Husker WR Zavier Betts striving to live up to his teammates’ praises

Nebraska wide receiver Zavier Betts received the highest praise from quarterback Adrian Martinez. Last week, Martinez was posed the question: “Who’s a receiver you are excited to see realize his potential?”. His answer: Zavier Betts.

All eyes turned to Betts and he’s doing everything he can to keep them on him and live up to the praise.

Husker safety Deontai Williams also praised Betts at the Big Ten media day.

“Hearing it from my teammates and inside the program, that’s probably the best way for me to hear it because I like the positive feedback and knowing that I’m doing better, and they see that and they’re acknowledging it, makes me feel good,” Betts said. “I want to play better and play harder for them.”

Standing at 6-foot-2, 200-pounds, Betts is a strong, big-bodied receiver that is learning to use his size on the field, something that will come in handy against the Big Ten’s defensive backs. He said that is where his potential lays.

He said he’s been studying and picking the brain of fellow receiver Omar Manning.

“Omar, especially, uses his size so well that it’s very hard for the DBs to guard him so watching him gives me something to teach myself off of on using my size,” Betts said.

Montana transfer Samori Toure is another resource that Betts is using.

“Samori is shifty and he’s fast,” Betts said. “Watching him make cuts in and out and getting the DBs on their heels also helps me with my footwork and teaches me ways to get off and get around guys.”

In 2020, Betts has 12 receptions with 131 yards and one touchdown as a freshman.

During the spring, Betts wasn’t happy with the number of reps he was rewarded with.

“I didn’t get as many reps as I possibly wanted to but that was under my control,” Betts said. “I didn’t do as well in the spring as I should have so that was on me.”

Now, he is hungrier to improve and be a part of the wide receiver rotation come August 28.

“My desire to get better has grown a lot more since the spring,” said Betts who ran routes in a field by his house this summer. “In the spring, it was there, but it wasn’t as big and as deep as it should have been. And just over the summer I kind of found ways to improve that.”

Receivers like Levi Falck, Oliver Martin and Wyatt Leiwer are the players that have impressed Betts the most. Those three are also the top leaders and role models of the group.

“Every play, no matter what, every practice, they’re going 100%, giving their all with every rep they do,” Betts said. “Being able to be behind those guys and watch has given, everybody else in the room, not just myself… it raises our standard and makes us play better so that we can have more people on the field, more people rotating.”

Each receiver has his own set of skills and will be utilized for different reasons, Betts is embracing his skillset and crafting it. Martinez, Williams, their coaches and Nebraska fans are excited to see the masterpiece Betts creates.