Nebraska's 'under the radar' mindset in spring ball should terrify the Big Ten

Matt Rhule has been quietly going through spring football practices earlier than many other programs, and he has been loving it. The Huskers started spring ball earlier than most programs typically do, and Rhule feels like they have been able to fly under the radar and really grow as a team.

Nebraska is going to have a very new look in 2026 with a new quarterback, new running backs, and a newly built offensive line. Rhule feels like getting his guys back into football as quickly as he could have been great for growing on the field, and he will never go back to later spring practices.

Rhule was able to sum up Nebraska's spring in just a few words: simply getting better at football. If Nebraska can quietly get better, it can certainly be a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten next season. The new upgrades at certain positions can give Nebraska that extra push they haven't had in years past.

When it Nebraska's Spring Football Game?

With the earlier start to spring ball, Nebraska will get to show everything they have worked on earlier to the fans. The Nebraska Spring Game will be held on March 28, just two weeks away, at 11:00 a.m. Central Time. Fans will be able to watch either from Memorial Stadium or on TV on the Big Ten Network.

Rhule bought in a lot of key pieces from the transfer portal, including a couple of big guys for the offensive line and Anthony Colandrea, a quarterback from UNLV. After thinking they would have Kenny Minchey from Notre Dame, Rhule was able to pivot quickly and might have gotten an even better guy.

Colandrea has impressed many so far in spring practices with both his scripted and unscripted play. Fans will get their first look at their new quarterback on March 28, and they certainly won't want to miss it.