Glenn Thomas has taken over as offensive coordinator for Nebraska football, and he’s leaning on his past experience to help the team.
Coach Matt Rhule fired offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen and promoted Thomas on Saturday after four consecutive losses. The latter previously served as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach but has experience at coordinator.
Thomas was an assistant and quarterbacks coach with the Atlanta Falcons from 2008 to 2014, before coaching at Temple. He spent two years with the Owls as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, then went to Baylor. While with the Bears, he served as co-offensive coordinator from 2017 to 2019.
“Having that experience, I think, is invaluable, because you really don’t know what it is until you’re sitting in there and have to do it,” Thomas said. “I think it will be a smooth transition that way.”
The transition has gone well, according to Thomas. He had a quick conversation with Rhule prior to taking over then went to work. He said he believes the players are responding well and are optimistic about the rest of the season.
“They see what’s out there, they see the potential, they see what we can be able to do,” Thomas said. “It’s just a matter of eliminating a couple little things, refining a couple things to really maximize our potential.”
The first area Thomas is focused on fixing is Nebraska’s penalties. The Huskers committed 11 penalties for 82 yards against Illinois Friday, and it hasn’t been much better in their previous games. In Nebraska’s four game losing streak, its totaled 32 penalties for 270 yards, and the Huskers rank last in the Big Ten in penalties committed per game this season. Thomas said coaches are working on limiting those mistakes in practice to help prepare for game days.
“They’re working hard, playing hard, want to do well, so it’s just those choices and decisions that you make in the heat of the battle,” Thomas said. “I think those are the ones we have to refine and be better.”
The players are taking the blame for the mistakes. This includes senior tight end Luke Lindenmeyer and fifth-year center Justin Evans.
“I think it’s the players fault; the changes had to be made,” Lindenmeyer said. “We didn’t go out there and execute, but any changes to help make us score, I think, is a good change. I don’t care what it is, but we need to score.”
Another spot Thomas and the offense want to improve is the run game. Since entering Big Ten play, the Huskers are averaging 141.0 rushing yards per game, after running for 263.0 yards per game in nonconference games.
“Each game evolves as it does, and how can we exploit what they’re giving us?” Thomas said. “Rutgers, for example, and continuing to build on that. I think there is a lot of good things, even from a statistical standpoint.”
Nebraska will look to make those improvements when it plays Rutgers on Saturday. Thomas said he expects Rhule to be very involved in game preparation while he’s focused on this week.
“Each game plan evolves from week to week based on what there trying to give us defensively as far as structure,” Thomas said. “Base concepts stay the same, but how can we evolve, play off of what we’ve done in weeks past and hopefully put ourselves in a better situation to be successful this particular week?”
Thomas and Nebraska’s offense will continue preparing for Rutgers, while its fifth-year players hope to end on a high note.
“We’ve been here for five years, and we don’t want to leave this place with a losing season,” Lindenmeyer said. “I’m going to do whatever I can to make Justin a winner this year.”
