Could Anthony Colandrea Be A Fit for Virginia Tech at Quarterback?

Colandrea played two seasons at Virginia and suited up last season for UNLV.

Dec 23, 2025; Frisco, Texas; UNLV quarterback Anthony Colandrea (10) pitches the ball. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech football is on the search for its new starting quarterback. Kyron Drones is out of eligibility following his redshirt senior campaign in 2025; consequently, the Hokies now turn to either their internal pool or a far more likely proposition: the transfer portal. One option that could be an intriguing choice for the Hokies is this past season's UNLV quarterback, Anthony Colandrea.

NEWS: UNLV QB Anthony Colandrea intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal, he tells ESPN. He threw for 3,459 yards last year at UNLV and won Mountain West Player of the year. He accounted for 23 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing for the Rebels. pic.twitter.com/wz1tLkNtjF

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 26, 2025

The senior will have one year of eligibility remaining, enabling Colandrea to play out the 2026 campaign for whatever school he transfers to. Colandrea does still have a redshirt available at his disposal.

Some statistics:

Colandrea entered college as a three-star prospect from Florida, per 247Sports, rated as an 86 on the service and entering as the No. 45 quarterback in the Class of 2023 and the No. 144 player in the state of Florida.

Colandrea logged his first career start on Sept. 9, 2023, completing all but six of 26 passes for 377 yards against James Madison, alongside two touchdowns a pick. Virginia ultimately lost that game, 36-35, and lost all but one of Colandrea's six remaining games. Colandrea was inconsistent but flashy in 2023, throwing for a 62.6% completion rate, 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Colandrea surpassed the 300-yard passing mark in two of the games that he started and hit the 200-yard mark in each game he started. The lone game that Virginia won in that stretch was a 30-27 victory over Duke, where Colandrea threw for 278 yards, three touchdowns and no picks.

In 2024, Colandrea was occasionally strong but often inconsistent. After tallying 297-, 357- and 247-yard outings against Richmond, Wake Forest and Maryland, Colandrea languished through a difficult final nine-game stretch where he eclipsed 200 yards just one, a 279-yard performance against Louisville. In Colandrea's final three games, he did not pass the 150-yard mark. After outings of 69 passing yards (then-No. 8 Notre Dame, 35-14 loss) and 108 (then-No. 13 SMU, 33-7 loss), Colandrea was benched in favor of Tony Muskett ahead of UVa's regular-season finale against Virginia Tech, an eventual 37-17 loss.

This past season, Colandrea produced a career year, tallying 3,459 passing yards, ninth-most in the FBS. In addition, Colandrea logged 23 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions, tallying a 69.8 quarterback rating (No. 36 in FBS). UNLV started out its season with a 6-0 record, with Colandrea clearing the 200-yard mark four times. UNLV then suffered two straight losses, coming to Boise State and New Mexico. In the latter, Colandrea logged 382 passing yards on a 36-for-46 line, tallying three touchdowns and no interceptions. From there, UNLV bounced back, claiming its next four games, including a 29-26 double-overtime thriller over Utah State on Nov. 15. In his final eight non-bowl games, Colandrea cleared the 200-yard mark in each contest, passing the 250-yard mark in six of them. For his efforts, Colandrea was named the 2025 Mountain West Player of the Year.

However, Colandrea's Rebels suffered a 38-21 loss to Boise State in the Mountain West championship, where Colandrea completed 18 of 38 passes for 225 yards. 18 days later, UNLV lost the Frisco Bowl to Ohio, 17-10, after Colandrea struggled en route to 184 passing yards, no passing touchdowns and an interception.

My thoughts:

While there would be a certain poetic irony in seeing Colandrea don maroon and orange just two seasons after suiting up for Virginia, it’s difficult to view that move as a meaningful upgrade for Virginia Tech. Colandrea burst back onto the scene early in the 2025 campaign at UNLV, flashing confidence and playmaking ability that initially made the move look inspired. However, in the final two contests of the season, the “new car” feel faded.

That matters for a Virginia Tech program aiming higher than a short-term spark. The Hokies aren’t just searching for competence at quarterback; they’re looking for someone who can raise the ceiling of the offense and provide week-to-week stability. In that context, Colandrea feels more like a lateral move than a step forward: serviceable, perhaps, but not transformative. In addition, his proximity to Florida State — Colandrea went to high school in St. Petersburg, Florida, which is around a four-hour drive from the FSU campus — makes me think that the Seminoles would be a more likely in-conference option if Colandrea were to make his return to the ACC.

If Virginia Tech is going to explore alternatives in the portal, James Madison's Alonza Barrett III stands out as a name worth stronger consideration. His overall profile suggests a better long-term fit and a higher potential return. Given the choice, I’d be more inclined to roll the dice on Barrett than Colandrea, especially if the goal is to align the quarterback position with the Hokies’ broader aspirations rather than just attempting to plug in a hole. Colandrea has flashed at times and performed well this year, but I'm not 100% sure that this year accurately represents the caliber of player Colandrea would be in the Power Four in 2026. Only time will tell, however. I could be wrong.