The Nebraska Cornhuskers have been active in the transfer portal, swinging big with 16 new additions. But as any seasoned college football fan knows, the real test won’t come until the fall. For now, it’s all about potential - and Nebraska’s hoping they’ve found the right pieces to elevate the program.
Athletic director Troy Dannen summed it up perfectly during his appearance on Sports Nightly: “You never know.” And he’s right.
The transfer portal can be a game-changer, but it’s also a gamble. Dannen pointed to men’s basketball as a case study - last year’s batch of NIL-driven signings brought mixed returns.
Some hit, some didn’t. This year?
Maybe it’s a different story. But until the games are played, it’s all just educated guesswork.
One name that has already turned heads in Lincoln is quarterback Anthony Colandrea. Dannen praised his “presence” during visits, and that’s not just empty praise.
Colandrea made an impression on those who watched him closely, including members of the College Football Playoff committee - a group Dannen was part of. Evaluators who tracked the Mountain West saw him as one of the league’s standout players.
That kind of endorsement speaks volumes, especially when it comes from people who’ve spent their fall Saturdays dissecting tape and debating résumés at the highest level.
Still, even with a strong showing on paper, Dannen kept things grounded. “I think they felt good,” he said of the staff’s view on the portal haul.
“But until you start playing games you never really know.” That’s the reality of roster building in today’s landscape.
You can scout, recruit, and project - but you can’t simulate the pressure of a Big Ten Saturday.
So where does that leave Nebraska? In a familiar spot: cautiously optimistic.
They’ve brought in talent, including a quarterback who’s already turning heads. But the real evaluation starts when the pads go on and the lights come up.
For now, the Huskers are betting on potential - and waiting to see if these portal moves turn into production.