Matt Rhule began Nebraska’s bye week at his Monday press conference by fielding a question about the support around quarterback Anthony Colandrea. The Cornhuskers are 5-2 after losing their last two games by three points apiece, 20-17 to then-No. 7 Indiana in Lincoln and 17-14 at Oregon.
“I don’t think that’s a good narrative for us to have out there that he doesn’t have enough support (around him). I don’t think that’s good for our players. And not good because he’s already got SEC schools calling him. I don’t want Nebraska people to start saying that, because that’s happened before here. We don’t need that now here.” Rhule said.
Rhule did not name the SEC programs. He was asked how he handles that kind of contact, he described tampering as part of the deal in the current sport and said everyone has people reaching out to them. “I know Anthony really wants to be here, he loves being here, he loves his teammates.” Rhule said, per On3.
He did not name Dylan Raiola either, though On3 noted the line about what has “happened before here” appeared aimed at the quarterback who left Nebraska for Oregon through the transfer portal this offseason and later said the Ducks have better players than the Huskers.
On Saturday, Raiola came off the bench in the fourth quarter with the Ducks trailing 14-6, then threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Johnson with 28 seconds left and found Johnson again on the 2-point conversion for the 17-14 final.
Nebraska’s former quarterback beat the Huskers over the weekend, and the coach of the player who replaced him is now telling fans that SEC programs are already calling.
Does Anthony Colandrea actually lack support at Nebraska?
Colandrea arrived in January as a two-time transfer, after two seasons at Virginia and a 2025 season at UNLV that ended with Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year honors. Through seven games at Nebraska, he has 1,570 passing yards and 14 touchdown passes on 62.6 percent completions, plus 334 rushing yards and four rushing scores.
Colandrea’s 39-yard touchdown run gave Nebraska a 17-6 fourth-quarter lead over Indiana before the Hoosiers scored twice to win 20-17. In Eugene, he went 18 of 33 for 164 yards with a touchdown pass and ran for another score, and Nebraska again could not close.
Rhule said Colandrea has good players around him and that the group will improve. He put Nebraska two plays away from the national conversation and said the open week is for getting better, since the team is not finished yet.
Nebraska returns against Washington on Oct. 31.
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