Dana Holgorsen likes what Nebraska’s offense has put on tape through two weeks, but he’s not pretending everything is finished.
The Huskers are sitting 14th nationally in yards per game and second in the Big Ten in that category, a strong early return for an attack that has started to look like the kind of unit Holgorsen wants. Still, when he met with reporters Tuesday, the offensive coordinator made clear there’s plenty he wants sharpened before Nebraska sees sixth-ranked North Dakota on the FCS side.
One area that drew his attention right away was efficiency. Anthony Colandrea opened the year by completing just 56% of his passes against Ohio on Sept. 5, then turned around and delivered a much cleaner night in Nebraska’s 56-7 win over Bowling Green. Colandrea went 20 for 24 for 222 yards and four touchdowns, and Holgorsen said he was pleased with both Colandrea and TJ Lateef throwing the ball accurately.
“I thought the completion percentage should be higher and it was,” he said. “So, (I’m) happy with that.”
He also pointed to the Huskers’ yards-per-play figure as a sign the offense is moving in the right direction. According to Holgorsen, it was Nebraska’s best mark since he took over play-calling in November 2024. “I think we ended up at like 8.4 or something like that.”
The offensive line, though, still gave him pause. Through the first two games, Pro Football Focus has charged Nebraska’s protection with five quarterback hurries, three quarterback hits, and two sacks. Holgorsen didn’t sugarcoat that part.
“Anthony got hit a few too many times,” Holgorsen said.
Even with that, Nebraska still piled up 546 yards of offense in Week 2, and the part Holgorsen liked most was how often the Huskers stayed out of trouble on the money downs. On 69 offensive snaps, they only had eight third-down chances.
“The thing I liked more than anything was the lack of critical downs,” he said. “We did a really nice job of converting on second down.”
Jacory Barney Jr. has been one of the early bright spots. The junior receiver has 204 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns through two games, but two potential touchdowns have also come off the board because of blocking-related penalties. Holgorsen made it sound like that’s getting addressed in a hurry.
“We'll probably do a few drills this week to emphasize that,” Holgorsen said. "I'm tired of touchdowns coming off the board."
The passing game hasn’t been driven only by the receivers, either. Nebraska’s running backs have become a real part of the aerial attack, accounting for 185 of the team’s 557 passing yards and three of its eight passing touchdowns. Mekhi Nelson is Nebraska’s second-leading receiver, which only reinforced Holgorsen’s comfort level with that group.
“They've all (Husker running backs) done some good things in the passing game,” Holgorsen said. “I don't know what the stats are or anything like that, but I feel comfortable with all three of those guys in there... It certainly helps having those guys as a threat.”
Screen passes have been a big piece of that production, and Holgorsen said he probably needs to call more of them because, in his view, they keep working. He also praised both the receivers and the offensive line for getting after defenders downfield and sustaining blocks long after the catch.
On Nelson’s touchdown catch against Ohio, Holgorsen described a play that showed up all over the film. “15, 20 yards down the field, there's four receivers locked on to four defensive backs.” That, he said, is part of how Nebraska is creating explosive plays.
Still, one receiver hasn’t seen much of the ball: Nyziah Hunter. Nebraska has averaged nearly 7.5 yards per play through two games, but Hunter’s statistical impact has been limited, and Holgorsen was direct when asked about it.
“I think we have a collection of kids that, one, deserve the ball, but two, feel like they want the ball to help the team win.”
Then he turned the challenge back on Hunter.
He told him to “go be a great player,” and said that starts in practice. “If you want the ball more, then be a better player,” he continued.
“Be a great player. And Nyziah is a great player, but I need to see a little more of that.”
Holgorsen closed by turning to North Dakota, and he didn’t sound interested in treating the matchup like a formality. The Fighting Hawks are ranked sixth nationally in the FCS, and Holgorsen pointed to the way FCS teams can show up with real bite.
“There are examples every year of FCS teams playing their tails off,” he said. “I think it's even more motivating for those kids with transfer portal stuff... They have an opportunity to play at this level, then they want to show that they can play at this level.”
He added, “Each and every one of those kids is going to come in here with that mindset and mentality,” before warning that pairing that attitude with a program that knows how to win can create “a dangerous situation.”
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