Ed Foley says Nebraska's kick return job will extend into preseason

Nebraska has plugged plenty of holes after hiring head coach Matt Rhule in November 2022. However, the Cornhuskers are yet to fill their opening at the kick returner position.

Special teams coordinator Ed Foley joined Rhule when he came to Nebraska. The two are inseparable. Foley has served on Matt Rhule’s staff for nine of Rhule’s 11 seasons as a head coach, including each of the last five seasons.

Rhule’s indecision isn’t due to a lack of experience. Foley was an assistant special teams coach with the Carolina Panthers from 2020 to 2022. Before his stint in Carolina, Foley’s special teams ranked in the top 25 nationally four times in his last five seasons at the collegiate level.

The new Cornhusker discussed his opening at kick returner.

“The kickoff return job is open to me. There’s been some guys that have done a good job back there. Josh Fleeks did it for us at Baylor a little bit. He did it a little bit. I liked Tommi Hill back there,” Foley said. “[Billy] Kemp can do the punts and the kickoff returns, so he’s pretty good, but [that position] is gonna carry through the preseason,” Foley said.

All three names Foley mentioned are viable options. Fleeks played in 2019 in Rhule’s final season at Baylor. That year, Fleeks returned 11 kicks for 242 yards. On the other hand, Hill has the most kick return experience of Nebraska’s returning players.

 In 2022, Hill led NU with 12 kickoff returns and 221 kickoff return yards. Nonetheless, Kemp might be the team’s best option. Although he lacks experience in kick returning, he’s a special punt returner. Last season at Virginia, Kemp ranked 36th nationally with an average of 6.2 yards per punt return.

Foley isn’t in a rush to find the right guy.

“I’m not worried about it, because I think there’s a number of guys that can do it. But I want to get a better feel with it. We didn’t do a lot, in terms of of contact, and the kickoff return itself is still formulating. So, we’re still in the growth stage there. But we will find a kickoff returner somewhere in camp,” Foley said.

No matter who Foley chooses, it should be an improvement from last season. In 2022, the Cornhuskers averaged just 17 yards per kick return, ranking 117th in the nation. Fans will see who Foley chooses on Nebraska’s opening day when the Cornhuskers take on Minnesota on Aug. 31.