Matt Rhule Must Replace Dana Holgorsen After Nebraska Offensive Struggles Nebraska coach Matt Rhule faces pressure to fire offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen after the offense failed to score 21 points against top Big Ten rivals Indiana, Oregon, and Washington. Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule is facing intense scrutiny regarding the direction of his football program as the team struggles to generate offensive momentum against elite competition. Following a rocky stretch in the Big Ten schedule, questions are mounting about the efficacy of current offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. Rhule has previously demonstrated a willingness to make difficult personnel changes when necessary, including mid-season demotions and firings in 2024. Now, the coach must decide whether to continue with Holgorsen or seek a new offensive identity for a program with championship aspirations. Rhule History Of Bold Staff ChangesMatt Rhule has already shown a willingness to make difficult staffing decisions when he believes they are necessary. In 2024, he demoted longtime assistant Marcus Satterfield midway through the season and fired another longtime assistant, Ed Foley, following that same year. He did not hesitate to move on from John Butler after just one season as defensive coordinator when he determined the fit was not right. Those were not necessarily easy decisions, particularly considering his history with Satterfield and Foley. But Rhule recognized changes needed to be made and acted accordingly.Nebraska Offensive Collapse Against Top TeamsMatt Rhule needs to move on from Dana Holgorsen. The once-innovative offensive mind has become stagnant in his role with the Huskers. Despite having as much talent on offense as Nebraska has had in at least a decade, the unit cannot seem to get rolling against quality competition. It has been painfully obvious since the Huskers got into the meat of their Big Ten schedule, particularly against equal-or-greater talented opponents. Frankly, it has been a hallmark of Holgorsen tenure since he arrived in November 2024. Nebraska started this season 5-0, generating plenty of optimism that Rhule was finally on the verge of breaking through in his fourth season. The Huskers have since dropped three straight games against Indiana, Oregon and Washington, with the offense becoming progressively less effective against the three most talented teams they have faced. Against Indiana, Nebraska scored 17 points. A week later, the Huskers managed just 14 against Oregon. Following a bye week that should have given the coaching staff time to address its issues, Nebraska put up an embarrassing 10 points in a 17-10 home loss to Washington on Halloween night.Defense Shines While Offense FailsAnother dominant showing by the defense was wasted by an inept offense facing a Husky defense that came into the game ranked 56th nationally in scoring defense at 22.7 points per game. The Husky defense was also ranked 51st in total defense at 336.1 yards per game, 54th in rushing defense at 131.1 yards per game, and 59th in passing defense at 205 yards. Meanwhile, Rob Aurich defense held Indiana to 20 points, Oregon to 17, and Washington offense to just 10. The defense has not been perfect. The late breakdowns against Indiana and Oregon were costly, and Washington fourth-and-18 conversion on its go-ahead drive was inexcusable. But there is no question Aurich unit has done more than enough to give Nebraska an opportunity to win each of those games. I have written extensively about Aurich and the defense he has brought to Lincoln. I firmly believe it is a playoff-caliber unit, and the scheme absolutely has the potential to help Nebraska make the 12- or 24-team playoff field and compete for championships.Inconsistent Offensive Production In Big TenThe bigger question Rhule needs to ask himself is not whether Holgorsen can put together a good game plan against an overmatched opponent. We have already seen that he can. It is whether this iteration of his offense is good enough to consistently compete against the caliber of teams Nebraska needs to beat to become a legitimate contender. It has been an issue for all four years of Matt Rhule tenure at Nebraska that the Husker offense has no identity. I was forthright in my disapproval of hiring Marcus Satterfield as offensive coordinator during Rhule initial staff assembly, so the struggles during his year and a half calling plays did not come as much of a surprise. When Rhule brought in Holgorsen to replace him in November 2024, he brought a résumé that made the hire exciting and left fans and me optimistic. The former West Virginia and Houston head coach had spent the better part of two decades building his reputation as one of college football more innovative offensive minds. But nearly two years later, the problems that existed under Satterfield remain. The offense lacks consistency. It lacks creativity. Most importantly, it lacks answers when opposing defenses adjust to what Nebraska is doing.Statistical Evidence Of Offensive DeclineSpeaking to reporters Tuesday ahead of the Washington game, Holgorsen described Big Ten football as a race to 21, emphasizing how difficult it has become to consistently score points against conference defenses. Holgorsen has now faced 20 Power Four opponents as Nebraska offensive play-caller. The Huskers have reached that 21-point threshold just nine times. Excluding touchdowns scored by the defense and special teams, Nebraska has averaged only 21.6 points per game in those contests. And before anyone points to the offensive production during Nebraska first five games this season, consider the competition. The Huskers averaged 43.6 points during that stretch, which included games against Ohio, Bowling Green, North Dakota, Michigan State and Maryland. Those numbers looked impressive at the time. But the past three weeks have exposed them for what they were. The Huskers running attack has lost much of its punch after starting the season strong against lesser competition.