Happy Birthday, Mike Ekeler: Special Teams Shine in Huskers' Win

After Nebraska scored on its opening drive of the game, the Blackshirts again held Michigan State to a 3-and-out. Facing a 4th-and-2 on its own 33-yard line, the Spartans settled on punting it back to Nebraska. However, this punt didn't end up in the hands of returner Jacory Barney Jr.

Instead, junior defensive back Jamir Conn dove in front of the leg of Michigan State punter Ryan Eckley to block the punt. On the receiving end of the bouncing ball was Nebraska tight end Carter Nelson, who scooped it up and trotted all of three yards into the end zone. Just like that, it was 14-0 Nebraska, and it came on a play the Huskers say they knew was going to happen this week.

"He prepared all week to block that punt," Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said. "We told the team that he’s going to block the punt. Not we hope he blocks the punt, we said he’s going to block the punt."

The 1-2 punch of Conn's block and Nelson's score led to a pretty special and somewhat painful moment on the sideline for Rhule and Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola. Apparently, during the celebration, Rhule said he got a bit banged up.

"He was just smiling at me, and I was running down to go celebrate with Jamir," Raiola said of the special teams score. "(Rhule) was just staring at me, and I’m like, he probably wants me to hug him and squeeze him, so I did, and I thought all this training was going to pay off for him, but I guess it didn’t. He’s got to lift a little more weights."

After shooting out to a two-score lead, however, Nebraska let the Spartans back into it. Michigan State fought back with 21 straight points. The Spartans took the 21-14 lead late in the third quarter before the Huskers snapped out of it, finishing the game on a 24-6 run to ice the win.

Mixed into the Husker resiliency during the lull of the middle quarters was Ekeler's second birthday gift of the night. It came in the form of Husker wideout and punt returner Jacory Barney Jr.

Not only has he already shown that he can be lightning in a bottle for the Huskers in previous games this year, Saturday night may have been his warning signal to the rest of the Big Ten Conference.

Barney Jr. returned four punts of note on the night. His first return was a rather modest 14 yards, but it set Nebraska up already on Michigan State's side of the field, leading to Nebraska's first touchdown. The second punt return came in the second quarter with about nine minutes left in the first half.

Barney Jr. fielded it and took what was a 54-yard punt 57 yards back the other way. If Ekeler wants his guys playing full speed, there might not be more of a full-speed option than what Barney Jr. flashed Saturday against the Spartans.

"I could feel it when we were on special teams; they were kind of nervous to punt it," Barney Jr. said. "We felt it, of course, and it’s always good to know that your opponent fears you in an aspect of the game. We liked it."

The coaching staff has surely liked the development they've seen from Barney as the team's primary punt returner. His speed and elusiveness have given opponents fits all season, and both his coaches and star players are taking note.

"Special teams can tilt a game, and you’ve seen it today," Raiola said. "Jacory — that dude makes plays left and right. He does a great job leading alongside all the other guys. Hats off to him."

Whether it's Barney Jr in the punt return game, Nebraska's punt blocking unit, or even the team's kickers — things have just been flat out clicking for Nebraska through five games, even on windy days like Saturday against Michigan State.

When that third phase is clicking, it can also make up for the phases of the game that aren't like it did on Saturday. While the Huskers weren't able to cash Barney Jr.'s 57-yard return in for any points, it did flip the field on the Spartans and force them to work with a long field, which gave Nebraska's offense that much more time to get their act together on the sideline.

Fortunately for NU, it resulted in a 38-27 win to wrap up a four-game home stand. Now Nebraska will be hitting the road for the second time this season, but for the first time all year, it will be a "true" road game when they visit Maryland.

Rhule says it's plays like the punt block for a touchdown that will carry the team into film review on Sunday and into Monday.

"The joy on the entire team because of how much they love Jamir, how hard he practices, how hard he does everything," Rhule said. "When you see a guy block a punt and Carter score a touchdown — the guys love Carter, they love Jamir and how they all celebrated."

After a discouraging loss to Michigan, Nebraska finds itself celebrating for the fourth time this season after yet another strong performance from the special teams stars. From field goals beyond 50 yards, to Aussie-style punts to this weekend's "punt block-six," there have been plenty of reasons to get out of your seat for the Big Red this year.

Now, Barney Jr. says to be on the lookout for him to join the group of special teams players to score points this season.

"Every time we go out there, they tell me this is the one, so I know that they think that, so it’s on me from there," Barney Jr. said. "I’m happy to have them blocking for me. Happy for Coach E, hope we made him proud on his birthday."