After pursing him last offseason, Matt Rhule is adding former Houston and West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen to Nebraska’s coaching staff as an offensive consultant. Let’s break down what he would bring to Nebraska’s offense with three games left in the season.
Proven Developer
After leading Nebraska to a 5-1 start, freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola has hit a wall in his college career. In the past four games, the former five-star recruit has thrown six interceptions to just one touchdown. Luckily, Holgorsen can help him out of his slump in the program’s last three games. At each of his previous stops, the 53-year-old has helped develop elite talent at the quarterback position. This started at Texas Tech with Graham Harrell and continued with Houston’s Case Keenum. But most of his success as a coordinator would come at West Virginia. While there, he helped Geno Smith break records for the Mountaineers in passing yards, touchdowns, and total offense. Can he help out Raiola in the same manner? If Holgorsen becomes the offensive coordinator, his air-raid tendencies could complement Raiola’s passing ability. Co-offensive coordinator Glenn Thomas should also provide more insight. Before coming to Nebraska, he worked with Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons. He also helped lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to the AFC playoffs in 2023.
.@RaiolaDylan is a semifinalist for this year’s @shaunalexander Freshman of the Year Award 🏆 #GBR x @MaxwellFootball pic.twitter.com/xpX3XKY0EI
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) November 6, 2024
New Players
It’s time to change Nebraska’s offense. The experiment with Marcus Satterfield isn’t working. His total offense with the Cornhuskers is ranked 99th out of the 133 teams that are in the FBS. The program is also struggling to score in the endzone. It’s a shocking development, considering the transfer portal pieces that the Cornhuskers brought in. Jahmal Banks has only found the endzone twice as a Husker. Isaiah Neyor has been more successful at this, but the Texas native hasn’t been a consistent threat in NU’s passing attack. That distinction goes to Florida native Jacory Barney Jr. In his freshman season, he’s averaging eight yards per catch. He’s also found the endzone several times on jet sweeps. It will be interesting to see if Holgorsen would want to stick with this strategy. Or will he want to get other players open? If he does, Jaylen Lloyd and Thomas Fidone are options that he could utilize. They are used to the spotlight and have come up big against opponents before. The only downside is that the two players haven’t been consistent enough in 2024. Holgorsen is the type of coordinator who needs immediate production.
Marcus Satterfield’s Demotion
If the 48-year-old offensive coordinator doesn’t get Nebraska to bowl eligibility this season, it’s likely that Rhule will fire him after the Huskers get back from Kinnick Stadium. On the other hand, he could remain on staff in 2025. It wouldn’t be a popular decision, but it would be on-brand for Rhule. The two have worked together at several destinations, and he’s defended Satterfield on multiple occasions. But where will he land? This is hard to calculate, but we should expect him to assist the Huskers tight ends. He did good work with the unit in 2023, and he is familiar with Josh Martin’s players. He also helped Fidone reach his potential. In 2023, he led Nebraska’s offense in touchdowns and receiving yards. With his added expertise, Carter Nelson could eclipse those numbers. However, this will depend on if he allows the Ainsworth native to use his entire frame.
Read more about the Huskers’ struggles to find an identity on offense in Bye Week: What Do The Huskers Need To Change?
Energy In Recruiting
Holgorsen’s new role as Nebraska’s offensive consultant probably won’t include recruiting road trips. But, his arrival should bring a different energy to the Cornhuskers’ commits on offense. California native TJ Lateef will be developed by one of the best offensive minds in college football. The plan for St Louis running back Jamarion Parker is unclear, but he should pair well with Dante Dowdell in the backfield. And when Neyor and Banks leave, Lee’s Summit wideout Isaiah Mozee will have an opportunity to showcase his talents. Even though Nebraska is on a four-game losing streak, there are still playmakers that the Huskers have in their back pocket.
