Maryland
Emmett Johnson Carries Nebraska to Victory with Career Performance Against Maryland
When Nebraska’s offense needed someone to steady the ship, junior running back Emmett Johnson answered the call. In a game defined by turnovers and tense moments, Johnson became the heartbeat of the Husker offense, racking up a career-defining 196 all-purpose yards and carrying Nebraska to a thrilling 34–31 victory over Maryland.
While his totals weren’t unprecedented, Johnson recorded a career-best 198 all-purpose yards in a 44–25 win over Wisconsin last fall, Saturday’s effort single-handedly pulled Nebraska out of the jaws of defeat, lifting the Huskers to 5–1 (2–1 in Big Ten play). With that in mind, let’s revisit some of the biggest moments from Johnson’s tremendous performance on the road in College Park.
Starting with the ball after Maryland deferred to the second half, Nebraska had the opportunity to set the tone early by marching down the field for a touchdown on its opening drive. Facing a gritty Terrapins defense that led the Big Ten in sacks, offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen made his intentions clear, the Huskers were going to run the football.
Nebraska did just that, and with immediate success. The first three offensive plays were handoffs to Johnson that went for 13, 11, and 8 yards respectively. In just three carries, Johnson had already gashed Maryland for 32 yards and pushed the Huskers squarely into Terrapin territory, all while taking barely a minute off the clock.
After a brief four-play break, Johnson was called upon again on fourth-and-short from the Maryland 31-yard line but was stopped for no gain, ending what had been a promising opening drive.
While it ultimately stalled, Johnson’s early burst sent a clear message, he was going to be a problem for Maryland’s defense all afternoon. On the next Nebraska drive, Nyziah Hunter’s 64-yard touchdown put the Huskers on the board, but it was Johnson’s relentless tone-setting on the first series that laid the groundwork for what would become a career day.
Up 7-0 and in full control of the game, Nebraska had a chance to extend its lead early in the second quarter. With the running game clicking, Holgorsen went right back to it, and once again, Johnson delivered. The first three plays of the drive were Johnson carries, picking up gains of 5, 2, and 12 yards.
As Maryland’s safeties crept closer to the line of scrimmage, Raiola took a play-action shot to Nyziah Hunter, resulting in a defensive pass interference that pushed the Huskers deeper into Terrapin territory. On the next two plays, Johnson was called on again, picking up 6 and 2 yards as Nebraska continued to grind out tough yardage.
A touchdown pass to Dane Key on a mesh concept was wiped out by a questionable offensive pass interference call on Johnson, who collided with a Maryland defensive back while trying to find a soft spot in coverage. Making up for the penalty, Raiola found Johnson on the next play for a 10-yard gain on second-and-27, a small but steadying play that kept the drive alive.
After a false start backed Nebraska up to third-and-22, the Huskers settled for a field goal attempt. Kyle Cunanan drilled it through, giving Nebraska a 10-point lead. Though the drive ended shy of the end zone, Johnson’s fingerprints were all over it. Through just three drives, he had already racked up 69 total yards on 10 touches, powering an offense that seemed fully in rhythm.
But as Maryland’s offense answered with back-to-back touchdown drives, the momentum slowly began to tilt back toward the Terrapins, setting the stage for Johnson to step up again later in the game.
The remainder of the first half, and much of the third quarter, saw Johnson relatively quiet, gaining just 43 yards on seven touches as Nebraska’s offense sputtered. Entering the fourth quarter down by seven, the Huskers needed a spark. After a key Blackshirt stop gave them the ball back at their own eight-yard line, Johnson was ready to deliver once again.
Backed up near his own goal line, Johnson took the handoff on first down and ripped off an 11-yard gain to immediately give the offense breathing room. An untimely holding call followed by a short completion left Nebraska in a long-yardage situation, facing second down deep in its own territory. Then came one of the plays of the day, a screen pass that appeared doomed from the start, only for Johnson to weave through multiple Maryland defenders to pick up some much-needed yardage. What looked like a busted play turned into a manageable third-and-four, which the Huskers converted to keep the drive alive.
Four plays later, with the ball near their own 40-yard line, Johnson delivered again, this time with a season-defining run. Breaking four tackles and showcasing his trademark balance and vision, the junior turned what should’ve been a routine carry into the most clutch play a Nebraska player has made in years. The 50-yard burst set up a field goal that brought the Huskers within four points with under eight minutes remaining, giving new life to a team that seemed to have been on the ropes.
