Nebraska football needs someone to step up at wide receiver with the loss of Stanley Morgan and Mike Williams seems like the perfect candidate to have a breakout season for the Huskers.
When it comes to the Nebraska football team, there are a lot of reasons to be excited about the offense heading into the 2019 season. However, there are some question marks too and one of them comes at wide receiver.
Last season, Nebraska had two of top wide receivers in the Big Ten with Stanley Morgan Jr. and also JD Spielman. Morgan went over 1,000 yards and caught seven touchdowns, while Spielman also hauled in 68 passes for 818 yards and eight touchdowns.
The two were ideal targets for freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez and when it comes down to it, Morgan is one of the most productive receivers in Nebraska football history. But now that he is graduating, the Huskers need someone to step up and fill his shoes.
Certainly, there are a number of candidates, but there may be none better than rising senior Mike Williams, who came to the Huskers as a junior college transfer before the 2018 season.
Nebraska junior WR Mike Williams (transfer from EMCC) putting on an Out route clinic:
— Brad Kelly (@CoachBKelly) December 21, 2018
•Outside stem widens CB
•Angle back inside and chase near hip, CB commits towards post
•Snap out-cut into CB’s blind spot
•Friendly (downhill) finish@mw_xix pic.twitter.com/59bDl9diaX
Williams came to Nebraska with plenty of hype and excitement and the reality is that his first season with the Big Red didn’t go quite as well as expected. While he did have some positive moments, he caught just 12 passes during the season for 122 yards. His two best games were against Northwestern (two catches, 41 yards) and Ohio State (two catches, 23 yards).
Like Spielman, Williams is 5-foot-10. He is also just one of two other wide receivers returning with double-digit receptions. Kade Warner, who caught 17 balls last season, is the other. Tight end Jack Stoll (21 receptions) and Maurice Washington (24 receptions) are the leading receivers back at tight end and running back.
Running backs, tight ends and slot guys like Wandale Robinson will be a big part of the offense, but the Huskers need that production at receiver too and Williams is one guy capable of filling in for at least some of what Morgan used to do.
Again, Williams isn’t a big receiver but in the offense of Scott Frost, he doesn’t necessarily need size in order to be effective. Williams can also be more than just a slot receiver too. With other incoming players coming like Jaime Nance (6-0, 160) and Darien Chase (6-1, 186), he will have some guys to push him, however, his familiarity with the system and quarterback should give him an edge.
Jaevon McQuitty, Andre Hunt and Jaron Woodyard are some other names to watch, yet, if Williams can build on what he did last season, he should be in line to win the No. 2 job and the high number of targets that will surely come with it.