Roy Helu, Jr.

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np_husker

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http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=3918...;u_sid=10396039

Quick Nebraska football trivia:
Name the last Husker with at least 100 carries in a season to average more per rushing attempt than Roy Helu's 6.7-yard figure this year.

Helu's emergence over the past four games has coincided with the vast improvement of the NU running game. The Huskers rushed for 211.7 yards per game in the second half of the season, a 56-percent improvement over the output during their 3-3 start.

Helu has rushed for 510 in the past four games, pushing his season total to 804 yards. He's 114 short of Ahman Green's total from 1996, which ranks as the 10th-most productive year by a Nebraska sophomore.

And Helu has done it while starting just one game.

See Omaha.com and the World-Herald on Saturday for a story on Helu, who brings a humble approach to the field after adopting a new outlook on life midway through his freshman season a year ago.

"I don't have any selfish ambitions out there," Helu said, "because I know nothing is going to last forever."

He brings a big-play ability to the running game that simply isn't there when he's on the sideline. Helu has gained more than 20 yards on 10 runs this year. Fellow I-backs Marlon Lucky and Quentin Castille have one such run apiece.

Hence the gaudy, per-carry average for Helu.

As for your trivia answer, it's Correll Buckhalter, who averaged 7.1 yards on 106 carries in 2000.
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Man we have so many talented backs for the future. Roy Helu leads the list, but with more touches I think Quentin Castille could also be a gigantic part of our offense. Q is fast and powerful and very reminiscent of the old-school Husker backs (kinda makes me think of Lawrence Phillips). We also have a guy who redshirted this year, Collins Okafor. He played at Westside in Omaha and was an extremely powerful and fast back. With some good coaching he also might be a starting back some day. Don't shut out Marcus Mendoza either, he may not be the biggest guy out there but he's quick. Hopefully we can see him worked in at slot receiver.

Our running back situation is looking very promising. I just wish Lucky could have been developed enough to reach his full potential.

 
Give Lucky his props, he was a solid football player, last year would have been a lot worse without him. He had some serious competition also in Ross, Glenn, Wilson etc. Lucky was a good Husker and glad he stuck it out with the Big Red. It would be nice to have the NU Thunder and Lightning next year in Helu and Castille, if Castille can hang on to the pigskin :thumbs

 
HuskerRed949597 said:
Man we have so many talented backs for the future. Roy Helu leads the list, but with more touches I think Quentin Castille could also be a gigantic part of our offense. Q is fast and powerful and very reminiscent of the old-school Husker backs (kinda makes me think of Lawrence Phillips). We also have a guy who redshirted this year, Collins Okafor. He played at Westside in Omaha and was an extremely powerful and fast back. With some good coaching he also might be a starting back some day. Don't shut out Marcus Mendoza either, he may not be the biggest guy out there but he's quick. Hopefully we can see him worked in at slot receiver.

Our running back situation is looking very promising. I just wish Lucky could have been developed enough to reach his full potential.
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Really? LP was fast, shifty, and a slashing runner, but I don't think of him as a bull as I do QC. I think QC reminds me of Dan Alexander the most. Powerful and pretty fast, but not shifty.

 
I'm really excited about Helu. I also agree that Q can be a big factor next year. I think he's improved this year.

 
I'm a big fan of Helu and believe we would have won at least one more game (and probably two), had he been given more carries. I think he's that good.

 
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