Rhule brings in Holgorsen as “another set of eyes” to find a way to add spark to the Nebraska offense

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Former Houston and West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen is working with the Nebraska staff to help the Cornhuskers improve the output of their struggling offense, the school confirmed Tuesday.

The Cornhuskers (5-4, 2-4) have averaged just 18.3 points and 320 yards per game against Big Ten opponents under second-year offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield. They have lost three in a row and have an open date this week. They visit Southern California on November 16th.

ESPN reported, citing unnamed sources, that Nebraska coach Matt Rhule is hiring Holgorsen as an offensive advisor.

Keith Mann, Nebraska's director of media relations, told The Associated Press in a text that Holgorsen was in Lincoln. He did not confirm his formal appointment. Mann described Holgorsen's role as “a different set of eyes.”

Rhule said at his press conference Monday that he would bring in outside football players to help the staff find ways to optimize the offense.

“One of the first things I'm doing this week is I have a lot of friends in the industry and some people from the outside came to me and told me what they saw,” he said. “In my story, one of the best things you can do is look at it with new eyes.”

The 53-year-old Holgorsen has earned a reputation as a developer of highly productive offenses through his work for Mike Leach at Texas Tech and Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State.

Holgorsen was Houston's coach for 31 to 28 years from 2019 to 2023 and at West Virginia for 61 to 41 years from 2011 to 2018.

Holgorsen also served as an offensive consultant at TCU this season.

The Huskers average just 4.69 yards per play in conference games, the worst mark in the Big Ten next to Northwestern's 4.49.

Freshman Dylan Raiola, the Huskers' highest-ranked recruit in program history, has thrown five touchdown passes and seven interceptions in six Big Ten games. His passing efficiency rating is the lowest in the conference as he completed less than half of his attempts against Rutgers on October 5th.

The ground game also struggled, averaging 101 yards per game against conference opponents.

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