De’Mornay Pierson-El (Photo Courtesy Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations)
De’Mornay Pierson-El was named the punt returner on the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Freshman All-America team.
Pierson-El returned 34 punts for 596 yards in 2014, returning three punts for touchdowns while averaging 17.5 yards per return. Pierson-El led the nation with his 596 return yards, 194 more yards than any other returner. He also tied for the national lead with his three punt returns for touchdowns, while ranking second in punt return average. Pierson-El led all freshmen nationally in punt return yards, punt return average and punt return touchdowns. He boasted two of the nation’s eight-longest punt returns in 2014, and he was the only player in the country with a pair of 80-yard returns.
A native of Alexandria, Va., Pierson-El set Nebraska freshman records for longest punt return, most punt return yards, most punt return touchdowns and highest punt return average. Overall, Pierson-El’s 596 punt return yards ranked third in school history, while his three punt return touchdowns tied 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers for the second-highest total in Husker history.