Post-spring position recap: Does Nebraska finally have a 1,000-yard rusher in its midst?

Spring ball is within the rearview mirror and Nebraska soccer now strikes into the following section of the offseason.

There’s loads of motion on the horizon within the switch portal across the nation, so each workforce is continually in at the very least some state of flux. Nevertheless, it’s an excellent time to take a look at the Husker roster and recap spring developments and forecast the approaching weeks and months.

We now have a look at what could also be one of many workforce’s strongest place teams.

What we discovered this spring: Maybe probably the most compelling revelation was Anthony Grant’s emergence. However not far behind in that dialog was Jaquez Yant’s robust spring. 

In the meantime, Rahmir Johnson, the highest returning rusher on the place, stays outstanding within the general image. In actual fact, Johnson began the Purple-White Spring Sport with the first-team offense. 

New Nebraska working backs coach Bryan Applewhite has a fairly stable state of affairs on his fingers, or so it seems. 

Grant, the switch from New Mexico Army Institute (by the use of Florida State), peeled off probably the most spectacular run of the spring sport, a 60-yard dash to pay grime (in a touch-football state of affairs). In the course of the course of spring, the 5-foot-11, 210-pound Grant established himself as a number one contender to win the beginning job. 

Yant, although, is also a prime candidate. The 6-foot-2 Florida native performed final season at about 250 kilos, he stated, however now ideas the scales at about 230. His stamina improved as spring apply progressed, Applewhite stated. 

In fact, Johnson, one of many workforce’s quickest gamers, might find yourself being the starter as soon as once more. The 5-10, 185-pound sophomore final season carried 112 instances for 495 yards and 4 speeding touchdowns whereas making 16 catches for 197 yards and two extra TDs. He had loads of bounce within the spring sport. 

Questions remaining: What occurs to the pecking order when Gabe Ervin Jr. returns to full velocity after struggling a knee harm early final season? He is anticipated to be full-go by the point preseason camp begins in earnest in early August. A 6-foot, 215-pound redshirt freshman, Ervin Jr. began two of the primary 4 video games final season earlier than struggling his harm at No. 3 Oklahoma. 

Can 6-1, 230-pound Markese Stepp discover a groove? He confirmed promise at instances final season, ending with 177 speeding yards and two touchdowns on 45 carries. 

And what about incoming freshmen Ajay Allen Jr. (Monroe, Louisiana) and Emmett Johnson (Richfield, Minnesota)? Have they got the flexibility to shake up the depth chart? 

Quotable: Depend Nebraska cornerback Tommi Hill, a switch from Arizona State, as a believer in Grant.

“Each time he busts a niche, he is gone,” Hill stated. “I have been making an attempt to get him. However that is a canine proper there.”

“He is bought imaginative and prescient, velocity, he is shifty,” Hill stated. “I speak to him about his imaginative and prescient. I see him hitting a niche when it is not even developed but.”

Finest-case state of affairs: Nebraska’s had just one 1,000-yard rusher since Ameer Abdullah ran for 1,611 yards (6.1 yards per carry) in 2014. Since then, solely Devine Ozigbo has cracked the 1,000-yard barrier, speeding for 1,082 in 2018 (7.0 ypc). Scott Frost has stated he would like to see a bell-cow again emerge. Does NU have that man? If it does, it could take strain off principally everybody concerned.