Late July has a way of doing this to Nebraska football. The heat rolls in, the news cycle gets thin, and suddenly every Husker feed is packed with preseason chatter, depth-chart guesses and optimistic talk about who’s ready to break out. That’s the season Nebraska is in now, with fan day on the calendar, fall camp approaching and the usual flood of speculation building around Matt Rhule’s team.
One of the bigger questions centers on quarterback play, and Anthony Colandrea is right in the middle of it. He’s one of 11 Huskers on the preseason watch list for the East-West Shrine Game, and the expectation is that he should win the starting job.
Still, TJ Lateef and Daniel Kaelin are not expected to simply step aside. Colandrea came to Nebraska believing there would be explosive plays available in this offense, and he hasn’t changed that view over the offseason.
That quarterback conversation fits into a broader theme around the program: Nebraska believes this is a stronger room than it has had in a while. Damon Benning compared the quarterbacks as they get ready for fall camp, and the assessment from Carriker Chronicles was blunt in its own way - this is the best quarterback room Matt Rhule has had since arriving in Lincoln. The same kind of confidence is showing up across the roster, where Nebraska’s transfer additions are being pegged as players who can help right away.
The Huskers are also dealing with the reality of what came before. Nebraska finished year three of the Rhule era with three straight losses to Penn State, Iowa and Utah, and those games were ugly on the scoreboard, with a combined margin of 121-48. That run made it clear the offseason would not be quiet, and it also made it clear that no one’s job was safe.
There are other moving pieces worth watching, too. Nebraska native Carter Nelson could be shifting to the slot after originally arriving as the No. 3 tight end in the 2024 recruiting class, a change the Huskers hope will help unlock more of what he can do.
And when Nebraska heads to Big Ten Football Media Days from July 28-30, Rhule will be there on the final day with tight end Luke Lindenmeyer, center Justin Evans and defensive back Andrew Marshall. The program is also sending six returning Huskers and five Nebraska transfers onto the 2026 Shriners Children’s East-West Bowl watch list.
The schedule, though, is the part that keeps the temperature down on expectations. Nebraska is facing one of the toughest slates in college football, with three playoff teams and the last two national champions on the docket. That’s a lot to ask of a team still trying to prove it can take the next step.
For now, the Huskers will at least give fans a chance to show up in person. Nebraska football’s annual Fan Day is set for Saturday, Aug. 8, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the Hawks Championship Center.
And if the football talk gets too heavy, there’s always room for a little detour. In Luverne, Minn., a massive nutcracker is drawing attention as the world’s tallest, while in Peru, Erling Haaland’s name is spreading fast - 468 newborns have been registered with “Haaland,” and another 91 were given the full name “Erling Haaland.”
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 🡒]