Nebraska Football: Position Groups that Need to Step Up in 2017
Special Teams
When a coach who is making almost half a million dollars per year to put all his time and energy into special teams is relieved of his duties, a message is sent is loud and clear.
That’s not to say Nebraska’s special teams were bad across the board.
The Huskers got a great performance from kicker Drew Brown, who nailed all 35 of his extra point attempts and made 11-of-13 field goal attempts. Freshman punter Caleb Lightbourn also performed admirably, if not consistently, in the wake of the devastating loss of Sam Foltz.
Tre Bryant proved to be a capable kick returner, and we even saw glimpses of the lightning De’Mornay Pierson-El flashed during his true freshman year before being perplexed by injuries the following season.
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Those things aside, Nebraska got consistently average play from a group that needed to be an X-factor week in and week out. That, combined with various untimely miscues throughout the season, culminated in Bruce Read’s dismissal as special teams coordinator.
The punt team allowed over 11 yards per return and was one of just five teams nationally to give up three blocked punts. Even with Pierson-el waiting deep, the punt return unit averaged only seven yards per attempt. Those ugly numbers highlight the struggles the special teams faced in 2016.
Riley is shifting philosophies to adopt an all-hands-on-deck approach for 2017. Nebraska needs the new style to result in marked improvement (in the punt coverage and punt return units in particular) if it wants to beat elite teams and take home hardware on a consistent basis.