There are 7 guys that have been talked about at one point or another as being good gets for Nebraska (Rahmir Johnson, Ronald Thompkins, Marvin Scott, Sevion Morrison, Markese Stepp, Gabe Ervin and Jaquez Yant). They have a combined 58 career carries for the Big Red lol. Any predictions what happens with this group in the next couple of years?
RB Room
- Thread starter HuskersVsTheWorld
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The shake out will be determined by who's healthy and the transfers out. Those are kind of unpredictable factors right now. We do know both will happen, we just don't know which names will be the ones involved.
I hope Ervin or Stepp take a hold of the position and roll with it, this switching backs every other play will not work. Running backs need to get in a rhythm and the average to best ones get stronger as the game goes on. My personal feelings is that running back should not be hard position to come in and compete right away, if you got it you got it, shouldn't take 3 years in the system to get on the field. Also, every one clamors on and on about speed/power. Vision may be the single most important aspect to be a decent running back. Rex was good because he knew when to cut and when to hold behind his lineman for something to open up. I barely watched the spring game so cant comment on Yant yet. Rahmir doesnt move the needle, Thompkins is always injured, Scott and Morrison we haven't seen enough of to know. Play calling also needs to be adapted to get these guys the ball more and consistently.
Tompkins and johnson seem like top candidates to leave first. then it depends who gets a leg up between Scott and Morrison to determine who might be a third to leave. Strong position group based on star rankings. In fact just about every position group looks strong based on star rankings. I would guess without looking that NEB offense has the highest average star rating of any team in the West. It is dominated by 4-star recruits
I'd like to see some sort of 1-2 punch with a Yant & Ervin or a Stepp and Thompson / Morrison. I think there is also opportunity to get a lot of them on the field at the same time. Hopefully the cream rises to the top early.
I'm still holding out hope for Thompkins... he's looked good behind the scenes both last year and now in the spring game... They have slowly brought him up from his injuries and I just have to think there's a surprise waiting for us in him... he's been a fun one to watch albeit with limited information... Here's to hoping he compliments the overall game plan (whatever that may be)
Agree. Hope Ervin is not one of them. Of all 7 he was first one that when he got on campus I was like “alright here we go, seriously legit rb that is healthy”
How is nobody high on Scott? The kid has good speed he can make ppl miss and hes hard to bring down. Right now imo the most reliable backs when considering all aspects are Scott and Ervin. Ervin just needs to show it on Saturdays and I think he will. Yant looks good but can he catch the ball and how does he look in a real game? Morrison has shown some ability but is green and battled injuries. Thompkins has shown more but his durability is a huge concern. Stepp can play but again prone to injury.
it might just be who can stay injury free the most. but there is no way they can keep 7 undergrad RBs happy. i would have liked to hear what frost told Stepp when he was recruiting him. "hey we already got 6 RBs that we told we really liked but none of them do we really REALLY like" Do you want to be the guy we REALLY REALLY like?"
the fact Frost even recruited a transfer RB should send a message to all the other RBs. You aren't what we hoped you'd be.
the fact Frost even recruited a transfer RB should send a message to all the other RBs. You aren't what we hoped you'd be.
I agree but id add yet to the end of it. There is potential for these guys. Losing spring ball really hurt. Injuries and covid hurt. Not being able throw down field hurt. Someone in that room should eventually become a reliable option and it mite not be Stepp if he cant stay healthy.
I'm not sure anyone transfers out. But it depends on who you are playing I guess.
I think you have to push a couple of non-contributors out of the program this Dec. To me, that is probably Rahmir Johnson & Ronald Thompkins.
Markese Stepp may or may not be a factor either depending on his health.
Scott, Morrison, Ervin and Yant all look to be guys in my rotation, but who knows what the staff is thinking. We only got a limited look at things.
I think you have to push a couple of non-contributors out of the program this Dec. To me, that is probably Rahmir Johnson & Ronald Thompkins.
Markese Stepp may or may not be a factor either depending on his health.
Scott, Morrison, Ervin and Yant all look to be guys in my rotation, but who knows what the staff is thinking. We only got a limited look at things.
Those two are my most likely as well. Maybe they like what they're seeing from a bunch of guys in practice but I kinda doubt it.
I still like Scott if he can develop his patience a little bit, his balance is really good. Sevion I have no idea because he just doesn't seem to stay healthy. No sample size with him for the casual observer.
Ervin is an early enrollee, kid should be finishing high school right now. Yant is a walk-on. When those two come in and are the two spash players at the position in the spring, that's NOT a good look for the other RBs.
I hate to be running guys off when they're only sophomores eligibility-wise but like...you're either a special running back or you're not. And this team DESPERATELY needs weapons in that backfield to take pressure off the passing game.
Who can anyone think of as an NU RB that wasn't really any good his whole career and then suddenly you were like, "Oh wow look at the breakout senior season!" Newby is probably the biggest improvement I can think of but he wasn't elite his senior year, he was just pretty good.
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I never thought Newby was that good, but the staff did a great job with Ozigbo his final year.
I realize this is probably not correct but my memories are that each of his 4 years that it would realized later in the year “**** we gotta use this ozigbo at rb”
Devine O is the closest thing I can think of. Although I wouldnt say he was bad b4 his senior year I wouldnt call he special either. His senior year he was a damn good rb.