From in-state tours to return-game breakdowns, Nebraska's Ed Foley is ready to go

LINCOLN — Ed Foley was 22 minutes into his first conversation with assembled media members Monday. The stories were flowing. Coaching pointers laid out.

About to break down the nuances of the Philadelphia Eagles fan base, the New Jersey native and Nebraska special teams coordinator paused. Maybe his time at the podium was up.

“I’m sorry, can I go (on) or not?” Foley asked an NU official. “You guys got somewhere to be?”

Nobody did, so Foley resumed. The man who quickly built a reputation among Husker fans for chronicling his recent in-state travels on social media is fired up about much more than where his next local meal will come from.

» Ask about working for coach Matt Rhule — the two have been together for eight of Rhule’s 10 years as a head coach and as fellow assistants at Temple before that — and the answer is lengthy.

» The philosophy behind kickoff returns and punt returns.

» The history of Philadelphia professional sports — Foley has been in the stands for key moments in recent Eagles and Phillies championship history.

» The outlook of NU specialists like punter Brian Buschini and recent Omaha Westside kicker signee Tristan Alvano.

All of it revs up Foley, a fast-talking, loud-talking East Coast guy. The 55-year-old is older than every Nebraska coach save for Rhule, who turns 48 on Tuesday. Yet his energy is closer to a young up-and-comer than that of an elder statesman. He said he’s still learning from assistants two decades his junior — 35-year-old defensive backs coach Evan Cooper, for example, is the best talent evaluator he’s been around.

“I’m a little further up the ladder than a lot of these guys, obviously, because I’ve just been doing it longer,” Foley said. “... It’s not just me mentoring them but I think we all have a responsibility to leave a place better than we found it and to bring the younger generation along.”

Foley figures he struck a cord in his first two months on the job as he began recruiting the Omaha metro for the first time before branching out to upwards of 80 high schools around the state. He posted pictures to Twitter of many of his lunch stops along the way, as much to have conversation topics with area coaches and players as satisfying his own appetite.

The Nebraska tour began organically, Foley said. After the additions of Alvano and Florida long snapper transfer Marco Ortiz in December, he didn’t have pressing talent acquisition needs in his room. So he hit the road to build relationships. Along the way he saw an “amazing passion” for Nebraska football in every community, a stark contrast to the hodgepodge of the Northeast.

“When you wear the ‘N’ around town or into the schools, people know you’re there,” Foley said. “I’m not really used to having that happen ... but that’s been fantastic. It really says a lot about what’s been going on here.”

Foley’s on-field task is to remake a special teams operation that was among the nation’s worst the last few seasons before ascending to decent last year. Talented specialists help. Some starters may see snaps on punt and kickoff units.

The coach noted that Rhule at Temple had tasked him with tight ends along with special teams. Not so this time, Foley said. There’s greater emphasis on succeeding in this phase of the game, and it’s his sole focus.

Punt and kickoff return can be worth an extra win or two annually, Foley said. His voice rises, his tempo increases and his hands move as he emphasizes that kickoff returns can’t end at the 8-yard line or with penalties. Returners will get the ball and go north-south. They will return kicks.

Nebraska hasn’t ranked higher than 94th nationally in average yards per kickoff return in five seasons. It also hasn’t taken one back for a touchdown since 2017.

“That sounds simple,” Foley said. “The ball is going to be kicked, blooped, squibbed, skied. You’ve got to defend the field, defend the onside kick, defend the ball across the field. There’s a little bit to that but we’re going to take a lot of time in getting that ball out to the 20 then leave it up to the talents of the returner.”

Punt returns have been equally benign for NU, which hasn’t been in the top half of FBS schools in total punt return yards since 2016. It was No. 1 in 2014 with 620 yards as De’Mornay Pierson-El electrified the team with three scores. The Huskers finished 103rd last season with 77 on five attempts. They tied for 127th in 2021 with 27 yards on 10 returns.

The goal is to get a first down — 10 yards — for the offense before the offense take the field, Foley said. Land a block or two early in the season, which can create chances to set up returns later on.

“If we can change the game with one or two blocks and one or two big returns throughout the year, that should put us among the league leaders,” Foley said.

Foley was Temple’s special teams coordinator for six seasons between 2013 and 2018. With the exception of that first campaign, the Owls ranked among the top 52 nationally in all of them according to an efficiency index rating from Football Outsiders that combines the four core punting and kickoff phases and field-goal kicking into one overall rating.

Foley served as an assistant special teams coach under Rhule with the Carolina Panthers the previous three seasons. He called it “God’s will” to be released during the Phillies’ MLB playoff run, allowing him to attend multiple games in Philly. He watched on television the Eagles’ win in the NFC title game Sunday with son Charlie, who is an NU football operations assistant, while his other son, Luke, called four times to check in.

Foley won’t be going to the Super Bowl in two weeks. Too much to do in the Midwest.

“If anybody’s out there and they need a scribe, let me know,” Foley joked. “I can help you guys out — I’d be happy to mark the down and distance or whatever, give you some insight into the special teams.”