Nebraska Fires Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen

Nebraska needed change; Matt Rhule agreed.

Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen was fired Saturday, a day after the Huskers' fourth consecutive loss. Nebraska has scored just 54 points during that month-long skid, including Friday night's 24-13 loss at Illinois.

The move marks the first coaching staff change Nebraska has made in 2026, though it's far from the first of the Rhule era, now in its fourth season.

“Like so many of you, I am angry, I am disappointed and I am frustrated with our results this season," Rhule said in a statement released Saturday morning. "As the head coach, I am ultimately responsible for every aspect of our program—including wins and losses—and it is my responsibility to make changes when they are warranted.

“While there are many areas that need improvement, our offensive plan and execution is simply not working. Earlier today, I relieved offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen of his duties. As I have recently shared, Dana has a fantastic offensive mind, he is a strong leader, and he has done great work here at Nebraska. But simply, we need a change."

Dana Holgorsen watches warmups before the game against the Michigan Wolverines. — Dana Holgorsen joined the staff in November 2024. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Holgorsen joined Rhule's staff late in the 2024 season. His first game calling plays for the Big Red came against USC, where Nebraska scored 20 points in a loss on the road before putting up 44 against Wisconsin at home. The Huskers then scored a combined 30 points against Iowa and Boston College to close out the season before entering 2025 with Holgorsen in a full-time role.

GET READY TO COMPETE

Pick your champion (you can change it later). We’ll email you when brackets open.

No purchase necessary. 50 U.S./D.C. 18+. Entry opens 3PM ET Dec 6, 2026 and closes 8PM ET Dec 18, 2026. Void where prohibited.See for complete details. The College Football Playoff (CFP) is not a sponsor or administrator of this contest.

NU finished ninth in the Big Ten in total offense last fall, averaging 370.5 yards and 28.7 points per game. Through nine games in 2026, the Huskers have averaged 425.0 yards and 30.2 points per game. However, those numbers are inflated by a non-conference schedule that didn't include a power conference opponent.

Nebraska quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas during practice — Quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas will take over play-calling duties. | Nebraska Athletics

Co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas will call the offensive plays for the remainder of the year, Rhule said. Thomas, who has more than two decades of coaching experience at the collegiate and NFL levels, has been on Nebraska's staff since 2024.

Rhule made it clear in his statement that further changes could be made.

“I will continue to evaluate our program through the season and certainly at its conclusion and make additional changes where I believe they will help us win,” he said.

Nebraska will head to Piscataway, New Jersey to take on Rutgers next Saturday. The Scarlet Knights have the 17th-ranked defensive unit in the Big Ten, prior to their matchup with Wisconsin this afternoon.

Rutgers is currently 2-6 (1-5 Big Ten). Their lone conference win was against Maryland, 37-30. Kickoff time for the Huskers is set for 11:30 a.m. Central, with a BTN telecast.

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, following us on Twitter/X, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.

Add us as a preferred source on Google