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Nebraska Football: Top 5 running backs of the 2000s

By Danny Jaillet

LINCOLN, NE - SEPTEMPER 6: Running back Ameer Abdullah #8 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers runs past defensive back Brent Spikes #6 and the McNeese State Cowboys during their game at Memorial Stadium on September 6, 2014 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Abdullah broke off a 58 yard touchdown run with 20 seconds remaining in a tie game. Nebraska defeated McNeese State 31-24. (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - SEPTEMPER 6: Running back Ameer Abdullah #8 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers runs past defensive back Brent Spikes #6 and the McNeese State Cowboys during their game at Memorial Stadium on September 6, 2014 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Abdullah broke off a 58 yard touchdown run with 20 seconds remaining in a tie game. Nebraska defeated McNeese State 31-24. (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images) /
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Ameer Abdullah

I bet many of you did not have to think too hard to figure out the top Nebraska football running back. Ameer Abdullah did the very rare accomplishment of having a successful college career, and then parlaying it into a successful professional career.

He has been the most consistent running back of this century when you talk about Nebraska football history. He posted three 1,000—plus yard seasons. His production never really dipped off from 2012-2014.

He first really broke out as a sophomore when he recorded 1,137 rushing yards on 226 attempts. It would be hard to ask him to do more than that, but that’s exactly what he did his junior year. He carried the ball 281 times for 1,690 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.

Already building a solid resume for himself, Abdullah absolutely crushed his senior year. he carried the ball 264 times for 1,911 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was able to be a finalist for the Pal Horung Award, Wuerffel Trophy, and Maxwell Award.

One award that he did win on a consistent basis in 2014 was Offensive Player of the Week. Accumulating the award five times, his best performance statistically out of that group was against Florida Atlantic. In that contest, he carried the ball 21 times for 232 yards and a touchdown. 200 yards was something that was easy for him, which is kind of silly to think about. He would eclipse the 200 yard mark three more times. On September 20 against Miami, he ran the ball 35 times for 229 yards and two touchdowns.

He was a multi-faceted running back in every sense of the word. You knew as soon as he was getting the ball that he was going to make things happen. I really wish that Nebraska still had him. He is undoubtedly the best back of 2000 to this point for the program, and he truly was able to get Nebraska noticed and back on the map as a school known for producing running backs.

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