Spring Position Battles - Running Backs

[suh_fan93]

If we are still talking about Newby and Ozigbo as our main guys once the season is about to start I can't say I'm going to be terribly excited about our run game heading into this season.

Never thought I'd feel like that about something that has been such an integral part of Nebraska football as long as I can remember.

Riley better pull his head out and get Wilbon out there. If he's not fumbling there is absolutely no reason he shouldn't be seeing touches. I'm not buying the whole needs to learn the position better bit.

What are you basing your opinion in because I'm not sure I follow. I can certainly understand reservations about Newby considering he wasn't very consistent at times. However, despite limited carries, Ozigbo did very well for himself. 5.5 YPC, one touchdown and 209 rushing yards.

I know you've been taking heat in this thread but the reason I'm continuing the debate (as respectfully as possible) is because there's very little substance for the idea of Riley pulling his head out of anywhere and getting Wilbon on the field. What has Wilbon done to earn this praise, outside of what people say he's done in practice?

I simply don't like player posturing without something real to go off of and right now, and in my opinion, Wilbon is just about equal to Adam Taylor in my eyes. I don't care what Damon Benning or anyone else says about his running style and potential.

Finally a decent response but I always enjoy your posts anyway. Again no one has to agree with me. It's simple. I wasn't blown away by either running back last year (Newby or Ozigbo) and from what little there was to see of Mikale Wilbon he certainly showed flashes of having some serious potential. Riley said as much just last week in his presser. That they need to get him going and get him on the field. That's about it really. I had no idea my comments about simply not being so high on Newby or Ozigbo would elicit such strong feelings from a few posters. I know most of the people on here aren't like that though.

Everyone is free to have their own opinions and in the end they're simply just opinions about football. That's the whole point of this board. To express your opinions. You don't have to agree with everyone as I certainly don't but when people really start going over the line and calling people morons as I basically was then that's obviously taking things much, much too seriously. We're all Husker fans and not all Husker fans are going to see things the same way.

To get back to the topic though maybe Ozigbo can show us that maybe he can be a back that we're going to need this year. I still don't see Newby as that guy. I definitely think Wilbon needs more touches so if anything it's going to be fun (I hope) to see how it all shakes out. GBR.

 

[Redux]

I just can't wrap my head around how after 9 total carries you are so dead set on Wilbon needing to be the starter over a guy like Ozigbo who actually recorded a Touchdown.

Surely if you can see Wilbon's potential, you can see Ozigbo's? It boils down to which one has a vigger impact on gameday and that isn't simply limited to carries and yards.

 

[suh_fan93]

I just can't wrap my head around how after 9 total carries you are so dead set on Wilbon needing to be the starter over a guy like Ozigbo who actually recorded a Touchdown.

Surely if you can see Wilbon's potential, you can see Ozigbo's? It boils down to which one has a vigger impact on gameday and that isn't simply limited to carries and yards.

I no where said that I believe Wilbon should be the starter!!!! Come on man!!! More playing time/touches though so we can truly see what's there? Yes.

 

[Enhance]

If we are still talking about Newby and Ozigbo as our main guys once the season is about to start I can't say I'm going to be terribly excited about our run game heading into this season.

Never thought I'd feel like that about something that has been such an integral part of Nebraska football as long as I can remember.

Riley better pull his head out and get Wilbon out there. If he's not fumbling there is absolutely no reason he shouldn't be seeing touches. I'm not buying the whole needs to learn the position better bit.

What are you basing your opinion in because I'm not sure I follow. I can certainly understand reservations about Newby considering he wasn't very consistent at times. However, despite limited carries, Ozigbo did very well for himself. 5.5 YPC, one touchdown and 209 rushing yards.

I know you've been taking heat in this thread but the reason I'm continuing the debate (as respectfully as possible) is because there's very little substance for the idea of Riley pulling his head out of anywhere and getting Wilbon on the field. What has Wilbon done to earn this praise, outside of what people say he's done in practice?

I simply don't like player posturing without something real to go off of and right now, and in my opinion, Wilbon is just about equal to Adam Taylor in my eyes. I don't care what Damon Benning or anyone else says about his running style and potential.

