The Battle for Vegas: Inside UNLV’s Most Watched QB Competition in Years

Spring ball is in the books, and summer workouts are heating up. While Dan Mullen might talk about “camaraderie” and “team culture” in front of the mic, don’t get it twisted. This quarterback battle is real. It’s high-stakes, national, and might shape the entire Group of Five season.

Anthony Colandrea vs. Alex Orji. Two Power Four transfers. Two wildly different skill sets. This is one of college football's most fascinating QB competitions this offseason.

Let’s break down what’s happening at Rebel Park and why the winner of this job might lead the nation in rushing touchdowns by the time 2025 is done.

Two Transfers, Two Blueprints

Dan Mullen didn’t come to Las Vegas to run a passive offense. He came to put stress on defenses and quarterbacks, driving that train.

Anthony Colandrea, the junior from Virginia, has the numbers. Over two seasons at UVA, he racked up 4,000+ yards passing, 26 touchdowns, and completed 62% of his passes across 17 starts. He also threw 20 picks, which tells you exactly who he is: a high-variance gunslinger. He’ll take shots. He’ll give you chances to win big games. But he’ll provide defenses with a few, too.

Colandrea’s also more mobile than people realize. He ran the ball 128 times last season. Not electric, but functional. He’s a willing runner; that’s half the battle in this system.

Then there’s Alex Orji, the former Michigan quarterback with freak athleticism and a ceiling that still feels undefined. Orji only threw 17 career passes for the Wolverines, but that’s not what caught Mullen’s attention. It’s the 392 rushing yards, four touchdowns, and the raw, uncoached violence he brings when he tucks it and runs. He’s built like a linebacker, moves like a tailback, and plays like a joystick.

Ask around Rebel Park and you’ll hear the same thing: Orji is different. Coaches are raving about his work ethic, leadership, and development curve. Private QB coach Quincy Avery, who trains Jalen Hurts and C.J. Stroud, said Orji’s mentality and physical gifts make him a potential star, once the mechanics click.

The Mullen System: A Factory for Dual-Threat Monsters

Let’s be clear: Dan Mullen’s QBs don’t just run, they score.

This is the guy who turned:

And that was all in the SEC.

Now drop that system into the Mountain West, against thinner defenses and smaller fronts? It’s game over. Whoever wins this UNLV QB job could legitimately challenge for the national lead in QB rushing touchdowns, not hypothetically. Actually.

Who Fits the Mold?

Colandrea is the more polished passer, so there is no debate. He has pocket command, rhythm, and better feel in the quick game. He’s also confident and vocal. “Coach Mullen is the man,” he told the media this spring. “My goal is learning this offense at a high level, fast.”

Orji? He’s betting on tools. He’s the high-ceiling lottery ticket. He’s raw, but if Mullen’s staff can clean up his footwork and simplify his reads, it’s not hard to imagine Orji doing Fitzgerald numbers in this offense by midseason. Even Michigan’s strength coach Ben Herbert said Orji’s natural leadership was so strong that “if [Orji] says, ‘Let’s go,’ you follow.”

You don’t hear that about many backups.

The Timeline

With UNLV opening against Idaho State in Week 0, there’s no reason to tip your hand early. Expect both QBs to see snaps against the Bengals and maybe again next week against Sam Houston.

But it'll be go time once UCLA comes to Allegiant Stadium in Week 2. That’s the first real test, and the staff will want its true QB1 ready.

What’s at Stake?

This is about more than a depth chart. UNLV’s quarterback room could be the most statistically explosive in the country this fall, and the winner could end up in the national spotlight.

Just last season, Hajj-Malik Williams came out of nowhere to rush for 11 touchdowns. Dan Mullen wasn’t even in the building yet.

Now he is. History says that when Mullen has a quarterback with legs, he runs them into the end zone. Over. And over.

My Pick (For Now)

If the season started today, I’d still bet on Anthony Colandrea.

He’s just further along. He’s made 17 starts. He’s faced pressure. He’s seen live bullets. And in a new offense, that composure matters.

But don’t be surprised if Orji makes a push by midseason. He’s the one who fits the “Tebow/Prescott/Fitzgerald” archetype. If he cleans up the mechanics, this thing gets scary.

Final Word

UNLV hasn’t had this much quarterback talent in a long time. The fan base knows it. The players feel it. And Dan Mullen? He’s loving every second of it.

This is the quarterback battle everyone should be watching, not just because of who wins but also because of what the winner becomes.

Whoever wins is going to score touchdowns. A lot of them. Maybe more than anyone in America.

Buckle up. It’s gonna be a show in Vegas.

– STAMP IT.