Once it became obvious that Mike Ekeler was departing Nebraska, questions arose over just how head coach Matt Rhule could let him go. There were also questions about why the special teams coordinator would want to leave, especially since he was offered a big raise in the middle of the season. This week, the well-traveled assistant shed some light on the situation, though perhaps not in the way he meant.
Ekeler gave his first press conference since joining USC on Friday, and two quotes were the most newsworthy. The one that got the most attention from Huskers fans was about Matt Rhule not coming to special teams meetings. The two-time NU assistant claimed his boss literally never came to a meeting.
"The last place I was at, the head coach never came to one," Ekeler claimed after being asked if he was ok with the Trojans head coach, Lincoln Riley, coming to his unit's meetings. "I'd love for that to happen, it just places that type of importance on the teams."
Nebraska football assistant Mike Ekeler says he was on ‘cruise control’ before exit
Nebraska fans who are already not thrilled with Rhule after a rough finish to the season have taken that quote to mean that the Huskers' head man isn't dialed in as much as he should. And that's what Ekeler wanted fans to think. It was an uncalled-for shot at a guy who offered him a ton of money and respect this past fall.
However, it was another quote that should get more attention and likely underlines where the problem between the two men lies.
"That was the first time in my career that I had never coached on defense," Ekeler said, noting he's coaching linebackers as well as special teams with USC. "I enjoyed that and enjoyed the experience and they had been down for several years on special teams and quite frankly I wanted that challenge, and we flipped it. We turned it around, we identified, we taught them, and brought in some people, and it was on a very solid foundation from a special teams standpoint, and it was kind of on cruise control."
"Cruise control?"
Nebraska's special teams were definitely a lot better. ESPN's FPI had them at No. 12 after finishing 2024 at No. 112. But it wasn't perfect. There were still crippling mistakes being made every now and then.
When rumors that Ekeler was leaving first surfaced, Rhule made a comment about the unit being improved, but added that there was room for improvement. It was an interesting comment from a head coach everyone thought should be doing all he could to keep his assistant from moving on. Rhule never seemed all that bummed about Ekeler leaving. There was maybe even some relief.
If Ekeler dropped the "cruise control" comment when he was talking to Rhule about adding a position coach to his resume in Lincoln, it's hard to imagine it went over very well. It shouldn't go over very well with Nebraska fans either. They shouldn't want a coach who is essentially bored with his job.
There was plenty of angst when Ekeler left for good reason. He's good at his job. But in the long run, Nebraska needs everyone buying in and on the same page in 2026, and it doesn't appear that was the case with Mike Ekeler and Matt Rhule.