Landon Keopple has spent years building an offense that can stress defenses from multiple angles, and that background is what makes him a real name to watch for Nebraska’s open offensive coordinator job.
His rise hasn’t come in a straight line. Keopple coordinated the offense at Division II Southern Arkansas for nine seasons, from 2011 through 2019, before joining GJ Kinne at Hawaii. He followed Kinne to Incarnate Word and then to Texas State, where his role kept growing.
After spending his first two seasons with the Bobcats in supporting roles, Keopple was promoted to offensive coordinator in January 2025 when Mack Leftwich left to join Joey McGuire’s staff at Texas Tech. Since then, he has handled the play-calling in an offense Kinne largely built, while also taking on more responsibility and helping shape how it continues to evolve.
The production has been loud. Texas State ranked fifth nationally in total offense in 2025 at 472.8 yards per game and 12th in scoring at 36.5 points. The Bobcats also finished 10th in rushing at 222.1 yards per game.
They’ve taken another step this season. Now in the Pac-12, Texas State is fourth nationally in total offense at 517 yards per game and 11th in scoring at 38.6 points.
For Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, the run game is the part that jumps off the page. Texas State is fifth nationally with 265.8 rushing yards per game and is also averaging 251.2 passing yards, which ranks 37th.
Keopple’s offense carries some of the same DNA as a veer-and-shoot system, using wide receiver alignments to stretch the field and open up running lanes. One of his calling cards is pre-snap motion, which he uses to shift defensive structure, force coverage tells and create matchups without changing the play itself.
That kind of flexibility matters for a Nebraska offense that needs to get better at creating advantages on its own.
Keopple has also shown he can develop quarterbacks. At Southern Arkansas, he coached Tyler Sykora, who earned multiple all-conference honors, and Barrett Renner, who was named the Great American Conference Freshman of the Year in 2015. His 2014 offense averaged 505.4 yards per game, good for 10th in Division II.
At Texas State last season, quarterback Brad Jackson picked up third-team All-Sun Belt honors while setting school records for completion percentage and passing efficiency. Receiver Beau Sparks was a first-team all-conference selection after catching 84 passes for 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Keopple’s resume reaches beyond his work with Kinne, which matters when trying to figure out how much of the current Texas State system he could make his own. The bigger questions are how much freedom he’d have to adjust it, which ideas are truly his, and how he’d handle the different defensive fronts he’d see in the Big Ten.
Nebraska would give him a bigger platform, more resources and a chance to prove himself at the Power Four level. With his experience, recent results and growing reputation, he’s a name worth serious attention.
In Other News...
Nebraskas OC Search May Reveal Matt Rhules Real Offensive Vision
Cris Reisert has emerged as a name to watch in Nebraskas search for its next offensive coordinator, and the fit makes sense on paper. He is currently Toledos offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and the Rockets attack has been among the nations best in both total offense and scoring. Before that, Reisert built a reputation as a head coach at Ohio Dominican, Tiffin and Gardner-Webb, where his teams won consistently and put points on the board.
For Matt Rhule, the hire would say plenty about where he wants the Cornhuskers offense to go after Dana Holgorsens firing. Nebraska needs more than a replacement, it needs a clear identity, and Reiserts background suggests a coach who has done more than just call plays. Whether Rhule sees him as the right answer is still the real question, but the profile fits the kind of offensive reset Nebraska is now chasing. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Fans Have A Real Reason To Watch Kendal Briles
The search for Nebraskas next offensive coordinator has started to widen after Matt Rhule fired Dana Holgorsen, and Kendal Briles is one name worth keeping on the radar. Briles brings a long track record at multiple Power Five programs, along with a reputation for building productive offenses and bringing a clear identity to an attack.
For Nebraska, the appeal is obvious: Rhule needs someone who can help stabilize and elevate the offense quickly. Briles background and offensive philosophy make him a logical fit for a program looking for answers, but for now it remains just that, a possibility, with no hiring or official interest confirmed. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Just Got A Huge Break In A Game Matt Rhule Needs
Rutgers will head into its matchup with Nebraska without one of its most dangerous pass-catchers, after wide receiver KJ Duff underwent season-ending high-ankle surgery. Duff had been a major part of the Scarlet Knights offense this season and had already built enough buzz to be viewed as a potential first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, so his loss changes the look of Rutgers in a meaningful way.
For Nebraska, the timing matters. Matt Rhules team is trying to stack wins and keep its momentum moving in the right direction, and facing Rutgers without Duff removes a proven weapon from the other sideline. It does not make the game easy, but it does give the Cornhuskers a little more breathing room as they prepare for a Big Ten test with plenty still on the line. [Read more 🡒]