While everyone knows how it ended, a seven-play, 81-yard drive to win the game, there’s no question who Nebraska’s player of the game was. From kickoff to kneel down, Johnson put his heart on his sleeve for a team that desperately needed someone to make a play. And he did just that.
His performance, arguably the most impactful of his career, was a testament to a player who bet on himself and delivered when it mattered most. Sure, it came against an unranked Maryland team led by a freshman quarterback, but in year three of the Matt Rhule era, this was the kind of moment you build a program on.
Now sitting at 5–1 (2–1 in Big Ten play) and newly ranked inside the AP Top 25, Nebraska’s momentum is undeniable. Next week offers both a chance at redemption against Minnesota, the team that stunned them with a last-second field goal in the first game of Matt Rhule’s tenure at Nebraska, and the opportunity to clinch bowl eligibility for the second straight year. Expect the Huskers, led by Johnson, to attack Friday night with everything they’ve got.
This team is healthy. They’re hungry. And they’re learning how to win. Let that sink in for a moment. Because for the first time in a long time, Nebraska football is beginning to feel like Nebraska football again.
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
MARYLAND (WBFF) — A Maryland man and his California accomplice both pled guilty to drug trafficking charges involving the concealment of drugs within auto parts at a repair shop, the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.
Authorities reported that Norville Clarke, 56, of Clarksburg, Maryland, and Daniel Cruz, 39, of Los Angeles, California, were charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
In 2023, an investigation targeted a drug trafficking organization that was transporting and distributing large quantities of cocaine from California to Maryland.
The investigation began after police seized a parcel containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine that was mailed from Los Angeles with an intended delivery to Clarke’s auto-repair shop in District Heights, Maryland.
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During the investigation, Cruz was linked to the narcotics in the parcel, as well as to its source, authorities reported.
In January 2024, postal inspectors, along with other investigators, identified a freight shipment from Los Angeles intended for delivery at Clarke’s auto-repair shop, and officials said surveillance footage showed Cruz dropping off that shipment at a shipping company in California.
After that, authorities observed Cruz traveling to Maryland to track the shipment’s delivery.
Cruz and Clarke were then seen by investigators meeting at the auto-repair shop several days after the shipment occurred.
Investigators tracked the fright shipment to Dulles, Virginia, where authorities executed a search warrant and recovered two automobile transmissions inside, as well as 20 one-kilogram bricks secreted in both transmissions.
Officials reported that laboratory forensic tests confirmed that the bricks were over 16 kilograms of cocaine.
A search warrant was then also executed for Clarke’s District Heights auto-repair shop, Clarke’s Clarksburg residence, and Cruz’s hotel room in Capitol Heights, Maryland.
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At the auto repair shop, officials recovered 502.4 grams of cocaine, and then at Clarke’s residence, officers found two-kilogram bricks of cocaine and $45,730 in cash.
Furthermore, investigators later found another nine historical freight shipments that resembled the original shipment containing cocaine, which Cruz sent to Clarke’s auto repair shop.
In plea agreements, officials said both defendants agreed to have been involved in possessing around 22 kilograms of cocaine in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy.
Both also face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum life in prison, followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release
Cruz’s sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, June 18, at 1 p.m., and the sentencing for Clarke is scheduled for Friday, July 24, at 10 a.m.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — The State Department is securing military planes and charter flights for Americans to return home from the Middle East, officials announced Tuesday.
More than 9,000 people have left over the past few days, including 3,000 from Israel, according to a press release.
However, some Americans are staying put. That includes one young woman who is now living through her second war abroad.
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“It’s a big decision to move across the world,” Rachel Cone said. She spoke with 7News’ Lianna Golden via Zoom from her home near Jerusalem.
The 28-year-old from Darnestown wasn’t afraid to leave the life she always knew.
“I grew up on a small farm in Montgomery County,” Cone said. “I spent my whole life there, the youngest of four kids, spent most of my life riding horses all around the DMV.”
Soon after college, she found her calling.
I decided to fulfill that dream, really live a Jewish life in the Jewish homeland.
Cone moved to Israel only six months before the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. So when she heard the sirens go off on Saturday morning after the joint attack on Iran, waking up to an emergency alert on her phone, she knew what was coming next.
“It was saying like, hey, this is your warning. The attack is starting. Go make sure you’re in your safe space.”
She says the sirens sound very often.
“A lot, a lot. I don’t know how many; there’s been a lot,” Cone explained.
