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3 new guys. Ek, Williams, Bradden
Football Coaches/Media Availability 3/4
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Football Coaches/Media Availability 3/4
- Messages
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- Messages
- 1,513
- Likes
- 7,659
- Messages
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- Likes
- 7,659
Washut:
Nebraska’s series of spring coaching staff interviews continued on Tuesday afternoon. New special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler, defensive line coach Terry Bradden, and defensive backs coach Addison Williams met with local media for the first time this season.
Here is a full recap of what they had to say…
***Ekeler said thinking about returning to Nebaska “brings tears to my eyes.” He remembered coaching Lavonte David at NU and how special that was in his career. He’s met countless coaches and players who impacted him personally and professionally, and “it all kind of led me back here to work with Coach (Matt) Rhule.”
***Ekeler has only been back for a few weeks, but he already called Rhule maybe the “best leader I’ve been around.” He said Rhule had “hired a bunch of great teachers” on his staff and assembled “a really fast team.”
“I walked into the opportunity of a lifetime.”
***Ekeler said his first order of business at Nebraska was getting to know the players. He has a spreadsheet with all the special teams listed and places players on each team based on “what they can do.”
***Ekeler said Nebraska was “where I’m from. This is my home.” His family lives here, and he grew up on Nebraska football. “It’s in your blood.”
***Ekeler wasn’t going to make any promises about NU’s special teams other than “we’re going to put our pads on and let that do the talking.”
***Ekeler’s motto for special teams is “ABT for ABM” – All About Technique for All About Money. He wants everything they do on special teams to correlate to other positions on both sides of the ball. The more you can do, the more valuable a commodity you’ll become in the NFL.
“If you say you want to be a pro, be a damn pro. Live it; don’t talk about it.”
Ekeler has only scratched the surface on evaluating personnel
***Ekeler said Tennessee didn’t play any starters on special teams, only freshmen and walk-ons. He said the key was balancing getting the best guys on the field and allowing opportunities for young players to develop “when the lights are on… If you’re scared of the dark, it’s probably not the right spot for you.”
***Ekeler said his evaluation at kicker was “a day-to-day” process. He told all the kickers they had a clean slate, “but the standard here is to be the best. That’s what the standard is. So we’ve got to giddy up and go, or we’re going to find someone who will live up to that standard.
“It’s R.L.S. – Real Life Shizz.”
***Ekeler said that was the case for all the special teams positions, as he hasn’t been here long enough to make any definitive statements on his group. However, when he arrived, he said he’d seen all of the same traits his previous successful special teams units had.
He doesn’t care what happened last year. “I’m just worried about tomorrow.”
***Ekeler said he will “do whatever the head ball coach wants me to do” on the recruiting front.
***Ekeler said he’d grown daily since he previously coached at Nebraska. “There’s only one way to coast, and that’s downhill. I’m not into that.” He’s learned “a ton” about evaluation from his former head coaches and fellow assistants and spent “a ton of time in the dungeon” watching extensive film.
“That’s how you win. It’s not what you do but how you do it… That’s always been my focus.”
***Bradden started coaching at 24 years old and always knew he wanted to get back to the college level. The teaching aspect and helping mold young men have always been a draw for him.
***Bradden said Rhule allowing him to finish the season with the Kansas City Chiefs was a key to him taking the Nebraska job.
***Bradden said his spring priorities would be “family, relationships, and work ethic.” He wants to connect with players individually and create a family environment in his room. From there, it’s about establishing expectations and standards for everything they do.
***Bradden said the biggest difference between the NFL and college was that he’d be able to develop more with college players and be “a father figure” to guys.
***While there were some differences between college and pros, Bradden said the football wouldn’t change. “Football is football.” His biggest thing is to “communicate clearly” and ensure everyone is on the same page.
***During his time with the Chiefs, Bradden said he’d learned how important it was for coaches to listen to players. Open lines of communication were critical because “this business is all about people at the end of the day.”
***Bradden said it was too early to identify leaders on the defensive line. Elijah Jeudy, Cam Lenhardt, and Riley Van Poppel were among the early frontrunners because of their experience in the program.
***Bradden said it was a balance between finishing the season with the Chiefs and keeping tabs on what he would inherit at Nebraska.
***Williams said Nebraska had “a lot of young talent on this roster.” Fundamentals will be the priority at every level all offseason to maximize that potential.
***Williams said Steve Spurrier, Lorenzo Ward, and Steve Wilks were some of the most influential coaches in his career.
***Williams said, “There’s a lot of speed” in Nebraska’s secondary. He said length, explosiveness, physicality, and playmaking ability were the most important traits he looks for in a defensive back.
***Williams said Donovan Jones was a guy he heard a lot about when he first arrived at Nebraska in December. That showed with his career day in the Pinstripe Bowl.
He said some younger DBs could step into leadership roles this season.
Nebraska’s series of spring coaching staff interviews continued on Tuesday afternoon. New special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler, defensive line coach Terry Bradden, and defensive backs coach Addison Williams met with local media for the first time this season.
