Scoring the Huskers: returning Running Backs

NUance said:
Ziggy always reminded me of Correl Buckhalter---sans the fumble fingers.
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Good comparison.     Oz would not be in the top 5 of our all time backs for sure, but post AA, his senior year showed some real promise or progress.  Last year we digressed.  I hope we have an improved line this year so the running game can unlock the potential in the passing game.

 
TGHusker said:
Good comparison.     Oz would not be in the top 5 of our all time backs for sure, but post AA, his senior year showed some real promise or progress.  Last year we digressed.  I hope we have an improved line this year so the running game can unlock the potential in the passing game.
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Ozigbo is not in the all time top 40.  Much less top 5.   NU has had lots of dam good RBs but not many in past decade really.  

 
If Ozigbo's other three years had looked as good as the last 3/4 of his senior year, we'd be having a very different conversation.

 
Breaking down the Husker scholarship numbers by position
By BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON  Feb 3, 6:43 PM

RB Scholarships on roster: 5

RB Scholarships on campus now: 3

Senior: Dedrick Mills

Redshirt freshmen: Rahmir Johnson, Ronald Thompkins

True freshmen: Marvin Scott III, Sevion Morrison

How it looks: Better to not say Nebraska's running backs situation is solved until we actually see Scott, Morrison and even Thompkins on the field. I understand why Ryan Held is upbeat about his 2020 crew, though. Scott recently posted a picture on social media of himself that shows exactly why Frost said he's as physically developed as anyone in this class. Morrison broke all sorts of records, including those that belonged to Oklahoma great Spencer Tillman, down in Tulsa. Mills also added faith to what he brings the last half of the season. He won't budge easy for these new guys. He's a proud guy. Rahmir Johnson has the speed, and now needs a strong offseason with Zach Duval for the right stuff for the Big Ten. What makes me feel better about this group depth-wise are the names you don't see here. Obviously Wan'Dale Robinson can play running back very well, though Nebraska staff would like to avoid him taking as much punishment there. And new receiver recruits Alante Brown and Will Nixon can handle similar roles. So there are some added hybrid options here.   LINK

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From a 247 article by Brian Christopherson a couple days ago.  

 
I don't know how anybody can feel sure of what kind of back Rahmir Johnson is going to be. He was supposedly one of the 3ish fastest guys on the team last season. So he has speed. I personally can't tell yet how durable he'll be in B1G play.

Thompkins' knee injuries really worry me. I would love nothing more than to see those injuries be behind him and for him to have a cinderella type story here though.

I predict really big things for Morrison. Not for this season, but long term. I believe he's the guy and I think he has the right build to be perfect both in this offense and in the B1G.

 
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Undone said:
I don't know how anybody can feel sure of what kind of back Rahmir Johnson is going to be. He was supposedly one of the 3ish fastest guys on the team last season. So he has speed. I personally can't tell yet how durable he'll be in B1G play.

Thompkins' knee injuries really worry me. I would love nothing more than to see those injuries be behind him and for him to have a cinderella type story here though.

I predict really big things for Morrison. Not for this season, but long term. I believe he's the guy and I think he has the right build to be perfect both in this offense and in the B1G.
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Morrison huh?  I sorta figured Scott would do more.   Of course it's absolutely impossible to predict right now.  Neither one sets foot on campus until this summer. 

 
Mavric said:
Good argument.  Very circular.
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Okay Okay, but look, he was overhyped. I think the staff wanted something more and he revealed quickly that he couldn't do it during the game. I don't know how they learned that so late but it became obvious. 

 
Undone said:
I don't know how anybody can feel sure of what kind of back Rahmir Johnson is going to be. He was supposedly one of the 3ish fastest guys on the team last season. So he has speed. I personally can't tell yet how durable he'll be in B1G play.

Thompkins' knee injuries really worry me. I would love nothing more than to see those injuries be behind him and for him to have a cinderella type story here though.

I predict really big things for Morrison. Not for this season, but long term. I believe he's the guy and I think he has the right build to be perfect both in this offense and in the B1G.
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I know you cant judge Rahmir based on a handful of snaps as a true freshman, but he didnt look that fast to me.  I just didnt get the sense that you sometimes get with freshman , where your like this kid has it.  Wandale has it, his speed looks just as impressive against College competition, as high school.  Johnson looked like a guy that was fast for high school, but now is on a level where everyone is fast.  Idk, maybe i need to go back and watch his plays.

Edit: Just went back and watched his drive against Maryland, which is really the only time i recall Johnson getting many snaps. He had about 8 plays on 1 drive to look at.  My takeaway:

He wasn't bad in any way so I'm not saying he wont turn out to be a very good back.  Some of my pessimism had to do with the game at hand. I recall most of husker fans on here were very excited with how we played against Maryland, and i wasn't.  The score had more to do with how bad Maryland played, and how all the breaks went our way.  I remember saying we will see how "real" this improvement was when we play Iowa.  So i was already in a pessimistic mood compared to the rest of this board, and many werr excited about Johnson, and i kinda felt the need to pump the brakes there also.

After rewatching his drive, he is by no means slow, but for his size, he just wasn't on the level of a Wandale.  Again this is way too small of a sample size.  He did however, look like a "smart" back for a freshman.  He read the field well, and was patient to see the holes and the best way to go.  He looked like he had great instincts, and was somewhat fast.  But just not on a level i would call "impressive" speed.  Which when you are as small as he is, you need impressive speed to be a difference maker.

 
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there is no substitute for cubic inches is the saying in racing lingo from a couple decades ago.  but today’s tech stuff has really made exponential jumps in the power boosting in engines.  and u get lots of new HP from smaller engines. 

Can this be said today in the RB spot (size / power vs speedy mighty mites) of today?

Bigger, Stronger, but slower?smaller weaker but faster.   the only way i chose smaller is if the speed differential is almost extreme.  for example - 40 time  of 4.6 vs 4.3 and 225 vs 195 or so.  but under about 180 and 5-9 is just too slight to me - even at 4.3 light speed quick as your reg RB.  and conversely if the big back becomes a clydesdale 4.75 then u got to add another  35 lbs for sure.  may never be every downer then.  

 
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