The future of Mike Ekeler with Nebraska football hangs in the balance, and the rumors surrounding his potential departure are generating quite a buzz. After just one season as the Huskers' special teams coordinator, Ekeler's name has been associated with various job openings in the college football landscape, notably at USC. Head coach Matt Rhule recently addressed these speculations during an interview on the Zach Gelb Show with 365 Sports. When asked about Ekeler's prospects with the team, Rhule candidly replied, "I don't know. You know how this time of year is. These things happen."
Rhule emphasized that Nebraska has made significant efforts to retain Ekeler on their coaching staff, offering him a lucrative contract to stay on as special teams coordinator. "What I can tell you is... right in the middle of the season, we offered Mike a huge, huge, huge extension. He's done a great job," Rhule shared. "A huge extension to make him either first or second-highest paid special teams coordinator in college football."
While Rhule stated that Ekeler expressed a desire to return and continue his role with the Huskers, he admitted that he hasn’t received any formal confirmation from Ekeler yet. The Nebraska head coach acknowledged that he is learning about the unfolding situation largely through social media, which adds to the uncertainty.
Ekeler just wrapped up his first season in Lincoln during his second stint with the program; he previously worked as the linebackers coach under Bo Pelini from 2008 to 2010. With 23 years of coaching experience at the FBS level—including time at notable universities like Oklahoma, Georgia, Tennessee, USC, and LSU—he has established himself as a competent special teams coordinator. This past season marked his ninth year in that specific role, where he successfully transformed Nebraska's previously struggling special teams unit into one ranked among the nation's top 20.
Interestingly, Rhule noted that Ekeler's extensive background could lead him to pursue opportunities beyond special teams coaching. "You know, people have other things, you know, like Mike's also been a defensive coordinator. Obviously, we hired Rob (Aurich) to do the defense. Mike's done a great job on special teams," Rhule remarked. "But if people want to take other jobs, all I can do is put them under contract and offer them extensions and hope that they stay."
Ekeler's dynamic coaching style has significantly contributed to the revival of Nebraska’s special teams, delivering some thrilling moments for fans. For example, Nebraska achieved a remarkable blocked punt against Michigan State, which was returned for a touchdown early in October. Just a few games later, Kenneth Williams showcased his speed by returning the opening kickoff of the second half against Northwestern for a stunning 95-yard touchdown.
In the aftermath of these exciting plays, Ekeler was observed celebrating enthusiastically with players and coaching staff alike. Rhule humorously recounted a moment following the Northwestern game, saying, "People were like, ‘Are you and him OK?’ I’m like, he punched me in one game. He tackled me in another game. I said, ‘Don’t touch me again.' So I love Ek, but he — arm’s length. So there’s no problem there for anybody that’s worried. He’s my boy, but stay over here."
Reflecting on Ekeler's impact, Rhule added, "I love not just the special teams, not just the production, but I love the way that Mike has done a great job of getting everyone, like, those guys know they're going to affect the game."
Should Ekeler decide to move on, Rhule remains optimistic that the knowledge and strategies he imparted will be carried on by the remaining coaching staff in Lincoln. "He taught us a great system of special teams. He taught us a great teaching progression. And I've got some guys here, Josh Martin, Nick Humphrey, who were his right-hand guys," Rhule explained. "I have a guy, Brett Maher, who kicked in the NFL, who's brilliant. So I hope Mike's back. I love working with him. If a team pursues him and he decides to leave, I do have the guys and the system in place, though, to just do it from within."
If Ekeler does depart Nebraska before February 11, it would mark a brief tenure of less than a full year within the program. It would also mean he has switched teams for three consecutive seasons, following his time at Tennessee from 2021 to 2024.
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