⚡ CFB Dashboard

Meetings get a bad name. Fairly, in plenty of workplaces. But put the extra film time Anthony Colandrea called with his receivers this week in the productive column. Nebraska's Week 1 numbers weren't exactly undercooked. Five straight touchdown drives and 523 yards make for a hearty meal. Still, the Husker quarterback knew the operation could be sharper. Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen knew his QB could be more accurate. Enter Saturday's evidence. "I thought it was better," Colandrea said after Nebraska's 56-7 win over Bowling Green. "I felt like last week we prepared well (before Week 1), but we honestly didn't watch a lot of tape together. I think we watched a lot of tape together and were kind of on the same page with a lot of stuff we did today." Getting everyone looking at the same picture at the same time was Colandrea's idea. "For them to know what I'm seeing. And then I'm going to tell them what I want them to do, and then they're going to tell me what they want me to do," Colandrea said. "So I think it's good stuff like that." Here's the good stuff: Colandrea completed 20-of-24 passes for 222 yards and a career-high four touchdowns — all before halftime. A week after he completed 18-of-32 passes, Holgorsen said he wanted Colandrea's completion percentage closer to 70. Mark down 83.3% for Week 2, accompanied by a 91.7 Pro Football Focus grade. Colandrea did throw an interception on Nebraska's second play. That's what the stats say. But even that came on a well-placed ball that looked complete until Jacory Barney had it wrestled away. "The kid made a good play on it ... but at the end of the day it's just what's next," Colandrea said. "There's four quarters left, right? And, yeah, that was my mindset." "I apologized to him for that," Barney said. What came next? Touchdowns on Nebraska's next five possessions and a 35-0 halftime lead. "Keep attacking," Colandrea said. "That's our offensive motto. Don't stand back. Just go at the defense." Barney caught eight passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Kwazi Gilmer added six receptions for 39 yards and two scores. One of Gilmer's touchdowns was a diving, one-footed catch on a 4-yard throw Matt Rhule called "outrageous." Colandrea placed it where only Gilmer could get it. Gilmer took care of the difficult part at the other end. "That was a helluva catch," Colandrea said. "I honestly didn't think he got a foot in. I'm like, 'Wow, that was insane...' Just try to put it out there and let him make a play." Colandrea's favorite was the 35-yard touchdown to Barney that opened the scoring. "Because we schemed it up all week and I was like, 'This has got to be a touchdown,'" Colandrea said. Barney calls his quarterback elite. The work, confidence and past production tell him that. Saturday kept the argument moving forward. "How he works, the enthusiasm he plays with. The confidence he has," Barney said. "When you expect a ball to be out there, it's going to be out there. You saw that today. When you go deep for a route, and you expect the ball, it's there. And it's on the money, so all you've got to do is catch the ball." Afterward, Colandrea took in the postgame drone show. His review? "Super sick. That was fun." The show before the show wasn't bad either.