Punter Cerni matching talent with understanding of the game

It looked as if Nebraska had locked in its next multi-year starter at punter last year when it landed a commitment from across the globe in Daniel Cerni.

A former Australian rules football standout from Canberra, Australia, who groomed himself into a legitimate college prospect at Prokick Australia, Cerni arrived in Lincoln last summer with every chance to immediately win a starting job.

A season-ending injury during fall camp put those hopes on hold. However, in the grand scheme of things, a year of acclimation turned out to be precisely what Cerni needed.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound freshman has all the physical tools and talent to be a fixture at punter. According to his coaches and teammates, though, Cerni had a lot to learn about American football – as in pretty much everything.

“Well, the fact that he didn’t know the difference between offense and defense,” senior placekicker Connor Culp said of Cerni when he arrived last season. “We had to start pretty broad, like how many yards it was for a first down and all that. He’s getting the hang of it real well, understanding special teams more every day, and he’s adjusting…

“He’s got a much firmer grasp on the game now. Last year it was like, ‘Whoa, what are we doing here?'”

Culp said Cerni had “a phenomenal leg” and had been practicing very well this spring. That said, Cerni is still learning all of the game’s nuances that go beyond just punting the ball downfield.

Prokick Australia has produced 17 All-Americans and five Ray Guy Award winners since 2007, and they currently have multiple punters starting in the NFL. But NU special teams coordinator Mike Dawson said the key for Cerni was combining the skill and fundamental aspects of punting with a strong understanding of the game.

“I think he’s still coming along and learning the game, getting more healthy by the day,” Dawson said. “That was a big injury he had. He’s still figuring out and coming along now. He’s got a live foot, and the ball snaps off of it well when he hits it, and I’ve told Daniel the same type of things – ‘We need you with that eye of the tiger to be consistent all the time and make sure that you’re competing.’

“Isn’t just a, ‘Hey, I’m going to catch and kick of the ball.’ Our lives are online on this deal. We got to make sure we get operate correctly, and it’s something that he’s embracing. I think he’s a guy that – he likes to be coached like a linebacker, which works out well for both of us, I think.”