The 2025 season saw Matt Rhule’s Nebraska finish with a 7-6 record after a loss in the Las Vegas Bowl. The Huskers are now focused on reshaping their roster and integrating new pieces as they prepare for the demands of the Big Ten next season, especially after losing two-year starting quarterback Dylan Raiola.
Raiola hit the transfer portal following his season-ending injury.
Kenny Minchey Flip Forces Matt Rhule Into Bold Quarterback Decision at Nebraska
HuskerOnline’s Sean Callahan reported on Saturday that former Nebraska quarterback Daniel Kaelin is projected to return to Lincoln in 2026. The source also confirmed that Kaelin made an unofficial visit to Nebraska on Friday.
Besides Rhule’s program, Kaelin had drawn interest from Iowa State and Virginia. However, Iowa State secured a commitment from Oklahoma State transfer Zane Flores, while Virginia learned that this season’s starter, Chandler Morris, would not be granted an additional year of eligibility. With Iowa State no longer an option, Virginia remained a possibility, but a reunion with Nebraska would bring greater continuity to the quarterback room and provide more long-term stability than most programs can offer.
If Kaelin rejoins the Huskers, he will enter a quarterback group that includes former UNLV signal-caller Anthony Colandrea and sophomore TJ Lateef, who holds a 76.0 rating in the PFSN College Football QB Impact Metric. Nebraska also briefly had former Notre Dame quarterback Kenny Minchey in the fold.
Minchey committed to the Huskers for the 2026 season but flipped his commitment just one day later and will now play at Kentucky. He had been viewed as a strong potential successor to Raiola.
As for Kaelin, he was a three-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class and signed with Nebraska out of Bellevue West High School. He was part of the “Bellevue Three,” along with wide receivers Dae’Vonn Hall and Isaiah McMorris, all of whom initially joined the Huskers in that class.
After their freshman seasons, each transferred elsewhere as Kaelin redshirted at Nebraska before entering the transfer portal in January 2025 and eventually landing at Virginia. He totaled 339 passing yards with one touchdown and one interception, while adding 72 rushing yards for Virginia this season.
Virginia head coach Tony Elliott spoke highly of Kaelin earlier in the spring.
“I like what I’ve seen so far out of Daniel as well,” Elliott said about Kaelin. “You know what I’m saying? He’s got the same moxie about him. Seen him on a Saturday with a couple of guys working out which tells me they’re gravitating towards him as well, which is going to create healthy competition.”
Kaelin saw action in a key November game against Wake Forest, a 16-9 loss where he threw for 145 yards. He also recorded a career-long 54-yard run in that game, marking just the 12th rush of 50 or more yards by a quarterback in Virginia program history.
