Glenn Thomas has done this before.

In fact, Nebraska's interim offensive coordinator has even done so under Matt Rhule. So, with a trip to Piscataway, New Jersey, looming for the Big Red, Thomas and the rest of the Huskers' offense are focused on what lies ahead rather than what's happened in the past.

Here's a rundown of what Thomas had to say Tuesday as he prepares to call plays for the first time since 2022.

The day after Nebraska's fourth consecutive loss, Rhule announced Saturday that offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen had been fired. As a result, Thomas, who was Rhule's offensive coordinator or co-coordinator for four seasons at Temple and Baylor, will take over play-calling duties.

Thomas entered the 2026 season as NU's co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Now he's assuming a larger role, although the extent of Rhule's involvement is to be determined.

“I think that’s still a work in progress,” Thomas said. “This isn’t the first time I’ve done this with Coach (Rhule)… This has been a very similar situation. So, I’m used to all aspects.”

“Whether it’s all me, that’s cool. If he’s heavily involved, that’s all good,” he continued. “I’ll be ready to do what I need to do to help us be successful.”

Part of that success, in Thomas' eyes, starts with eliminating what he called "drive-stopping penalties." The Huskers have had their fair share of infractions throughout the season, and Thomas has made cleaning them up a priority ahead of Saturday's matchup with Rutgers.

“Drive-stopping penalties, we haven't been able to overcome," he said. "I think that’s probably the big thing, you know, and that’s a continued focus. How do you do that? There’s a discipline component; there’s deliberate practice, which we’re continuing to address.”

Regarding his new role, Thomas said he hasn't had much time to think about what it means.

“Brief conversation,” said Thomas, regarding his discussion with Matt Rhule. “He had kind of told me what was happening and where he thought we needed to go moving forward. From that point on, it’s been all Rutgers, and how can we evolve and adjust and continue to do all the good stuff that we’ve done well and continue to improve on the things that we need to improve on.”

“I think it was just that,” he continued. “Again, short conversation and eyes focused forward.”

That may be exactly what the Huskers' offense needs. There's no time to lick their wounds or dwell on the past. Every player will need to buy into what's next.

That starts with senior quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who's accounted for 2,490 all-purpose yards and 20 touchdowns this fall. Thomas, who's helped develop Colandrea throughout the year, said he'd like to see his starting signal-caller settle down while also praising the veteran quarterback for how he's handled the roller coaster that has been Nebraska football in 2026.

“There’s been ups and downs,” Thomas said of Colandrea's play. “I’ve been super pleased with how he’s dealt with it. You know, he’s had some downs and had an interception a couple of games ago, and he came right back, and we had a 90-plus-yard drive. So, I think mentally he’s in a great place.”

“Tries to do a little bit too much sometimes,” he continued. “I think he did a great job with that last week… I think he’s continuing to grow. You’ve got to pick and choose when you can take risks and get the ball downfield. If it’s not there, check it down and let those guys make plays.”

Last week, Nebraska's ball carriers made those plays. Freshman running back Jamal Rule led the way with 98 all-purpose yards, while Mekhi Nelson and Isaiah Mozee combined for seven carries and 46 yards. Mozee also caught two passes for seven yards.

Regarding the run game, Thomas said there's plenty to like.

“I think the run game has been super productive,” he said. “Coach (Rhule) talked about it yesterday. We were almost five yards a carry (against Illinois). So, I think there’s a lot of good things happening in the run game; I think we continued to build on that.”

“Each game plan evolves, as it does,” Thomas continued. “How can we exploit what they’re giving us at Rutgers and continue to build on that? I think there are a lot of good things, even from a statistical standpoint.”

Regardless of how the game plan ultimately takes shape, Thomas said his players remain optimistic about what lies ahead. Yardage hasn't been a problem for the Big Red, but turning drives into points has been.

“I think there’s a lot of optimism, just in general, in the fact that there has been a lot of production,” he said. “They see what’s out there; they see the potential; they see what we’ve been able to do. It’s just a matter of eliminating a couple of little things or finding a couple of things to really maximize our potential.”

Nebraska will have a chance to take another step forward offensively against Rutgers on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. CT, with the game set to air on BTN.