Mikale Wilbon

[Mavric]

You can argue Ozigbo made the biggest year-over-year improvement we've seen at Nebraska in recent history. He went from being nearly processed off the roster to a potential high-round draft pick in just one year.

HOL

 

[RedDenver]

/thread

Wrong thread

 

[Vince R.]

Newby and Cross were better players Zig's freshman year. Zig had a better YPC which is great in a vacuum but not in context. Newby outperformed him in his sophomore year and Bryant was undoubtedly the #1 back in 2017 before he got injured.

I guess I don't understand what's so blasphemous about saying all this or why it causes such an uproar. Zig was a pretty average player prior to 2018 and wasn't as good as other players in his acceleration, speed, pass pro, cuts, vision and overall performance. That stats prove it, the tape proves it. He worked his butt off, got an opportunity and made the most of it.

@huskered17 I like what you said at the end there in regards to your comment about his buying into the staff - do you remember the look on his face, his demeanor and the things he said when Frost's hiring was announced and local media got reaction from players? He looked ecstatic, thrilled at the opportunity. It was almost like he knew something we didn't even though at the time, admittedly, I was speculating he'd be far down the depth chart come the season.

I have pointed out what was so blasphemous and thats putting Wilbon and Bradley ahead of Ozigbo.

 

[FrankWheeler]

I thought any of our guys could potentially take a big step forward just by getting away from The Mike Riley Experience, but I thought Wilbon was the most likely to improve. Obviously that's not quite how it happened.

As for whether Ozigbo was really as good early on as he was last year, here's some YPC stats:

2015: Team 4.7, Ozigbo 5.5

2016: Team 4.2, Ozigbo 4.2

2017: Team 3.5, Ozigbo 3.8

2018: Team 5.4, Ozigbo 7.0

So no, Ozigbo was never anywhere near a 7.0 YPC kind of back prior to 2018, and his 3.2 YPC improvement from 2017 to 2018 was much bigger than the 1.9 YPC improvement of the team as a whole. Ozigbo was probably the biggest beneficiary of a new coaching staff since Suh.

Just a thought but, wouldn't it be more appropriate to look at him in comparison to the other running backs on the team, not the entire team rushing yards per carry? Ryker Fife and Tanner Lee didn't exactly help out the team average.

2015





Terrell Newby


5.2




Imani Cross


4.0




Andy Janovich


6.3




Devine Ozigbo


5.5




Mikale Wilbon


3.9







2016





Terrell Newby


4.6




Devine Ozigbo


4.3




Tre Bryant


4.0




Mikale Wilbon


5.9







2017





Devine Ozigbo


3.8




Mikale Wilbon


4.3




Tre Bryant


5.9




Jaylin Bradley


3.9

 

[Enhance]

I have pointed out what was so blasphemous and thats putting Wilbon and Bradley ahead of Ozigbo.

I wouldn't put Wilbon and Bradley ahead of him, but you directly challenged Mavric to say who outperformed him other than Bryant for two games and the answer is fairly transparent.

 

[Nebfanatic]

When yall are through playing footsie maybe we can have discussions about the upcoming spring and season.

 

[Vince R.]

I want to clear this up. Although many on here could see that Devine had a lot of ability and could be a really good back; that is not what is being argued. I can see where people would be a little hesitant to go there with him at that time.

The aspect that has many of us scratching our heads, is how anyone could put 5 guys ahead of your most productive back. I understand why Bryant would lead that list. We all felt like we could see enough in two games to know. Maybe I can understand putting Bell ahead of him, but he never played against D1. Maurice is extremely talented but again, nothing to show for at that time. Putting Wilbon (arguably the biggest rb bust in a while) and Jaylin (arguably not a power 5 back talent) ahead of a guy who had multiple 100 yd games in his career is crazy. You didn't even need stats to know who was better. The eyes told you. Wilbon and Bradley aren't very good. Both staffs have essentially told you that for years. 

Devine did have to get better to show more. His body transformed and it really allowed him to do what his brain always wanted to do. Some of what we saw this year, many of us could see the glimpses. Others were so quick to point to what Devine wasn't, and yet talk about what Wilbon and Bradley were, with little to no evidence. 

