Scoring the Huskers: returning Running Backs

NUance

NUance

New member
Scoring the Huskers: Running Backs

February 1, 2020    

This was a series we ran last December and it seemed to be pretty well-received. So we decided to bring it back. We’re scoring Nebraska’s position groups on a 10-point scale based on where things stand right now. Each day will bring about a different position group, but they will all be scored the same way. The three heaviest influencers in these scorings: 2019 play, returning production, and incoming talent.  

Running Backs
Returning: Rahmir Johnson (rFR), Ronald Thompkins (rFR), Dedrick Mills (SR)

Incoming: Sevion Morrison‍ (FR), Marvin Scott III‍ (FR)

Returning Production: 77.9% of running back carries (257/330), 75.7% of running back yardage (1,181/1,561) at 4.6 yards per carry, 87.5% of running back scores (14/16), and seven of 12 starts 

LINK

===========================================  

Pretty good Hail Varsity article discussing our returning RBs.  

 
I always tend to evaluate a team by position group much

like the method discussed.  
I’m not sure we can rate the RBs as high as a 7 out of 10.   Basically Mills and Wan’Dale are pretty decent RBs but only 2 demonstrated talents is very

un Husker like.   We’d need 2 more experienced 400 yard rushers to

get a 7.   I also think you need an 8.5 or better to win a conference championship (across all position groups).  Only way the RBs do 8.5 is if the two frosh are Ameer

caliber.  ???   Unlikely but.  

 
84HuskerLaw said:
I always tend to evaluate a team by position group much

like the method discussed.  
I’m not sure we can rate the RBs as high as a 7 out of 10.   Basically Mills and Wan’Dale are pretty decent RBs but only 2 demonstrated talents is very

un Husker like.   We’d need 2 more experienced 400 yard rushers to

get a 7.   I also think you need an 8.5 or better to win a conference championship (across all position groups).  Only way the RBs do 8.5 is if the two frosh are Ameer

caliber.  ???   Unlikely but.  
Click to expand...
I somewhat agree with you.  Basically the RB room is a mystery to us right now.  We only know Mills, the rest of the guys could be great, or they could be busts.  It is not often where a school like Nebraska has only one non-freshman RB.  And he is a Juco.  We need at least one of these young guys to be a huge hit.  And i wasn't that impressed with Johnson, but it was way too early to tell.  I do really like Mills though.

 
Mills is a lot like Ozigbo with less speed perhaps  and Devine would have been a typical 3rd or 4th stringer (maybe a 2nd if he showed better blocking skills) under Osborne or even Solich.  That’s the real problem - far too many of our RBs were NOT ready for prime time caliber guys.  Maybe 5 or 6 total since Solich.  That’s awfully poor.  It’s no wonder our run game has been so weak. I like the recruits in many ways but

am not sure they look big and strong to finish runs and get that extra yard per tote.   I do tend to think the O line bears a bunch of the responsibility too.  Since Tenopir retired (Frank fired him I think), run blocking have been relegated to second place behind pass pro.  The huskers have not been the same since and won’t ever be.   We may win games with pass orientation and run counter punching but it’ll never be the fun of smash mouth !   

 
84HuskerLaw said:
Mills is a lot like Ozigbo with less speed perhaps  and Devine would have been a typical 3rd or 4th stringer (maybe a 2nd if he showed better blocking skills) under Osborne or even Solich.  That’s the real problem - far too many of our RBs were NOT ready for prime time caliber guys.  Maybe 5 or 6 total since Solich.  That’s awfully poor.  It’s no wonder our run game has been so weak. I like the recruits in many ways but

am not sure they look big and strong to finish runs and get that extra yard per tote.   I do tend to think the O line bears a bunch of the responsibility too.  Since Tenopir retired (Frank fired him I think), run blocking have been relegated to second place behind pass pro.  The huskers have not been the same since and won’t ever be.   We may win games with pass orientation and run counter punching but it’ll never be the fun of smash mouth !   
Click to expand...
Ozigbos speed came out of nowhere his senior year.  Maybe mills can do the same?

