Nebraska fans got a little of everything in this batch of offseason news: conference posturing, quarterback chatter, recruiting momentum and even a landscaping update with a very Nebraska feel.
The loudest noise around the sport right now is coming from the SEC, where Greg Sankey and several coaches have spent Media Days talking up how “real” their threats to break away from the NCAA are. That kind of talk may sound bold, but it also invites a pretty obvious question: what happens when the whole thing blows up in their faces?
One major casualty would be ESPN, which would have little reason to back a college football conference that plays only itself and then crowns its own champion the world champ. The “ very real ” threat feels a lot more like theater than a plan, especially if the other Power Conferences don’t follow them out the door.
Back in Nebraska territory, former Cornhuskers quarterback Adrian Martinez and former Omaha-area prep standout Cole Payton are spending part of their offseason training together as they get ready for NFL camp. Martinez is trying to carve out a spot with the San Francisco 49ers as the QB3, while Payton, drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles after a big 2025 season at North Dakota State, still has to prove he belongs on an NFL roster. The two have also been working with high school football players over the past few weeks, sharing what it takes to succeed in college.
There was also tougher news on a former Husker running back. Dante Dowdell was involved in a serious ATV accident earlier this week, and Georgia coach Kirby Smart said the Bulldogs are not even thinking about getting him back on the field right now. The concern, Smart said, is Dowdell’s recovery first, because the injuries were serious enough to make that the immediate priority.
On the quarterback front, Nebraska’s Anthony Colandrea didn’t get much love in The Athletic’s ranking of all 138 presumed FBS starting quarterbacks. He landed at No. 39 on the list, with turnover issues cited by the doubters. Even so, there are still believers who point to his playmaking ability as the reason he could make things work this season.
Nebraska also found a way to bring a little more local flavor to the Tom Osborne Athletic Complex. The university has planted rows of corn outside the Osborne Legacy Complex, and the plan is for them to be in full bloom by the time the season arrives.
Elsewhere around the country, Illinois locked in athletic director Josh Whitman with a contract extension through 2036, along with a significant raise. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, is facing a different kind of transition with Diego Pavia gone, and coach Clark Lea said the Commodores won’t try to duplicate what Pavia brought to the program. And in Division II, the 5-for-5 eligibility rule that Division I has already adopted is now drawing interest there too, with the obvious question being whether anyone has fully accounted for the legal mess that has followed the rule elsewhere.
Recruiting also brought Nebraska some good signs. The Huskers are making progress with several 2028 prospects, including Texas wide receiver Carter St.
Junious. He brings production and a memorable name, after catching 40 passes for 585 yards and five touchdowns during his 2025 sophomore season at Manvel.
He’s set to make a gameday visit this fall.
In Other News...
Carter Nelson Faces A Huge Camp Test As Huskers Wait On Ahmad Hudson
Carter Nelson is heading into fall camp with a different kind of spotlight on him, one that has less to do with where Nebraska first recruited him and more with where he might fit best now. The Huskers have enough help at tight end to at least entertain a move, and Nelsons best trait has always been as a pass catcher, which is why the conversation around him has started to tilt toward wide receiver and away from the traditional tight end role.
That shift has plenty of believers inside the Nebraska orbit, including Damon Benning, who now has Nelson inside his top group of wideouts and called it his biggest turnaround opinion on a player. Elsewhere in the Big Ten conversation, The Athletic slotted Anthony Colandrea in the conferences fourth tier of quarterbacks, a reminder of how crowded and unforgiving the leagues passing landscape can be. For Nebraska, the more immediate issue is still sorting out how Nelson is used, while the wait on Ahmad Hudson stretches on without any real sign of a quick resolution. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas QB Hype Comes With One Concern Fans Know Too Well
Anthony Colandreas first offseason as Nebraskas starting quarterback has already produced the kind of mixed national buzz that tends to follow a player with real tools and a few lingering questions. The Athletics survey of FBS quarterbacks put him at No. 39 and in Tier 4, a slot that reflects both the appeal of his arm talent and dual-threat ability and the uncertainty that still hangs over how it all plays in the Big Ten.
The concern is familiar to anyone who has watched a talented quarterback try to sharpen his game at a higher level: Colandrea can create plays outside the structure of the offense, but the same style has also raised turnover worries. His strong 2025 season at UNLV helped fuel the optimism, while his earlier years at Virginia left more doubt about consistency, and Nebraska is now left to find out whether the version it gets is the one that can steady the offense or the one that keeps the volatility attached. [Read more 🡒]
Two Healthy Huskers Could Change More Than Fans Realize
Carter Nelson and Rex Guthrie are back in the mix for Nebraska after both third-year Huskers finished their rehabs and turned their attention to the coming season. Guthrie, a safety, said he feels confident in where his body is now after offseason labrum surgery, while Nelson, a tight end, has been talking about a mindset shift as he gets ready to help the offense in a bigger way.
For Nebraska, the timing matters because both players are young enough to matter for the future and experienced enough to matter right away. Guthrie has been focused on sharpening his game rather than just getting healthy, and Nelson has been working through the details of how he fits into the offense, including the kind of scramble-drill chances that can open up when a quarterback keeps a play alive. [Read more 🡒]