Rhule, Foley seeking game-changing plays from Nebraska’s special teams unit

One of Matt Rhule’s biggest success stories is also his example of the importance of special teams play.

Rhule often points to one of his former players at Temple, Haason Reddick, as an example of his focus on player development. A former walk-on at Temple, Reddick has grown into one of the NFL’s top pass rushers just years after getting his start on special teams.

“When there’s only walk-ons on special teams, it means the scholarship guys and the starters don’t understand, ‘Hey I should affect the game,’” Rhule said on Feb. 1. “Haason Reddick was a first-round draft pick, and he was running down on punts. Guys should want to affect the game.”

Rhule and special teams coordinator Ed Foley take over a unit that ranked 77th in special teams efficiency last season, which represented an improvement from 2021, when the Huskers were ranked 128th out of 131 FBS programs.

Rhule said in December that special teams “can win us two games a year.” But, how will Foley go about accomplishing that? A combination of speed, physicality, aggressiveness and simplicity are the traits Foley is seeking to cultivate in his room.

“We want to be simple so that the kids can play,” Foley said in December. “I think special teams is about winning the rep, and it’s about the punt team versus the return team. You’ve got to protect against your man, he can’t block the punt and then you’ve got to run down and make the tackle and beat the guy that’s trying to block you.”

Building a reliable special teams unit can take time, especially due to the many different scenarios and situations players can find themselves in. For example, even a simple kick return has many layers with different types of kickoff techniques and different directions of the kick.

In 2022, Nebraska fair-caught kickoffs and punts more often than not. The risk of fumbles was minimized with such a strategy, but the potential for big plays also diminished. Under Foley and Rhule’s leadership, expect a more aggressive special teams approach this time around.

In its pursuit of getting game-changers on the field, Nebraska won’t shy away from putting key starters in prominent special teams roles. That could mean wide receiver Billy Kemp, a potential starter in the slot, working as NU’s top returner.

“We want to be dynamic on special teams and we want to score on special teams,” Rhule said in February. “I'm not saying we will, but we want to. He's a big key to that because having a veteran punt-returner, kick-returner, especially in the conditions here will be really important."

Nebraska also returns a veteran kicker and punter, and an incoming long snapper with an entire season of starting experience in the SEC.

Consistency is certainly an aim for Nebraska’s special teams grouping, but Foley wants to aim higher with his long-term goals for the group. As for what those are?

“We’re going to return kicks,” Foley said on Jan. 30. “We’re going to try to play the best players at every position.”

“Hopefully we’re going to change the game once, twice or three times throughout the course of the year.”

Spring preview

Who’s here: Kickers Timmy Bleekrode, Spencer Pankratz; Punters Brian Buschini, Jacob Hohl; Long snappers Marco Ortiz, Camden Witucki.

Who’s hurt: No one.

Who’s the coach: Longtime Matt Rhule assistant Ed Foley will help coach Rhule’s special teams for the third time, after stints together at Temple and with the Carolina Panthers. Foley is a 34-year coaching veteran who’s also taken over some in-state recruiting duties.

Snapshot: With both its starting kicker and punter returning from the 2022 season, Nebraska has some stability in its special teams room. Kicker Timmy Bleekrode was accurate and solid for the Huskers last year, while freshman Tristan Alvano won’t be able to compete for the job until the fall. Punter Brian Buschini performed well despite battling injuries and will be counted on for consistent efforts. After several departures at long snapper, Florida transfer Marco Ortiz is the obvious choice to take on that role.

Prove-It Player: Timmy Bleekrode. He’s coming off a strong campaign where he missed just one extra point and went 9-for-12 on field goals, so there’s no immediate need for a change at kicker. But, if there’s any sleeper in the special teams room capable of providing a spark this year, it’s Alvano. The Omaha Westside product has a big leg and displayed accuracy from 40-plus yards in high school. Can Bleekrode raise his game to keep Alvano off the field?

Pre-spring pecking order: Kicker: Timmy Bleekrode, Tristan Alvano, Spencer Pankratz. Punter: Brian Buschini, Jacob Hohl. Long snapper: Marco Ortiz, Camden Witucki.