Husker assistant Applewhite breaks down ‘very rare’ running backs room | Football

When Applewhite joined Scott Frost’s staff from TCU this offseason, he inherited a talented mix of players and then added a pair of his own recruits into the fold. The challenge at hand is getting all of the running backs to buy into the same philosophy.

So far, so good. Applewhite delivered an update on the position group’s progress during a Tuesday appearance on “Sports Nightly.”

“I’m just happy with the whole room,” Applewhite said. “It’s very rare when you come in to have 12 to 13 kids who work so hard because they love the game. If you can just get that, you’re winning half the battle right there.”

Given the constant rotation of running backs Nebraska deployed in 2021, establishing consistency at the position will be key as the Huskers head into fall camp. Applewhite offered no hints as to a depth chart. Instead, he offered remarks on each returning back.

Sophomore Rahmir Johnson is the presumptive front-runner for a big share of playing time after last season, when he carried the ball 112 times — the most of any Husker, by far. Plus, he showed his talent as a third-down back, hauling in 16 passes.

Applewhite praised the sophomore’s skills in pass protection and also said the back could work out of the slot in certain situations.

“He’s got extremely good vision and he learned to play with a better pad level as we went through the spring,” Applewhite said. “He’s got unbelievable hands, he’s very good in space as a slot receiver and I think he can be a weapon for us.”

Freshman Gabe Ervin Jr., who started the season opener, and sophomore Jaquez Yant also factored into the running back rotation last season, but there’s no guarantee that either has an inside track to playing time. Ervin is still recovering from the season-ending knee injury he suffered last fall, meaning Applewhite was unable to work with him in an on-field capacity during spring camp.

However, Applewhite said Ervin is an eager learner who he’s excited to see in practice this fall. Yant has also been a vocal part of the running back room this offseason as he looks to improve on an up-and-down 2021 campaign.

While Yant’s size at 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds gives him a different skill set than most of NU’s running backs, slimming down and improving his conditioning has been a key summer goal.

“He’s worked extremely hard to get himself in good physical shape,” Applewhite said of Yant. “He has a huge vision for himself and I’m happy for that because he’s done a lot of things this summer to be a big factor for us this season.”

The newcomers to the running back room are incoming freshmen Ajay Allen and Anthony Grant, who both have good size to begin with, according to Applewhite. As a whole, the new running backs coach said he’s impressed with the entire group whether they’re a scholarship player or a walk-on.

In some of his first interactions with his players, Applewhite emphasized the need for opposing teams to turn on film for Nebraska and see the standards and expectations he’s put in place.

That’ll still take some time to achieve, but the foundations are in place to continue that work in the fall.

“I feel like I have a lot to do,” Applewhite said. “We’re trending in the right direction as a position group, but we’re not where I want them to be yet. Will they ever get where I want them to be? I don’t know, because I have such high expectations, but I do know that every day we’re getting better.”