Devine Ozigbo watched Nebraska’s spring game. The 2015 Husker signee at running back liked what he saw, both from his future teammates/competitors at the position, and what coach Mike Riley and offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf had them doing.
“Screens and swing passes,” Ozigbo said.
That 52-yard touchdown catch-and-run from reserve Jordan Nelson especially hit the spot. Ozigbo’s 5-foot-11, 226-pound frame is that of a between-the-tackles bruiser, but catching the ball, he said, has long been what he did best. The 65 passes he caught in his last three seasons at Sachse (Texas) High School attest to that skill.
And since Ozigbo — like just about any freshman — intends to play early at Nebraska, he ends each set of cone drills — which sharpen his quickness, change of direction and acceleration — by catching a pass. He’s also working on the other part of the pass game.
“Hopefully one thing I can impress them with is my pass protection,” Ozigbo said. “If I can protect the quarterback, they’ll trust me on third down when they need a running back who can catch or pass protect. Hopefully I can build my résumé as a pass-blocker.”
