Last week, Nebraska did what it normally does when no real football games are being played: win the bye week. Matt Rhule brought in his defensive coordinator from his days at Baylor and the Carolina Panthers, Phil Snow. Nebraska fans may remember Snow’s work, even if they don’t remember his name. Snow was the DC at Arizona State in 1996 – the last time Nebraska football was eliminated in a game.

But the more exciting news came on the offensive side of the ball. Dana Holgorsen was brought in as an offensive consultant but was elevated to offensive coordinator. While the Husker offense has improved from year one to year two under Matt Rhule, it is still underperforming. Holgorsen could be a spark to get the Huskers into bowl eligibility in 2024, while also auditioning for the offensive coordinator role in 2025.

I’m excited about a change in play calling to end the season. Holgorsen has had three different quarterbacks (Geno Smith, Clayton Tune and Case Keenum) start NFL games in 2023, while a former Husker has started an NFL game at quarterback since Bruce Mathison in 1987.

One question I’ve seen from fans is, “Will his offense work in the Big Ten?”

This is a valid question, so I looked at all of his offensive stats from the 19 seasons he was an offensive coordinator or head coach (excluding 2020). I then compared these to offenses in the Big Ten over the same 19 seasons to see which Big Ten offenses most resembled a Holgorsen offense to better understand how he might look for the Huskers in the future. I will briefly discuss the top five Big Ten teams that are most similar to any of his previous teams.

Dana’s first season as head coach of the Cougars at Houston was difficult. Houston starting quarterback D’Eriq King announced his intention to play again four games into the season, clearing the way for Clayton Tune to become the starting quarterback.

Tanner Morgan’s first season with Minnesota was an up and down season. Both teams struggled to pass the ball, finishing with completion percentages in the mid-50s. Both teams ran with the ball about 60% of the time. Houston only managed to win four games, while Minnesota recorded seven wins.

2011 was Holgorsen’s first year in West Virginia. That year, future NFL quarterback Geno Smith led the Big East in passing touchdowns. The Mountaineers passed nearly three times as many yards as they rushed. They finished the season 13th in college football scoring offense.

The Big Ten equivalent of the 2011 Mountaineers was the 2007 Purdue Boilermakers. Joe Tiller’s squad was also led by future NFL quarterback Curtis Painter, who led the Big Ten in passing touchdowns. Purdue went 8-5 that season and was 24th in scoring.

The Cougar’s offense sputtered in his final season as a college head coach. Donovan Smith was a downgrade at the quarterback position from Clayton Tune, who led Houston to an 8-5 record the year before. The Houston offense only managed to throw for 242 yards per game and averaged 5.6 yards per play. Houston finished with a paltry 4-8 record and the nation’s 90th-ranked scoring offense.

The 2022 Michigan State Spartans are the closest Big Ten team to Holgorsen’s last squad. Despite Payton Thorne returning at quarterback, the Spartans’ offense took a big step back without running back Kenneth Walker III. Michigan State only managed a 5-7 season with the nation’s 92nd-ranked scoring offense.

The 2016 Mountaineers were one of Holgorsen’s best teams, finishing with a 10-3 record. The offense was balanced, averaging 257 yards per game through the air and 228 yards on the ground. The offense gained 6.4 yards per play and finished as the 50th-ranked scoring offense with 31.2 points per game.

After a special Rose Bowl season in 2007, the 2008 Fighting Illini were a disappointment. Quarterback Juice Williams led a good offense that threw for 269 yards per game, while still rushing for 170 yards (Williams was the team’s leading rusher). The Illini had the 40th-ranked scoring offense in the country, putting up 28.7 points per game. The offense “worked” for Illinois; however, a mid-pack defense held them to just a 5-7 record.

The 2021 Spartans had a big jump in year two under head coach Mel Tucker. Quarterback Payton Thorne threw for an impressive 3,200 yards while running back Kenneth Walker III rushed for 1,600 yards on his way to finishing 6th in the Heisman voting. The Spartans finished with an 11-2 record with the nation’s 39th-ranked scoring defense.

One pattern emerges with Holgorsen’s teams: he can elevate good talent to greatness, but seems to struggle with below-average players. This is especially true at the quarterback position. Without a good quarterback, his team is playing like the bottom teams in the Big Ten. If Nebraska can recruit well, Holgorsen’s offense can work in the Big Ten.

This is an excellent move for Nebraska, as it already has a starting quarterback for years to come. He will be able to start with Dylan Raiola, just like he did at Houston (as offensive coordinator) with Case Keenum, Oklahoma State with Brandon Weeden and West Virginia with Geno Smith. Nebraska has the NIL resources to land talented players. With a talented group of players, Dana Holgorsen could bring a top-10 offense back to Lincoln.

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