Lincoln residents will see a new offensive direction for the Nebraska football team after head coach Matt Rhule announced the dismissal of offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen following a 24‑13 loss to Illinois in Week 10. The change was revealed at a media session on Monday at the Hawks Championship Center, according to KLKN.
Rhule expressed gratitude for Holgorsen’s contributions, stating, “I respect and appreciate Dana and the work that he’s done… I’m very, very grateful. But I feel like this is what we needed.” He added that the decision came as the Huskers seek to reverse a four‑game losing streak.
Quarterbacks coach and co‑offensive coordinator Glenn Thomas will assume play‑calling duties. Thomas’s coaching résumé dates back to 1998 as a student assistant at Texas Tech, his first offensive coordinator role arriving in 2005 with Midwestern State, and subsequent stints in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers, as well as positions at Arizona State and UNLV. He previously served alongside Rhule as co‑offensive coordinator at Baylor in 2019.
Rhule highlighted the upcoming opponent, noting that Rutgers presents a defense “fairly similar to our defense in that they are a 4‑3 quarter‑based defense” and that the Scarlet Knights are built to stop the run and limit explosive plays. He reminded fans that Nebraska holds a perfect 6‑0 record against Rutgers.
Rutgers enters Saturday’s contest with a 2‑7 overall record and 1‑5 in Big Ten play, having lost 31‑10 to Wisconsin in Week 10. The Scarlet Knights have averaged 363.1 yards per game while allowing 411.9 yards, and they concede an average of 32.44 points per contest. Their offense has been split between quarterbacks A.J. Surace (823 yards, eight touchdowns, five interceptions) and Dylan Lonergan (1,066 yards, ten touchdowns, six interceptions). Wide receiver K.J. Duff leads the team with 45 receptions for 774 yards and nine touchdowns, while tailback Antwan Raymond averages 87.7 rushing yards per game.
On defense, Rutgers’ Sekou Kromah leads with three sacks, and both Walker Moses and Bradlee Jones have recorded two interceptions each.
For Nebraska, the promotion of Thomas offers an opportunity to revive the offense that averaged 43.6 points per game during the Huskers’ 5‑0 start. Analysts Nick Eriksen and Will Charlton have projected Nebraska victories of 28‑7 and 20‑3, respectively.
What’s next: Nebraska will face Rutgers on Saturday at Lincoln’s Memorial Stadium. Fans can watch the game live on local television and follow post‑game coverage from KLKN for updates on the new offensive strategy.
Sources: klkntv.com
