Former Nebraska quarterback Joe Ganz has a lot to say about the Huskers right now, and on a recent edition of the Carriker Chronicles, he covered everything from Nebraska’s new offense to the players who caught his eye in the opener against Ohio.
Ganz, who now serves as an FBS quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee, offered a coach’s view of what Nebraska is trying to pull off under Dana Holgorsen. His message was simple: installing a new system takes time, and the fastest way to get it moving is to figure out what each player does best and shape the plan around that.
For Ganz, the hardest parts of that process usually come first at the line of scrimmage, where Nebraska has to settle on its best five offensive linemen and build real chemistry. He also pointed to the connection between quarterbacks and receivers as another area that can take time, especially when a lot of new faces are trying to sync up.
A few Huskers stood out to him in the opener, and freshman running back Jamal Rule was one of them. Ganz also had praise for right tackle Gunnar Gottula, a player he once tried to recruit and clearly still believes has plenty of upside. Those two, in his view, were among the players who could matter most as Nebraska moves deeper into the season.
The biggest chunk of the conversation centered on Anthony Colandrea. Ganz broke down what he saw from Nebraska’s quarterback and explained why mobility matters so much in today’s game.
Being able to escape pressure, keep a play alive and create outside the pocket changes the way a defense has to play. Ganz also said Colandrea brought energy and challenged his teammates when Nebraska needed it, and he believes that kind of fire has earned him the right to be vocal.
As Ganz put it, a quarterback sometimes has to bring a “cattle prod” to the team. Nebraska, he said, needs different kinds of leadership, and Colandrea’s personality could end up being useful all season long.
Ganz and Adam Carriker also spent time on Nebraska’s second-half response in the home opener against Ohio. The offensive line started winning at the point of attack, running back Mekhi Nelson began making plays and the Huskers finished the game with some momentum instead of unraveling after a rough start. Ganz said that kind of finish matters, especially with Bowling Green coming next, because it gives Nebraska something to build on.
The interview also drifted back to Ganz’s own Nebraska days under Bill Callahan. He talked about carrying more than 300 plays on his wristband and retraced his path from the scout team to the starting quarterback job. The bigger takeaway from that part of the conversation was bigger than football: stay ready, because the chance you’re waiting for might show up before you expect it.
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