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New Nebraska OC Dana Holgorsen on learning offense, tough love for receivers
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New Nebraska OC Dana Holgorsen on learning offense, tough love for receivers

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) – In the two weeks since arriving on campus, Dana Holgorsen has spent most of his waking hours in the Huskers center and film room.

In addition to preparing for Wisconsin, Nebraska’s new offensive coordinator said he’s still learning the names of the offense and the players. As for why he would want to take on such a huge task in the middle of the season?

“I’m bored,” he said with a laugh the first time he spoke to reporters. “I was scheduled to go back to Fort Worth Sunday night and (Matt) Rhule called and said I need your help.”

While Holgorsen’s appointment officially ends at the end of the regular season, Rhule said he hopes the former Houston and West Virginia head coach stays in Lincoln. For now, Holgorsen is just focusing on getting up to speed.

“I don’t know what December is going to look like, I don’t know what January is going to look like. I don’t care,” he said. “100 percent of my focus is trying to get our offense better where we can win against Wisconsin on Saturday.”

Holgorsen didn’t need to be here long to know that the perimeter lock had to work.

“There’s some quality kids out there,” he said, identifying Janiran Bonner, Isaiah Neyor, Jahmal Banks and Carter Nelson by numbers alone. “These guys are big bodies. They’re like, ‘Why don’t you block on the perimeter? It’s embarrassing. The first thing I told them is if you don’t start blocking there, you’re not going to get the ball thrown to you. Last week was the best perimeter blocking of the season.”

Wisconsin has won 10 straight meetings with Nebraska, including four in Lincoln. Ending those streaks would give Nebraska win no. 6 and bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016.

“It’s shocking to me that it’s been so long that a program like this hasn’t been to a bowl game,” he said. “It doesn’t make any sense to me. But that’s where we are. We tried everything we could to win that game last week and we still had a chance. We’ll do everything we can this week and we’ll have a chance.”

After Wisconsin fired OC Phil Longo over the weekend, Holgorsen will now serve as the veteran offensive coordinator Saturday against the Badgers.