TJ Lateef treats every rep like it matters, and that’s the point
No matter how Nebraska’s quarterback room shakes out, TJ Lateef is walking into fall camp with the same approach every day: compete. That mindset has become the foundation of his offseason, and it’s easy to see why teammates notice it.
“It’s a competition every day. No matter where we’re at in the facility, no matter if we’re lifting, no matter if it’s recovery,” Lateef said. “Whatever we’re doing, I'm trying to compete at the end of the day.”
Anthony Colandrea is still widely expected to be Nebraska’s QB1 on Sept. 5, but Lateef isn’t treating that as a reason to ease up. He has pushed to get bigger and faster, while also putting serious work into the mental side of the position. That has meant more film study, better recovery habits and a focus on becoming less mechanical.
Part of that growth has come from going head-to-head with Colandrea and Daniel Kaelin every day in practice.
“As we go out to practice every day ... those are great quarterbacks that I'm going up against,” he said of Colandrea and Daniel Kaelin. “It's just iron sharpens iron. Getting better off each other.”
One of the biggest lessons Lateef says he has taken from Colandrea is the ability to make something happen when the play breaks down.
“Taking plays and taking nothing and bringing it into something,” he said.
That kind of off-script creativity has been a point of emphasis for the Huskers all offseason. Lateef said the team has put in real work on scramble drill, and he believes the group can thrive there with Colandrea and with him as well. Lateef showed some of that running ability before an injury early in the Iowa game.
“You got to have receivers and tight ends that will work with you, so I feel like they've been doing a good job in scramble drill and helping us when we extend plays,” Lateef said.
He described that part of the game as having a “backyard football” feel.
“Just go to the open area, have fun with it.”
Lateef also said he has benefited from the games he played in last season. In a 5-in-5 world, there’s no need to worry about a redshirt cap, but Lateef said that wasn’t really how he looked at it anyway.
“I just had a mindset of having fun and being blessed to be here at Nebraska,” he said.
The reps he got in Year 1 came against a difficult list of opponents: USC, UCLA, Penn State, Iowa and Utah.
“I feel I gained a lot of confidence,” he said. “And I gained a great understanding of the game. Those are great football teams I faced.”
That work ethic has already earned him respect inside the locker room. After the bowl game, outgoing offensive lineman Henry Lutovsky praised the way Lateef handled himself even when he wasn’t starting.
“Even when he wasn't the starter he was still putting in that work every single day. Working his butt off,” Lutovsky said.
“If he did get in the game he'd be ready. And guys notice that and guys respect that.
”
For Lateef, though, it all comes back to a simple reason.
“Football is fun to me at the end of the day,” he said. “So just being able to wake up every morning and do what I love most, that's all I can ask for.”
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