{"id":57953,"date":"2024-02-18T12:00:52","date_gmt":"2024-02-18T17:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/?p=57953"},"modified":"2024-02-17T12:36:04","modified_gmt":"2024-02-17T17:36:04","slug":"looking-back-at-nebraskas-special-teams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2024\/02\/18\/looking-back-at-nebraskas-special-teams\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking Back At Nebraska’s Special Teams"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Nebraska’s 2024 recruiting cycle, special teams coordinator Ed Foley<\/strong> only added three-star punter Kamdyn Koch<\/strong> to the Nebraska Cornhuskers roster. This might be a misstep in Matt Rhule’s<\/strong> second year as head coach, but the Big Red has plenty of playmakers when it comes to the special teams unit.\u00a0 Let’s break down who stood out last year and a possible solution for Nebraska’s special teams in 2024.<\/p>\n

Tristan Alvano<\/h3>\n

In 2023, the freshman from Omaha Westside showed signs of inconsistency as a member of\u00a0 Foley’s unit. At times, he could carry the load. We know this because he connected on a 55-yard field goal in the third quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers. Coincidentally, this make also was the second-longest field goal since Alex Henery<\/a> in 2008.\u00a0 And in the next week, he was able to strike from distance once again.\u00a0 He was able to knot the game up against the Northwestern Wildcats from 47 yards away. But that doesn’t mean that the freshman’s season was perfect with the Cornhuskers. In fact, the placekicker went through late adversity in 2023. In conference play against Big Ten opponents, he had six missed field goals. Normally, these misses are expected for a freshman, but these mishaps were devastating in critical moments. According to the Huskers team website, Alvano only made 1-out-of-2 field goals at Wisconsin, with his lone make being a 30-yarder to send the Huskers into overtime. Now the sophomore just has to prove himself in the offseason? But can he do so with Nico Ottomanelli trying to make a name for himself?\u00a0 The top-ranked kicker in the state of New Jersey is sure to give Alvano a run for his money.<\/p>\n

Brian Buschini<\/h3>\n

Much like his place-kicking teammate, the Montana native also had ups and downs throughout the season. However, the adversity would hit much earlier for the junior punter in 2023. In week two against head coach Deion Sanders<\/strong> and the Colorado Buffaloes, Buschini punted a mere four times for NU and had one touchback. But luckily, he would rebound with a pair of strong performances in Memorial Stadium. Against Northern Illinois, Buschini’s play would start to improve rapidly.\u00a0 Six punts of his were averaged out at 43 yards, with one even going inside the one-yard line. But beginning in conference play, he would show off most of his punting prowess. This would show itself in a home date against the Northwestern Wildcats when he would place four of his seven punts inside the 20-yard line. And against head coach Ryan Walters<\/strong> and the Purdue Boilermakers, he had another decent performance. Because of this, expect him to grasp the starting job because of his experience. As a future legacy, Koch could make a run at the starting spot, but a redshirt is likely in his future with the Nebraska Cornhuskers.<\/p>\n

Read more about Kamdyn Koch and his legacy in The Impact That Kamdyn Koch’s Commitment Has On Nebraska<\/a><\/p>\n

A Solution to Nebraska’s Punt Returns?<\/h3>\n
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The transfer receiver hailing from our nation\u2019s capital,@jahmalb21<\/a> is N! #GBR<\/a> x #24Ours<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/2Bmw7SU9Il<\/a><\/p>\n

— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) January 18, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n