 
84HuskerLaw said:
Mills is a lot like Ozigbo with less speed perhaps  and Devine would have been a typical 3rd or 4th stringer (maybe a 2nd if he showed better blocking skills) under Osborne or even Solich.  That’s the real problem - far too many of our RBs were NOT ready for prime time caliber guys.  Maybe 5 or 6 total since Solich.  That’s awfully poor.  It’s no wonder our run game has been so weak. I like the recruits in many ways but

am not sure they look big and strong to finish runs and get that extra yard per tote.   I do tend to think the O line bears a bunch of the responsibility too.  Since Tenopir retired (Frank fired him I think), run blocking have been relegated to second place behind pass pro.  The huskers have not been the same since and won’t ever be.   We may win games with pass orientation and run counter punching but it’ll never be the fun of smash mouth !   
Click to expand...


3rd or 4th string?   You realize he's on an NFL roster, right?

 
NUance said:
3rd or 4th string?   You realize he's on an NFL roster, right?
Click to expand...


Eh, I actually think that's pretty accurate.  Had Tre Bryant been healthy, he probably would have been the starter.  Greg Bell was the starter and was more productive than Ozigbo until his attitude got in the way.  Maurice Washington show up in August as an undersized true Freshman and was able to jump in and get a lot of carries and do pretty well, even though he struggled to stay healthy.

So I don't think it's really a stretch to say Ozigbo would have been down the list a ways but for the guys that were ahead of him not being able to stay on the field for one reason or another.  He was kind of the last man standing.

 
Mavric said:
Eh, I actually think that's pretty accurate.  Had Tre Bryant been healthy, he probably would have been the starter.  Greg Bell was the starter and was more productive than Ozigbo until his attitude got in the way.  Maurice Washington show up in August as an undersized true Freshman and was able to jump in and get a lot of carries and do pretty well, even though he struggled to stay healthy.

So I don't think it's really a stretch to say Ozigbo would have been down the list a ways but for the guys that were ahead of him not being able to stay on the field for one reason or another.  He was kind of the last man standing.
Click to expand...
I wasn’t saying ozigbo was 4th stringer last year.  I meant he would have been a 4th stringer throughout the Osborne Solich years as we had many more talented RBs - thence we had a handful of RBs since Solich that would have made the rosters prior thereto.  

 
Mavric said:
Eh, I actually think that's pretty accurate.  Had Tre Bryant been healthy, he probably would have been the starter.  Greg Bell was the starter and was more productive than Ozigbo until his attitude got in the way.  Maurice Washington show up in August as an undersized true Freshman and was able to jump in and get a lot of carries and do pretty well, even though he struggled to stay healthy.

So I don't think it's really a stretch to say Ozigbo would have been down the list a ways but for the guys that were ahead of him not being able to stay on the field for one reason or another.  He was kind of the last man standing.
Click to expand...
Mav, Greg Bell sucked. 

 
Mavric said:
Eh, I actually think that's pretty accurate.  Had Tre Bryant been healthy, he probably would have been the starter.  Greg Bell was the starter and was more productive than Ozigbo until his attitude got in the way.  Maurice Washington show up in August as an undersized true Freshman and was able to jump in and get a lot of carries and do pretty well, even though he struggled to stay healthy.

So I don't think it's really a stretch to say Ozigbo would have been down the list a ways but for the guys that were ahead of him not being able to stay on the field for one reason or another.  He was kind of the last man standing.
Click to expand...


Well, we're gonna have to agree to disagree then.  Until his senior season I thought Ozigbo was a fairly complete back, but lacked enough speed to be a great RB.  But his Sr season he somehow seemed to gain a step in speed.  Maybe it was my imagination but I thought he looked faster.  (Is that even possible?)   Ziggy always reminded me of Correl Buckhalter---sans the fumble fingers.  It'd be interesting to see what Ozigbo would do behind a dominant O-line.  Like, say, the '95 Pipeline.  I'm not saying Ozigbo could hold a candle to LP, especially in breakaway speed.  But Ozigbo would really rack up some yards if he had a couple roadgraders to run behind.  /jmho 

 
Back
Top