2021 Spring Notes - Running Back

lo country said:
I don't follow recruiting enough to know who recruited who, but I do know going into year 4 with Frost and Co, our best back was a Riley guy.....Who wasn't even the starter, but took over the job in game 3 or 4 (IIRC).  I just don't see Held as really developing the RB room......BUt that's just me.
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Eh, our most productive back.

Our best back was easily Mo Washington, who was a Frost/Held recruit.

I think it's pretty premature to start making generalizations about Held.  He was only left with one serviceable back when he got here and has had some bad luck with injuries and head cases.  All the guys that he has recruited out of high school that are still on the team are freshmen eligibility.  People saying he has failed are basically saying none of the five freshmen will ever amount to anything.  That's pretty sky-is-falling imo.

 
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Mavric said:
Eh, our most productive back.

Our best back was easily Mo Washington, who was a Frost/Held recruit.

I think it's pretty premature to start making generalizations about Held.  He was only left with one serviceable back when he got here and has had some bad luck with injuries and head cases.  All the guys that he has recruited out of high school that are still on the team are freshmen eligibility.  People saying he has failed are basically saying none of the five freshmen will ever amount to anything.  That's pretty sky-is-falling imo.
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Most productive?  Yea. That's Oz.  First 1000 yard rusher in several years......

I'm not saying the sky is falling.  I am simply addressing the fact that year 4 and we are no closer to a premier/featured back than we were when Frost got here. Injuries, head cases aside, they need to develop/keep depth.  For whatever reason (examples you mentioned) or Held can't develop (I am leaning this way) we are struggling at a "known/proven" entity in year 4.  Gotta find that bell cow.

 
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Mavric said:
Eh, our most productive back.

Our best back was easily Mo Washington, who was a Frost/Held recruit.

I think it's pretty premature to start making generalizations about Held.  He was only left with one serviceable back when he got here and has had some bad luck with injuries and head cases.  All the guys that he has recruited out of high school that are still on the team are freshmen eligibility.  People saying he has failed are basically saying none of the five freshmen will ever amount to anything.  That's pretty sky-is-falling imo.
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I don't think we're saying they'll never amount to anything or he should be declared a total failure yet, but stating that it's a disappointment to be heading into year 4 with zero proven depth and are basically a complete unknown heading into the year.  Stepp included because he's on the shelf already.  I think that's more than fair and Held would probably agree with that assessment.

 
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The talk is mostly a "wished we had a star RB by now." But it's a tad unrealsitc at this point. You can't just look at the # of years and make a blanket statement. 

When Held arrived he took Ozigbo from deep in the running back depth chart to a 1,000 yard rusher and he made it onto an NFl roster. A bad coach isn't going to be able to do that. 

He had Washington that showed signs of being an electric player but we all know what took place there. 

When he was at UCF he took some kid out of Miami that was about 5'7''' with sprinter spead and was one of the major players for their undefeated season. 

He has recruited pretty good talent to the RB room at Nebraska and now it is time to start getting results from those that he has recruited. You can't expect every RB recruit to pan out. Not even WI gets all of their RB recruits to pan out. If one of the running backs gets past 700 yards this season then we have something starting to develop. Would be ideal if one of them can get to a 1,000 yard season. For all we know Morrison will come out as one of the two feature backs. 

You just have to be patient and see how things unfold the next two seasons for the RB room. I'd be willing to put money on the table that one of the RB's currently in the running back room makes it to the NFL. 

 
uberism said:
The talk is mostly a "wished we had a star RB by now." But it's a tad unrealsitc at this point. You can't just look at the # of years and make a blanket statement. 

When Held arrived he took Ozigbo from deep in the running back depth chart to a 1,000 yard rusher and he made it onto an NFl roster. A bad coach isn't going to be able to do that. 

He had Washington that showed signs of being an electric player but we all know what took place there. 

When he was at UCF he took some kid out of Miami that was about 5'7''' with sprinter spead and was one of the major players for their undefeated season. 

He has recruited pretty good talent to the RB room at Nebraska and now it is time to start getting results from those that he has recruited. You can't expect every RB recruit to pan out. Not even WI gets all of their RB recruits to pan out. If one of the running backs gets past 700 yards this season then we have something starting to develop. Would be ideal if one of them can get to a 1,000 yard season. For all we know Morrison will come out as one of the two feature backs. 

You just have to be patient and see how things unfold the next two seasons for the RB room. I'd be willing to put money on the table that one of the RB's currently in the running back room makes it to the NFL. 
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Honest question.  What RB have we recruited under Frost has stayed/been productive a complete season?  IMHO, Oz was lost in the hoopla that was Frost's guys in his 1st class and Bell.  Oz steps up and Bell steps out.  Leaving 2019 with unk guys, but a lotta hype.  2019 Mo shows up with Mills and neither really sets the world on fire.  Mo has all kinds of potential, but it never translates.  Mills shares some time so he is limited.  Our 2nd leading carrier in 2019 (aside from AM) was Wan'dale.  Not a RB.    2020 rolls in with Mills (and no one else).  Mills is injured and plays a limited roll.  Our back up RB steps up?  Nope, Wan'dale slides over and then slide out.....Another year with no real back up.  And here we are in 2021......

It's been a history of having "1 guy" with no real alternate.  Using Wan'dale in 2019 and 2020 as a back-up RB speaks volumes to me about the ability to have real back up RB's available.  Maybe, Frost and Co completely under estimated the B1G and thought we could get by with guys with the slight frame of Mo or Wan'dale. I think they are learning that this league takes a big bodied RB to bang at this level (an an O line).  And we really haven't had that guy since Oz.  A guy who gets tough yards.  Doesn't go down at first contact or an arm tackle. A guy who leans for the extra yards.  