The DMV native said she’s learned to stay calm in chaos, even when others are afraid.
Today I had to go to the grocery store. It wasn’t like I was doing anything crazy. There’s a siren – OK, all of a sudden you have a bunch of people all together, a bunch of strangers, and yeah, some people panic. Some people are calm. Some stranger you’ve never met is telling everyone hey it’s okay, calm down… Living in Israel teaches you a lot about resilience. The people here who have grown up their whole life here, they’re just born to be resilient.
It’s a resilience she sends back home.
“When you live in a war zone, every parent is concerned, even more so when they’re not here. I’m always sending my family pictures of like, hey, I’m still going outside, like I’m still seeing the sun. I’m not locked inside, like it’s OK. Everything is OK,” Cone said.
As the conflict continues, she prays for harmony while uncertainty grows.
“We want to see people of every faith, obviously living the life that they wanna live and not succumbing to any sort of terror,” Cone said. “Let’s work towards peace, and let’s try to see that happen. This is a start for sure.”
Dylan Johnson, Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs, said American citizens should call 1-202-501-4444 for assistance with departure options.
With a chance to make history, Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the new No. 1 team in the High School on SI Maryland boys basketball Top 25 rankings.
The Cougars (30-10) will try for a second straight Baltimore Catholic League (BCL) Tournament championship Wednesday evening against Saint Frances Academy at Loyola University of Maryland. No team has won the BCL tourney and the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) A Conference titles in back-to-back seasons.
The MIAA, whose membership includes most of the private and parochial schools in the Baltimore metro area, started in 1995 following the dissolution of the Maryland Scholastic Association (MSA). The MSA governed athletic competition for Baltimore public and private and parochial schools before the public schools left to join the Maryland state public athletic association (MPSSAA) in 1992.
Saint Frances, last week’s No. 1 which lost to Mount Carmel in the MIAA A final, is No. 2. DeMatha Catholic, Mount Saint Joseph and Springdale Prep round out the Top 5.
The second 5 includes Charles Herbert Flowers, Mount Zion Prep Academy, Bishop McNamara, Georgetown Prep and Archbishop Spalding. Lackey, which won the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference title last week, returns to poll at No. 21.
In addition to the BCL Tournament finale, the Maryland Private Schools State Tournament continues with the Division A semifinals Tuesday at DeMatha with Bishop McNamara taking on Springdale Prep, and DeMatha playing defending champ and No. 17 Clinton Grace Christian School.
No. 16 Takoma Academy plays Saint James School in a Division B semifinal. The state public playoffs continue with region semifinal and final competition.
Here’s this week’s High School on SI Maryland boys basketball Top 25:
Previous rank: No. 3
Record: 30-10
The Cougars defeated No. 4 Mount Saint Joseph, 59-40, in the Baltimore Catholic League Tournament semifinals and Saint Mary’s in the quarterfinals (53-46) after a 69-67 overtime victory over then-No. 1 Saint Frances Academy in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) A Conference final at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.
Previous rank: No. 1
Record: 35-7
The Panthers defeated then-No. 13 Archbishop Spalding, 61-58, in the Baltimore Catholic League Tournament semifinals and Loyola Blakefield in the quarterfinals (74-57), after a loss to then-No. 3 Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the MIAA A Conference title game.
Previous rank: No. 2
Record: 22-9
The Stags defeated then-No. 9 Glenelg Country School, 63-50, in the Maryland Private School State Tournament Division A quarterfinals.
Previous rank: No. 4
Record: 31-7
The Gaels lost then-No. 3 Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the Baltimore Catholic League Tournament semifinals after a 80-66 win over Calvert Hall College in the quarterfinals.
SEASON COMPLETE – BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE TOURNAMENT & MARYLAND INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION A CONFERENCE SEMIFINALIST
Previous rank: No. 6
Record: 26-5
The Lions defeated No. 7 Mount Zion Prep Academy, 67-63, in the Maryland Private School State Division A semifinals.
Previous rank: No. 8
Record: 21-0
The Jaguars defeated Largo, 62-57, in the Prince George’s County championship game.
Previous rank: No. 7
Record: 19-6
The Warriors lost to then-No. 6 Springdale Prep in the Maryland Private School State Division A quarterfinals
SEASON COMPLETE – MARYLAND PRIVATE SCHOOL STATE TOURNAMENT DIVISION A QUARTERFINALIST
Previous rank: No. 12
Record: 14-19
The Mustangs defeated then-No. 5 Georgetown Prep, 59-53, in the Maryland Private Schools State Division A quarterfinals and Saint Andrew’s Episcopal School in the opening round.
