Nebraska Cornhuskers: Is the I-back position dead?
The Nebraska Cornhuskers have killed the I-back position in 2015. Well, it’s not officially dead, because it shows up on the depth chart. However, when it comes to giving the football to one of the I-backs, the Huskers would rather do anything else. It’s part of the reason why the Huskers have spiraled to a (2-4) record this season.
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A week ago, the Nebraska Cornhuskers were coming off of a devastating loss to Illinois. One of the bright spots in the 14-13 defeat was Devine Ozigbo. He was so impressive during his 7-carry 70 yard performance, the Huskers decided to elevate Ozigbo to the No.2 I-back in the rotation. The very next game, Ozigbo rushed three times for nine yards. He wasn’t given a legitimate chance to make an impact on the game. Therefore, we may have jumped the gun about Ozigbo becoming the future of Nebraska’s I-back position.
There’s no shame for the No.2 I-back only receiving three carries in a particular game. However, even if the Huskers aren’t committed to the run, they should be committed to excellence. Instead, results show the Huskers are more committed to the system than winning games. Right now, the system calls for a truckload of passes.
Case in point, the Huskers had the ball backed up on the 1-yard line against Wisconsin. After a five yard run by third string I-back Imani Cross, offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf called consecutive pass plays, resulting in a three-and-out. Can you say turning point in the game? At that time, the Huskers held a 14-7. Moments later, the lead was cut to four. By the time the Badgers scoring run finished, they were leading the Huskers 20-14. Imagine what one first down could have meant.
One glance at the numbers, and you’ll notice Nebraska ran the ball 37 times last Saturday. However, only 24 of the rushing attempts came from the I-back position. Overall, they gained 89 rushing yards, with Terrell Newby leading the way with 59 yards on 15 carries. It’s simply not good enough to win close games.
The most successful runners were quarterback Tommy Armstrong and fullback Andy Janovich. Armstrong rushed the ball eight times for 50 yards, and a touchdown. Meanwhile Janovich had three carries for 59 yards, including the jarring 55 yard touchdown run. If for only a moment in time, Janovich put the entire state of Nebraska in football bliss. Unfortunately, the play didn’t carry over towards a victory.
Despite being used sparingly, the Nebraska Cornhuskers have a plethora of other I-backs on the team. Mikale Wilbon looked like he was going to become a playmaker for the Huskers, but he’s been relegated to the bench in recent weeks. Fifth string I-back Adam Taylor hasn’t had one rushing attempt this season.
Now Jordan Stevenson has become the No.1 Kickoff return specialist. He was a candidate to redshirt this season, but the coaching staff thought he could be helpful in special teams. It’s not likely to see Stevenson in the backfield, but you never know what may happen by the end of the season.
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With six I-backs on the roster, the Huskers should be a dominant running team. Instead, they let a talented group of I-backs have a minimal impact on games. The Huskers average 193 yards rushing this season. They are exactly 50/50 between the pass and run selection. However, the Nebraska Cornhuskers are also exactly two games below .500.
The I-back position may not be dead yet, but it’s on its way out. Will it be too late for the Huskers to change their fortunes? The college football world will find out if the Nebraska Cornhuskers are about winning games. It seems they are more interested in passing numbers. Right now, they are doing neither particularly well.