Dylan Raiola is gone, and Anthony Colandrea is the odds-on favorite to be the starting quarterback for the Nebraska football team in 2026. Since those transactions took place, there’s been a lot of talk about how Colandrea can replace a young quarterback who was a 5-star recruit coming out of college and, at times, was the top-ranked quarterback in his class. The question is especially intriguing because the new arrival has a history of up-and-down play. Colandrea was the Mountain West Player of the Year at UNLV in 2025, but was mediocre at best when he played at Virginia. However, according to one Nebraska insider, the Huskers are definitely better off with their new quarterback over their former two-year starter.
Sean Callahan recently appeared on the Crain & Cone podcast and explained why he thinks the Huskers actually upgraded at quarterback despite the obvious talents Raiola does have.
“I think they're better off, to be quite honest,” the Nebraska insider said. “I I think both parties, it was almost a mutual breaking. Nebraska was so financially locked into Raiola that it was just another year of it, we kind of saw what it delivered. I don't know how much better it was going to get.”
Callahan went on to explain that Raiola didn’t really fit with what the Cornhuskers wanted to do with their quarterback, but since he was there and the obvious best starter, they tried to work around it. For their part, the Husker coaches even hinted that was the issue.
“Nebraska was so locked in financially to Raiola, and I don’t know how much better it was going to get.”@Sean_Callahan on why the Cornhuskers are better off with Anthony Colandrea https://t.co/DvSsGGN18J
— David Cone (@davidadamcone) June 23, 2026
Nebraska football insider believes quarterback change was needed for both sides
“His lack of mobility as one of Nebraska's issues on the offensive line was a problem, and it just limited what they could do offensively. Where Colandrea, if you take the season that he had at UNLV … that would have been the best statistical season in terms of total yards in Nebraska football history.”
Callahan then explained something that other analysts have pointed out before. Colandrea’s ability to make plays “off schedule” could be exactly what the Huskers need this season. It’s clear the coaches believe that as well.
“Matt Rule in the spring had the team watch some Vanderbilt Diego Pavia film, and they've been doing a lot of things off schedule. So obviously you call the play, but Colandrea has the ability to kind of make a play within the play.”
The Nebraska insider then dropped the real bomb: the reason the Huskers could definitely be better for the team in 2026 than Raiola: He's kind of one of the guys. And you know, Raiola almost had more of this celebrity aura to him, and it just, as things didn't go well, it just wasn't working. And I I think a change was probably needed for all involved”
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