LINCOLN, Neb. — Dana Holgorsen is in for Nebraska as offensive coordinator for the final three games of the regular season, starting Saturday at USC, coach Matt Rhule said on Monday.
Holgorsen, the former West Virginia and Houston head coach, arrived at Nebraska last week as an offensive consultant. He agreed to take control of the offense as play caller after observing the Huskers’ operation on Monday and Tuesday.
“It’s probably unique,” Rhule said. “But it’s what we needed. It’s the right thing.”
Holgorsen, 53, had been working as an analyst with TCU this season after his firing from Houston last November. He replaces Marcus Satterfield, the OC for all 21 games with the Huskers for Rhule. Satterfield will remain with Nebraska this month and continue to coach tight ends, Rhule said.
Nebraska has struggled offensively, ranking 96th nationally in yards per game and 99th in scoring. It has averaged 18 points in six Big Ten games and sits at 5-4 overall (2-4 in the league) after a bye week that followed consecutive losses against Indiana, Ohio State and UCLA.
The Huskers have not scored more than 14 points in any of their 11 losses under Rhule.
Holgorsen is a disciple of Mike Leach in the air raid system. His teams at Houston and West Virginia scored 33.5 points per game over 13 seasons.
Rhule described him as a “great offensive mind.”
The Huskers will not change their pro-style offensive system in short order, Rhule said. Instead, Rhule hopes Holgorsen can help Nebraska simplify its approach and focus on its strengths.
“He gives us a fresh perspective in what we’re doing and who we’re doing it with,” Rhule said.
Nebraska will visit USC with questions at quarterback. True freshman Dylan Raiola, the five-star talent who has started every game, is working to come back from a back injury suffered in the fourth quarter against UCLA.
Rhule said he expected Raiola would attempt to practice on Tuesday and that Nebraska would prepare Raiola and junior backup Heinrich Haarberg to play against the Trojans.
The second-year coach said he would like to keep Holgorsen in a play-calling role at Nebraska in 2025, but Rhule stressed that he made the move in a bid to produce winning results this season. The Huskers started 5-1 but hit snags in working to end their seven-year bowl drought, the longest among Power 4 programs.
“I don’t want to speak for coach Holgorsen,” Rhule said. “But I don’t think he would put his name on this and come here and do this if he didn’t feel like there were guys here that he could help win with and we could grow.”
Nebraska closes the season against Wisconsin on Nov. 23 and at Iowa on Nov. 29.
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(Photo of Dana Holgorsen: Maria Lysaker / USA Today)
