Nebraska Football: Anthony Grant’s POW honor breaks long dry spell

Anthony Grant was named one of the offensive players of the week in the Big Ten on Monday, and that particular honor probably means more to the program than anyone could have thought. After all, it’s been four years since the last time a Nebraska football player had a good enough game to get such a title.

Grant certainly deserved the honor, considering he ran for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Against North Dakota, he had his second straight game where he had a 46-yard run and now holds the school record for rushing yards in the first two games of his Nebraska football career.

But the really big news is just how long a dry spell Grant getting the nod this week broke. It had been 2018, back when Adrian Martinez was a star freshman for the Huskers when a Cornhusker had last gotten the honor. It was Martinez’s backfield mate, running back Devine Ozigbo who was the man who got the award in November of 2018.

Nebraska football star Grant was one of two Big Ten offensive player of the week honorees alongside Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford. Clifford threw for 282 yards and four touchdowns in the Nittany Lions’ comeback win against Purdue in their Week 1 matchup.

As for Grant, the Nebraska football running back has emerged as a potential star for the Huskers. There was a time when. The backfield looked like it would be more of a committee approach. However, the former Florida State transfer took the ball and literally ran with it right to the top of the Cornhuskers’ depth chart.

Grant is second in the Big Ten in rushing yards behind Illinois’ Chase Brown’s 350 yards. However, the Husker back has a better yards per carry average (a very nice 6.9) and has already found the end zone four times.

It stands to reason that Grant will have another chance to get the Big Ten offensive player of the week award next week when the Nebraska football team takes on Georgia Southern in Lincoln.