Mike Ekeler eager to energize Nebraska special teams: ‘We'll talk with our damn pads'

New York Times

05-03-2025

LINCOLN, Neb. — He went on for more than 20 minutes in his re-introductory news conference at Nebraska. Mike Ekeler, the last addition to Matt Rhule's revamped coaching staff, talked Tuesday about his roots in this state and the journey he's taken over the past 15 years to get back here.
Ekeler is powered on all the time. Every year that he coaches, he said, the energy level ticks up.
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'That's just who I am,' he said. 'You've gotta coach to your personality. And I love what I do.'
Rhule hired Ekeler to pump life into Nebraska's special teams. The Huskers have chronically underperformed in the kicking game. Last season, they ranked 86th in an opponent-adjusted efficiency index.
Ekeler, meanwhile, thrived in four years at Tennessee in charge of special teams. As the Huskers' new coordinator, he's jumped in and taken ownership.
'My ass, my hands,' he said.
Excuse me?
If it's Ekeler's tail on the line, he's intent on working hard to make a difference.
'When we play great on special teams, it's on these kids,' he said. 'We don't? It's on me. I like that. I like the heat. That's why I came here.'
The 53-year-old native Nebraskan joined first-year defensive line coach Terry Bradden and new secondary coach Addison Williams in meeting with the media Tuesday. Bradden arrives with a high level of energy and three Super Bowl rings from his time as a Kansas City Chiefs defensive assistant.
'Coaching is my ministry,' he said.
New Nebraska defensive line coach Terry Bradden: 'We want to lead the Big Ten in effort.' pic.twitter.com/LJ8tdWuEXI
— Mitch Sherman (@mitchsherman) March 4, 2025
Williams has worked as a defensive coordinator at three college stops, most recently the past two seasons at UCF. Last week, Nebraska introduced wide receivers coach Daikiel Shorts, outside linebackers coach Phil Simpson and associate head coach Phil Snow.
Frankly, Ekeler made the most notable impression. His hire, more than all but offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen — who came on board officially in December after coaching the final three games of the regular season — carries the greatest potential to impact Nebraska in 2025.
'I'm a blue-collar guy,' Ekeler said. 'I'm not going to say, 'We're going to do this. We're going to do that.' We're going to put our pads on. We'll talk with our damn pads.'
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Let's pause for a moment as Nebraska fans salivate.
His energy level is contagious. It's needed among the Huskers, who allowed eight blocked kicks in the 2024 season.
In a recent meeting to discuss kickoff coverage, Ekeler asked all of the offensive players in the room to stand up.
'I said, 'Fellas, guess what? Congratu-freaking-lations, you guys now are playing defense.'
'It's a culture,' Ekeler said. 'It's ABT: All about technique.'
He looks for young players who want to learn, improve and diversify their skill sets. His message in teaching?
'Does he want to play on Sunday?'
If the answer is yes, special teams is a vehicle to get there.
'You get a chance to see how guys respond when the lights are on,' Ekeler said.
On Monday in another meeting, Nebraska players and coaches watched a video clip that featured Lavonte David, the three-time All-Pro linebacker with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who came to Nebraska out of junior college in 2010 — Ekeler's last of three seasons with Nebraska as linebackers coach under Bo Pelini.
It was Ekeler's first full-time coaching gig. This return to Nebraska is his 10th job, including two stints at North Texas and stops at Indiana, USC, Georgia, North Carolina, Kansas and Tennessee.
That moment in the meeting room this week brought tears to Ekeler's eyes, he said. He stood up and told the Huskers that he recruited David to Nebraska.
'He was one of my favorite players I've coached in my whole career,' Ekeler said. 'And I said, truthfully, he taught me more than I ever taught him.'
Also from Ekeler on Tuesday:
• He said his middle daughter and third of four children, Abby, once asked amid their jumps from college town to college town, 'Where are we from?' If people want to know, said Abby, who recently finished a collegiate volleyball career at Tennessee, what should she tell them? The coach said he and his wife, Barbie, laugh about it.
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'I put on that country song, 'I've Been Everywhere, Man,'' Ekeler said. 'That's all you need to say.'
He played for Bill Snyder at Kansas State and has coached for Bob Stoops, Les Miles, Lane Kiffin, Ed Orgeron, Mark Richt, Josh Heupel and Pelini.
'All these guys shaped me. All we are as coaches are teachers,' Ekeler said. 'I wouldn't change my path for anything. And it all kind of led me back here to work with coach Rhule.'
Ekeler said he walked away from a 'phenomenal situation' at Tennessee. The opportunity to return to Nebraska was a unique one for him.
'This is my home,' he said. 'My parents live in Fremont. My uncle Bob Martin was an All-American here. I grew up going to every one of these games. It's in your blood. To be able to come back and do my part, my small part in bringing it back to what we're all used to, that's why I came.'
• He's spent only a few weeks around Rhule, but Ekeler is impressed.
'This man may be the best leader I've been around,' Ekeler said. 'I sit there in his meetings, and I'm taking notes left and right. He's incredible. The University of Nebraska, the people of Nebraska, I hope you understand how blessed you are to have a tremendous, tremendous coach and great leader.'
Rhule's career path — as a defensive and special teams assistant who turned into a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator before he became a head coach in 2013 — stands out to Ekeler.
'The man can coach. He can coach every position on the field.'
And at Nebraska with this coaching staff, Ekeler said, Rhule has hired 'a bunch of great teachers.'