The Nebraska Cornhuskers have begun their second Fall camp of the Matt Rhule era. But where does each player stand on Ed Foley’s special teams unit? Let’s break down the position groups progress so far in Fall camp.
Tristan Alvano
Tristan Alvano the sophomore kicker will not be on the Huskers’ 120-man roster to start Fall camp. In a post-Spring workout session, the Omaha native sustained a groin injury. But it shouldn’t be long before he gets back to full strength. According to the Omaha World-Herald, Alvano went through a “quick surgery that requires a two-week recovery time.” If he had decided to wait to address his problem, Foley anticipates that it would be “way more of a concern.” Instead, he is making good progress in his rehab. And on Monday, his dedication would pay off. When the 56-year-old coordinator saw him trotting off the field, he noticed that he “looked fine kicking.” This has left Foley “not overly concerned” with his progress. But he’s not ready to label him full go just yet. According to Husker 247, Alvano is “not at the point where he is going to kick off right now.” Those duties will be given to backup kickers John Hohl and Nico Ottomanelli.
Read more about Alvano’s freshman season at Nebraska in Looking Back At Nebraska’s Special Teams
Camden Witucki
On April 27th, former Nebraska long snapper Marco Ortiz was invited to a minicamp hosted by the San Diego Chargers. His departure leaves Camden Witucki in a good position to win the starting position in the Fall camp. But what are his qualifications? The redshirt sophomore has been explosive in the weight room. According to Cornhuskers Wire, his compact nature has benefitted him to “gain 11 pounds of good weight.” But he hasn’t translated his grit into a game scenario. Normally, this would put him at the bottom of the depth chart. Despite this, Foley still thinks he can contribute valuable minutes in a Husker uniform. He may be untested, but he’s “seen him snap so many times at a high level.” Can he put it all together at a high level when the Cornhuskers face off against the UTEP Miners?
Jacory Barney Jr
In his junior season at Miami Palmetto High School, Jacory Barney caught 37 passes for 559 yards and four touchdowns. Although he didn’t recreate these numbers in his senior season, he still has an explosiveness to his game that the Cornhuskers can use. In the Spring game, he had a 78-yard attempt that could have been a touchdown. Is he on the way to becoming a return threat for NU? Foley certainly thinks so. According to Husker247, Foley says it excites him because of his ability to combine a “really great cut with great vision and speed.” But can he keep up with the Huskers’ depth? Sophomore wideout Jaylen Lloyd and senior running back Rahmir Johnson are waiting to take his spot.
Brian Buschini
The senior Brian Buschini has drawn plenty of acclaim for his punting at the college level. As a redshirt freshman for the Montana Grizzlies, he became a first-team All-American and the FCS Punter of the Year. In his sophomore season at Nebraska, Buschini continued his upward trajectory. This was shown when the 12-game starter claimed the school’s Special Teams Player of The Year award. As a junior, he showed more flashes. However, the senior has become a completely different athlete during this off-season. According to Husker247, Foley didn’t even recognize him, because “he’s become a different kind of athlete” since he started in Lincoln. Specifically, the coordinator noted that he’s trimmed down to the point where he’s gotten more “stronger and explosive.” This bodes well for the Cornhusker’s special teams unit in 2024. But can he perform in the program’s conference games? He has struggled against good teams in the past.
The California native hasn’t had much to show off at Nebraska. Unless you count his brief time in the Scott Frost era. In 2022, he caught five passes for 120 yards in his redshirt season. His most productive game would come against the Northwestern Wildcats in Ireland. In that game, ex-Husker quarterback Casey Thompson would connect with him on a 58-yard reception and a 32-yard touchdown. But since then, he’s mostly stayed in the shadows. He’s mostly relegated to mentoring his teammates on special teams. However, this could all change. Foley has praised his skills as a punt returner. This has helped the veteran “emerge into one of the guys that the coaches are confident around.” Now the senior needs to take the next step in the Cornhuskers return game.
