Three Key Takeaways from Nebraska’s 2025 Offense

Progress made, problems exposed. Three takeaways from Nebraska’s 2025 offense and what’s next.

Nebraska offensive coordinator, Dana Holgorsen, who led a Husker unit that averaged 29.3 points per game in his first full year at the position. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Nebraska’s offense showed clear signs of progress in 2025, even if it wasn’t the breakthrough many hoped for. In Dana Holgorsen’s first full year calling plays, the Huskers climbed out of the bottom tier nationally and delivered a more balanced, competitive attack. Scoring improved, efficiency ticked upward, and the passing game took a meaningful step forward.

Still, the same inconsistencies that defined much of the last decade didn’t disappear entirely. Nebraska struggled to run the ball with reliability, finished near the middle of the Big Ten in most major categories, and often failed to match the physicality required to win games late in the year. A 7–5 finish marked growth but also revealed a ceiling that the Huskers must break through if they want to contend in 2026.

This article breaks down the three key takeaways from Nebraska’s 2025 offense — what improved, what held the unit back, and where the next jump must come from moving forward.

Nebraska quarterback, Dylan Raiola, who totaled 2,000 passing yards and 18 touchdowns through nine games in his sophomore season. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

What Improved

Nebraska’s biggest offensive leap in 2025 came through the air. Under Holgorsen, the Huskers transformed from a bottom-tier passing operation into one of the most efficient attacks in the Big Ten. After completing 66% of their passes in 2024, Nebraska jumped to a 70% clip this fall, the program’s best single-season mark in more than a decade. That efficiency didn’t just pad the stat sheet; it kept drives alive, sustained rhythm, and finally gave the offense a reliable foundation in critical moments.

A major part of that evolution was the play of sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola. Before he suffered a season-ending injury, Raiola had Nebraska tracking toward surpassing 3,000 passing yards and roughly 25 touchdowns, production that would have eclipsed anything the Huskers had put together since the Mike Riley era. His command, accuracy, and poise elevated the entire unit, and even with less than a full season on display, the sophomore's trajectory offered a glimpse of what Holgorsen envisions this offense becoming.

Behind Raiola’s precision and growth, Nebraska’s passing attack finally looked modern, structured, and dangerous, at times. Explosive plays increased, throws to all three levels opened up more consistently, and the offense’s identity shifted away from what looked like pulling teeth in years of old to something more fruitful in 2025. Even after Raiola went down, the early-season gains held enough weight to show how transformative the position had become under new leadership.

Nebraska running back, Emmett Johnson, who totaled 1,821 all-purpose yards in 2025. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Nebraska also saw meaningful improvement on the ground, particularly in overall efficiency. After averaging just 3.8 yards per carry in 2024, the Huskers bumped that number to 4.2 in 2025, a modest increase on paper, but a significant stride in practicality. The rushing attack was more balanced, more explosive, and far more capable of complementing the passing game rather than dragging it backward.

Emmett Johnson was the engine behind that renaissance. In one of the most impressive individual seasons ever produced by a Nebraska running back, Johnson totaled 1,821 yards of offense and 15 touchdowns while averaging 6.1 yards per touch. He became Nebraska’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Devine Ozigbo in 2018 and spent the back half of the year flirting with legitimate Heisman consideration. His acceleration, vision, and durability carried the offense through stretches where little else was working.

Johnson’s breakout also provided something Nebraska had lacked for years: a true, every-down playmaker, who forced defensive coordinators to commit extra bodies to the box. When paired with Raiola’s efficiency, the Huskers finally showcased the blueprint for a modernized, balanced offense. While the unit wasn’t perfect, the foundational improvements at quarterback and running back marked real, tangible progress as Nebraska heads toward 2026.

And while doubts surrounding Nebraska's ability to keep those playmakers in Lincoln next fall have surfaced, it was encouraging to see athletes of that caliber on the Huskers' roster this season.

Nebraska's offensive line who surrendered 30 sacks in 12 games this fall. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Where Nebraska Fell Short

Nebraska’s offense showed signs of growth in 2025, but several recurring issues consistently limited how far the unit could go. The most glaring problem was pass protection. The Huskers surrendered 30 sacks in 12 games, an increase from the 28 allowed in 13 games the year prior, and the pressure not only stalled drives but altered the rhythm of every quarterback who stepped on the field.