Here is a full recap of what they had to say…
Nebraska special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler
***Ekeler said special teams became so important to him because he liked to “be on an island” as a coach. “I like the heat. That’s why I came here.” He understands that if special teams do well, it’s because of the players. If they struggle, “it’s on me.”***Ekeler said thinking about returning to Nebaska “brings tears to my eyes.” He remembered coaching Lavonte David at NU and how special that was in his career. He’s met countless coaches and players who impacted him personally and professionally, and “it all kind of led me back here to work with Coach (Matt) Rhule.”
***Ekeler has only been back for a few weeks, but he already called Rhule maybe the “best leader I’ve been around.” He said Rhule had “hired a bunch of great teachers” on his staff and assembled “a really fast team.”
“I walked into the opportunity of a lifetime.”
***Ekeler said his first order of business at Nebraska was getting to know the players. He has a spreadsheet with all the special teams listed and places players on each team based on “what they can do.”
***Ekeler said Nebraska was “where I’m from. This is my home.” His family lives here, and he grew up on Nebraska football. “It’s in your blood.”
***Ekeler wasn’t going to make any promises about NU’s special teams other than “we’re going to put our pads on and let that do the talking.”
***Ekeler’s motto for special teams is “ABT for ABM” – All About Technique for All About Money. He wants everything they do on special teams to correlate to other positions on both sides of the ball. The more you can do, the more valuable a commodity you’ll become in the NFL.
“If you say you want to be a pro, be a damn pro. Live it; don’t talk about it.”
Ekeler has only scratched the surface on evaluating personnel
***Ekeler said Tennessee didn’t play any starters on special teams, only freshmen and walk-ons. He said the key was balancing getting the best guys on the field and allowing opportunities for young players to develop “when the lights are on… If you’re scared of the dark, it’s probably not the right spot for you.”
***Ekeler said his evaluation at kicker was “a day-to-day” process. He told all the kickers they had a clean slate, “but the standard here is to be the best. That’s what the standard is. So we’ve got to giddy up and go, or we’re going to find someone who will live up to that standard.
“It’s R.L.S. – Real Life Shizz.”
***Ekeler said that was the case for all the special teams positions, as he hasn’t been here long enough to make any definitive statements on his group. However, when he arrived, he said he’d seen all of the same traits his previous successful special teams units had.
He doesn’t care what happened last year. “I’m just worried about tomorrow.”
***Ekeler said he will “do whatever the head ball coach wants me to do” on the recruiting front.
***Ekeler said he’d grown daily since he previously coached at Nebraska. “There’s only one way to coast, and that’s downhill. I’m not into that.” He’s learned “a ton” about evaluation from his former head coaches and fellow assistants and spent “a ton of time in the dungeon” watching extensive film.
“That’s how you win. It’s not what you do but how you do it… That’s always been my focus.”
Defensive line coach Terry Bradden
***Bradden said his connection to Nebraska started through David Merritt, the father of NU commit Dawson Merritt. From there, he got to know Rhule and others in the program, and it quickly took off.***Bradden started coaching at 24 years old and always knew he wanted to get back to the college level. The teaching aspect and helping mold young men have always been a draw for him.
***Bradden said Rhule allowing him to finish the season with the Kansas City Chiefs was a key to him taking the Nebraska job.
***Bradden said his spring priorities would be “family, relationships, and work ethic.” He wants to connect with players individually and create a family environment in his room. From there, it’s about establishing expectations and standards for everything they do.
***Bradden said the biggest difference between the NFL and college was that he’d be able to develop more with college players and be “a father figure” to guys.
***While there were some differences between college and pros, Bradden said the football wouldn’t change. “Football is football.” His biggest thing is to “communicate clearly” and ensure everyone is on the same page.
***During his time with the Chiefs, Bradden said he’d learned how important it was for coaches to listen to players. Open lines of communication were critical because “this business is all about people at the end of the day.”
***Bradden said it was too early to identify leaders on the defensive line. Elijah Jeudy, Cam Lenhardt, and Riley Van Poppel were among the early frontrunners because of their experience in the program.
***Bradden said it was a balance between finishing the season with the Chiefs and keeping tabs on what he would inherit at Nebraska.
Defensive backs coach Addison Williams
***Williams said coming to Nebraska started with “the people” here. He had previous relationships with some NU coaches but quickly got to know others. That made it an easy decision for him.***Williams said Nebraska had “a lot of young talent on this roster.” Fundamentals will be the priority at every level all offseason to maximize that potential.
***Williams said Steve Spurrier, Lorenzo Ward, and Steve Wilks were some of the most influential coaches in his career.
***Williams said, “There’s a lot of speed” in Nebraska’s secondary. He said length, explosiveness, physicality, and playmaking ability were the most important traits he looks for in a defensive back.
***Williams said Donovan Jones was a guy he heard a lot about when he first arrived at Nebraska in December. That showed with his career day in the Pinstripe Bowl.
He said some younger DBs could step into leadership roles this season.
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But can he make a rump roast? Tia
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