Special Teams might be special once again.

The Special Teams at Nebraska over the last couple of years have been anything but special. Earlier this year, Coach Matt Rhule said there needed to be a complete overhaul on that side of the ball and that’s exactly what happened. Rhule brought in a new long snapper, a new punter, and a new Special Teams coordinator. So, with that, let’s look at our newest special teams’ players from this year’s transfer portal class.

Jack McCallister. Punter. University of Washington. 1 year of eligibility remaining. 6’0” 215 pounds. 

McCallister took all but one punt over the last 3 years at Washington. Last year, he averaged 44 yards per punt; for comparison, Brain Buschini averaged 44.7 yards per punt this last season. I’d say McCallister is very similar to Buschini overall in terms of on-field performance over the last three years. With one year of eligibility left, let’s see if the new Special Team coordinator, Mike Ekeler, can squeeze every ounce of talent from McCallister’s leg, as Jack looks to be the first Nebraska punter drafted since Sam Koch in 2006. 

Kevin Gallic. Long Snapper. New Hampshire. 1 year of eligibility remaining. 6’0” 239 pounds.

Gallic has spent the last three years at the FCS level, playing 36 games for New Hampshire. In 2024, Phil Steele named him an FCS mid-season first-team All-American. With the abysmal long snapper throughout last year, Gallic may prove to be one of the most impactful members of this year’s portal class.