Honors & Awards
» Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2022)
2022 (Sophomore)
Brendan Franke handled Nebraska's kickoff duties for the second straight season in 2022. He booted 36 of his 54 kickoffs for touchbacks. Only 15 of his kickoffs were returned, as Franke helped Nebraska limit the opponents to just 18.0 yards per return.
Franke had two touchbacks on four kickoffs in the opener against Northwestern before recording booting five touchbacks on seven kickoffs against both North Dakota and Georgia Southern. Franke recorded a touchback on all three of his kickoffs against No. 6 Oklahoma. He had five touchbacks in six kickoffs against Indiana. Franke kicked off three times at Rutgers and had two touchbacks. He tied his season high with five touchbacks and seven kickoffs at Purdue. Franke reached the end zone on all three of his kickoffs against Illinois. He recorded one touchback on four kickoffs against Illinois. Franke reached the end zone with all three of his kickoffs against Wisconsin. He recorded touchbacks on two his fiv ekickoffs at Iowa in the season finale.
2021 (Freshman)
Franke won the job as Nebraska’s kickoff specialist in his first season as a Husker in 2021. He booted 38 touchbacks on his 62 kickoffs.
Franke recorded four touchbacks in six attempts at Illinois and allowed only one kickoff return for nine yards. He then had five touchbacks on five kickoffs in the win over Fordham. He had three touchbacks on five kickoffs against Buffalo and two touchbacks in four kickoffs at No. 3 Oklahoma. Franke recorded two touchbacks in five kickoffs at No. 20 Michigan State. He had five touchbacks on a career-high nine kickoffs against Northwestern.
Franke recorded two touchbacks on five kickoffs against No. 9 Michigan, and the Wolverines averaged only 19.0 yards on the three kickoffs they returned. He then had three touchbacks in five kickoffs at Minnesota, and the Golden Gophers averaged only 15.5 yards on their two kickoff returns. Franke recorded touchbacks on all four of his kickoffs against Purdue. He had two touchbacks on four kickoffs against No. 6 Ohio State. He had two touchbacks on five kickoffs at No. 19 Wisconsin. In the final game of the season, Franke recorded four touchbacks in his five kickoffs against No. 17 Iowa. The lone kick he didn’t boot for a touchback was a free kick from the 20-yard line following a Husker safety.
Before Nebraska (Gretna HS/Morningside)
Franke joined the Nebraska program in the summer of 2021. A graduate of Gretna High School, Franke played the 2020-21 season for Morningside College and made 3-of-4 PAT attempts, while handling kickoff duties where he knocked 35-of-59 kickoffs for touchbacks. Franke did not play football in high school at Gretna, but was the starting goalie for the Dragons’ soccer team
Personal
Brendan was born on Oct. 17, 2001. He is the son of Jason Franke and Krissy Simon, and his stepfather is Dave Simon. Brendan is majoring in criminology and criminal justice.