‘He’s done a fantastic job’: Mullen full of praise for latest QB pupil

UNLV football coach Dan Mullen is a tough grader. He has tutored some of the best quarterbacks in college football history. He has extremely high standards when evaluating the position.

He has said it might take a player a year — maybe longer — to learn all the nuances of his spread offense.

Which means Anthony Colandrea is ahead of the curve.

UNLV’s junior quarterback has become one of the best passers in the Mountain West this season and has the numbers to prove it.

The transfer from Virginia has used both his arm and legs to help UNLV (7-2, 3-2) hum on offense heading into Saturday’s game against Utah State (5-4, 3-2) at Allegiant Stadium.

He’s a perfectionist

“I’d probably go with 70 (percent), maybe in the 80s, as to all that (Colandrea) knows,” Mullen said. “Not higher than 80. I’m a perfectionist. I don’t know if there have been Heisman Trophy winners who have ever gotten to 90.”

Still, Alex Smith, Tim Tebow and Dak Prescott found success playing for Mullen.

Colandrea is getting better as the season moves forward. He set career highs against New Mexico on Nov. 1 with 36 completions for 382 yards.

Colandrea ranks third among Mountain West quarterbacks in passing yards per game (250.11) and is tied for second in passing touchdowns (17).

He’s also UNLV’s second-leading rusher with 483 yards.

And he grades himself a little higher than his coach.

“I’d probably give myself a 90 percent,” Colandrea said. “I think I know the offense at a high level. At the end of the day, you have to be able to execute it. I know everything. There are just some things I haven’t executed.”

Mullen believes there are reasons his quarterback has taken to the scheme so well.

Colandrea came in with the experience needed to start fast. He wasn’t some wide-eyed freshman. He understood the speed of the competition. He had played in big games. He was ready for the bright lights.

Colandrea is a mature player who can manage a game.

“He’s done a fantastic job,” Mullen said. “You see his growth. You give him one-on-one coverage, he’s probably going to take a shot downfield and give a guy a chance to make a play. But if they’re bracketing and doubling people, you see him check down and take what the defense gives you.

“And when he drops back and everyone is covered, look out. That might be when he’s at his best. He takes off and does special things. He’s hitting the holes he is supposed to hit when running the ball.”

The great ones

The last skill Mullen looks for when grading a quarterback may also be the most important.

Is a player calm and collected during a pure dropback? Can he make sure every protection check is perfect and go through every read in his progression?

“All the great ones can do that,” Mullen said. “And that takes a long time.”

It’s something Colandrea continues to work on. He talks often about his relationship with offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis, about how the two have formed a special bond over the course of the season.

“Coach Dennis knows so much football and has been with so many different offenses and quarterbacks,” Colandrea said. “It’s awesome to see his perspective on things each day. I always tell the offense that coach Dennis is going to call it and we just need to go out and execute it.

“This week in Utah State we play a really good football team. Big, fast up front. Make plays on the back end. It’s going to be a good challenge for us.”

Colandrea should be more than up for it.

The percentages — no matter who is grading — are on his side.

Contact Ed Graney at [email protected]. Follow @edgraney on X.