Scoring the Huskers: returning Running Backs

NUance said:
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 
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I will admit i didn't watch alot of football Ozigbos Senior year.  But was he faster than Mills? Mills is pretty fast.  

Also 3rd or 4th string may be a bit of a stretch, but in the 90's our RBs were on a different level than we recently have been getting.   We really could use a great RB, and by the recruiting rankings we have very underwhelming backs for a school that wants to compete at the highest level.  I don't expect us to get a top 5 back these days, but a top 10 back every 2 or 3 years should be doable here. 

 
I was a big Ozigbo fan since he was a freshman.  He should of been a starter all four years imo but that doesn’t make him a great RB.    A bit like Buckhalter but not as good.  He’d a been a FB when the huskers were a run based team.  He’s the only RB since Ameer that has a NFL chance but I don’t expect him to last long unless injuries open up some big chances.   Nebraska should have no fewer than 2 NFL caliber RBs along with a couple younger 4 star NFL measurable type backs on the depth chart.  Instead we’ve rarely had 1 really decent RB. Hard to understand but I guess the past 15 years of trying to be a passing or multiple or whatever hodge podge name (latest rage) scheme has taken the glamor and focus off the RB so it’s hard to recruit.  

 
84HuskerLaw said:
I was a big Ozigbo fan since he was a freshman.  He should of been a starter all four years imo but that doesn’t make him a great RB.    A bit like Buckhalter but not as good.  He’d a been a FB when the huskers were a run based team.  He’s the only RB since Ameer that has a NFL chance but I don’t expect him to last long unless injuries open up some big chances.   Nebraska should have no fewer than 2 NFL caliber RBs along with a couple younger 4 star NFL measurable type backs on the depth chart.  Instead we’ve rarely had 1 really decent RB. Hard to understand but I guess the past 15 years of trying to be a passing or multiple or whatever hodge podge name (latest rage) scheme has taken the glamor and focus off the RB so it’s hard to recruit.  
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Riley and co really recruited poorly at RB.  But i do give him credit for realizing the potential of Jano...which Bo somehow missed

 
Riley got Ozigbo in tug o war with KStste so I knew he was decent but we should be recruiting the top RBs nationally.   Maybe we are again.   Scott and Morrison May be pretty good and we must have one this fall not just two or three years from now.  
Id advise Frost to recruit more linemen and LBs and DBs s as md worry less about QBs and a dozen WRs.   We need to win games and then we can try to set total yards records later.  The highest rated guys in these recent classes have tended to be WRs and QBs most of which aren’t even still around.  I see the trend in this direction but Frost should have started there 2 years sooner imo.  

 
Ozigbo was fat his sophomore and junior seasons. That’s why he was a below average back.  He got in shape and got his above average speed back for his senior season and his production followed. He wasn’t a great back, but a good one.

 
84HuskerLaw said:
Riley got Ozigbo in tug o war with KStste so I knew he was decent but we should be recruiting the top RBs nationally.   Maybe we are again.   Scott and Morrison May be pretty good and we must have one this fall not just two or three years from now.  
Id advise Frost to recruit more linemen and LBs and DBs s as md worry less about QBs and a dozen WRs.   We need to win games and then we can try to set total yards records later.  The highest rated guys in these recent classes have tended to be WRs and QBs most of which aren’t even still around.  I see the trend in this direction but Frost should have started there 2 years sooner imo.  
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What are you talking about. In Frost’s full year of recruiting, Frost signed 6 offensive linemen, 4 LB’s, and a couple more d-linemen. That’s nearly half of the entire class. In 2020, Frost backed that up with another big class of LB’s and more D-linemen. He didn’t bring in as many o-linemen, because he was happy with the 2019 class and their development while redshirting this past season. 

 
I will happily eat these words, but I find it laughable when husker nation is excited about borderline 3/4 star Runningbacks.  I mean Iowa's freshman RB looked better than any of our young guys.  Compare that freshman RB to Rahmire Johnson, and its not even a comparison.  I like what frost has recruited overall, but lets not pretend our RB's are top notch (as far as we know)

 
BigPeterJ said:
I will happily eat these words, but I find it laughable when husker nation is excited about borderline 3/4 star Runningbacks.  I mean Iowa's freshman RB looked better than any of our young guys.  Compare that freshman RB to Rahmire Johnson, and its not even a comparison.  I like what frost has recruited overall, but lets not pretend our RB's are top notch (as far as we know)
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I don't disagree, but as you pointed out "any of our young guys" last year just means Rahmir. From what I heard Thompkins looked really good but can't stay healthy. I still like Rahmir, but he's not the type of build you would expect to contribute heavily year 1 - Goodson from Iowa was a steal for them, and he was also big enough to contribute as a freshman. I think Rahmir will be closer to that level in year 2, and both of the 2020 recruits have better all-around RB skillsets to contribute early.

 
BigPeterJ said:
I will happily eat these words, but I find it laughable when husker nation is excited about borderline 3/4 star Runningbacks.  I mean Iowa's freshman RB looked better than any of our young guys.  Compare that freshman RB to Rahmire Johnson, and its not even a comparison.  I like what frost has recruited overall, but lets not pretend our RB's are top notch (as far as we know)
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BigPeterJ said:
I don't expect us to get a top 5 back these days, but a top 10 back every 2 or 3 years should be doable here. 
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Robinson was the #1 all purpose back in his class. (.9597 rating)

Washington was the #10 RB in his class.(.9190 rating)

 
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Judging a running back behind an under performing offensive line is like trying to evaluate a parachute while it's still in a back pack.  We have had several guys recently, who if placed behind a top level offensive line, would have looked like potential Heisman candidates.  Our O-Line seems to be progressing so hopefully we can make a decent back look great in the near future.     

 
BigRedBuster said:
Robinson was the #1 all purpose back in his class. (.9597 rating)

Washington was the #10 RB in his class.(.9190 rating)
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Good point, i thought he was listed as a WR.  While not a typical RB, he definitely is on that top level i thought we need.  It kinda hurts my argument though haha.

 
Husker in WI said:
I don't disagree, but as you pointed out "any of our young guys" last year just means Rahmir. From what I heard Thompkins looked really good but can't stay healthy. I still like Rahmir, but he's not the type of build you would expect to contribute heavily year 1 - Goodson from Iowa was a steal for them, and he was also big enough to contribute as a freshman. I think Rahmir will be closer to that level in year 2, and both of the 2020 recruits have better all-around RB skillsets to contribute early.
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You make a good point, i was a lil salty lastnight.

 
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