Previous rank: No. 5
Record: 17-9
The Little Hoyas lost to then-No. 12 Bishop McNamara in the Maryland Private School State Tournament Division A quarterfinals.
SEASON COMPLETE – INTERSTATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPION & MARYLAND PRIVATE SCHOOL STATE TOURNAMENT DIVISION A QUARTERFINALIST
Previous rank: No. 13
Record: 20-14
The Cavaliers lost to then-No. 1 Saint Frances Academy in the Baltimore Catholic League Tournament semifinals after a 74-53 win over then-No. 10 John Carroll School in the quarterfinals.
SEASON COMPLETE – BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE TOURNAMENT & MARYLAND INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION A CONFERENCE SEMIFINALIST
Previous rank: No. 9
Record: 17-10
The Dragons lost to then-No. 2 DeMatha Catholic in the quarterfinals of the Maryland Private School State Division A tournament after an 81-77 opening round win over then-No. 15 Our Lady of Good Counsel.
SEASON COMPLETE – MARYLAND INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION A CONFERENCE SEMIFINALIST & MARYLAND PRIVATE SCHOOL STATE TOURNAMENT DIVISION A QUARTERFINALIST
Previous rank: No. 14
Record: 23-1
The Mustangs defeated Severn Run, 72-49, in the Maryland Class 4A East Region I semifinals.
Previous rank: No. 16
Record: 20-3
The Bengals defeated Springbrook, 85-66, in the Maryland Class 4A North Region II semifinals after beating Walt Whitman, 67-55, in the Montgomery County championship game.
Previous rank: No. 17
Record: 20-2
The Colonels defeated Rockville, 74-61, in the Maryland Class 3A West Region II semifinals.
Previous rank: No. 19
Record: 21-3
The Knights defeated Northeast, 73-61, in the Maryland Class 3A East Region I semifinals and Edmondson-Westside, 66-58, in the Baltimore City final.
Previous rank: No. 18
Record: 26-7
The Tigers defeated Hebrew Academy, 88-33, in the Maryland Private School State Division B quarterfinals.
Previous rank: No. 24
Record: 27-18
The Eagles defeated then-No. 11 Bullis School, 56-48, in the Maryland Private School State Division A quarterfinals.
Previous rank: No. 10
Record: 22-10
The Patriots lost to then-No. 13 Archbishop Spalding in the quarterfinals of the Baltimore Catholic League Tournament.
Previous rank: No. 13
Record: 20-10
The Bulldogs lost to then-No. 24 Clinton Grace Christian School in the Maryland Private Schools State Division A quarterfinals after defeating then-No. 22 Riverdale Baptist School in the first round.
SEASON COMPLETE – INTERSTATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SEMIFINALIST & MARYLAND PRIVATE SCHOOL STATE TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALIST
Previous rank: No. 15
Record: 15-14
The Falcons lost to No. 9 Glenelg Country School in the opening round of the Maryland Private School State Tournament.
WASHINGTON CATHOLIC ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT PARTICIPANT & MARYLAND PRIVATE SCHOOL STATE TOURNAMENT DIVISION A PARTIPICANT
Previous rank: Not ranked
Record: 20-3
The Chargers defeated Maurice J. McDonough, 61-46, in the Maryland Class 2A South Region II semifinals and then-No. 20 Great Mills, 62-59, in the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference (SMAC) championship game.
Previous rank: No. 20
Record: 21-3
The Hornets defeated Saint Charles, 70-54, in the Maryland Class 3A South Region II semifinals, and lost to Lackey in the SMAC title game.
Previous rank: No. 21
Record: 16-14
SEASON COMPLETE – METRO PRIVATE SCHOOL CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALIST
Previous rank: No. 22
Record: 15-11
The Crusaders lost to then-No. 11 Bullis School in the opening round of the Maryland Private School State tournament.
SEASON COMPLETE – METRO PRIVATE SCHOOL CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALIST & MARYLAND PRIVATE SCHOOL STATE TOURNAMENT PARTICIPANT
Previous rank: No. 23
Record: 21-10
The Mustangs won the Maryland Christian School Tournament championship, defeating The Heritage Academy, 65-53, in the final, and King’s Christian Academy in the semifinals (65-59).
SEASON COMPLETE – MARYLAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL TOURNAMENT CHAMPION
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