team had “180 or 190” reps on Saturday, a heavy lift.

“I think the offense is probably a little bit ahead of the defense out there. But it wasn’t astronomical,” Rhule said.

“Defense was probably a little bit ahead of the offense last night. I think there is good give and take, back and forth.”

Rhule said he’s happy with the progress the Huskers are making this spring, coming off back-to-back 7-6 seasons.

“I think spring’s been great. It’s been a great spring,” Rhule said.

“Fred’s [Hoiberg] crushing it right now. Wrestling is crushing it. Just kind of a quiet, just kinda float under the radar, just get better at football. It’s really what I wanted from our guys — industrious, show up every day.

“We started [spring ball] earlier. I don’t know if it will ever go back. I’ve loved started earlier. A lot of these guys, football is their love. So getting them into football has been really good. I think we’re getting better and better.”

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