Spring football always tells you something if you’re willing to listen.
I found myself in Lincoln, Nebraska for a quick trip to learn about this years team. I flew in at 5am, got a great cup of coffee at The Mill Coffee shop, walked to the stadium, spent a few hours around the program, and headed back home to hang with our sons. And the 24 hour down and back to a true blue-blood program was insightful on many levels.
Upon landing back in LA I was able to reflect on my time in Lincoln and wanted share my thoughts around the 2026 Nebraska program, which is the focus of today’s Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth podcast, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.
When I go to a practice, I try to organize my mind first. I build out a depth chart, jot down what I’m most curious about and track position groups. Overall, I’m just trying to understand who’s who so I can focus on how they move, how they compete, and how they communicate. Because in mid-March, that’s what you’re really evaluating —growth.
And right away, Nebraska felt intentional.
There was no wasted movement. Warmups had purpose. Guys were talking, moving, transitioning with clarity. It felt organized, but more than that, it felt player-led vs coach-fed.
In a sentence: this team felt mission-minded.
Then practice started, and the energy jumped. Bag drills, bodies moving, juice from the start. It took me back to my days around Pete Carroll where practice wasn’t something you eased into, you attacked it. And knowing how much Matt Rhule believes in that philosophy, it made sense. This wasn’t just a practice, it felt like a standard.
What really stood out though was the competition. Every drill mattered. Not just team periods, everything. Routes, blocking, individual work. And when that’s real, you stop focusing on Saturday’s and you start obsessing over winning a Tuesday practice in the spring. This team felt like it was living there.
At quarterback, Anthony Colandrea has real presence. You can feel it. He’s dynamic, decisive, and there’s an energy to him that lifts people around him. That “It Factor” is hard to define, but I’ve always felt it’s defined as someone whose presence is felt when they walk into a room…AND they make everyone better.
Behind him, there’s growth and depth. TJ Lateef looks like a different player, and Danny Kaelin coming back home looks like he’s ready to compete in a real way. That room feels strong with three Power 4 starters.
The receiver group is deeper than I expected, and in an offense that’s built on mindset as much as scheme, that matters. The offense, led by Dana Holgorsen isn’t just concepts, it’s conviction, and in the Air Raid offense you need guys who can play that way. I think this group is best suited for that approach.
Defensively, new DC in Rob Aurich brings in a new system from San Diego State, but the same theme showed up. Intentional coaching, clear teaching, real physicality. Take a look at who he has been around and it’s easy to be impressed on many levels. Additionally, watching coaches like Roy Manning work, you could hear it and feel it in every drill.
After practice, I spent some time with Coach Rhule, and I walked away thinking this isn’t a reset in Lincoln, it’s a build. A program taking its next step with clear standards.
It’s early, way too early to make any bold claims, especially in the hyper-talented Big Ten, but I left feeling something that’s hard to fake — competitive depth, clear identity, and a team that looks like it’s having a blast doing hard things.
If you want the full breakdown, take a listen to the Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth podcast and as always, thanks for the support.
Much love and stay steady,
Yogi
