Nebraska football QB targets after Kenny Minchey flips

It’s back to the drawing board for Matt Rhule and the Nebraska football program at the quarterback position after Kenny Minchey flipped his commitment from the Huskers to Kentucky.

Minchey was coming for a visit this week. The papers weren’t signed, though, and there are rumors that the Wildcats doubled the NIL offer of Nebraska ($1 million).

The dollar figures don’t really matter. What does matter is that Nebraska is without a starting quarterback. TJ Lateef might be there someday, maybe next season, but that’s too big a risk after the way he closed the season.

Minchey was perfect. He’s a blue-chip talent, ranked in the top 10 by 247 Sports and Rivals. He also could have started for two years and been the perfect bridge to Trae Taylor.

Now that the plan is in the trash basket. Here are three QBs to watch for the Huskers.

Aidan Chiles

There was chatter about Nebraska and Chiles before the portal opened. Steve Sipple of Husker Online reports that Nebraska will circle back to Chiles, who has been the starter the past two seasons for Michigan State with mixed results.

Chiles was a top-100 quarterback coming out of high school. In 30 games between Oregon State and MSU, Chiles has completed 60.8 percent of his passes. He averaged 201 passing yards per game in 2024.  This past season, that number was 154.7, but he was benched midway through the season.

The former four-star QB had 10 touchdown passes and three interceptions. He also ran for 227 yards this season and six scores. He’s got 531 career rushing yards.

He has one year of eligibility.

DJ Lagway

A former five-star recruit, Lagway didn’t pan out at Florida, similar to how Dylan Raiola didn’t pan out at Nebraska. He had 28 touchdown passes in two seasons, but led the SEC in interceptions in 2025 (14). He averaged 188 passing yards per game and tossed 16 touchdowns, as well as throwing for 2,264 yards.

Lagway is known as a dual threat but has just 237 rushing yards on 1.9 yards per attempt in two seasons with one rushing touchdown.

It feels like Nebraska should avoid this option. But that’s where they are.

Anthony Colandrea

The UNLV starter has 49 touchdown passes over the past three seasons, including 26 with Virginia. Yet, he had 20 interceptions during those same two seasons in the ACC. In 2025, Anthony Colandrea threw for 3,59 yards and 23 touchdowns. He had nine picks. However, he rushed for 649 yards. He’s got 1,151 rushing yards for his career, to go along with 12 scores.

Colandrea has the most production. Lagway might have the most raw talent, and Chiles is somewhere in between. It’s not an ideal list, and it feels like a big dropoff from Minchey, even if he didn’t have any production compared to the somewhat up-and-down production of these three.

The thing that stands out is that all three struggle with turnovers. Each quarterback on this list has had at least one season with double-digit interceptions.

That’s not ideal. Neither is losing your transfer portal QB 24 hours after a commitment.

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