Nebraska Football Midseason Superlatives

Best Offensive Player: Senior Quarterback Anthony Colandrea

No surprise here, as UNLV transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea takes the metaphorical cake as Nebraska's best offensive player through seven games. The senior has far exceeded the expectations I had for him.

Averaging more than 270 yards of total offense and over two touchdowns per game, Colandrea has been the engine of NU's offense nearly every Saturday. Although the Huskers' offense has sputtered in recent weeks against two of the nation's top 45 defenses in Indiana (No. 9) and Oregon (No. 41), Colandrea has remained the team's most reliable playmaker.

Nebraska has totaled 634 yards of offense over the past two weeks, and Colandrea has accounted for 513 of them by himself, over 80%. It's hard to imagine where the Huskers would be without him. He's been the player Matt Rhule and Dana Holgorsen have leaned on most, and he's more than delivered. Truthfully, my only concern about Colandrea is whether the Big Red can retain him for 2027.

Best Defensive Player: Senior Cornerback Andrew Marshall

Under first-year defensive coordinator Rob Aurich, Nebraska's defense ranks 10th nationally, allowing just 271.3 yards and 15.4 points per game. Several players have contributed to that success, but one stands above the rest: Andrew Marshall.

The Idaho transfer burst onto the scene in 2025, earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors as a junior. He's taken another step this fall. Across 366 defensive snaps, Marshall has been targeted just 27 times, allowing eight receptions for 103 yards. He's also recorded 21 tackles, five pass breakups, and an interception.

For his performance, Marshall was named a midseason First-Team All-American by both On3 and Sports Illustrated earlier this week, being dubbed the best cornerback in the Big Ten in the process. You couldn't ask for much more from the senior defensive back, making him an easy choice as NU's best defensive player through seven weeks.

Biggest Offensive Riser: Junior Wide Receiver Kwazi Gilmer

Kwazi Gilmer arrived in Lincoln after two seasons at UCLA, where he totaled 880 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Through seven games with Nebraska, he's already recorded 492 yards and seven scores.

Gilmer has clearly established himself as NU's WR1, and that doesn't appear likely to change anytime soon. He's averaging 12.9 yards per reception and more than five catches per game. At his current pace, the junior would finish the season with more than 840 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.

Gilmer's biggest weakness has been dropping catchable balls. Against Oregon, he caught six passes for 74 yards and a score but was also charged with two drops, bringing his season total to eight. Still, the junior has been a welcome addition to Nebraska's offense and will likely remain the player the Huskers lean on most through the air down the stretch.

Biggest Offensive Faller: Senior Wide Receiver Nyziah Hunter

I'll preface this by saying this isn't a knock on Nyziah Hunter. Rather, I expected the senior wide receiver, who led Nebraska in receiving production a year ago, to be more productive in 2026.

Hunter caught 43 passes for 617 yards and five touchdowns last season, but he has yet to find the end zone as a receiver this fall. In 2026, he's totaled just 16 receptions for 116 yards.

Holgorsen has made it a point of emphasis to get Hunter more involved in recent weeks. Nebraska's matchup with Indiana was his most productive game of the season, as he totaled 53 all-purpose yards and a rushing touchdown. Even so, the NFL hopeful ranks fifth on the team in receiving yards, which was not on my bingo card at all.

There's still time for Hunter to pick up the pace, and his talent hasn't just disappeared. However, going from arguably NU's most productive returning player to the third or even fourth option in the passing game makes him the Huskers' biggest offensive faller this fall.

Biggest Defensive Riser: Junior Defensive Lineman Jahsear Whittington

Pitt transfer Jahsear Whittington arrived at Nebraska undersized, but his impact has arguably been the greatest of any player on the defensive line. As a sophomore, the 6-foot, 270-pound interior defender played just 250 defensive snaps. Through seven games in Lincoln, he's already logged 287, including 70 in NU's loss to Oregon on Saturday night.

Whittington seemingly just needed an opportunity, and Nebraska has given him exactly that. He recorded 16 tackles and one sack across his first two collegiate seasons. Midway through his junior campaign, he's already totaled 14 tackles, 3½ sacks, and a forced fumble.

What once looked like a developmental piece has become a cornerstone of the Huskers' defensive line. Whittington has already matched the Big Red's team-leading sack total from a season ago. Anything he adds over the remainder of the year is a bonus. Whittington has become one of the program's biggest transfer portal success stories of 2026.

Biggest Defensive Faller: Freshman Cornerback Danny Odem

This selection could end up being a miss, but I've been disappointed with the impact former five-star defensive back Danny Odem has made through seven games. The Pennsylvania native was the crown jewel of Nebraska's 2026 recruiting class, and many expected him to compete for a starting role in his first year.

At one point, he was doing exactly that. However, Odem has played just 12 defensive snaps over the past two games. It's unclear whether the former blue-chip prospect has been dealing with an injury or if NU's staff simply trusts its more experienced defensive backs more. Either way, in today's college football landscape, Nebraska needs to find ways to utilize five-star talent before another school ultimately does.

Growing pains are inevitable for young players, but the Huskers don't appear to be willing to let Odem learn on the fly. He's been targeted 12 times in 2026, allowing eight receptions for 103 yards. Although Odem hasn't made the impact I expected, I'd still like to see him get a longer leash. His recruitment was a massive win for Addison Williams in 2026. I'd hate to see that investment go to waste.

Biggest Position Group Riser: Defensive Line

Nebraska ranks 23rd nationally against the run, good for sixth in the Big Ten. A year ago, the Huskers finished 100th nationally and 14th in the conference. What defensive line coach Corey Brown has done to revamp NU's interior defensive line has been nothing short of remarkable, especially considering how many of the Huskers' top transfer portal targets they missed out on over the offseason.

Boston College transfer Owen Stoudmire and the previously mentioned Jahsear Whittington have been a big reason why. So too has the continued development of Riley Van Poppel and Mason Goldman, along with freshman defender Dylan Berymon.

Nebraska's defensive line has also made an impact as pass rushers. Whittington leads the team in sacks, while Van Poppel (2.0), Stoudmire (1.5), and Malcolm Simpson (1.0) have contributed as well.

Quite frankly, the Big Red's interior defensive line has been the best position group on either side of the ball. Few expected this unit to perform at such a high level, but its continued success should help keep the Huskers competitive in every game.

Biggest Position Group Faller: Special Teams

Nebraska had exceptional special teams play under Mike Ekeler a year ago, but Matt Rhule elected to let him leave for USC. Seven games into 2026, that decision is aging like spoiled milk.

Outside of punt coverage, which has been about as good as anyone could ask for, the special teams' operation has struggled across the board. I voiced concerns about the unit during nonconference play, noting that while the Huskers had made their fair share of mistakes, it hadn't yet cost them games. However, special teams have now played a role in both of Nebraska's losses this fall.

I'm not confident in the Huskers' field goal unit, nor am I confident in Archie Wilson's ability to punt consistently. On top of that, the kick return game has repeatedly put the Big Red in poor field position in key games.

At this point, it's hard to envision Brett Maher remaining in his coordinator role next year. Regardless of what happens with the coaching staff, Nebraska desperately needs to find something it can rely on in the third phase of the game. Otherwise, special teams will continue to be a leading reason the Huskers fall short against good teams.

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