LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska fired offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen on Saturday morning, making an abrupt staff change one day after a 24-13 road defeat against Illinois marked the team’s fourth straight loss.
Head coach Matt Rhule announced the decision in a statement, naming co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas to handle play-calling duties for the rest of the year. The Cornhuskers, who opened the 2026 campaign with five straight victories, have fallen to 5-4 overall and 2-4 in Big Ten play.
“Like so many of you, I am angry, I am disappointed and I am frustrated with our results this season,” Rhule said. “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.”
Rhule added that while Holgorsen “has a fantastic offensive mind” and provided strong leadership, the unit’s recent performance demanded an immediate adjustment. “While there are many areas that need improvement, our offensive plan and execution is simply not working,” Rhule stated.
Sputtering attack prompts midseason shakeup
Holgorsen, a former head coach at West Virginia and Houston, initially arrived in Lincoln in late 2024 as a consultant before quickly moving into the coordinator role. Nebraska finished ninth in total offense across the Big Ten in 2025 and opened this season with high scoring outputs, topping 30 points in each of its first five games.
However, the offensive momentum collapsed once conference competition intensified, Yahoo Sports reported. During their current four-game slide against Indiana, Oregon, Washington and Illinois, the Huskers scored a combined total of only 54 points. Nebraska failed to generate more than 17 points in any contest during the skid, with three of those defeats decided by a single possession.
The offensive struggles were prominent during Friday’s loss in Champaign. Despite racking up 426 total yards, the Huskers converted those gains into points on just two of nine drives, according to the Associated Press. Over the last four weeks, Nebraska managed to score on only nine of 46 possessions.
Nebraska entered the weekend ranked 12th in the conference and 96th nationally in scoring during Big Ten matchups, averaging 22.2 points per contest, the AP reported. The ground game also slowed substantially, dropping from 246 rushing yards per game against nonconference opponents to 141 yards per outing in league play. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea has completed 61 percent of his passes with eight touchdowns and six interceptions across six Big Ten contests, tied for the conference lead with seven total interceptions on the year.
Looking ahead to bowl eligibility
Rhule had publicly defended Holgorsen just days earlier following scrutiny over play-calling in a 17-10 defeat to Washington. However, the recurring issues with penalties and execution against Illinois prompted the head coach to intervene with three regular-season contests remaining.
Thomas brings more than 20 years of coaching experience across the collegiate ranks and the NFL, having worked on Rhule’s Nebraska staff since 2024. Rhule indicated that further roster and staff reviews remain possible as the season winds down.
“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,” Rhule said.
Nebraska will travel to Piscataway, New Jersey, next Saturday to face Rutgers, needing one victory to secure bowl eligibility. A misstep would leave the Huskers facing an uphill battle to reach the postseason, with closing matchups scheduled against No. 12 Ohio State and No. 19 Iowa.