Finally a decent response but I always enjoy your posts anyway. Again no one has to agree with me. It's simple. I wasn't blown away by either running back last year (Newby or Ozigbo) and from what little there was to see of Mikale Wilbon he certainly showed flashes of having some serious potential. Riley said as much just last week in his presser. That they need to get him going and get him on the field. That's about it really. I had no idea my comments about simply not being so high on Newby or Ozigbo would elicit such strong feelings from a few posters. I know most of the people on here aren't like that though.

Everyone is free to have their own opinions and in the end they're simply just opinions about football. That's the whole point of this board. To express your opinions. You don't have to agree with everyone as I certainly don't but when people really start going over the line and calling people morons as I basically was then that's obviously taking things much, much too seriously. We're all Husker fans and not all Husker fans are going to see things the same way.

To get back to the topic though maybe Ozigbo can show us that maybe he can be a back that we're going to need this year. I still don't see Newby as that guy. I definitely think Wilbon needs more touches so if anything it's going to be fun (I hope) to see how it all shakes out. GBR.

To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted."

I think more people here should consider these words when responding to other posters.

To the discussion at hand, I can certainly agree that I wasn't blown away by Newby or Ozigbo. My caveat to that, however, is that I believe Ozigbo did quite a bit while averaging only 3-4 carries per game. Those carries amounted to 5.5 YPC and a touchdown. I think that's pretty good. But, what I can say about Wilbon is that, while he may have a lot of potential, potential doesn't win games. I'd like to see him on the field - no question. However, I'm personally not yet swayed that I need to see him on the field, if that makes sense.

I feel pretty confident, at least of right now, that Newby/Ozigbo will be 1/2 in the fall and Wilbon will be the third guy. That said, I wouldn't be shocked to see some shuffling here or to see a similar approach to the run game we saw last year. I really didn't like the way we dispersed carries, but unless one guy can clearly substantiate that he deserves more carries than everyone else, the carry dispersal rate may end up looking like a plinko board.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

I think we can also take Mike Riley and staff at their word: the really like Wilbon. They saw his potential and quickly jumped him up the ranks. At which point Wilbon showed a liability, either on or off the field. Maybe pass blocking. Maybe attitude. Maybe grades. Coaches hate seeing guys with potential fail to live up to it, and I think they'll give Wilbon every chance if he can hold up his end.

 

[Hunter94]

i think we have seen Newby reach his pinnacle of play, pretty average for Big 10 backs......Ozigbo runs harder and can run inside where he can do damage and wear down a defensive front. He will probably get the bulk of the carries, although he doesn't have Newby speed, he is a tough north/south runner.

 

[B.B. Hemingway]

i think we have seen Newby reach his pinnacle of play, pretty average for Big 10 backs......Ozigbo runs harder and can run inside where he can do damage and wear down a defensive front. He will probably get the bulk of the carries, although he doesn't have Newby speed, he is a tough north/south runner.

Yeah, I'd be real surprised if Ozigbo doesn't take over fairly early in the season....

Does anyone think we'll have a 1000 yard rusher in 2016? Who?

That might be a good poll/thread.

 

[suh_fan93]

i think we have seen Newby reach his pinnacle of play, pretty average for Big 10 backs......Ozigbo runs harder and can run inside where he can do damage and wear down a defensive front. He will probably get the bulk of the carries, although he doesn't have Newby speed, he is a tough north/south runner.

Yeah, I'd be real surprised if Ozigbo doesn't take over fairly early in the season....

Does anyone think we'll have a 1000 yard rusher in 2016? Who?

That might be a good poll/thread.

If we are still talking about Newby and Ozigbo as our main guys once the season is about to start I can't say I'm going to be terribly excited about our run game heading into this season.

Never thought I'd feel like that about something that has been such an integral part of Nebraska football as long as I can remember.

Riley better pull his head out and get Wilbon out there. If he's not fumbling there is absolutely no reason he shouldn't be seeing touches. I'm not buying the whole needs to learn the position better bit.

What are you basing your opinion in because I'm not sure I follow. I can certainly understand reservations about Newby considering he wasn't very consistent at times. However, despite limited carries, Ozigbo did very well for himself. 5.5 YPC, one touchdown and 209 rushing yards.

I know you've been taking heat in this thread but the reason I'm continuing the debate (as respectfully as possible) is because there's very little substance for the idea of Riley pulling his head out of anywhere and getting Wilbon on the field. What has Wilbon done to earn this praise, outside of what people say he's done in practice?

