On the fourth play from scrimmage, Anthony Colandrea ran off to the left. He saw North Dakota defenders lined up against him, yet didn’t change his plan. The Nebraska quarterback ran straight into them. He collided with a defender and, before walking away, talked him down. For viewers watching, Colendrea’s edgy, brash, and self-assured attitude might’ve been unexpected. But North Dakota Fighting Hawks knew who they were up against.
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On Saturday, the Nebraska Cornhuskers won a lopsided 34-7 game against the Fighting Hawks in front of a packed 86,217 Memorial Stadium crowd. Colandrea’s style was on full display as the senior led his undefeated team to their third victory of this season. His winning drive didn’t start on the field, though. The Big Ten’s offensive player of last week got to his opponents well before the game began. He told them upfront what he was going to put them through.
“He walked into our locker room & walked right by me. I’m like, ‘What the hell is he coming into our locker room for?’” An anonymous North Dakota player revealed about Colandrea. “He walked to me & he tapped my shoulder and said, ‘Lace ’em up, it’s gonna be a long f****** night.’”
According to Wilson Dittman Sports on X, this exchange happened when Colandrea caught the Fighting Hawks off guard by walking into their locker room before the game. While there is no specific NCAA rule forbidding what Colandrea did, it is categorized as unsportsmanlike conduct. In certain cases, players can be disqualified and ejected.
That night, Colandrea threw 15 out of 21 passes for 195 yards. Colendrea made four carries for 19 yards and scored just one touchdown that night. But the Fighting Hawks couldn’t get a hold of him either.
He neither threw an interception nor was he sacked. After that game, his QBR surged to 86.6 from 52.7. Defeating the Fighting Hawks was a breeze for the No. 3 Big Ten team, but Colendrea’s real challenge is the Michigan State game next Saturday. The Cornhuskers will need most of their quarterback then – on and off the field. Luckily for them, Colendrea does not need to be told to take charge twice.
“Just keep attacking,” he said after his second start with the Cornhuskers, which marked the 33rd in his college career. “That’s our offensive motto. Just attack. Attack the defense. Don’t stand back. Go at the defense.”
The quarterback has been seen talking passionately not just to his opponents but also to his coaches. During games, when the pressure is at its highest, Colendrea’s temperament, one of his best qualities, shines. He remains calm while hyping up his team. This duality in a quarterback who takes the lead wins the game as much as stats do.
And he is not afraid of taking risks. Even on Saturday, he got the ball to his teammates despite defenders closing in on him and took on tight windows instead of avoiding them. The second bit, his tendency to take risks that are best avoided, has cost him 29 interceptions in 33 high school career games.
He, however, possesses a sense of maturity about his playmaking that makes him a collaborator instead of limiting him in a head coach-player dynamic. The Athletic’s Mitch Sherman highlighted how head coach Matt Rhule takes off his helmet and talks to Colendrea when the offense arrives at the sidelines.
The 21-year-old quarterback initiates the conversation, of course, and Rhule shared how much it meant to him.
“On great teams,” Rhule said, “there’s no coaches and players, in my mind. There’s just people, all trying to work together.”
Their next outing against Michigan State in East Lansing holds conference title consequences, as both teams are facing their Big Ten season opener. In his fourth year as the coach with a 19-19 record, Rhule & Co. know where they stand.