Spring Position Battles - Running Backs

When one compares Rex to previous Husker greats, that cannot fairly be done without looking at the HC's, the OL, QB's and supporting cast. Rex in the 90's? 80's? He would look "much better" to some.

 
Rex Burkhead was a dam fine RB and certainly would have been a FB in TO's days and could have played IB as well but lacked the break away 4.4 speed it would have taken to crack the line up from the deep spot. During the 90s we had almost zero RBs on the roster that played any significant time in their careers that ran slower than 4.55 and few were over 4.5 really. Even big Dan Alexander who finished under Solich was a sub 4.5 guy. Cory Ross was perhaps the slowest IB to start for the Huskers unless you go back to the '70s with big slow guys like Monte Anthony, etc. At that time the RBs were favored if they were bigger and 'pile pushers' when we tried to over power instead of out run defenders.

It is rather stranged that Omaha has failed to produce any really high caliber RBs in the past deade or so. We used to always take the top backs out of Omaha Central. Solich recruited David Horne out of Omaha instead of North Platte's star Danny Woodhead and instead of USC star Reggie Bush. Horne ran a 4.8 or so and never could have turned the corner on anybody. The option game was not going to work as the QB would have already turned the corner or been tackled waiting on the IB to get to the pitch location.

 
Mikale Wilbon, though, is prominent on Nebraska football coach Mike Riley's running-back radar as the team prepares to begin spring practice Saturday.


"We'll miss Imani Cross — what he brought," Riley said of the 2015 senior. "But I really was encouraged by Terrell Newby as the year went on and also Devine Ozigbo."

However, "The guy we have to get going is Mikale Wilbon," Riley said. "He's got the ability. He's just got to get into the flow — learn better and then produce. Abilitywise, he should be playing."

In four decades of coaching — including a quarter-century as a head coach — Riley has seen too many players fail to live up to their potential. It happens in life. It's inevitable in some cases. Here's hoping Wilbon doesn't become one of those players. He does indeed possess big-time potential — the potential to be the team's best back.
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LJS

 
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kbbccandyman said:
All I'm saying is give Adam the opportunity to be successful carrying the rock. So far Riley has not done that. Adam has done everything he has been asked to do. Ask some of the starters on defense about Adam ... they had to face him when Adam was on scout team. WOW ... that would take too much common sense.
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You have no idea if that's true or not. In fact it's a huge, and most likely incorrect, assumption that Riley & co are not playing the best 2-3 backs. Ozigbo, Cross, Newby, and Wilbon all played, but you think they aren't giving RBs a chance because they're not playing your sweetheart.

 
You also forget to mention Adam Taylor blew out his knee a few times during high school correct? Hence, why LSU pulled his scholarship and he landed here. Dude isn't that good here or he would be playing. High school accolades and accomplishments mean nothing. But please, tell us how he'd win a heisman trophy somewhere else.

 
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Decked said:
You also forget to mention Adam Taylor blew out his knee a few times during high school correct? Hence, why LSU pulled his scholarship and he landed here. Dude isn't that good here or he would be playing. High school accolades and accomplishments mean nothing. But please, tell us how he'd win a heisman trophy somewhere else.
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Incorrect. He tore his ACL one time and came back the next year and set the all-time scoring record at Katy that next year which set the 5A Texas single season scoring record. He was also the State Championship game MVP. LSU did not pull the scholarship offer ... Adam elected to accept the Husker offer over LSU. Also not saying he could win the Heisman at any school. Just saying he has done everything the Huskers have asked of him so why not give him opportinity to succeed. He was also the 2013 Scout Team offensive MVP

 
I can't believe we have this argument every time his name is mentioned. If he was good enough he would have been playing. He got beat out by a true freshman. He was 5th on the depth chart. Stop with this "he wasn't given a chance" crap.

 
kbbccandyman said:
Decked said:
You also forget to mention Adam Taylor blew out his knee a few times during high school correct? Hence, why LSU pulled his scholarship and he landed here. Dude isn't that good here or he would be playing. High school accolades and accomplishments mean nothing. But please, tell us how he'd win a heisman trophy somewhere else.
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Incorrect. He tore his ACL one time and came back the next year and set the all-time scoring record at Katy that next year which set the 5A Texas single season scoring record. He was also the State Championship game MVP. LSU did not pull the scholarship offer ... Adam elected to accept the Husker offer over LSU. Also not saying he could win the Heisman at any school. Just saying he has done everything the Huskers have asked of him so why not give him opportinity to succeed. He was also the 2013 Scout Team offensive MVP
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Mikale Wilbon was a scout team MVP as well. He found a way to get on the field. There have also been loads of scout team MVPs that never see the field. The scout team is not the team that plays on Saturdays.