I simply don't like player posturing without something real to go off of and right now, and in my opinion, Wilbon is just about equal to Adam Taylor in my eyes. I don't care what Damon Benning or anyone else says about his running style and potential.

Finally a decent response but I always enjoy your posts anyway. Again no one has to agree with me. It's simple. I wasn't blown away by either running back last year (Newby or Ozigbo) and from what little there was to see of Mikale Wilbon he certainly showed flashes of having some serious potential. Riley said as much just last week in his presser. That they need to get him going and get him on the field. That's about it really. I had no idea my comments about simply not being so high on Newby or Ozigbo would elicit such strong feelings from a few posters. I know most of the people on here aren't like that though.

Everyone is free to have their own opinions and in the end they're simply just opinions about football. That's the whole point of this board. To express your opinions. You don't have to agree with everyone as I certainly don't but when people really start going over the line and calling people morons as I basically was then that's obviously taking things much, much too seriously. We're all Husker fans and not all Husker fans are going to see things the same way.

To get back to the topic though maybe Ozigbo can show us that maybe he can be a back that we're going to need this year. I still don't see Newby as that guy. I definitely think Wilbon needs more touches so if anything it's going to be fun (I hope) to see how it all shakes out. GBR.

To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted."

I think more people here should consider these words when responding to other posters.

To the discussion at hand, I can certainly agree that I wasn't blown away by Newby or Ozigbo. My caveat to that, however, is that I believe Ozigbo did quite a bit while averaging only 3-4 carries per game. Those carries amounted to 5.5 YPC and a touchdown. I think that's pretty good. But, what I can say about Wilbon is that, while he may have a lot of potential, potential doesn't win games. I'd like to see him on the field - no question. However, I'm personally not yet swayed that I need to see him on the field, if that makes sense.

I feel pretty confident, at least of right now, that Newby/Ozigbo will be 1/2 in the fall and Wilbon will be the third guy. That said, I wouldn't be shocked to see some shuffling here or to see a similar approach to the run game we saw last year. I really didn't like the way we dispersed carries, but unless one guy can clearly substantiate that he deserves more carries than everyone else, the carry dispersal rate may end up looking like a plinko board.

+1.

The more I sit and think about it maybe Newby and Ozigbo find their groove in year 2. Seeing Wilbon as a 3 especially going into things makes sense as well and is great because at least fans will get a chance to finally see if he can be a play maker for us. I don't see depth as an issue this year that's for sure.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

All I know is that when it was freshmen Abdullah, Heard and Green waiting to take over for Burkhead, my money wasn't on Abdullah.

 

[Redux]

All I know is that when it was freshmen Abdullah, Heard and Green waiting to take over for Burkhead, my money wasn't on Abdullah.

True, I thought it would be Green, Heard then A Double.

 

[Mavric]

[No message]

 

[Mavric]

Huskers working on some two-back sets with Ozigbo playing a pseudo-fullback along side Newby or Wilbon.

 

[Hooked on Huskers]

Spring snapshot: Adam Taylor draws praise for positive approach
By STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star

<snip>

"He's one of those guys that, as the (2015) season went on — even though he wasn't playing at running back — he found other niches," said Riley, referring to Taylor's work on special teams. "And I like guys like that — those guys who redirect their energy when it's not working out exactly as they want.
LINK

Some of us thought Taylor would be the next great Husker running back. Never happened. I sure would like to see him get some carries, and see what he can do.

Adam Taylor will leave. YSU destination. Or TCU ala Aaron Green.

 

[NUance]

Spring snapshot: Adam Taylor draws praise for positive approach
By STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star

<snip>

"He's one of those guys that, as the (2015) season went on — even though he wasn't playing at running back — he found other niches," said Riley, referring to Taylor's work on special teams. "And I like guys like that — those guys who redirect their energy when it's not working out exactly as they want.
LINK

Some of us thought Taylor would be the next great Husker running back. Never happened. I sure would like to see him get some carries, and see what he can do.

Adam Taylor will leave. YSU destination. Or TCU ala Aaron Green.

No he won't. (And what would possibly make you say that?)

 

[Sargon]

Sipple on Taylor, Feb 28

Doesn't sound like he has one foot out the door to me. Actually, Sipple said he's the "leader in the (RB) room" and maintains a good attitude.