Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
OWH
Some of the numbers were dreadful in 2004, and Nebraska football coach Bill Callahan preached that they had to get better.
And he wasn't talking about offense and defense.
Special turnaround Comparing some of Nebraska's statistics on special teams between 2004 and 2005:
Category 2004... 2005 Kick returns 19.7... 19.7
Kick coverage 24.7... 18.3
Punt returns 5.8... 12.9
Punt coverage 6.0... 8.8
Net punting 38.4... 39.8
Field goals 6-12... 19-23
Extra points 35-36... 31-32
Blocked kicks 1... 7
"A year ago, I remember sitting here and talking about special teams and the emphasis we were going to put on it," Callahan said. "And we did that."
The Huskers can look back and say it was worth it as they went from 5-6 to 8-4.
They showed dramatic improvement in five special teams categories between 2004 and '05. In a season of close games, special teams were a difference-maker in at least two games and a factor in several others.
"You can make up so much field position, you can gain field position, you can create field position," Callahan said. "To coach (Bill) Busch's credit, we did that in the '05 season, and we've got to do it again."
Last season, NU moved to the top of the Big 12 in net punting (39.8 yards), field-goal percentage (82.6 percent) and blocked kicks (seven). The Huskers ranked second in punt returns (12.9) and field goals made (19).
Although only fifth in kickoff coverage, they lowered their opponents' return average from 24.7 in 2004 to 18.3 in 2005.
"I think sometimes coaches pay lip service and say it's a third of the game," said senior Brandon Rigoni, who plays on several NU special-teams units. "But really, a conscious decision was made last season, it seemed to me, and it was more than lip service."
Rigoni said it became chic to be a special teams player, as the NU staff developed a point system that turned it into a competition. Each week, players were rewarded for making a tackle or a block or carrying out an assignment, and the points were accumulated and updated through the season.
Busch, the Huskers' special teams coordinator, said Nebraska also is unique in having every assistant work with some area of special teams. Callahan watched cut-ups of special teams play four or five times in the offseason.
"I just think it was a culmination of everyone working their tails off on all phases," Busch said.
Busch said he'll take most of the blame for 2004, when NU's production on kickoff coverage and punt returns (5.8 yards) was almost embarrassing.
Terrence Nunn and Cortney Grixby added a spark to punt returns, helping Nebraska go from 117th to 17th in NCAA Division I-A. But Busch said it was obvious that it started with improved blocking. Maintaining the same levels on punt coverage will be tough as NU loses Sam Koch and turns to unproven punters such as Tyler Kester, Dan Titchener and Jake Wesch, and maybe even receiver Todd Peterson.
Finding the right personnel and putting them in the right places led to many of the blocked kicks. And Jordan Congdon's arrival made the kicking game productive. The freshman made 19 of 23 field goals.
"Now," Callahan said, "we've just got to do it all better."
* * *
5 questions facing special teams
Who's the next Sam Koch?
Nebraska is on a solid run of taking virtual unknowns and turning them into big boomers, most recently Kyle Larson and Sam Koch. With Koch gone, a new batch of hopefuls emerges. Nice for them, undoubtedly a little scary for NU coach Bill Callahan. Sophomore-to-be Dan Titchener was listed No. 2 all last season, but he'll compete with Tyler Kester, Jake Wesch and Todd Peterson for the work. Better believe this spring will be important for each.
Is Jordan Congdon for real?
Yes. That was easy. Congdon was a freshman All-American after making 19 of 23 field goals - including his first five, seven in a row during one October stretch and a game-winner against Kansas State in November. Where Congdon can get better is with his range and his distance on kickoffs.
Can the Huskers start breaking some kickoff returns?
One place NU didn't improve much last season was with its kickoff return team, averaging below 20 yards and going a seventh straight year without running one back for a touchdown (Joe Walker had the last in 1998). Marlon Lucky and Tierre Green handled most kickoffs last season, and Lucky actually had a return for a TD negated by a penalty.
Are the punt return woes completely solved?
The Huskers did become a threat in 2005, thanks to Terrence Nunn (18.3 yards) and Cortney Grixby (10.4). Both are back and get first crack at doing it again. Callahan will tell you the blocking was much improved from the season before, so that facet would need to be maintained.
Were the blocked kicks an aberration?
A combination of putting players both tall (Zach Potter) and athletic (Barry Turner) on the field helped NU block seven kicks, including a school-record five field goals. It's become part of what the Huskers do, obviously, but also might become tougher now that opponents have gotten a good look at how it's done.
