'I Walked into a Loaded Gun': Mike Ekeler Talks Special Teams Overhaul and More

Six games into the 2025 season, there’s little doubt about which Nebraska coach brings the most juice to the team, and if you clicked on this story, you already know who it is. After years of inconsistent special teams play, Mike Ekeler’s impact in his first season at the helm has been nothing short of transformative.

At the midway point of the season, Nebraska’s return units have already piled up nearly 60 more yards than they did across all 13 games in 2024. The difference lies not just in production, but in attitude. On 18 punt returns this fall, the Huskers have totaled 266 yards, consistently setting the offense up with shorter fields. For comparison, last year’s group under Ed Foley managed only 15 returns for 73 yards all season. That’s nearly 10 more yards per return and two additional attempts per game, a reflection of a unit that’s more aggressive, confident, and opportunistic.

As Ekeler put it, “The standard is to be the best.” His words capture exactly what he’s brought to Nebraska: relentless energy, confidence, and a lunch-pail mentality. Joining Sports Nightly host Kyle Crooks, here’s everything Ekeler had to say about his group’s resurgence and the mindset driving it.

It took Mike Ekeler ONE off-season to completely revive Nebraska’s special teams. pic.twitter.com/ayCOgi1VTE
— Blackshirts (@blvckshirts) October 15, 2025

Shortly after the conversation got underway, Ekeler made it clear he’s a results-driven coach who values two things above all else: energy and effort. Though he’s known as a master motivator himself, Ekeler was quick to credit head coach Matt Rhule for laying the foundation that’s made his job easier since returning to Lincoln.

“I walked into a loaded gun,” Ekeler said, emphasizing the discipline and buy-in the players already had in the program before his arrival. Working in tandem with Rhule in the game’s third phase, Ekeler described the mindset that’s fueled Nebraska’s emergence as one of the nation’s top special teams units. “My job is to make Coach Rhule the best coach in America,” he said.

Heading into Friday’s matchup at Minnesota, Ekeler’s units have helped Nebraska climb back into the AP Top 25 for the first time in over a year. But the special team's coordinator made it clear his group isn’t satisfied yet. “We’re six games in, we haven’t done anything,” Ekeler said, noting that celebration can wait until season’s end. “We’ve done some quality things, but that’s our job.” From his comments, it’s evident Ekeler sees the early success as a building block, not a finish line, and a chance for players to continue proving they’re ready for larger roles down the road.

Proud to represent @HuskerFootball and @CoachMattRhule Love this TEAM #Grit pic.twitter.com/nIXblyri2s
— Mike Ekeler (@CoachEkeler) October 12, 2025

Ekeler sees special teams as the foundation for player development, often the first step for guys looking to earn more snaps elsewhere. Recalling a conversation with linebacker Jacob Bower, Ekeler said, “You put it on film on special teams, and [you’re] gonna be ready to roll on defense. There’s a number of guys that are like that.”

Those types of conversations show the bond and trust Ekeler has built with his units. His players have bought in, knowing that excelling on special teams can open doors to bigger roles. While Ekeler has quickly become one of Nebraska’s most impactful offseason additions, he’s not one to take the credit. Instead, he points to the players who make the plays.

“They take such pride in it,” he said. “After a play, I can’t beat them back to the iPad fast enough.” That eagerness reflects a unit full of players hungry to make an impact, and that mindset bodes well for Nebraska as it gears up for the back half of the 2025 campaign.

Nebraska punt returner Jacory Barney Jr. races 39 yards on a punt return against Akron. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

In his 23 years of coaching college football, Ekeler has worked with plenty of playmakers. But few have impressed him quite like sophomore wideout Jacory Barney Jr. Ekeler’s admiration for Barney’s attitude and effort quickly became a talking point of its own, especially after the punt returner’s explosive start to the year.

“There have been very few players that I’ve ever coached that I can say I’ve truly enjoyed being around more,” Ekeler said, pointing to Barney’s relentless energy and intensity, traits he says rival his own.

Barney’s mentality stood out from the moment he arrived in Lincoln. Despite standing just 6 feet and 170 pounds, Ekeler calls the Miami native one of the toughest players he’s ever coached. “He said, ‘I’m going to lead the country in punt returns.’ And people kind of laughed. I said, ‘I like that. That’s my mentality. That’s Coach Rhule’s mentality.’” Returning punts is a risky job, with defenders sprinting full speed in your direction, but Ekeler sees something special in Barney, a player who backs up bold words with fearless play.

That drive is what truly separates him. “Ninety-nine percent of people want to be great; they’re called damn wannabes. About one percent, like Jacory Barney, actually put in the damn work,” Ekeler said. That work has translated to production, with Barney ranking fifth nationally in punt return yards and posting Nebraska’s highest total since 2014. His rise reflects not just his own determination, but also the standard Ekeler has instilled across the special team's unit as a whole.

Mike Ekeler (right) celebrates with Tyler Wortman (53) after Wortman intercepted a pass against the Colorado Buffaloes in the first quarter. | Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

Ekeler’s return to Lincoln has been nothing but positive since his arrival, rivaling all additions to both staff and roster over the offseason. Being back home is something the coach takes pride in, pointing to Lincoln as where he belongs. “This is where I’m supposed to be. It’s what I’m supposed to be doing. And I love every minute of it,” he said.

When all was said and done, Ekeler left little doubt about his team’s commitment to the moment they find themselves in now. With just one day until Nebraska takes on Minnesota, he made it clear his group will be ready for the challenge.

And with Ekeler steering one of the most disciplined and energetic units on the team, Nebraska’s special teams are no longer an afterthought; they’re a weapon. It’s fitting, then, that the coach who once walked on at Kansas State now leads a group built on the same principles. Six games in, his message has taken hold, and if the Huskers keep playing like they practice, the best tape from Mike Ekeler’s return home is still to come.

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