RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 2 sourcesNebraska football met with the national media on Thursday. Coach Matt Rhule , along with Justin Evans, Andrew Marshall and Luke Lindenmeyer, represented the Huskers in Chicago at Big Ten Football Media Days .
Rhule is entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Cornhuskers . He is 19-19 in the last three seasons and is coming off a 7-6 campaign in 2025.
Nebraska enters the 2026 season with several significant changes to the roster and staff. The most notable change was the departure of starting quarterback Dylan Raiola to Oregon.
Replacing Raiola under center will be Anthony Colandrea. This will be Colandrea's third college in his career. He started his career at Virginia before heading west to play for UNLV.
In his one season in Vegas, he went 9-4 and won the Mountain West Player of the Year. The quarterback threw for 3,459 yards, 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions while adding 649 yards and ten touchdowns on the ground.
The Huskers experienced significant staff turnover after the 2025 regular season. Geep Wade takes over as the team's offensive line coach. Rob Aurich replaces John Butler as the Huskers' defensive coordinator.In his opening statement, Rhule talks about the three players who joined him in Chicago for the event.
Can you imagine being a young kid that grew up loving college football and having a chance to stand up here representing the University of Nebraska. This is absolutely amazing. I'm very grateful today. It's just an honor.
We have three tremendous players with us today. When I think about the University of Nebraska, the great history, I think of all the great players that came from all across the country to a storied program, it's cool to think about the three guys with us today.
We have Justin Evans from New Jersey, Luke Lindenmeyer from right there in Nebraska, Andrew Marshall from California. Kind of like this conference, stretching across the entire country, touching homes, people all across this great nation of ours.
To me they are what college football is about. They're what the University of Nebraska is about. Justin and Luke, they were there before I got there. They're going into their fifth year.
Luke to me is the definition of grit, a walk-on who will be an All-American candidate this year, one of the best tight ends in the country, should win the Burlsworth award. Married, a spiritual leader on our team, and a great player.
Justin Evans, I think PFF came out, he's the number one ranked center in the country, has come to Nebraska and just fought and bled.
They kind of exemplify what we've tried to do, just get better day by day. They won five regular-season games, the first year they then won six, second year won seven, last year. We're really proud of them. Proud of their willingness to stay. To them being a Husker is more important than anything.
Andrew is an example of adapting the new world. Went to Idaho, battled, became a great player, had a chance to go in the portal, could have gone anywhere in the country, chose Nebraska, because he loves football.
We have the best facilities, the best fan base, some of the best players in the country.
I'm grateful to have them here. It was a hard decision who to bring. But this is a special group to me, and I can't wait to take the field with them this fall.
Just like them, that's kind of what our team is. I stood up here a few years ago saying before we can talk about doing great things, we have to earn back the respect. These guys, they kind of erased the narratives. Nebraska can't win a close game; they've erased that. There's a ball transfer portal; they erased that. Went to back-to-back bowl games last year.
We know that's not enough. We didn't come to Nebraska to go 7-6. We came to compete for this. Being here today with teams who have won the national championship, it's inspiring, speaks to this conference, speaks to the people that run it, coaches and players that are in it. We understand we have to take a step this year. We're excited to do that.
I hope you can hear in my voice I believe we will because of the young men in our program and what they've done.
Since you guys have taken the field the end of the season, great seasons for obviously men's basketball, baseball, volleyball. What do you guys need to do internally or on the field to find that same level of success?
I think that success that Fred has had, that Amy has had, Rhonda has had, so many of our sports have had, it's just what Nebraska is about. I mean, as I said earlier, we have the best facilities in college sports, a commitment to nutrition unlike any other, commitment to the strength program that goes back to Coach Epley all the way through to now. You're seeing the things that Troy has implemented since he's been the athletic director start to take fruit on the field.
I look at Fred with tremendous respect and inspiration. Before he went to the Sweet 16 last year, it wasn't the year he won it. Didn't end the way he wanted. Fred just coming back to, his players kept working.
For us, we have to be better in November. We've gotten off to good starts. Champions are made in those winning moments in the cold, on the road, late in the season. Those are championship moments. For us, we have to excel in those.
It's me. It's our staff. I love our coaches. It's our players. You have to have players that want to be in those moments, they want the hat on their head when it matters. I think we have those guys.
Some people can snap their fingers and it happens overnight. We're builders. We've had to build. We love doing it. That's why I talk about these guys. It's not me who is the builder, it's Luke, Justin Evans, Cam Lenhardt. All these guys on our team that weathered the storm, stayed throughout. We understand the expectations. That's why we came to Nebraska.
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