Matt Rhule was livid.
Moments after Jacory Barney’s electric 82-yard punt return touchdown was called back due to an illegal block in the back penalty, Rhule grimaced and threw his hands down.
Rhule thought the flag had been thrown on Derek Wacker — who had squared up for a nice, clean, lead block for Barney early in the return — and Rhule let the officials know his frustrations. But as Carter Nelson made his way to the sideline, he pointed at himself and apologized to both Rhule and Barney.
“That block in the back, that was pretty selfish on my part,” Nelson said after the game.
Still, Barney finished with 81 punt return yards against Michigan State — including one return that went for 57 yards — putting him at 192 yards on the season, which is the most by a Nebraska player since De’Mornay Pierson-El totaled 596 yards in 2014. That 57-yard return was the longest punt return for a Husker since JD Spielman dazzled against South Alabama in 2019 for a 76-yard return.
Are Nebraska’s special teams perfect? No, of course not. That illegal block in the back penalty illustrates the work that the Huskers still have left to do. The wind made for a long game for beloved punter Archie Wilson, who had punts of 26, 18, 30 and 46 yards for an average of 30.
“For 10 years of my career, it was me being like, ‘Come on. Put it through the upright.’ What do I know? It’s like me talking to someone about a golf swing, right?” Rhule said Monday. “… But I think it’s Ek (Ekeler). I think it’s Brett Maher. I think the job that Nick and Josh do to help Ek and I think our players are super bought into it.”
Overall, Nebraska’s special teams units have taken a phenomenal jump from last season to now. It’s almost unrecognizable how much better the Huskers are in that phase of the game. In basically every measurable category.
When Nebraska returns punts, watch out. This is where Nebraska has made the most significant difference.
The Huskers are No. 17 nationally in punt returns — averaging 14.88 yards per return. Barney, individually, is No. 13 nationally in average yardage. Comparing that to last year? Nebraska was No. 110 nationally when it returned just 15 total punts and averaged 4.87 yards per return. To put it even more plainly: the Huskers have already returned more punts (16) in five games than they did in 13 games last season.
Nebraska has made significant leaps in special teams to the point where the units are no longer a liability. They’re an asset — game-changing assets.
What happened between then and now?
“I think you have to start with Mike,” Rhule said of special teams coach Mike Ekeler.
I mean, yes, that’s the Captain Obvious answer, but, truly, that’s where this begins. Before we chat about Ekeler, though, some credit has to go to Brett Maher, too.
Maher — a five-year NFL kicker and Nebraska’s former starting punter and kicker — is Nebraska’s assistant special teams coach this season, and his insight from his experience has been invaluable.
When you have someone who has been there and done that and has done so recently? That’s an incredible resource for every single one of Nebraska’s specialists.
“He’s been awesome,” Wilson said in mid-August. “… He’s been huge. He obviously played here. He’s a big part of the mental game. We’ve run through the process of when I’m going out to my spot, like, ‘What am I thinking? What am I focusing on?’ And it’s good to have someone who’s just played at the highest level and has dealt with these situations to make you feel more comfortable. And with my technique stuff as well, he’s been huge in just finding the little things to get better at.”
OK. Now that that’s been said, back to Ekeler.
There’s a special energy he’s brought to special teams. You can see that on game day — the jumping around and celebrating and what have you — but that intensity is there in practice, too. And it has trickled down to the team.
These days, special teams isn’t a practice period anyone dreads. Instead, it’s one they’re excited for.
Transfer defensive back Andrew Marshall compared Ekeler to lightning during training camp back in August and added that his coach, “really takes pride in special teams” and “makes it exciting for us. It’s a want. You want to be on special teams.”
That’s a mindset thing. That’s a teaching thing.
And to Rhule — the son of a teacher — that’s the difference.
“Everyone sees the jumping around in the locker room and all that stuff. That’s not what it is,” Rhule said. “His teaching progressions are amazing. His interview I had to tell him to stop because he uses a Socratic method where he’s consistently asking you questions and making you respond and think.
“I was like, ‘Ek, I can’t do this, bro. It’s like an hour of this.’ But I think it’s great because you go into his meetings and everyone’s dialed in and everyone’s locked in.”
Everyone’s locked in. Everyone. Even coaches.
What does that look like? Oh, like when tight ends coach Marcus Satterfield was raving to Rhule about a specific special teams play call a few days before the Michigan State game.
“Satt was like, ‘Man, I can’t wait for Jamir,’” Rhule said Monday, sharing how Satterfield broke down, in detail, what ended up actually happening on Conn’s blocked punt. “… When your tight ends coach is saying that this what’s gonna happen in the game, it’s because it’s been taught so well.”
That play specifically — Conn’s blocked punt that led to a touchdown for Nelson — is the perfect teach tape.
Everyone seemed to handle their assignments perfectly, and it paid off.
“What we do is, we work every single day,” Ekeler said in August. “And when you work and put it on film and players see that what you’re doing works, you gain confidence. You gain confidence by going out there and having success. And that’s what we’re going to do.”
Five games in, that’s what they’re doing.
In every facet.
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Amie Just
Husker sports reporter/columnist
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