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USC hires Mike Ekeler as special teams coordinator

Erik-McKinneyby: Erik McKinney01/20/26ErikTMcKinney

The USC Trojans have hired a new special teams coordinator as Mike Ekeler is joining Lincoln Riley’s program. The move was first reported by Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.

Ekeler began his assistant coaching career as a linebacker coach at Nebraska in 2008. He didn’t start to take on special teams specifically until he arrived at Georgia for the 2014-2015 seasons. He then became the defensive coordinator at North Texas in 2016, moved on to North Carolina for 2017-2018 and then went back to special teams at Kansas for the 2019 season, North Texas in 2020, Tennessee from 2021-2024 and Nebraska this past year.

Ekeler’s coverage and return teams have been pretty consistently strong.

This past season, Nebraska finished No. 14 in opponent punt return average, allowing just 23 yards on six returns. USC was No. 132 in punt return average, hurt mostly by a long touchdown return against Oregon. The Huskers finished No. 12 in opponent kickoff return average (16.4 yards per return) despite opponents returning 28 kicks, which one one of the bigger numbers in the country. USC gave up an average of 26.3 yards per return (No. 129 nationally) on just 20 kickoff returns.

The Huskers had weapons in the return game as well. Nebraska was No. 17 in punt return average, with a touchdown and a 13.6-yard average. And the Huskers finished No. 13 in kickoff return average, taking back one touchdown and bringing 31 kicks back for returns.

USC managed just eight punt returns in 2026, averaging 11.1 yards. But just seven teams had fewer than eight returns. And the Trojans finished No. 123 in kickoff return average at just 16.7 yards per return.

To give a sense of the immediate impact Ekeler made at Nebraska, the surface-level numbers tell a pretty compelling story.

Kickoff coverage ranking
2024 – 92nd
2025 – 12th

Punt coverage ranking
2024 – 114th
2025 – 14th

Kickoff return ranking
2024 – 100th
2025 – 13th

Punt return ranking
2024 – 111th
2025 – 17th

A return to USC for Ekeler

This will be Ekeler’s second stint with the Trojans. He coached linebackers for USC during the 2013 season. Former USC defender Dion Bailey, who was on that 2013 roster, had good things to say about Ekeler.

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Garry Paskwietz was a pioneer in bringing team-specific sports coverage to the internet. He founded WeAreSC in 1998 and was an Emmy winner for his work with Fox Sports West. Always generous with his time, knowledge, and compassion, he touched the lives of countless USC and high school football fans.

Garry Paskwietz