Husker Football: Fresno State Bulldogs Report Card

Sep 13, 2014; Fresno, CA, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver De

Kickers/Punters B

Sam Foltz boomed a 59-yarder and averaged 47.4 yards per punt over his five total kicks. He was able to get one to stop inside the 10 yard line as well.

True freshman kicker Drew Brown chalked up the first field goal miss of his short career, but was able to make two shorter attempts to atone. He also converted all seven of his PAT attempts.

The kickoff game was active, with 11 kicks from Nebraska including three from Brown himself (two touchbacks) while Brown’s counterpart Mauro Bondi booted eight (three touchbacks).

Return Game B+

It was extremely hard to not give the return game an A, because De’Mornay Pierson-El had himself a day and a half.

The true freshman punt returner brought back Nebraska’s first punt return for a touchdown since Ameer Abdullah took one back from 81 yards out against Idaho State in 2012.

No. 15 showed excellent vision and speed during his 86-yard return, and it provided a much needed spark as the team was slowing due to the heat.

Head coach Bo Pelini said after the game:

"“He’s doing a great job. Our guys blocked very well for him. He’s a fearless guy back there and somebody who can really make plays with the ball in his hands.”"

Pierson-El has provided a revitalization of the return game by himself. Get this: with his 150-yard day against the Bulldogs, he more than doubled Nebraska’s 2013 punt return output (70 yards).

The only down mark? David Santos inexplicably knocking the ball out of the back of the end zone on a punt which resulted in Fresno State getting two points off of a safety.

Santos basically gave the Bulldogs their first points scored in the beginning stanza of any game in the 2014 season.