Nebraska coach Matt Rhule has a message for everyone around his program: stay calm.

"We're going to keep fighting until the day they tell me to leave," Rhule said Monday. "I'm not leaving, I'm not quitting."

The Cornhuskers are 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten. They lost 17-10 at home to Washington on Saturday.

A fan crossed the line

Fans threw trash onto the field late in that game. Rhule said his 13-year-old daughter told him a man at the stadium cursed at her and at him.

"I'm not going to keep coaching if it means my kids grow up screwed up," Rhule said.

He said his wife, Julie, asked their children whether the coaching life was too much. His 10-year-old daughter texted him that she loves the team, the players and living in Nebraska. She also said she is tough enough to handle it.

"So I'm going to fight for the fans," Rhule said. "Yeah, they get passionate, they boo, they throw a bottle. I get all that. The guy who attacked my 13-year-old daughter, I'm not coaching for him."

'Steady in the boat'

Rhule said he is coaching for the players, coaches, staff and fans who are "in the boat" with the team.

"You can't control what's outside the boat," he said. "Your focus should be on being steady in the boat, going back to work this week."

Three straight late losses

Nebraska has now lost three straight games it led deep into the fourth quarter. The Huskers blew late leads against Indiana and Oregon.

They led Washington 7-3 with under two minutes to play. The Huskies converted a fourth-and-18 before scoring the go-ahead touchdown. They sealed it when Anthony Colandrea's third interception was returned for a score.

Backing his coordinator

Rhule also dismissed calls to fire offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. Holgorsen took heat for leaning away from the run as Colandrea threw 44 passes.

"Dana Holgorsen is one of the best offensive minds of our generation," Rhule said.

Nebraska plays at Illinois on Friday night.