 
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kbbccandyman said:
Decked said:
You also forget to mention Adam Taylor blew out his knee a few times during high school correct? Hence, why LSU pulled his scholarship and he landed here. Dude isn't that good here or he would be playing. High school accolades and accomplishments mean nothing. But please, tell us how he'd win a heisman trophy somewhere else.
Click to expand...
Incorrect. He tore his ACL one time and came back the next year and set the all-time scoring record at Katy that next year which set the 5A Texas single season scoring record. He was also the State Championship game MVP. LSU did not pull the scholarship offer ... Adam elected to accept the Husker offer over LSU. Also not saying he could win the Heisman at any school. Just saying he has done everything the Huskers have asked of him so why not give him opportinity to succeed. He was also the 2013 Scout Team offensive MVP
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We've heard these opinions from you before, however, you still haven't answered the question that was posed to you in post #30 - if Adam Taylor has truly done "everything the Huskers have asked of him," then why isn't he playing? Why have younger players (Ozigbo) played ahead of him?

The only plausible answer that would fit your agenda is the coaches are playing favorites and intentionally trying to tank Adam Taylor's career.

The other more reasonable, and more likely answer, is that what Adam Taylor has done so far simply isn't good enough. Think about it in a different light - for example, I had classmates in high school/college who did everything they were asked to do for assignments/classes, yet I had better grades than many of them. I'm not bragging but trying to prove a point - just because you've done "everything" doesn't mean it's the best or worthy of appraisal.

Maybe Taylor's best effort just isn't cutting it. It's sports. Sometimes, other people are just better than you.

 
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dvdcrr said:
Rex Burkhead was never an elite running back, referencing the OP. The only folks who ever thought this were dyed in the wool husker fans. Of which I am one, but you have to be real. Burkhead wouldnt have made 3rd team on the 95 squad. He is a great guy! He was a solid back. He was a great leader by example. BUT he was not an elite running back.
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Rex would best compare to Tony Davis 70's. The back that was good and difficult to get down. Not a real burner. Above average determination.

 
Enhance89 said:
kbbccandyman said:
Decked said:
You also forget to mention Adam Taylor blew out his knee a few times during high school correct? Hence, why LSU pulled his scholarship and he landed here. Dude isn't that good here or he would be playing. High school accolades and accomplishments mean nothing. But please, tell us how he'd win a heisman trophy somewhere else.
Click to expand...
Incorrect. He tore his ACL one time and came back the next year and set the all-time scoring record at Katy that next year which set the 5A Texas single season scoring record. He was also the State Championship game MVP. LSU did not pull the scholarship offer ... Adam elected to accept the Husker offer over LSU. Also not saying he could win the Heisman at any school. Just saying he has done everything the Huskers have asked of him so why not give him opportinity to succeed. He was also the 2013 Scout Team offensive MVP
Click to expand...
We've heard these opinions from you before, however, you still haven't answered the question that was posed to you in post #30 - if Adam Taylor has truly done "everything the Huskers have asked of him," then why isn't he playing? Why have younger players (Ozigbo) played ahead of him?

The only plausible answer that would fit your agenda is the coaches are playing favorites and intentionally trying to tank Adam Taylor's career.

The other more reasonable, and more likely answer, is that what Adam Taylor has done so far simply isn't good enough. Think about it in a different light - for example, I had classmates in high school/college who did everything they were asked to do for assignments/classes, yet I had better grades than many of them. I'm not bragging but trying to prove a point - just because you've done "everything" doesn't mean it's the best or worthy of appraisal.

Maybe Taylor's best effort just isn't cutting it. It's sports. Sometimes, other people are just better than you.
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My son worked his a$$ off in basketball over the summer. Lifted weights, spent time in the gym, played games...etc. Basketball season came around and he was at every practice, helped with little kids basketball, I have to assume worked hard in practice just because that's the kind of kid he is and he loves basketball. When games started, there were kids in his class that got varsity playing time and he didn't. Our team didn't have a good season and kids made mistakes and didn't play well on the floor.

Should I go raise hell to the coach and cry because my son didn't get playing time? Or, should I spend more time in the gym with my son working harder to get to where he needs to be to get that playing time?

The fact is, these kids at Nebraska have already had more glory, praise and fun playing at a high level than many many other kids who love the game just as much as they do and honestly, may very well work just as hard.

Sports are a b!^@h sometimes. Sometimes it just doesn't work out that you are the kid that is going to be getting all the playing time and glory.

 
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Burkhead deserves to be in the Husker pantheon.

We'd be very excited to have a Burkhead returning right now. Rex made something out of nothing in a lot of games. He would have been welcome on most Osborne teams.

RB is about instincts and field vision. Cross was big and strong, but doesn't have the instincts. Newby is fast and shifty, but doesn't have the instincts.

Wilbon and Ozigo seem to have a little something extra.

 
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