I'm the one who quoted Mav, and I'm not taking a dig at him or anyone else. We have our opinions, and I do respect them. We are in good hands for the future of this position, and we have a lot to look forward to. 

 

[Mavric]

The aspect that has many of us scratching our heads, is how anyone could put 5 guys ahead of your most productive back. I understand why Bryant would lead that list. We all felt like we could see enough in two games to know. Maybe I can understand putting Bell ahead of him, but he never played against D1. Maurice is extremely talented but again, nothing to show for at that time. Putting Wilbon (arguably the biggest rb bust in a while) and Jaylin (arguably not a power 5 back talent) ahead of a guy who had multiple 100 yd games in his career is crazy. You didn't even need stats to know who was better. The eyes told you. Wilbon and Bradley aren't very good. Both staffs have essentially told you that for years. 

Just a thought but, wouldn't it be more appropriate to look at him in comparison to the other running backs on the team, not the entire team rushing yards per carry? Ryker Fife and Tanner Lee didn't exactly help out the team average.

2015





Terrell Newby


5.2




Imani Cross


4.0




Andy Janovich


6.3




Devine Ozigbo


5.5




Mikale Wilbon


3.9







2016





Terrell Newby


4.6




Devine Ozigbo


4.3




Tre Bryant


4.0




Mikale Wilbon


5.9







2017





Devine Ozigbo


3.8




Mikale Wilbon


4.3




Tre Bryant


5.9




Jaylin Bradley


3.9

:dunno

 

[Vince R.]

I wouldn't put Wilbon and Bradley ahead of him, but you directly challenged Mavric to say who outperformed him other than Bryant for two games and the answer is fairly transparent.

Where is the transparency in the 2017 season (which matters the most)? 

 

[Mavric]

Where is the transparency in the 2017 season (which matters the most)? 

View attachment 14356

Oh, you mean the one where both Wilbon and Bradly averaged more yards per carry than Ozigbo?  Right, that one.

 

[Vince R.]

:dunno

Mav, carries and situational football matter more here than an average. Devine ran mostly on obvious running downs. It is more than likely that Wilbon's average would have dipped as the carries began to increase.

Oh, you mean the one where both Wilbon and Bradly averaged more yards per carry than Ozigbo?  Right, that one.

So was Miles Jones better than Ozigbo, and Maurice?

Based on your logic, in 2017, should we have put JD and Demornay ahead of all of them?

 

[RavHuskr]

I thought that Devine showed flashes when he got opportunities early in his career of moving a pile to get the necessary  yards more so than the other backs not named Newby and Bryant.  His issue was he didn't have the wiggle when our sieve of an offensive line couldn't hold a block.  That changed with the new staff of him being in a better shape and increasing his wiggle along with a better offensive scheme.

 

[Mavric]

Mav, carries and situational football matter more here than an average. Devine ran mostly on obvious running downs. It is more than likely that Wilbon's average would have dipped as the carries began to increase.

Now you're in complete speculation mode because that's what fits your argument.

So was Miles Jones better than Ozigbo, and Maurice?

Miles Jones had one carry for 5 yards.  That average is worse than both Ozigbo and Maruirce.  Are you just throwing things against the wall now?

Based on your logic, in 2017, should we have put JD and Demornay ahead of all of them?

Yes, I guess you are.

 

[Caveman]

 

[Vince R.]

Now you're in complete speculation mode because that's what fits your argument.

Miles Jones had one carry for 5 yards.  That average is worse than both Ozigbo and Maruirce.  Are you just throwing things against the wall now?

Yes, I guess you are.

Complete speculation mode? You put 5 guys ahead of Ozigbo, with two who never carried the ball once for Nebraska, one played two games, and the other two had a tiny sample size. Your list was baseless.

You're going to tell me that Wilbon was going to exceed that ypc average as the season went on? It would have put him in elite company that year. 

The Miles Jones reference. My bad, it was a catch and not a carry. 

You were clearly trying to sell your "preference" as a reality.