Sankey bluster, QB doubts, corn rows and other Nebraska Cornhuskers news

Nebraska Cornhuskers fans might not be in love with Big Ten commissioner Tony Pettiti, but at least he’s not making hollow threats about the B1G going solo and leaving the NCAA. On the contrary, Greg Sankey and several SEC coaches have spent much of their Media Days week talking about how “real” their threats to go it alone are.

One has to wonder if they have any idea how badly that would backfire. Certainly one big loss would be ESPN, which would want nothing to do with a college football conference that only plays each other and then declares its champion the world champ. The “very real” talk is about as empty a threat as possible, especially if other Power Conferences don’t follow them out the door. The whole thing reminds onlookers of a famous cinematic scene.

Former Nebraska Cornhuskers stars’ offseason

• Ex-Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez and former Omaha-area prep star Cole Payton are busy getting ready for NFL training camp by training together. Martinez is looking to make a roster spot for the San Francisco 49ers as the QB3. The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Payton after a big 2025 season with North Dakota State. He still needs to prove he belongs on an NFL roster. The pair have spent the last few weeks working out with high school football players while sharing what it takes to succeed in college.

• Former Nebraska running back Dante Dowdell was involved in a rather serious ATV accident earlier this week. Now with Georgia, Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart said that they’re not even thinking about getting the player back on the field, as his injuries were serious enough that they’re worried about his recovery from the accident first.

Nebraska Cornhuskers Anthony Colandrea hype and more

• The Athletic released its survey ranking all 138 presumed starting quarterbacks at the FBS level, and Huskers’ QB Anthony Colandrea didn’t get a ton of love. The list has him listed as the No. 39 signal-caller in the country. Behind the doubters is that he’s been known to have turnover problems. Still, those who think he can be successful this year point to his playmaking ability.

• The University of Nebraska has a new landscaping initiative outside the Tom Osborne Athletic Complex. They’ve planted rows of corn, which they think will be in full bloom by the time the season starts.

• The Illinois Fighting Illini recently extended their athletic director. Josh Whitman received a contract extension through 2036 that includes a significant raise. It’s a smart move considering that under his leadership, the football team is at least respectable again while the basketball team is among the best in the country.

• Vanderbilt has some questions ahead of it in 2026 with Diego Pavia gone. Commodores head coach Clark Lea said they won’t even try to replicate what Pavia could do. One has to wonder if they can come close to replicating what the team did without the little sparkplug and Heisman finalist doing what he did best.

• Now that Division 1 has adopted the 5-for-5 eligibility rule, it looks like Division II is thinking about going in the same direction. The biggest question is whether they’ve paid attention to what’s happened in the courts since the rule has passed. It’s quite the headache.

• The Nebraska Cornhuskers are seeing progress in their recruiting of several 2028 prospects. Among them is Texas wide receiver Carter St. Junious. In addition to an incredible name, he’s got plenty of talent, as he caught 40 passes for 585 yards and five touchdowns during his 2025 sophomore season at Manvel. He’s planning a gameday visit this fall.

Today's best reads

• Two NFL hopefuls with Nebraska ties sharpen each other while helping local players
• Former Nebraska star's football future clouded by serious ATV accident
• Nebraska hopes its veteran roster can prove one of the oldest unwritten rules correct
• Michigan chaos, Husker duo hype, SEC threats and other Nebraska Cornhuskers news
• Nebraska's biggest upset dream suddenly has some experts looking like believers

This article was originally published on huskercorner.com as Sankey bluster, QB doubts, corn rows and other Nebraska Cornhuskers news.