I am hoping 3 step up and fight every day to be the starter.  I hope one separates, whose level of play demands 15+ touches per game.  A guy that when the game is on the line wants the damn ball.  Knowing he will get it done.

 
This is the sentiment I was getting at, what the head ball coach said himself in the article below. 

https://omaha.com/sports/huskers/football/mckewon-projecting-the-husker-football-depth-chart-after-spring-practices/article_177a50fc-af61-11eb-88f3-c72ae56d7a7a.amp.html

This week Scott Frost indicated his frustration with the running back production in 2019 and 2020.

“In year one, Devine (Ozigbo) came to the top of the pack and really had a good year for us,” Frost said Thursday on Sports Nightly. “He was reliable and a quality-to-superior Big Ten back, in my opinion. Since then, we just haven’t had anybody we can count on play in and play out completely.”

 
lo country said:
Most productive?  Yea. That's Oz.  First 1000 yard rusher in several years......

I'm not saying the sky is falling.  I am simply addressing the fact that year 4 and we are no closer to a premier/featured back than we were when Frost got here. Injuries, head cases aside, they need to develop/keep depth.  For whatever reason (examples you mentioned) or Held can't develop (I am leaning this way) we are struggling at a "known/proven" entity in year 4.  Gotta find that bell cow.
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No, we are quite possibly closer to finding a featured back.  Maybe a couple.  But since they're mostly freshmen we don't know if they're here already or not.  They might be and we just haven't seen it yet.  That doesn't mean we're not closer.

 
lo country said:
Most productive?  Yea. That's Oz.  First 1000 yard rusher in several years......

I'm not saying the sky is falling.  I am simply addressing the fact that year 4 and we are no closer to a premier/featured back than we were when Frost got here. Injuries, head cases aside, they need to develop/keep depth.  For whatever reason (examples you mentioned) or Held can't develop (I am leaning this way) we are struggling at a "known/proven" entity in year 4.  Gotta find that bell cow.
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That is yet to be determined. A lot of people wouldn’t have considered Oz as a featured back till he was.  

Mavric said:
No, we are quite possibly closer to finding a featured back.  Maybe a couple.  But since they're mostly freshmen we don't know if they're here already or not.  They might be and we just haven't seen it yet.  That doesn't mean we're not closer.
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Exactly. 

 
Mckewon's take:

"Starter: Gabe Ervin OR Markese Stepp

No. 2s: Marvin Scott OR Sevion Morrison OR Jaquez Yant

Stepp’s injury history is an issue, but he can run the ball between the tackles and he’s sharp. Ervin has an all-around game — a little power, a little speed, a lot of elusiveness — that elevates him to the top line. Yant is fun to watch and could be the fourth-quarter guy defenses don’t want to tackle. Ronald Thompkins and Rahmir Johnson may be on the outside looking in."

https://omaha.com/sports/huskers/football/mckewon-projecting-the-husker-football-depth-chart-after-spring-practices/article_177a50fc-af61-11eb-88f3-c72ae56d7a7a.amp.html

 
SECHusker said:
Mckewon's take:

"Starter: Gabe Ervin OR Markese Stepp

No. 2s: Marvin Scott OR Sevion Morrison OR Jaquez Yant

Stepp’s injury history is an issue, but he can run the ball between the tackles and he’s sharp. Ervin has an all-around game — a little power, a little speed, a lot of elusiveness — that elevates him to the top line. Yant is fun to watch and could be the fourth-quarter guy defenses don’t want to tackle. Ronald Thompkins and Rahmir Johnson may be on the outside looking in."

https://omaha.com/sports/huskers/football/mckewon-projecting-the-husker-football-depth-chart-after-spring-practices/article_177a50fc-af61-11eb-88f3-c72ae56d7a7a.amp.html
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That's how I kind of see it.  I hope Ervin becomes a worker in the weight room like Ameer did and has a great career here.

 
uberism said:
The talk is mostly a "wished we had a star RB by now." But it's a tad unrealsitc at this point. You can't just look at the # of years and make a blanket statement. 

When Held arrived he took Ozigbo from deep in the running back depth chart to a 1,000 yard rusher and he made it onto an NFl roster. A bad coach isn't going to be able to do that. 

He had Washington that showed signs of being an electric player but we all know what took place there. 

When he was at UCF he took some kid out of Miami that was about 5'7''' with sprinter spead and was one of the major players for their undefeated season. 

He has recruited pretty good talent to the RB room at Nebraska and now it is time to start getting results from those that he has recruited. You can't expect every RB recruit to pan out. Not even WI gets all of their RB recruits to pan out. If one of the running backs gets past 700 yards this season then we have something starting to develop. Would be ideal if one of them can get to a 1,000 yard season. For all we know Morrison will come out as one of the two feature backs. 

You just have to be patient and see how things unfold the next two seasons for the RB room. I'd be willing to put money on the table that one of the RB's currently in the running back room makes it to the NFL. 
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We all know Coach Held can recruit, but his actual coaching is unproven at NU.  This is the season for him to show he can develop guys.   So, I mostly agree with all of what you stated except for the obvious hyperbole about Ozigbo being deep in the depth chart.  C'mon, really?  

From www.huskers.com:

2017 (Junior)
Ozigbo enjoyed his most productive season as a junior, when he was Nebraska’s leading rusher. Ozigbo led the Huskers and set career highs with 129 carries and 493 rushing yards. He added three rushing touchdowns and caught 16 passes – one more than his career total entering the season – for 123 yards. Ozigbo also posted a career-high three 100-yard rushing efforts on the season.

 
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