'Got Outplayed, Got Outcoached': Husker Coordinators Reflect on Minnesota Loss

Nebraska's coordinators were frank with the media on Tuesday.

Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen said the team got "outplayed" and "outcoached" Friday night in Minneapolis.

"They beat us everywhere," Holgorsen said. "I worry about offense and what we gotta do. Obviously, it wasn't good enough.

"We've played good offense this year. We know what it needs to look like. It just didn't look like it."

One of the areas that hurt the Huskers on Friday, and has been an issue all season, is allowing pressures on the quarterback. Minnesota set a program record with nine sacks in the game.

"We had this conversation a couple weeks ago," Holgorsen said. "Receivers gotta run faster to get to their spots. Obviously, O-line's gotta protect better. Dylan (Raiola)'s gotta be comfortable in the pocket."

Dylan Raiola was sacked nine times Friday at Minnesota. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Raiola has been sacked 25 times this season, with 22 of those sacks coming across four Big Ten Conference contests.

"He's gotta do a better job in the pocket. I gotta get him in better plays that are quicker," Holgorsen said.

An area that Holgorsen said can help with getting Raiola comfortable and helping the offense as a whole is establishing the run.

"We weren't awful in the run game," Holgorsen said. "I did a better job in the first half of running the ball. I gotta do a better job in the second half, coming out of halftime, of running the ball. We hit four or five different runs on them that looked pretty good, but need to do it more."

Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Kerry Brown tackles Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Emmett Johnson. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator John Butler said he wanted to call the game against Minnesota differently than what he ended up doing. Head coach Matt Rhule called the scheme "too vanilla."

"I think he's referencing the fact that I didn't call the game as aggressively as I had planned," Butler said. "We started off pretty strong the first two drives; got into a decent rhythm. Then, after that explosive run, that probably affected me more than it should, and it shouldn't.

"Every play has its own life. So what happens on the next play is not about what has happened on the previous play. I've got to stick to the plan."

For the second straight week, the Blackshirts failed to get a takeaway in the game. Butler said the two ways takeaways happen are through "dominant contact to the ball carrier" and "affecting and hitting the quarterback."

"I have to do a better job of designing things and calling things that are going to do that," Butler said. "I think the takeaways will come as we get that accomplished."

Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule and Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck shake hands after the game. — Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule and Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck shake hands after the game at Huntington Bank Stadium. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Both coordinators were asked about Rhule's Monday comments, where Rhule said there were some assistants questioning why he was so high on Minnesota all week.

"I told the team the entire week that this was a tough, physical team and this would be a battle," Rhule said Monday. "I had even assistant coaches like, 'man, why are you keep crowning them?'"

"The other day, offensively, the production wasn't there and that's what I'm responsible for," Holgorsen said. "I gotta take that. I respect Minnesota. I respect P.J. Fleck. I think they got a great program.

"It's just, it's college football. People have games like this. It's how you respond."

"I can only speak for myself in that there's never been a fight that I've been afraid to be a part of or not willing to participate in," Butler said. "We've got to get that message across to our players better.

"I don't disagree with what coach said. It's our responsibility to carry out that message and make sure those things don't happen again."

You can watch the full media session from Tuesday below. Continue scrolling for more coverage.

Coverage

Husker247 | After a weekend that included a players-only meeting, Raiola sees eagerness in teammates to get it fixed
Husker247 | Hits from Holgorsen: On getting the ball out quick, Rocco and the right guard reps, and the Wildcats challenge
Husker247 | Butler, Husker defense looking to move on and respond with aggression
Omaha World-Herald* | Holgorsen talks offensive woes and O-line tweaks with Northwestern next
Omaha World-Herald* | John Butler: 'Sheep' moment transformed Nebraska's aggressive gameplan into vanilla
Omaha World-Herald* | Spindler draws praise for quick return after finger injury
Lincoln Journal Star* | New Blackshirt alert: Redshirt freshman DB joins the crew
HuskerOnline* | Tuesday nuggets: Huskers hope to answer Rhule's challenge vs. Northwestern
HuskerOnline* | Coordinator report: Rhule's critiques seem to hit home with assistants

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Nebraska Football 2025 Schedule

Aug. 28 Nebraska 20, Cincinnati 17
Sep. 6 Nebraska 68, Akron 0
Sep. 13 Nebraska 59, Houston Christian 7
Sep. 20 Michigan 30, Nebraska 27
Oct. 4 Nebraska 38, Michigan State 27
Oct. 11 Nebraska 34, Maryland 31
Oct. 17 Minnesota 24, Nebraska 6
Oct. 25 vs. Northwestern 11 a.m. FS1
Nov. 1 vs. USC 6:30 p.m. NBC
Nov. 8 at UCLA TBA
Nov. 22 at Penn State TBA
Nov. 28 (Black Friday) vs. Iowa 11 a.m. CBS

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