Steven Branscombe/Getty Images via Wibbitz
Will Nebraska’s Weakest Link Get Fixed?
Ask Husker fans what part of the football program needed the most work in the offseason and they’ll probably say special teams.
Why? Because Nebraska has been ranked near the bottom of Division I football since Scott Frost & Co. took over in 2018.
Let’s examine the special teams’ plight over the past four years.
| Year | Coordinator | Rank* |
|---|---|---|
2018 | Jovan Dewitt (OLB/ST) | 118 |
2019 | Jovan Dewitt (OLB/ST) | 112 |
2020 | None** | 105 |
2021 | Mike Dawson (OLB/ST) | 129 |
As you can see, special teams haven’t been so special under Scott Frost. I never understood why he — or any head coach who had a special teams component that continued to perform so poorly — would think that relying on an analyst would be a good idea. I just don’t get it. And remember, analysts can’t be actively involved with players during practice or games. (See Frost’s fine and suspension for this season.)
But in the offseason, Frost (and probably athletic director Trev Alberts) decided to make a bold move and hire a full-time ST coordinator (Bill Busch). Good move and not a minute too soon.
I won’t list all the flubs made by past Husker special teams, but here are a few doozies from last year:
- A blocked Husker extra point try at Oklahoma last year was returned by the Sooners for two points in a close game at Norman. Huskers lost 23-16.
- A "misguided" punt late in the game at Michigan State was returned for a TD, forcing the game into overtime. The Huskers lost 23-20.
- A blocked punt deep in NU territory was returned for an Iowa touchdown. That play swung the game in Iowa's favor, resulting in a 28-21 Husker loss.
I won’t go on. It’s too painful. What will happen with special teams this year? Here’s what we know:
- Last year’s Husker placekicker, Connor Culp, has moved on after his second senior season.
- Former Husker punter William Przystup entered the transfer portal.
- The Huskers got a punter, Brian Buschini, from the University of Montana and a placekicker Timmy Bleekrode from Furman to fill in the spots. Buschini was the FCS Punter of the Year at Montana last year. In ’21 when he was at Furman, Bleekrode hit 83% of his field goals (15 of 18) and was 30 of 32 on extra points.
- Coming back this year is placekicker Chase Contreraz, who was a ’21 transfer from Iowa Western CC. Last year, Contreraz was 2-for-4 on FGs, including a 39-yarder, and hit all 11 extra point tries.
- Also returning is kickoff specialist Brendan Franke, who transferred from Morningside College in ’21. Last year, Franke had 38 touchbacks on 62 kickoffs for Nebraska.
This review doesn’t include deep snappers, holders or the other players who make up the rest of the special teams units. (Long snapper Cade Mueller is the only deep snapper I could find who is sill on the Husker roster.)
The special teams room was the last stop on my review of the Husker football roster. I’ll make my final observations as we get closer to the “Duel in Dublin” next month.
In the meantime, fall practice begins July 27. That means we’re just weeks from the season opener.
Let’s all hope this year’s special teams are, indeed, special.
How ’Bout Them Huskers
This week, Will and I interviewed former Husker placekicker and punter Byron Bennett, who played from 1990 to ’93. We talked with him about his days at Nebraska and his new career coaching high school football in Texas.
He shared his thoughts about what happened during the last few minutes of the ’94 Orange Bowl in which 17-point underdog Nebraska took Florida State to the wire. Don’t miss this one!
And many, many thanks to Byron for taking time to visit with us.
