Nebraska’s first official depth chart of 2026 landed Monday, August 31, as the Huskers turned fully toward Saturday’s opener against Ohio (Memorial Stadium, 11:00 a.m. CDT, FS1 per huskers.com).
This piece is a lineup guide — not a prediction. Names and OR designations below are attributed to the athletics Week 1 chart as mirrored by HuskerMax’s PDF copy and summarized by 247Sports, Carriker Chronicles, SI, and 10/11 NOW. Depth charts can change before kickoff; treat this as the published game-week snapshot.
Quarterback: settled at the top, open behind
| Role | Player(s) |
| — | — |
| QB1 | Anthony Colandrea |
| QB2 | TJ Lateef **OR** Daniel Kaelin |
Colandrea is the clear Week 1 starter on the chart and in prior staff designations. The backup job carries an OR, matching beat coverage that Lateef and Kaelin were still competing as camp closed (SI; 247Sports).
Official Aug. 31 notes still frame Colandrea as the 2025 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year (UNLV) and note that both Colandrea and Lateef have started multiple college games (huskers.com).
Running back: no RB1 by design
| Role | Player(s) |
| — | — |
| RB | Isaiah Mozee **OR** Mekhi Nelson **OR** Jamal Rule |
| Next | Kwinten Ives |
The chart’s three-way OR at running back matches what offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen said publicly: there is “no RB1” after Emmett Johnson’s departure, and all three of Mozee, Nelson, and Rule are expected to play. Head coach Matt Rhule’s “we’ll play all of them” line was reported by the Hastings Tribune / Husker Red Zone.
That is the Week 1 story in the backfield: committee football, not a forced crowning of a single lead back before snap one.
Offensive line: Gottula locked at RT; portal starters inside
Per the Week 1 chart (HuskerMax PDF / Carriker / SI):
| Spot | Starter | Notable depth |
| — | — | — |
| LT | Elijah Pritchett | Preston Taumua **OR** Hayden Ainsworth |
| LG | Paul Mubenga | Tyler Knaak |
| C | Justin Evans | Sam Sledge |
| RG | Brendan Black | Gibson Pyle |
| RT | Gunnar Gottula | Tree Babalade **OR** Preston Taumua |
Beat notes flag Gunnar Gottula winning the right tackle job outright (no OR next to his name), with portal veteran Tree Babalade listed behind him (SI; Carriker Chronicles). Transfer starters Paul Mubenga (LSU) and Brendan Black (Iowa State) open at left and right guard, respectively — consistent with the Aug. 31 notes’ emphasis on three Power Four offensive-line transfers combining for 56 career starts (huskers.com).
Freshman Hayden Ainsworth appearing as an OR behind Pritchett at left tackle was called out as a notable chart detail by SI.
Skill positions: returning receivers + Gilmer
From the same PDF/chart reporting:
| Spot | Listed |
| — | — |
| WR | Nyziah Hunter; Quinn Clark behind |
| WR | Kwazi Gilmer; Cortez Mills Jr. behind |
| WR | Jacory Barney Jr.; Keelan Smith **OR** Demetrius Bell |
| TE | Luke Lindenmeyer; Janiran Bonner **OR** Carter Nelson **OR** Eric Ingwerson |
Official notes say Nebraska returns its top two receivers and starting tight end from 2025 and highlight UCLA transfer Gilmer’s prior production (huskers.com). The chart is the Week 1 alignment of that claim.
Defense: Lenhardt ahead of Nwaneri; portal DL starters
| Spot | Starter | Notable depth |
| — | — | — |
| DE | Cameron Lenhardt | Williams Nwaneri; Jeremiah Jones |
| DT | Owen Stoudmire | Riley Van Poppel; David Hoffken |
| DT | Jahsear Whittington | Tyson Terry **OR** Sua Lefotu |
| DE | Anthony Jones Jr. | Kade Pietrzak **OR** Jordan Ochoa |
| LB | Vincent Shavers Jr. **OR** Dexter Foster | Derek Wacker |
| LB | Owen Chambliss | Dawson Merritt |
| Nickel | Donovan Jones | Mario Buford **OR** Blye Hill |
| CB | Andrew Marshall | Danny Odem III; Braylen Prude |
| S | Dwayne McDougle III **OR** Rex Guthrie | Caleb Benning |
| S | Jamir Conn | Justyn Rhett |
| CB | Victor Evans III **OR** Jeremiah Charles | Larry Tarver Jr. |
SI and Carriker both flagged Cameron Lenhardt listed ahead of Williams Nwaneri at defensive end as one of the chart’s sharper talking points. Portal additions Owen Stoudmire, Jahsear Whittington, and Anthony Jones Jr. appear as listed defensive-line starters on the Week 1 sheet — aligning with the Aug. 31 notes’ emphasis on experienced line transfers (huskers.com).
Several second-level and secondary spots carry OR tags; those battles are open heading into Saturday.
Special teams snapshot
| Role | Listed |
| — | — |
| PK | Kyle Cunanan **OR** John Hohl |
| KO | John Hohl |
| P | Archie Wilson (Kamdyn Koch listed behind) |
| KR | Isaiah Mozee; Nyziah Hunter; Jacory Barney Jr.; Mekhi Nelson |
| PR | Jacory Barney Jr.; Andrew Marshall **OR** Isaiah Mozee |
Official Aug. 31 notes say Nebraska brings back its starting punter and place-kicker from 2025; the chart’s OR at place-kicker is the Week 1 nuance on how that job is listed for Ohio week.
How to read this chart on Saturday
1. Colandrea is QB1. Lateef/Kaelin remains a live QB2 competition on paper. 2. Expect a running-back rotation, not a single featured back — coaches said so on the record. 3. OL and DL include multiple portal starters who were sold as experience adds in the Aug. 31 notes. 4. OR tags are not filler — they mark unresolved Week 1 questions the first live snaps may clarify. 5. Do not invent snap counts. The chart is a listing; Saturday’s usage is the proof.
Nebraska is 0-0. Ohio is the first live test of whether this published two-deep holds under game stress. Re-check the athletics chart if Nebraska issues an in-week update before kickoff.
