Nebraska Fires Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen After Fourth Straight Loss

“Like so many of you, I am angry, I am disappointed and I am frustrated with our results this season,” Nebraska head football coach Matt Rhule said in a...

“Like so many of you, I am angry, I am disappointed and I am frustrated with our results this season,” Nebraska head football coach Matt Rhule said in a statement released on Saturday.

The decision to relieve offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen of his duties follows Nebraska’s fourth straight loss, a 24-13 defeat to Illinois on Friday night. The team has scored 17 points or fewer in four consecutive games.

Rhule noted that while Holgorsen possesses a fantastic offensive mind and serves as a strong leader, the offensive plan and execution are simply not working. Co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas will take over play-calling duties.

Nebraska Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen fired, HC Matt Rhule says

Frustration among the fan base had been building since a 17-10 loss to Washington on Halloween during a blackout at Memorial Stadium, marking the team’s third-straight loss. Following that game, Rhule addressed a weekly press conference with a 20-minute monologue and moved Holgorsen up to the coach’s box for a calmer environment.

Despite those adjustments, the offense struggled against Illinois and Washington, teams that both rank outside the top 10 in the conference in points allowed per game. National media experts at On3 held an “emergency” live stream following Friday’s loss to discuss the direction of the program and Rhule’s status.

Nebraska has fired offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. Statement from coach Matt Rhule: “Like so many of you, I am angry, I am disappointed and I am frustrated with our results this season. As the head coach, I am ultimately responsible for every aspect of our…”

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Holgorsen coordinated the offense starting toward the end of the 2024 season, taking over for Marcus Satterfield, and helped guide Nebraska to its first bowl game in seven seasons. After quarterback Dylan Raiola suffered a season-ending injury and subsequently transferred, the team brought in Anthony Colandrea via the transfer portal for the 2026 season.

Colandrea started strong as the team went 5-0 against three smaller schools and two Big Ten teams at the bottom of the standings, but his turnover numbers have since climbed while overall offensive production dropped.

Rhule stated that he will continue evaluating the program throughout the remainder of the season and at its conclusion, making any additional changes necessary to help the team win. Nebraska is scheduled to hold a weekly press conference on Monday before traveling to face Rutgers next Saturday.