The Nebraska football team still has to wait a week before opening its season, but one former Husker already started his seventh collegiate season with the Memphis Tigers on Saturday night. More impressive than Alante Brown getting waivers from the NCAA without going to court is how he’s reshaped his role and become one of the best in the sport at his profession.
Brown started his career as a highly touted wide receiver when he first arrived in Lincoln in 2020. Over the years, however, he’s transformed himself into a special-teams and return ace. That skill was on display again Saturday when his new—and third—team in Memphis kicked off the season against UNLV. Brown didn’t have any receptions but did return two punts for 1 yard and was even more impressive as a kick returner. On his one kick-return chance, he took the ball 43 yards and set up a touchdown drive that allowed Memphis to tie the game 21-all.
His performance for the American Conference team hints that the former Nebraska football player could really be coming into his own in what will almost certainly be the final year of his college career. He began the shift from full-time wide receiver to part-time special teams player after leaving Lincoln and transferring to Michigan State, where that change became clearer.
His career with the Spartans began in 2023, but he played very sparingly. Brown caught just 3 passes for 27 yards while rushing 10 times for 4 yards. He also threw one pass for 42 yards on a trick play and was sacked on another one, and he returned three kickoffs for 52 yards.
ALANTE BROWN 92 YARDS TO THE HOUSE 💥
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 30, 2025
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/WL3rLYyvlu
Alante Brown transforms from Nebraska football receiver into Memphis return specialist
In 2024, he had just 2 catches for 20 yards while running the ball 3 times for 17 yards. He also returned 4 kickoffs for 80 yards. Last year was his best year as a returner, perhaps because he no longer spent much time on the field doing anything else.
In 2025, Brown returned 4 kicks for 214 yards, including a 92-yard return for a touchdown. After receiving a waiver due to injury-related hardships, he entered the Transfer Portal and decided he was better suited to play with Memphis for his final season.
It’s been a long, strange trip for Alante Brown. He came to Nebraska while Scott Frost talked a good game about finally turning the program around. The former 4-star receiver never really found a way to get comfortable in Lincoln. Now, with the Tigers and new head coach Charles Huff, he may finally be feeling comfortable.
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