Nebraska football fans have heard plenty about Kool-Aid over the years, and most of it has gone stale. After so many seasons of falling short, the sell job doesn’t land the way it used to. But there are real reasons to think this year could taste different.
The biggest one starts under center. Matt Rhule has not had a true dual-threat quarterback at Nebraska, and the offense has often been stuck trying to make do.
Henrich Haarberg was serviceable as a passer, but he wasn’t really that kind of runner, which is part of why he ended up at tight end. Dylan Raiola brought a big arm, but he looked like Drew Bledsoe in the pocket, Dallas Cowboys Drew Bledsoe.
That style only works if the line is elite and the weapons outside are special, and Nebraska wasn’t built that way. Moving on from Raiola also opened the door for a new offensive line coach, which matters too.
Now the Huskers have Anthony Colandrea, who passed for over 3,400 yards last season and finished with more than 4,000 total yards and 33 total touchdowns at UNLV. Some fans will wonder how that translates, but the source points out that the Ole Miss quarterback used to be D2, so pedigree alone doesn’t settle anything.
What matters is what Colandrea can do when the play breaks down: escape pressure, make third downs manageable, and create in the red zone with his legs. He’s being framed as Nebraska’s best quarterback since Adrian Martinez, and the expectation is that his rushing ability could be worth an extra win or two.
The other major reason for optimism is Rob Aurich. Nebraska’s new defensive coordinator has a track record of immediate improvement when he takes over.
At Idaho, his first season as play-caller cut points allowed from 31 per game to 25, while the defense dropped from 407 yards allowed per game to 337. At San Diego State, the jump was even bigger: from 97th in scoring defense to 6th in one season, with yardage allowed falling from 420 to 293.
Nebraska gave up 24 points per game last season, and even a four- or five-point drop would put the Huskers back in the top-25 range they reached during Rhule’s first two seasons. If the defense gets under 20 points per game, that’s a strong place to be.
Then there’s Geep Wade and the offensive line, which may be the clearest sign that Nebraska is trying to fix a problem that has lingered since Rhule arrived. The line has been an issue from the beginning, and the hope is that Wade finally changes that.
He has coached NFL prospects and plenty of all-conference players, and Nebraska brought in three players with more than 50 combined starts from the SEC and Big 12. Those aren’t hopeful projects; they’re proven pieces.
Paul Mubenga and Tree Babalade still come with projection, but both have double-digit starts in the SEC. If they don’t win jobs, it will mean somebody else earned them. That’s the kind of competition Nebraska needs.
The schedule is tough. That part doesn’t change.
But if the quarterback play is better, the defense trims points, and the offensive line holds up, Nebraska should be a better team. Whether that adds up to seven or eight wins is the question.
For now, Husker fans can only hope.
In Other News...
Memorial Stadium Just Took A Brutal Hit To Nebraska Pride
Memorial Stadium still carries plenty of history, and Nebraskas sellout streak remains intact, but a fresh national ranking offered a sobering reminder that the old mystique does not automatically translate into present-day fear. USA Today placed the Huskers home seventh in the Big Ten, a spot that reflects the venues iconic status while also suggesting it has slipped from the top tier of intimidating places to play.
That shift comes as Nebraska keeps adjusting the fan experience, including smaller season-ticket packages and discounted options, all part of the broader Big Red Rebuild. The program is also reducing stadium capacity, a sign that the focus now is not just on preserving tradition but on reshaping how Memorial Stadium fits the modern game day atmosphere. [Read more 🡒]
Teddy Prochazka Just Began A Bittersweet New Chapter After Nebraska
Teddy Prochazkas football path has taken a sharp turn, but it has not taken him far from the game. The former Nebraska offensive lineman has moved into coaching at Elkhorn South, where he is working with the freshmen program and leaning on the same techniques he picked up during his playing days in Lincoln.
Prochazka is serving as the head coach and offensive play caller for the 9th-grade team, and he is still close enough to the action to demonstrate the details himself. It is a bittersweet next step for a player whose career was cut short by injuries, but it also gives Nebraska fans a reminder that his football knowledge and presence are still very much part of the local scene. [Read more 🡒]
Can Nebraska's Portal Additions Finally Fix Its Biggest Defensive Flaw
Nebraska spent much of last season looking sturdy against the pass while still getting knocked around on the ground, and that imbalance has made the front seven a clear offseason priority. The Cornhuskers answered by dipping into the portal for linebacker Owen Chambliss, defensive end Jahsear Whittington and safety Dwayne McDougle, a trio brought in to help firm up the run defense and create more disruption up front as new defensive coordinator Rob Aurich settles in.
Chambliss gives Nebraska a versatile linebacker presence, Whittington adds another edge option to the pass rush, and McDougle helps reshape the back end of a defense that needed more answers in too many spots. The bigger question now is whether those additions can translate into the kind of physical, reliable defense Nebraska has been chasing, especially with Aurich already leaning on familiar ties to bring pieces of his system with him to Lincoln. [Read more 🡒]