Nebraska’s offense isn’t getting blown up, at least not in Matt Rhule’s eyes.
After dismissing Dana Holgorsen, Rhule made it clear Monday that he doesn’t view the Huskers’ attack as a lost cause. Co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas will handle play-calling for the rest of the season, but Rhule said the structure already in place still gives Nebraska a chance to finish strong.
“I think there are a lot of things that were working,” Rhule said Monday, regarding NU’s offense when Holgorsen was calling plays. “I’m not sitting there thinking, ‘Hey, let’s throw the baby out with the bath water’. We have a really good offensive system, and I think we have good players.”
He pointed to execution in key moments as the problem, not a complete breakdown.
“In key situations, we didn’t execute,” Rhule continued. “But I don’t think the offense is broken.
I don’t think we have bad players, I don’t think we have bad coaches, I just think something has to happen now to try to get them to be (detailed)... That’s what Glenn and Geep (Wade) and those guys will do.
Excited to support our players in doing that.”
The staff change comes as Nebraska heads into a short week of sorts with plenty still unresolved. Rhule said he has already spoken with a few players, but most of the team had not yet met with coaches after Holgorsen’s dismissal. That first full team meeting was set for Monday.
“Our first meeting with the players will be today. Obviously, I’ve talked to a couple of guys.
I think everyone in our organization is just kind of ready to move forward and try to get a win against Rutgers. I think we’re all tired of saying, ‘If only, if only.’
They want to move forward.”
Rhule also addressed the bigger question hanging over the offense: who replaces Holgorsen after the season? For now, he’s not interested in a quick fix. He said he wants to take the same patient approach he used when hiring defensive coordinator Rob Aurich, who Nebraska recently signed to a two-year contract extension.
“I think the thing that I learned last year, with Rob, was to get it right, not go fast,” Rhule said. “I really liked the hire when I hired Tony White; that took a little bit of time, because I thought (Phil) Snow was going to come do it.
I took my time there; I took my time with Rob. So, I just want to get it right.”
He added that his attention right now is on the players and the final three games.
“Right now, my focus is on these players; these three games," he continued. "They’ve given me everything.
I’ve got guys playing with beat up here, broken that, broke this, so they’ll be my focus right now. But, when we know who the right guy is, we’ll do it.”
Nebraska’s final stretch includes Rutgers, Ohio State and Iowa, and Rhule said he still sees plenty for the team to play for. He believes the defense, in particular, has plenty of motivation left, especially with a top-10 goal in reach.
“I think everybody has to make a decision every day,” Rhule said. “If you’re on defense, you know, you’re chasing being in the top 10.
I mean, what they’re doing is working. I have players coming into my office saying how badly they want to be in this defense in year two… They are all in on this defense, so I don't worry about that.”
He said the frustration around the season doesn’t have to erase the progress some players believe they’re making.
“I hope for all of our players, you should be really frustrated, but you should still be really excited about your development, your growth, and this team,” he continued. “But I don’t necessarily worry about that, to be quite honest… I think you see a lot of guys who are choosing to see this as, ‘Hey, I’m going to find a way to break through this and play my best football.”
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