Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule met with the media on Friday following practice, and while bowl prep is underway, Rhule was focused on something bigger: building a cohesive, forward-thinking coaching staff on both sides of the ball. From the offensive brain trust to the defensive rebuild under new coordinator Rob Aurich, Rhule offered a candid look at how the Huskers are shaping their identity heading into a pivotal stretch.
Offensive Collaboration: Holgorsen Leads, but It’s a Team Effort
Rhule laid out the offensive structure with clarity, emphasizing that while Dana Holgorsen is the man with the play sheet, the operation is far from a one-man show.
“Every good offensive coordinator wants to have guys who help in all kinds of areas,” Rhule said. “You have a guy helping you on third down, you have a guy helping in the red zone... but having someone take the run game and bring the things to you, and then Dana can pick what he likes.”
Holgorsen, who brings a wealth of experience and creativity, will be the architect of the offense-calling plays, installing schemes, and scripting practices. But Rhule highlighted the importance of collaboration, pointing to Lonnie Teasley and Geep Wade as key pieces in that process.
The vision here is clear: a multi-layered offensive staff where ideas flow freely, and Holgorsen, as the lead voice, curates the best of those contributions. It’s a modern approach-delegation with purpose, designed to maximize creativity and efficiency.
Roy Manning’s Arrival: A Seamless Fit on Defense
On the defensive side, Rhule spoke highly of new edge coach Roy Manning, a hire that signals both continuity and experience. Manning’s résumé speaks for itself-he’s coached at some of the top programs in the country and has recruited elite talent at the national level.
“Roy is an accomplished coach,” Rhule said. “He has been a lot of different places...
I’ve had a chance to coach against Roy when he was at Oklahoma and I was at Baylor, so I didn’t know him at all before. I met him when he came here.
It was just a great fit.”
The key here is synergy. Defensive coordinator Rob Aurich is installing his system after the bowl game, and having coaches like Manning-who can teach that system from day one-will accelerate the learning curve. Rhule emphasized that this isn’t about overhauling for the sake of change, but about assembling a staff that speaks the same defensive language from the jump.
He also praised the collaborative environment that’s taking shape behind the scenes.
“One of the greatest things I’ve been a part of is being in the room with Phil Snow and Rob and just watching the lack of egos in there,” Rhule said. “It’s been unreal.”
That kind of chemistry doesn’t just happen-it’s built. And it’s a strong indicator that Nebraska’s defensive rebuild is being constructed with intent, not impulse.
Special Teams: Ekeler’s Impact Goes Beyond the Kick Game
Rhule also addressed the role of special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler, who’s pulling double duty by helping on defense during bowl prep. While that’s a short-term move, Rhule made it clear just how vital Ekeler’s been to the team’s identity.
“What we’ve done on special teams this year has been a major, major, major jump,” Rhule said. “Now that our players know how good the output can be from doing the offseason drills and all the things Coach Ekeler has us do... the buy-in was great last year and will be twice as much.”
The improvement on special teams hasn’t gone unnoticed-other programs have already tried to poach some of Ekeler’s assistants, including Josh Martin and Nick Humphrey. That’s the kind of attention you get when your unit makes a leap.
Rhule isn’t ruling out Ekeler taking on more defensive responsibilities in the future, but he’s cautious about upsetting the balance.
“There might be a world where that happens,” he said, “but what I don’t want to do is rob Peter to pay Paul.”
The bigger picture here is that Rhule is trying to build a staff where versatility and alignment go hand-in-hand. Getting Aurich in early allowed him to evaluate not just the players, but also the existing coaches-and figure out how to assemble the best possible defensive staff moving forward.
Bottom Line: Rhule’s Friday session wasn’t just about bowl prep-it was a window into how Nebraska is building from the inside out. With Holgorsen leading a collaborative offensive effort, Manning bringing experience and system familiarity to the defense, and Ekeler anchoring a revitalized special teams unit, the Huskers are putting the pieces in place for a more complete, connected program. The foundation is being laid now-and it’s one built on trust, clarity, and shared vision.