Greatest RB era (4 years) in NU history

[Guy Chamberlin]

The biggest thing about the pipeline of running backs in the 70s and 80s was how many were demoted in their Senior year when a younger running back got even hotter.

 

Monte Anthony was our first freshman running back, and we couldn't believe we'd have him for four years. But then Rick Berns takes over and Anthony rides the bench.

 

Rick Berns was our breakthrough running back until I.M. Hipp comes in and blows everyone away his Sophomore year and Berns becomes back-up.

 

I.M. Hipp appears destined for Heisman consideration until Jarvis Redwine comes along. Hipp is on the bench for much of his senior season, his yards per carry take a huge hit.

 

Redwine is now a Heisman candidate. But now he has to share carries with hot sophomore Roger Craig. Redwine barely cracks 1,000 his senior year.

 

Craig is totally the man in 1981 until Mike Rozier starts getting a few carries. They try to keep Craig busy his senior year by making him fullback in the same backfield as Rozier.

 

Rozier sets the record because he's the only guy who was still playing and getting better his senior year.

 

There was a theory at the time that Boyd Epply was too intent on bulking up the running backs and by their senior year had taken away some of their speed and shiftiness. Don't know if I buy that entirely, but it did seem to be the case with I.M. Hipp. He just wasn't the same running back his senior year, regardless of how good Redwine was.

 

At a certain point you have to figure that Nebraska was a running back's dream, with a playbook and offensive line designed to drive stats. I'm not saying you could have plugged any running back in there, but out of any decent recruiting class you were going to have a couple 1,000 yarders. (that's still the case, but they have 14 games to make the cut)

[knapplc]

Mike Rozier and Lawrence Phillips are in a different class than anyone else we've had. Any four-year period discussion would have to anchor with either of those two.

 

For my money, Rozier was the better of the two. Incredible grace and shiftiness in a power-back's body. I'd compare him to Bo Jackson and... not sure who else. Big-body guy who could make the best tacklers whiff on thin air.

 

Anyone who missed his time at Nebraska, count yourself cheated. It was amazing watching him run.

[Guy Chamberlin]

Saw them both. Refuse to choose. But agree Rozier and Phillips can stand alone. Ahman Green not far behind.

 

Just remember attending the UCLA game in 1993. Calvin Jones had been our stud, but I think he was injured. Damon Benning was the starter, and they started rotating in true freshman Lawrence Phillips. He looked like a man among boys out there. The sizeable Husker section just went "whoa." I'm not sure Benning ever saw the ball again.

[TGHusker]

The biggest thing about the pipeline of running backs in the 70s and 80s was how many were demoted in their Senior year when a younger running back got even hotter.

 

Monte Anthony was our first freshman running back, and we couldn't believe we'd have him for four years. But then Rick Berns takes over and Anthony rides the bench.

 

Rick Berns was our breakthrough running back until I.M. Hipp comes in and blows everyone away his Sophomore year and Berns becomes back-up.

 

I.M. Hipp appears destined for Heisman consideration until Jarvis Redwine comes along. Hipp is on the bench for much of his senior season, his yards per carry take a huge hit.

 

Redwine is now a Heisman candidate. But now he has to share carries with hot sophomore Roger Craig. Redwine barely cracks 1,000 his senior year.

 

Craig is totally the man in 1981 until Mike Rozier starts getting a few carries. They try to keep Craig busy his senior year by making him fullback in the same backfield as Rozier.

 

Rozier sets the record because he's the only guy who was still playing and getting better his senior year.

 

There was a theory at the time that Boyd Epply was too intent on bulking up the running backs and by their senior year had taken away some of their speed and shiftiness. Don't know if I buy that entirely, but it did seem to be the case with I.M. Hipp. He just wasn't the same running back his senior year, regardless of how good Redwine was.

 

At a certain point you have to figure that Nebraska was a running back's dream, with a playbook and offensive line designed to drive stats. I'm not saying you could have plugged any running back in there, but out of any decent recruiting class you were going to have a couple 1,000 yarders. (that's still the case, but they have 14 games to make the cut)

that is an amazing list of back to back to back, etc outstanding RBs. Man, how we didn't win 3 or 4 NC in that time period is amazing - I know we lost 3 by a a slight pass deflection, a crooked side line, and a hot clemson team.

[TGHusker]

Mike Rozier and Lawrence Phillips are in a different class than anyone else we've had. Any four-year period discussion would have to anchor with either of those two.

 

For my money, Rozier was the better of the two. Incredible grace and shiftiness in a power-back's body. I'd compare him to Bo Jackson and... not sure who else. Big-body guy who could make the best tacklers whiff on thin air.

 

Anyone who missed his time at Nebraska, count yourself cheated. It was amazing watching him run.

agree 100% and also wt the other post by Guy Chamberland that Green is a step behind. Rozier's 10 yard TD run that ended up being 50 yards or more from side line to side line against UCLA was a Heisman moment for sure.

[TGHusker]

Will Terrell Newby make this list someday? I don't know but talk about a big land for Nebraska. He looks like he has speed to burn.

 

 

Newby looks like a man wt 4th graders trying to tackle him. The best defender is the side line - even wt that he escapes several times. He'll be on this list if he is developed well at NU. I think Ron Brown can make him into a star.

[suh_fan93]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov8MWa4ODfQ

[TGHusker]

Good video on Doug D. - boy I miss those big running holes provided by the linemen and the explosive running.