Nebraska football officially announced Mike Ekeler’s return to Lincoln to coordinate special teams. Ekeler most recently spent four years coordinating special teams at Tennessee and boasts more than 20 years of college coaching experience, including a stint at Nebraska from 2008-10.
“Mike Ekeler brings a history of special teams excellence to Nebraska,” Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said in a statement. “His work with Tennessee’s special teams has been elite. Regardless of what statistics you look at over the past four years, Tennessee’s special teams have been at or near the top in the nation. Mike’s energy and true passion for special teams carries over to the players on his units and that will have a positive impact on our program.”
Tennessee ranked either first or second in the SEC in punt return average in all four seasons under Ekeler, averaging better than 15 yards per return in both 2024 (15.7 ypr) and 2022 (16.5 ypr). Over the past four seasons, Tennessee’s cumulative average of 13.9 yards per punt return led the nation.
Individually, Tennessee produced the SEC punt return average champion in three of the past four years, including 2021 SEC Special Teams Player of the Year Velus Jones Jr, Dee Williams in 2022 and Boo Carter in 2024. Jones and Williams are two of four Ekeler proteges who were starting punt returners in the NFL in 2024.
Ekeler will be paid $625,000, according to contract details released to Husker247.
Ekeler said he likes what Rhule is building at Nebraska and is excited to return home.
“I was born and raised in Nebraska, my parents live in Fremont, so this is home,” Ekeler said in a release. “I grew up in Memorial Stadium watching my uncle, All-American Bob Martin, play for the Huskers. One of the highlights of my coaching career was being at Nebraska from 2008 to 2010. Each stop in my career since then has molded me into a better coach and I appreciate everyone who has impacted me and prepared me for this opportunity to come back to Nebraska and help get this program back to the top of college football.”
In addition to announcing Ekeler’s hire, new defensive line coach Terry Bradden officially began his time as a Husker coach at 12:01 a.m. on Monday. It was written into his contract he’d start at that time the day after the Kansas City Chiefs’ final game. He will make $400,000 his first year, with it escalating to $425,000 in 2025.
Nebraska altered contracts for a pair of assistant coaches too, per records requests by Husker247.
Linebackers coach Rob Dvoracek received a pay bump to $450,000 on a deal that now runs through January 2027.
Offensive line coach Donovan Raiola also saw his salary increase to $650,000 for the 2025 season. That figure climbs to $675,000 for the 2026 season. Raiola’s deal now runs through January 2027.
Contract details for incoming defensive line coach Terry Bradden are still pending. Bradden just finished the season with the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, but has been recruiting virtually for the Huskers in January and February.
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