The low point came in Minneapolis, where Nebraska gave up nine sacks in a single game. It was the kind of performance that can, and likely did, derail the entire season, and it highlighted how far the offensive line still has to go before the Huskers can operate a consistent, explosive attack. While there were brief stretches of improvement, particularly toward the end of the season, the overall picture showed an offense that struggled to protect its most important player.

TJ Lateef’s late-season run provided a small bright spot. He was sacked three times in three starts, and his mobility helped mask some of the offensive line’s flaws. Even so, relying on a quarterback’s escapability isn’t a sustainable model, just ask Adrian Martinez. If Nebraska doesn’t take a meaningful step forward up front this offseason, the risks are obvious: more quarterback injuries, limited downfield passes, and even the very real possibility of Raiola reconsidering his future if the protection issues aren't promised to be addressed.

Dylan Raiola is helped off the field after being injured against the Southern California Trojans. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Beyond pass protection, red-zone efficiency was another area that repeatedly cost Nebraska points. Far too often, the Huskers were forced to settle for field goals in situations where touchdowns could have changed the outcome of games. Missed opportunities at the goal line and stalled drives inside the 20 became a defining theme throughout the year.

A big part of those struggles came from Nebraska’s fourth-and-short failures. The Huskers were aggressive in those moments, but the offensive line and tight ends frequently failed to create enough push to extend drives. Compounding the issue was the choice to rely heavily on fade routes near the goal line, low-percentage throws that rarely produced results and often killed promising possessions.

In a season filled with games against more physical teams, these shortcomings made a clear difference. Whether it was a sack that derailed a drive or a red-zone possession that ended without points, Nebraska repeatedly put itself in difficult positions. Cleaning up these areas will be essential if the Huskers want to raise their offensive ceiling and position themselves as a legitimate Big Ten threat heading into 2026.

Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen overlooks the offense at the Big Red Preview. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

What Nebraska Needs in 2026

While Nebraska climbed 23 spots in total offense under Holgorsen, the Huskers were still limited by issues that repeatedly capped their ceiling. Putting up 728 yards against Akron showed the potential of his scheme, but giving up more sacks than points against Minnesota underscored the reality: until the protection improves, this offense can only go so far.

Little of the blame falls on Holgorsen himself. He was given just one offseason to reshape the roster, and in many ways, he maximized what he had. But heading into year two, both he and Matt Rhule must be willing to make difficult decisions. Up front, personnel changes and developmental leaps aren’t optional; they’re foundational if Nebraska wants to take the next step.

Improving red-zone efficiency is equally essential. But arguably the most important piece of the 2026 puzzle is retaining the offensive playmakers who drove this year’s progress. Emmett Johnson is likely NFL-bound, yet Raiola, Barney, Hunter, Lindenmeyer, and several key offensive linemen are all in position to return. Keeping them in Lincoln should be the staff’s top priority. After that, the resources Rhule has openly said Nebraska now has must be invested where they matter most.

Nebraska wide receiver Dane Key tries to reel in a pass from TJ Lateef. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

For too long, Nebraska coaches have spent offseasons talking about new weapons, only to watch those players get neutralized by inconsistent line play. If Johnson does leave, it may be some time before the Huskers have another back capable of turning nothing into something the way he did. That makes the path forward even clearer.

Everything starts up front. Developing the linemen already in the program and supplementing them with instant-impact transfers has to define this offseason. The 2026 schedule, featuring Indiana, Oregon, Ohio State and more, will test Nebraska at its core. The Huskers won’t survive those battles on skill position talent alone.

Still, this isn’t a program without direction. Nebraska has back-to-back winning seasons, more than capable players already on its roster, a head coach with a clear plan, and a coordinator who’s already shown he can elevate the unit. With the right moves this winter, the Huskers can take another meaningful step forward. And for the first time in a long time, Nebraska’s trajectory suggests that belief is more than just optimism; it’s realistic.

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