Some of the numbers were dreadful in 2004, and Nebraska football coach Bill Callahan preached that they had to get better.
And he wasn't talking about offense and defense.
Special turnaround Comparing some of Nebraska's statistics on special teams between 2004 and 2005:
Category 2004... 2005 Kick returns 19.7... 19.7
Kick coverage 24.7... 18.3
Punt returns 5.8... 12.9
Punt coverage 6.0... 8.8
Net punting 38.4... 39.8
Field goals 6-12... 19-23
Extra points 35-36... 31-32
Blocked kicks 1... 7
"A year ago, I remember sitting here and talking about special teams and the emphasis we were going to put on it," Callahan said. "And we did that."
The Huskers can look back and say it was worth it as they went from 5-6 to 8-4.
They showed dramatic improvement in five special teams categories between 2004 and '05. In a season of close games, special teams were a difference-maker in at least two games and a factor in several others.
"You can make up so much field position, you can gain field position, you can create field position," Callahan said. "To coach (Bill) Busch's credit, we did that in the '05 season, and we've got to do it again."
Last season, NU moved to the top of the Big 12 in net punting (39.8 yards), field-goal percentage (82.6 percent) and blocked kicks (seven). The Huskers ranked second in punt returns (12.9) and field goals made (19).
Although only fifth in kickoff coverage, they lowered their opponents' return average from 24.7 in 2004 to 18.3 in 2005.
"I think sometimes coaches pay lip service and say it's a third of the game," said senior Brandon Rigoni, who plays on several NU special-teams units. "But really, a conscious decision was made last season, it seemed to me, and it was more than lip service."
Rigoni said it became chic to be a special teams player, as the NU staff developed a point system that turned it into a competition. Each week, players were rewarded for making a tackle or a block or carrying out an assignment, and the points were accumulated and updated through the season.
Busch, the Huskers' special teams coordinator, said Nebraska also is unique in having every assistant work with some area of special teams. Callahan watched cut-ups of special teams play four or five times in the offseason.
"I just think it was a culmination of everyone working their tails off on all phases," Busch said.
Busch said he'll take most of the blame for 2004, when NU's production on kickoff coverage and punt returns (5.8 yards) was almost embarrassing.
Terrence Nunn and Cortney Grixby added a spark to punt returns, helping Nebraska go from 117th to 17th in NCAA Division I-A. But Busch said it was obvious that it started with improved blocking. Maintaining the same levels on punt coverage will be tough as NU loses Sam Koch and turns to unproven punters such as Tyler Kester, Dan Titchener and Jake Wesch, and maybe even receiver Todd Peterson.
Finding the right personnel and putting them in the right places led to many of the blocked kicks. And Jordan Congdon's arrival made the kicking game productive. The freshman made 19 of 23 field goals.
"Now," Callahan said, "we've just got to do it all better."
* * *
5 questions facing special teams
Who's the next Sam Koch?
Nebraska is on a solid run of taking virtual unknowns and turning them into big boomers, most recently Kyle Larson and Sam Koch. With Koch gone, a new batch of hopefuls emerges. Nice for them, undoubtedly a little scary for NU coach Bill Callahan. Sophomore-to-be Dan Titchener was listed No. 2 all last season, but he'll compete with Tyler Kester, Jake Wesch and Todd Peterson for the work. Better believe this spring will be important for each.
Is Jordan Congdon for real?
Yes. That was easy. Congdon was a freshman All-American after making 19 of 23 field goals - including his first five, seven in a row during one October stretch and a game-winner against Kansas State in November. Where Congdon can get better is with his range and his distance on kickoffs.
Can the Huskers start breaking some kickoff returns?
One place NU didn't improve much last season was with its kickoff return team, averaging below 20 yards and going a seventh straight year without running one back for a touchdown (Joe Walker had the last in 1998). Marlon Lucky and Tierre Green handled most kickoffs last season, and Lucky actually had a return for a TD negated by a penalty.
Are the punt return woes completely solved?
The Huskers did become a threat in 2005, thanks to Terrence Nunn (18.3 yards) and Cortney Grixby (10.4). Both are back and get first crack at doing it again. Callahan will tell you the blocking was much improved from the season before, so that facet would need to be maintained.
Were the blocked kicks an aberration?
A combination of putting players both tall (Zach Potter) and athletic (Barry Turner) on the field helped NU block seven kicks, including a school-record five field goals. It's become part of what the Huskers do, obviously, but also might become tougher now that opponents have gotten a good look at how it's done.
