Who was your pick to be NU QB1 in 2026?

[Huskers633]

There wasn't a QB I had in mind that I wanted. However, I did not want Chiles.

 

[Jim14510]

Colandrea significantly reduced the amount of turnovers he had in 2025. He had a 23/9 TD to pick ratio.

Looking at his rushing numbers, he had almost 900 yards on the ground if you adjust for sacks on roughly 130 carries. He fumbled 4 times.

I hate turnovers as much as the next guy. And it’s fair to say he made some stupid ass plays that caused turnovers that shouldn’t have happened.

But it’s more than fair that those numbers trended in the right direction this year.

If you look at his 2025 numbers, it’s not fair to call him a turnover machine. One step further, we did not have a lost fumble this year from a running back and only 1(?) from a QB. It’s fair to say that his numbers can trend down further as was the case in 2025.

Or like Jeff Sims shoot way up to record highs.

Hopefully your scenario

 

[Cavalot]

Im thinking Joe Ganz

 

[Flabio]

If I never see an intentionally under thrown ball to draw PI again, I'll die happy

You are not an enjoyer of 4-D chess in the game of foosball I see.

 

[Pipe Line]

I know its going to be a unpopular but I bet on the kid a lot when he was at virginia and then again this year so I've seen a lot of Colandrea

He threw some of the absolute worst yolo picks Ive seen in the past three years at UVA and a few at UNLV. 9 interceptions at UNLV is higher than a kid should have with his talent and that competition. Didn't even play a P4 school if you exclude UCLA who was the worst P4 squad in the country by a good margin at that time

He doesn't process well and forces throws often. I thought he pressed too hard when he handled adversity. He didn't have a lot of contested catches (good) but had a lot of yardage on wide ass open free runners or scramble drill plays. Haven't seen him make tight window throws often. I think he's a bit more of a fumble risk due to his size and I worry about the RB room

That said there is serious upside. I just feel that its safe to bet against that upside being realized given the past eight years of what I've watched. He will thrive if he commits to structure and if things are schemed up well - jury is out given rhetoric around the offense, audibles, and playcalling. If he has to game manage I worry. My take has more to do with Nebraska than Colandrea. He's just a volatile kid with moderate upside who will have to play really close to his ceiling to get a return on investment.

Telling that Tennessee, FSU, and GT were in on him. He's got a lot of Haynes King to him but that kid was larger and a warrior. Took a lot of heat. I could see him getting beat up with that much usage and I think Haynes was a better processor with a slightly better arm. FSU would have been plug and play - Castellanos is a great comp but Colandrea is a better runner. He'd be there if they were putting chips in for '26. Tennessee would have been a great destination. Great scheme fit. They lost games this year because Aguilar couldn't game manage and they need a better year to stay off the hot seat but their base offense is perfect for him

Another comp I thought of since, munchkin Josh Allen (Wyoming)

One of my best friends said he bet a lot on UNLV this year and watched him a lot. Said no way he's ready for Big 10 Football, but we also agreed he'll look horrible in some situations, but also magical in other situations. We'll see

 

[Tonkasker]

One of my best friends said he bet a lot on UNLV this year and watched him a lot. Said no way he's ready for Big 10 Football, but we also agreed he'll look horrible in some situations, but also magical in other situations. We'll see

That's how I feel. Suprised how many big schools had him as a take

 

[greybeardedchild]

No Raiola?

Who? Don't recall ever hearing a QB by that name. Sounds like the type of fella who walks around the mall playing pocket pool

 

[HerbRedman]

One of my best friends said he bet a lot on UNLV this year and watched him a lot. Said no way he's ready for Big 10 Football, but we also agreed he'll look horrible in some situations, but also magical in other situations. We'll see

I mean, every year there's some undersized QB(s) who come up from lower ranks and dominate for their team. Every year we go 'why can't we ever sign a guy like this?' And we never do....we always take the Jeff Sims NFL measurables guy who can't play.

I know there's a chance of Colandrea not working out but FFS, we've tried it the other way enough. Time to go with the kid who can actually play.

 

[DrinkItIn]

I mean, every year there's some undersized QB(s) who come up from lower ranks and dominate for their team. Every year we go 'why can't we ever sign a guy like this?' And we never do....we always take the Jeff Sims NFL measurables guy who can't play.

I know there's a chance of Colandrea not working out but FFS, we've tried it the other way enough. Time to go with the kid who can actually play.

Agreed. It may not work out, but bringing the Mountain West Player of the Year to NU doesn’t seem crazy at all. And those takes like, “I’ve watched a lot of MW football and this kid isn’t ready for the B1G” are just silly. That’s like me saying, “I’ve watched a lot of Notre Dame football, so trust me—this Minchey kid is really ‘poised for the Big Ten.’ Nothing says ready like being a career backup and throwing a grand total of 26 passes.”

Colandrea already has two years of Power Five experience. Sure, the numbers weren’t eye-popping, but that’s still more experience than the backup All-American QB. Mullen has a solid track record developing quarterbacks, so hopefully Colandrea is more prepared for the P5 this time around. Time will tell.

 

[Baron Winnebago]

Here's a take.

Dylan threw too few interceptions this season

 

[herbsinator]

Here's a take.

Dylan threw too few interceptions this season

Same thought has been rattling around in my head. If Raiola took all the throws he should have taken, how many INTs would he have?

 

[HerbRedman]

Same thought has been rattling around in my head. If Raiola took all the throws he should have taken, how many INTs would he have?

Slightly related but OT: OL position coaches have to be furious with this new trend of not throwing the ball away & taking the sack. Shedildo did it. Dylan did it. I'm guessing some other pretty boy QBs are doing it to protect their completion %. If I was an OL coach I'd be fuckin furious if my QB was doing that. In my day, John Elway was chucking that thing into the 5th row rather than taking a sack. It really bothered me last year.

I don't get the sense that Colandrea is one of these pretty boy QBs. Frankly, NFL is probably a long shot so he doesn't really have any need to protect his completion % like a psycho like these other guys.

Dylan doing that last year really pissed me off. I'm surprised more people weren't criticizing him for it (they just blamed the OL which was not always correct). The amount of 2nd & 19s we had last year was WAY more than it should have been. Dylan picking a 2nd & 19 over an incompletion is so selfish.

 

[ShortSideOption]

Other, but that's based on us getting Colandrea that I'm not super high on based on his time at Virginia. Would probably have rather gotten Mestemaker or Hoover if I had a magic wand. Minchey I liked from the standpoint of letting him and Lateef battle it out, but since that didn't come to fruition I would have went guaranteed starter and let Lateef walk.

 

[whoboppin]

I haven't watched a full game of him, but looking at his highlights and stats, seems like he will be a good player to have in the redzone. Maybe he will throw a few Yolobombs, but maybe that can be made up for with a 2nd and 9 touchdown run in the redzone when everything breaks down. 23 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns last year.

 

[Mr.Bojangles]

Assuming we land him, Colandrea has been promised the job. He wouldn't come here otherwise.

This is the problem these days everyone wants a promise no one wants to work for anything. At least Lateef seems ready to compete. If they promised him the job that's a definite problem Lateef could easily transfer out if they did and doesn't seem to be hightailing.