Welcome to this twelve-week countdown where we count the weeks until Nebraska takes on the Cincinnati Bearcats at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday, August 28th.
This will be my list of Nebraska football’s 12 most indispensable players. They may not be the best. They may not even end up playing this season (which would likely be bad for Nebraska). These are the players that need to step up this season for Nebraska to take that next step.
Countdown Archive
12 Weeks: Punter Archie Wilson 11 Weeks: Keona Davis
10 Weeks: Ceyair Wright 9 Weeks: Dane Key 8 Weeks: Kwinten Ives 7 Weeks: Andrew Marshall 6 Weeks: Marques Watson-Trent
It has felt like over the past decade Nebraska apparently cannot figure out how to consistently make field goals. In fact, it isn’t even just that they haven’t had great kickers. Sometimes it is the snap that goes awry.
Sometimes it is the hold.
Or it is a missed block.
Hopefully at some point Nebraska can figure it out. Yes, there will be a missed assignment here and there as the special teams coordinator on the other side also gets paid. However, there is hope that Nebraska’s new special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler will be able to get this unit figured out. Before coming to Nebraska, Ekeler was considered one of the top special teams coordinator’s in the country.
So who will he be looking to kick field goals when Nebraska plays Cincinnati in Kansas City?
Tristan Alvano? He was a highly regarded recruit and was 3-4 in 2024 before his injury.
John Hohl? He was 10-15 last season after replacing Tristan Alvano. He was 23-25 on extra points. Apparently he may be injured.
Kyle Cunanan? He is a transfer from Charlotte where he kicked for them for two seasons. He played in 15 games in 2023 and 2024 and went 14 of 20 on field goals and never missed an extra point.
Or maybe Mike Ekeler has his eyes on the transfer portal and can grab somebody before the first day of fall camp.
If Ekeler can push the kicking unit to the next level, then that could be the difference in one to two wins. Maybe it could be the difference between seven wins or nine.
Or maybe 10?
More from cornnation.com:
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- The 2007 Nebraska Football Season: Booing, Big Holes, and Broken Hopes
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- Nebraska Football: Mike Riley’s Remarks At Big Ten Media Days
- Big Red Cobcast: Is it Time to Cheat?
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- Wisconsin Badgers 2017 Football Preview
