The departure of special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler to USC was initially met with shock and frustration by Nebraska fans. However, Ekeler’s first press conference in Los Angeles has shed a different light on the situation, revealing a disconnect between his perspective and the «buy-in» required by head coach Matt Rhule.
A shot at Matt Rhule’s leadership?
During his Friday press conference, Ekeler raised eyebrows with a comment about his former boss. When asked about USC head coach Lincoln Riley attending special teams meetings, Ekeler claimed that at his «last place» (Nebraska), the head coach «never came to one.» While some fans took this as proof that Rhule wasn’t «dialed in,» others viewed it as an uncalled-for shot at a coach who had offered Ekeler a significant mid-season raise and public respect.
The «Cruise Control» controversy
The most telling part of Ekeler’s interview, however, was his admission that he felt the Nebraska special teams unit was on «cruise control» after he «flipped» the program’s performance.
«I don’t like feeling comfortable,» Ekeler stated, explaining his move to USC. While Nebraska’s special teams did jump from No. 112 to No. 12 in ESPN’s FPI rankings, the unit was far from perfect, still suffering from occasional «crippling mistakes.» Rhule himself had previously noted that while the unit improved, there was still plenty of room for growth—a stark contrast to Ekeler’s feeling of being on autopilot.
Alignment over ambition
The tension between an assistant coach feeling «bored» or «comfortable» and a head coach demanding constant improvement likely explains why Rhule didn’t seem devastated by the exit. For the Huskers to succeed in 2026, the program needs coaches who are fully invested in the grind, rather than those looking for the next challenge because they feel their current work is finished.