Brett Maher helping Nebraska prepare walk-on kicker

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule confirmed on Monday that Brett Maher, a 10-year NFL veteran who played for Nebraska from 2008-12, has joined the Husker coaching staff. Maher, who’s been with the program since the beginning of the season, attends practices and special teams meetings and is expected to travel with the team to Purdue.

“Brett’s just kind of consulted for Ed (Foley) for a while, and Ed would kind of use him as a sounding board and show him some video,” Rhule said. “… With the new (NCAA coaching staff limits) rule, we went to (NU Athletic Director) Troy (Dannen) and all those guys and asked if we could add him to the staff.”

Maher’s experience will be crucial as Nebraska navigates uncertain territory. Sophomore Tristan Alvano, the returning starter at the position, continues to feel lingering effects from a groin injury and did not play on Friday as a result.

Having shut down Alvano mid-week in hopes that he will recover at some point this season, Rhule said the Huskers will wait “however many weeks it takes” to get Alvano back to full health.

Hohl made all three extra points but missed a pivotal field goal on Friday with Rhule saying “the game shouldn’t have come down to that play,” and adding that Hohl will be an “excellent kicker.”

Nebraska will need excellence from Hohl sooner rather than later as the Lincoln native fills in for the sidelined Alvano.

“To go from not kicking to all of sudden you’re kicking the game winner in Memorial Stadium with the whole world watching, that’s a lot,” Rhule said of Hohl. “… But when you’re a Nebraska Cornhusker, we’ve got to make these plays.”