The Las Vegas Bowl is now firmly in the rear view mirror and, if we’re honest, we’ve been looking forward to portal season for awhile now, or at least since the Penn State and Iowa games laid bare a few
things. Like the offensive line wasn’t as bad as they started – and could definitely run block. Or the defensive line was worse than we dared to believe – especially if the offense couldn’t keep them off the field. Which is something Dylan Raiola could do which T.J. Lateef cannot yet if the defense bottles up the box. The Blackshirts as a whole were at the mercy of mobile quarterbacks and it’s a mobile quarterback world – as Devin Dampier pointed out emphatically in Allegiant Stadium
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg – wait, I take that back. While they aren’t the entire iceberg, they’re much of it. And if you have issues on both sides of the line, you’ve got ISSUES. Yes, the O-line did improve their pass blocking after the Michigan and Minnesota debacles, but those games were bad. Tackles were backpedalling off the snap and, Dylan holding the ball too long or not, those pockets were collapsing hard. And while Donovan Raiola’s lines always improved over the season, they never seemed to start one ready to play.
So anyway, let’s dive in.
I started cobbling this together a little over a week ago and kept putting it off as current players left and returned and portal players from near and far made their commitments, reneged and then finally signed on the dotted line.
Since a portal dead period is happening for the next three days, it seems like the perfect time to get off my ass and forge ahead with a quick look at each position and see who’s gone, who’s coming and how each group is shaping up. Shall we?
Here was the depth chart for The Las Vegas Bowl. Highlighted players have either exhausted their eligibility or entered the transfer portal.
QUARTERBACK
Needs: Two more scholarship QB’s minimum – a starter from the portal and a 2nd for depth preferably also from the portal rather than pickings from the 2026 high school remainder aisle with Trae Taylor coming in 2027.
Adds: Anthony Colandrea (UNLV) likely starter (On3 Portal QB Ranking #20); Daniel Kaelin (Virginia) depth/3rd string (#87)
Let’s start with the big one. Following the bowl game, T.J. Lateef was the only remaining scholarship QB on the roster and it had become pretty apparent that leaving him as the starter for 2026 would be an incredible leap of faith. Many may not agree, but Kenny Minchey bailing on his initial commitment was a good thing as Colandrea brings 3 years of starting experience to the room as well as a huge mobility upgrade to go with his almost 3500 passing yards. Add in Kaelin returning to his home state and another year to develop TJ, and this is potentially a home run all around.
RUNNING BACK
Needs: None? Unless an unbelievable bargain presents itself. (Again, I might be on an island here.)
Adds: None thus far.
I believe the staff feels much like they did last year when fans groused about not adding a plug-and-play starter instead relying on Emmett Johnson. Holgorsen and Barthel disagreed and that belief paid off with a royal flush of an All-American season for Emmett. Freshmen Mozee and Nelson looked the part in Vegas until Utah loaded the box and sophomore Ives can fill the short yardage role. Kenneth Williams and Jamarion Parker certainly didn’t see open space to playing time as they portaled to regions beyond.
WIDE RECEIVER
Needs: Always looking for playmakers here
Adds: Kwazi Gilmer (UCLA #67)
The WR room suffers only the loss of Dane Key while starters Nyziah Hunter and Jacory Barney return. All of the young talent remains led by freshmen Cortez Mills and Quinn Clark who both flashed playmaking skills in 2025. The roster is flush with other young talent including athletic freak 6’4” 225lb Jeremiah Jones. Janiran Bonner may also return from injury.
TIGHT END
Needs: None?
Adds: None
Tight end is a well-stocked position on the Huskers roster, although Luke Lindenmeyer could use some development below him as Heinrich Haarberg seldom made it onto the field for more than 10-15 snaps and a couple of those were usually expected tush-pushes or keepers. Coaches are also hoping Carter Nelson can finally have his breakout season – he is making it on the field but mostly special teams thus far. There is much untested talent and a return by Mac Markway would help loads. But someone else needs to step up big in ‘26 if we stand pat.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Needs: A pair of guards and a right tackle. Or some of those guys 3 years in taking the step forward.
Adds: Brendan Black (Iowa State IOL #8), Tree Babalade (South Carolina OT #21)
C Justin Evans and LT Elijah Pritchett return and should be set to retain their starting positions, but some plug and play starters are needed. The staff appears to have done a great job out of the gate. Black should slight right into a guard spot, but with Babalade, expectations may be safer if tempered a bit due to previous issues with weight and effort. Think 2025 Pritchett perhaps.
Gunner Gottula brings starting experience from his first two seasons and the highly recruited Grant Brix should start moving himself into the conversation as well along with Sam Sledge and Preston Taumua. For now, though, things are trending in the right direction – and especially with the hire of Geep Wade.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Needs: As much quality talent as can be found.
Adds: DE Anthony Jones (UCLA DE #110), Andy Burburija (Iowa Western CC #10)
Every starting job here has to be considered open after the line’s 2025 performance in which their run defense ranked near the bottom of the FCS and little pressure was brought to bear on opposing QB’s. There are several highly ranked recruits on the roster – was the issue coaching? New hires DC Rob Aurich and DT Coach Corey Brown are going to put that to the test. Williams Nwaneri was a 5-star and flashed that talent at times. Cam Lenhardt was hotly pursued as well. Riley Van Poppel earned a single-digit jersey in ‘25. And freshman Kade Pietrzak was a revelation.
Can the coaches turn the potential into performance and can these guys get some good weight on them? Speaking of potential, Burburija is a huge portal add and he needs to step into the interior immediately. DT’s are some of the hardest to acquire, but the Huskers hopefully are’t done.
LINEBACKERS
Needs: Definitely a few
Adds: Owen Chambliss (SDSU #13), Will Hawthorne (Iowa State #92), Dexter Foster (Oregon State #125)
Vincent Shavers is the lone returning starter, however, going to the 4-2-5, the room suddenly seems a little large. Dawson Merritt and Dylan Rogers look ready to compete as well as Willis Magahee the IV after dipping his toe into the portal following a redshirt season.
Chambliss appears in position to assume the other spot next to Shavers in ‘26, but throw in Hawthorne and Foster as well as some of the younger players, most notably Christian Jones, and the this position seems very deep now. Will they be showing some 4-3 on running downs or will the portal push the other way after next season?
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Needs: A couple starters? Or maybe just depth?
Adds: Dwayne McDougal (SDSU S #44), Victor Evans III (SDSU CB #120), Jasin Shiggs (Towson U. S #151)
This was the strength of the defense in 2025 as one of the top pass defenses in the nation and Wright and Singleton may have been the most valuable men in the unit. Donovan Jones, Andrew Marshall and Rex Guthrie return and the portal additions – McDougal, Evans and Shiggs – will not find starting positions waiting for them without a battle.
Guys like Justyn Rhett, Jamir Conn, Jeremiah Charles and Caleb Benning have talent and some experience and will fight tooth and nail for those along with the new guys. If this unit can stay near last year’s level and the line shores up some, Aurich’s first season could be a very successful one.
So there’s a few thoughts to get started – what do you think?
And if things have changed in the hour or two I’ve been banging this out? Well screw it, IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE A DAMNED DEAD PERIOD. And I’m sure I goofed up something anyway. Let’s rock.
