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The Nebraska Cornhuskers have found their starting quarterback: Nebraska has named quarterback Anthony Colandrea as its starter for Week 1 against Ohio, head coach Matt Rhule announced Saturday.
Colandrea transferred to Nebraska after one season with UNLV and two with Virginia. Colandrea led the Rebels to a 10-4 overall and 6-2 Mountain West record and finished the year with 3,459 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. He also finished the year as Mountain West Player of the Year.
The Cornhuskers finished the year 7-6 overall and 4-5 in conference play. Now, the Cornhuskers look to bounce back with Colandrea and key transfers like wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer from UCLA, who led the Bruins in receiving with 50 receptions, 535 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
For the Cornhuskers, the addition of Colandrea was a massive benefit to Rhule, who lost quarterback starting Dylan Raiola to the Oregon Ducks. While Colandrea competed against quarterbacks TJ Lateef and Daniel Kaelin in the offseason, Rhule made it clear that he was the clear choice as Nebraska’s QB1.
“Anthony would play for us right now,” Rhule told reporters on Saturday. “All the quarterbacks have done a nice job. Anthony, I think the biggest thing is he’s very competitive, very fiery. He expects to win every play. He does a nice job disciplining himself to also take what’s there and makes nice checks in the run/pass game, and can throw the ball deep.”
Lateef took over for Raiola after he suffered a season-ending injury in week 9 against USC, and finished 1-3 as starting quarterback.
What Rhule also gets in Colandrea is a dual-threat quarterback, as he put up 649 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Especially as the Cornhuskers lose Emmett Johnson to the NFL Draft, Colandrea’s talent on the ground will make up for Johnson’s production last season.
Colandrea will lead the Cornhuskers starting Week 1 against Ohio at home on Saturday, Sept. 5.
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