Newby Looks for Healthy, Productive Season

[Mavric]

With 1,360 career rushing yards, Newby will enter the 2016 season in position to join 28 Huskers in the 2,000-yard club. He's averaged 5.1 yards on 268 career attempts. He catches the ball well (35 receptions for 205 yards) and is Nebraska's most-reliable back in blitz pickup.

He played through injury last season and still rushed for 765 yards (5.2 per attempt). Few folks seem to remember that he rolled his ankle in the third game, at Miami, and never fully recovered.

"Once he rolled that ankle, I don't think he ever got above 85 percent," said Nebraska running backs coach Reggie Davis. "In my eyes, you could see he was a little different player after that."

So, the 5-10, 200-pound Newby quietly goes about his business this spring, and looks sharp in doing so. He's going to get his share of touches this coming season (along with Wilbon and Devine Ozigbo). Bank on that.

 

LJS

[chainsaw]

husker running back injuries have a history of happening. lots of times these are 'nicks' but the production usually suffers. this is one reason why i always look 3 deep at this position.

[Canesfan01]

I think he is a good RB. Not a fan of Cross, he had no moves at all. Terrible RB. Just my opinion

[Elf]

 

With 1,360 career rushing yards, Newby will enter the 2016 season in position to join 28 Huskers in the 2,000-yard club. He's averaged 5.1 yards on 268 career attempts. He catches the ball well (35 receptions for 205 yards) and is Nebraska's most-reliable back in blitz pickup.

 

He played through injury last season and still rushed for 765 yards (5.2 per attempt). Few folks seem to remember that he rolled his ankle in the third game, at Miami, and never fully recovered.

 

"Once he rolled that ankle, I don't think he ever got above 85 percent," said Nebraska running backs coach Reggie Davis. "In my eyes, you could see he was a little different player after that."

 

So, the 5-10, 200-pound Newby quietly goes about his business this spring, and looks sharp in doing so. He's going to get his share of touches this coming season (along with Wilbon and Devine Ozigbo). Bank on that.

LJS

 

Maybe injuries are why we didn't feature one back all season?

[onlyHskrfaninIL]

I think he is a good RB. Not a fan of Cross, he had no moves at all. Terrible RB. Just my opinion

That is not accurate. He flashed a pretty good spin move in one of the early games last year. Cross has a lot to do with the success at the end of the year. He was just a big boy that took a little bit to get going.

[I am I]

Cross is gone. Gave all he had, great for program overall, but he gone.

 

Newby has what cannot be coached, game speed. However, seems to lack the "it, I'm the man" mental part. Here's hoping he gets damn physical and decides to use his God given gifts and dominate.

[lo country]

Newby has abilities no doubt. It just seemed he was a one hit and go down type runner. Again, IMO, we (me) are also looking at him coming in immediately after Helu, Rex and AA. Not exactly easy shoes to fill. Those three had the knack to always get positive yardage. The ability to slip a tackle etc... Newby, not so much.

 

Perhaps Newby was limited by injury. Perhaps limited by lack of commitment to the run game. Any number of issues. All I know is that we have always seemed to have the starter go down. We are lucky to be 3 deep right now.

 

I just want to see commitment to the run game, little to no drop off when the other guy comes in and pounding the rock with aggression.

[The Dude]

I'd like to see Ozigbo early and often in games and let Wilbon/Newby come in later when defenses start to wear down.

 

[The Maudfather]

I won't get my hopes up with TN. Would love to be proven wrong because I was so stoked whenever he committed, but his career has been lackluster. He's got speed, nobody can deny that, but the vision is subpar, he doesn't hit the hole hard and he's going down on 99% of arm tackles.

 

I've been all aboard the Wilbon hype train since BYU. I also really like Ozigbo.

[swmohusker]

I hope to see big things out of Newby this year. No doubt, the kid has the talent. I also think it is unfair to judge our backs last season against AA, Rex, and Helu's of our history bc we had a major scheme overhaul. Running the ball in a pro style offense and running out of the spread option are quite a bit different and would naturally take some time to adjust to. Being a primarily IZ and OZ team now with some gap scheme mixed in there, these backs have had to learn how to play the position a little differently than they have been taught the last few years. Excited to see the growth of this group and hoping our OL starts taking over the LOS again and we can be a top 3 rush offense in the B1G.

[Redux]

I think he is a good RB. Not a fan of Cross, he had no moves at all. Terrible RB. Just my opinion

He had a good end to the season. He is gone now anyway.

[lo country]

One think I like that Oz said (IIRC) was that they were being told to make their "move" closer to the LOS so as not to allow LB's time time to flow to that gap.

 

Hopefully for Oz and Wilbon year 2 will be McBride better from their game experience and understanding how to better read the D as well.

[suh_fan93]

What game did Newby twist his ankle?

[Blackshirts007]

Newby has potential he's just too soft. I think he slips this year down to 3rd string. Quick and shifty but he gets touched and he's down. Watch ogizbo run against ucla, if that were newby he'd have half the yards

[1989husker!]

Does anybody recall when Abdullah was talking about how Newby was the truth? Newby reminds me of a lot of kids I played hockey with. Some practiced really well, and looked good in drills. But in a game, they were never meeting expectations. I hope Newby has a good senior campaign, but he is going to need to learn to play more free, and decisive.