Nebraska has made tremendous strides in talent acquisition on both defense and offense, with newly minted starter Dylan Raiola leading the new brigade. It’s easy to forget the huge hole the offense was in last season with average quarterback play and no college-ready receivers to throw to.
Marcus Satterfield pulled out the 90’s playbook to gain yards on option plays. It was that bad. Today, it looks like the wide receiver room is filled with talent, giving Raiola plenty of big bodies to target. The running back room, however, looks the same as it did before, which is nothing against the players in the room, but I wonder how many yards they can gain.
Rahmir Johnson is a veteran who plays above his size and Gabe Ervin Jr. is a bulldozing talent, but neither has lived up to their potential. Yes, injuries have plagued Rahmir Johnson and Gabe Ervin Jr. throughout their careers at Nebraska, preventing them from becoming every-down backs.
Emmett Johnson and Kwinten Ives have already proven their skills, but are not yet ready to step onto the scene in the rough Big 10 Conference.
Dante Dowdell seemed like a great offseason signing, but he seems to need some fine-tuning before he’s ready to take over.
That means we have players who aren’t playing at the highest level and a shiny 5-star quarterback who needs help taking the pressure off. Dylan Raiola is a fantastic talent, but he’s young and will need help taking the load off his shoulders that Nebraska’s offense carries. Raiola will make some mistakes as a freshman, but he needs time, and if they don’t have to expect a tough running game, they can pressure him all day long.
The loss of Teddy Prochazka at offensive tackle makes that prospect even more difficult, as Turner Corcoran appears to be next in line after struggling to stop the rush in the past.
The hope is that one of the running backs can stay healthy and take over the position. I have my doubts that this group of characters is the answer Nebraska needs, but it could be crucial in allowing Raiola to grow into the season and show off his incredible talent on the arm.
#GBR
