Fall Camp Position Battles - Running Back

[Mavric]

It's complicated, Riley said Wednesday. There are three contenders — senior Terrell Newby, sophomore Devine Ozigbo and sophomore Mikale Wilbon — and at this point, no one's emerged as the No. 1. "We're going to continue to just let those guys play," Riley said. "It might be where we rotate those guys (this season), but we don't have to say that today."

 

OWH

[Mavric]

FULLBACK

 

Starters: It could be a three-man rotation all season long, based on matchups and in-game scenarios. … Junior Harrison Jordan is the bruiser. … Junior Luke McNitt has some versatility, able to play the H-back position, catch the football and run with it. It's intriguing to have a guy like that, Riley said. His thoughts on players with McNitt's skillset: "You can use them in motion in the backfield. Be that lead guy. They can motion to the edge and be that H-back that you like there." … Senior Graham Nabity is listed at 210 pounds, but that's just fine. Riley said he has used slimmer fullbacks before. Said Riley: "He’s going to be able to run the zone play inside. He can be a smart blocker. He can be an excellent receiver coming out of the backfield."

[Mavric]

[Hujan]

I just hope that Riley has the courage to give Ozigbo and Wilbon fair shots at the #1 spot if/when Newby struggles and doesn't just give up on the run game like he did last year. Riley needs to understand that Newby struggling is not an indictment of the run game as a whole but is simply a reflection of his limited skills. If we feed Ozigbo and Wilbon and give them a chance with artful plays, the run game will work just fine.

[Scratchtown]

I just hope that Riley has the courage to give Ozigbo and Wilbon fair shots at the #1 spot if/when Newby struggles and doesn't just give up on the run game like he did last year. Riley needs to understand that Newby struggling is not an indictment of the run game as a whole but is simply a reflection of his limited skills. If we feed Ozigbo and Wilbon and give them a chance with artful plays, the run game will work just fine.

That.

[ColoradoHusk]

I was hard on Newby last year, but I heard that he did a lot of film study to see how he missed holes and didn't get extra yardage when available. It sounds like he is going to try and run with more authority this year and get the tough yards when the big play isn't there.

 

I hope Newby is able to have a big season and he is able to take his talents to the NFL. With his pass catching skills, I think he could become a 3rd down back at the next level.

 

If Newby isn't getting the job done, I hope the coaches have guys who are ready to step in and make the run game successful.

[Redux]

I've never been a huge fan of Newby's. He has all the tools but routinely comes up lacking in terms of speed and shiftiness and ball security. I'm willing to give him a chance though since he is a senior after all, but I expect Ozigbo to surpass him fairly soon into the season.

[Hunter94]

I've never been a huge fan of Newby's. He has all the tools but routinely comes up lacking in terms of speed and shiftiness and ball security. I'm willing to give him a chance though since he is a senior after all, but I expect Ozigbo to surpass him fairly soon into the season.

agree 100%.

[84HuskerLaw]

I have not seen enough of Wilbon to know but I really liked everything we saw of Zig and Newby has skills. I would venture to guess that its Ozigbo/Newby go No. 1s and Wilbon and Bryant co No. 2s. There is no reason not to rotate those guys. Newby might have the 'gas' to carry it half a dozen plays in a row but Ozigbo is a bruiser and likely needs a breather now and then. Carrying tacklers several yards takes lots of extra effort and sucks the wind. Fatigue can be a factor but I am guessing that Devine is getting in better physical condition and can really be a gamer now.

[Guy Chamberlin]

Newby had a 5.2 yards per carry average and protected the ball well. He was perfectly competent without ever appearing to be a threat. Doesn't seem to me he would have done better if given the ball more.

 

Imani Cross was never quite the back we thought he would be, as exhibited under two coaching staffs.

 

Janovich was the revelation, and although I wanted to see him used more, he signaled that the new coaching stuff was far more willing to feature the fullback than the last.

 

Someone unknown needed to emerge last season, and I think that was Ozigbo. He will push Newby this year and both players will benefit from it.

 

And there was something behind the scenes with Mikale Wilbon that curtailed his playing time. Probably practice habits, not necessarily a small thing. Hope he gets that figured out. Everyone sees the talent there.

 

Entirely possible we end the season with a pleasant surprise at featured running back, someone not named Newby, Ozigbo or Wilbon.

[Hujan]

Newby had a 5.2 yards per carry average and protected the ball well. He was perfectly competent without ever appearing to be a threat. Doesn't seem to me he would have done better if given the ball more.

 

Imani Cross was never quite the back we thought he would be, as exhibited under two coaching staffs.

 

Janovich was the revelation, and although I wanted to see him used more, he signaled that the new coaching stuff was far more willing to feature the fullback than the last.

 

Someone unknown needed to emerge last season, and I think that was Ozigbo. He will push Newby this year and both players will benefit from it.

 

And there was something behind the scenes with Mikale Wilbon that curtailed his playing time. Probably practice habits, not necessarily a small thing. Hope he gets that figured out. Everyone sees the talent there.

 

Entirely possible we end the season with a pleasant surprise at featured running back, someone not named Newby, Ozigbo or Wilbon.

 

I think that 5.2 was inflated based on him getting virtually all of the carries against the pre-season cupcakes, especially South Alabama. If you take away the TD run he had against Minnesota—which was the product of a blown assignment by the Minnesota D, resulting in a hole big enough to slide a battleship through—he didn't do a single impressive thing during the season with the possible exception of that one TD against UCLA where he dodged a tackler as he fell into the end zone.

 

He might have speed, but he lacked vision, decisiveness, patience, elusiveness, and the ability to break tackles. I lost count of the number of times he actually ran to—not away from—tacklers, only to go down from the slightest contact. There was even a time on a kick return where it look like he got tackled by the defender's shadow. I really, really, really hope the lightbulb came on for him during the offseason, but mostly I just hope that Riley & Co. are not using his productivity (or lack thereof) as the gauge of how successful a running game can or will be at Nebraska. Sometimes it's the singer not the song.

[Cdog923]

I honestly think by the end of the season, Ozigbo will be the starter, and Tre Bryant will be the #2.

[JJ Husker]

We definitely have enough talent in the RB Corp to be successful running the ball. I don't know who will end up on top or if they'll go with a rotation all year. I have my doubts about Newby unless his vision improves and he gets a little tougher at contact. But the biggest key for rushing success will be with our coaching staff and the O line. We're in fine shape with our backs.

[girlknowsfootball]

Y'all do realize Newby was playing most the season hurt don't you? He had a severely sprained ankle that limited his ability to cut, his speed, and also wore on him mentally as he played through a lot of pain.

 

He ws also learning a brand new offense and had HUGE EXPECTATIONS on him to fill Ameer's shoes and play right after him.

[Hunter94]

Y'all do realize Newby was playing most the season hurt don't you? He had a severely sprained ankle that limited his ability to cut, his speed, and also wore on him mentally as he played through a lot of pain.

 

He ws also learning a brand new offense and had HUGE EXPECTATIONS on him to fill Ameer's shoes and play right after him.

everyone was learning a new offense, Newby brought the same limited running skills he has always had......this is a guy with potential that has not been able to dominate. that said, he is one of our better runners, but very average by B10 standards, no one fears the guy, sorry.