Looking Ahead To Fall Camp (Running Back)
By Jimmie Allen
With fall camp just around the corner, Huskercorner.com will take a look at each position, and go in to detail on the question marks and statements that each position has. Today we talk about the most exciting position on the team, running back.
Youth and inexperienced, but talented…?
Nebraska brings in 3 true freshmen this year in San Antonio, TX standout, Aaron Green, Homewood AL, athlete Ameer Abdulah, and 2010 recruit Braylon Heard. All very highly touted high school players, and all will have a legit shot at competing for playing time.
Green is 5-foot-11, and 190 lbs. Adding a few more pounds to his frame couldn’t hurt the Texas native. He is a very speedy back, who can make moves in space, and is very shifty. Green finished his senior year with 1,717 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns.
Abdulah is 5-foot-9, and 180 lbs. He will also need to fill out his frame a little more by adding more muscle and weight if he hopes to have his body hold up in the Big Ten conference. He is a very strong runner, and is not afraid of contact. Abdulah was a “do it all” kind of player for his Homewood, Alabama High School team. He finished 2010 with 1,795 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns. He also had 561 yards and 4 touchdowns on just 26 catches.
Heard is 5-foot-11, 180 lbs. He was a commit in the 2010 class, but was not academically eligible for last season. Heard is in Lincoln and will be eligible for this year. He is from Youngstown, Ohio, and rushed for 1,973 yards in his senior year in 2009. It will be interesting to see if a year away from football will affect Heard.
Don’t look for any of these guys to redshirt this season. All of them are talented enough to steal playing time from junior to be Rex Burkhead.
Can Superman carry the load?
With the loss of Roy Helu to the NFL, Nebraska will turn to junior to be Rex Burkhead to lead the way for the Nebraska backfield. With the youth that Green, Abdulah and Heard bring, they will need to be balanced out with Burkhead’s experience. Burkhead has competed in 38 games while in Lincoln. He has rushed for 1,297 yards on 253 carries. Hes scored 10 touchdowns on the ground, and one touchdown through the air.
All of those stats came with splitting carries with Helu, he will be asked to carry the ball around 20-25 times a game, till the younger backs completely pick up new Offensive Coordinator, Tim Becks offense.
With a struggling offense the last two years, Nebraska has asked Burkhead to run the “wildcat” formation. Where Burkhead would line up at the quarterback position and take the direct snap. When asked by a local radio show if he would miss running the wildcat, Burkhead responded with, “I wouldn’t say we aren’t running it ever again.” I don’t know if that was a hint that somethings aren’t changing, or just messing with the media, but one thing is for sure, Burkhead is productive in any roll Nebraska has put him in. It should be interesting to see how Beck uses Burkhead in 2011.
Depth Chart Prediction
RB
1. Rex Burkhead, 5-foot-11, 210 lb, Plano, TX.
2. Braylon Heard, 5-foot-11, 180 lb, Youngstown, OH.
3. Aaron Green, 5-foot-11, and 190 lbs, San Antonio, TX.