Nebraska has fired offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, the program announced Saturday, less than a day after a 24-13 loss to Illinois extended the Cornhuskers’ losing streak to four games.
Head coach Matt Rhule confirmed the move in a statement, pointing to the team’s struggling offense as the reason for the change.
“While there are many areas that need improvement, our offensive plan and execution is simply not working,” Rhule said. “But simply, we need a change.”
Glenn Thomas, who had been serving as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, will take over play-calling for the remainder of the season.
The decision marks a sharp turnaround for Rhule, who had publicly defended Holgorsen just days earlier. At his Monday press conference, Rhule called Holgorsen “one of the best offensive minds of our generation.” The loss to Illinois on Friday changed that.
A Season That Fell Apart
Nebraska opened the season 5-0, scoring at least 31 points in each of those games. Since then, the offense has stalled badly. The Cornhuskers have failed to reach 20 points in any of their last four games — losses to Indiana, Oregon, Washington and Illinois — averaging just 13.5 points per game over that stretch.
The team now sits at 5-4 overall and 2-4 in Big Ten play.
Holgorsen joined Nebraska’s staff in 2024, taking over play-calling for the final four games of that season before continuing in the role for the following two years. Before arriving in Lincoln, he spent eight seasons as head coach at West Virginia and five at Houston, compiling a combined record of 92-69.
Nebraska will host Rutgers next Saturday before closing out the regular season against Ohio State and Iowa.
