Lincoln, Neb. – In a press conference at the Hawks Championship Center on Monday, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule explained the decision to part ways with offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen following the Huskers’ 24‑13 loss to Illinois in Week 10. Rhule praised Holgorsen’s contributions, saying, “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.”
Glenn Thomas takes over play‑calling duties
Quarterbacks coach and co‑offensive coordinator Glenn Thomas will now assume responsibility for calling plays. Thomas brings a résumé that stretches back to 1998, when he served as a student assistant at Texas Tech. He earned his first offensive coordinator role in 2005 with Midwestern State and later held positions with the Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona State and UNLV. Thomas also worked with Rhule at Baylor in 2019, giving the pair a proven collaborative history.
Preparing for Rutgers
With the Huskers now turning their focus to a Saturday contest against a 2‑7 Rutgers squad, Rhule highlighted the similarities between the two defenses. “They’re fairly similar to our defense in that they are a 4‑3, quarter‑based defense,” he said. “They have altered their DNA as the years gone on, but they are built to stop the run and limit explosive plays.” Historically, Nebraska holds a perfect 6‑0 record over the Scarlet Knights.
Rutgers overview
Rutgers enters the game with a 2‑7 overall record and a 1‑5 mark in Big Ten play. Their lone victory came against Maryland, and they are coming off a 31‑10 loss at Wisconsin. Against the Badgers, Rutgers managed 255 total yards, converted only 4 of 13 third‑down attempts, and allowed five sacks. The Scarlet Knights have rotated two quarterbacks this season: 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 receiving corps with 45 catches for 774 yards and nine touchdowns, while tailback Antwan Raymond averages 87.7 rushing yards per game.
Statistical contrast
Rutgers averages 363.1 yards per game while surrendering 411.9 yards to opponents, and they allow an average of 32.44 points per contest. Defensively, senior Sekou Kromah leads the team with three sacks, and both Walker Moses and Bradlee Jones have recorded two interceptions each.
What Nebraska hopes to achieve
Rhule believes Thomas’s promotion offers a promising opportunity to revitalize the Huskers’ offense and return to the high‑scoring form that produced a 43.6‑point average during the team’s 5‑0 start. The coaching change underscores the administration’s commitment to putting the program back on a winning trajectory for the remainder of the season.
Game predictions
Local analysts Nick Eriksen and Will Charlton both project a Nebraska victory, with scores of 28‑7 and 20‑3 respectively.
For fans who missed the press conference, a full video of Matt Rhule’s remarks is available on the station’s website.
Original reporting: KLKN-TV – News, Weather and Sports for Lincoln, Nebraska — read the source article.
