Nebraska football to continue using 3 running backs

The Huskers know they’ll need to run the ball — but who will lead the way?

Given that Nebraska has built a 5-1 record while using a three-man running back rotation of Dante Dowdell, Emmett Johnson and Rahmir Johnson, offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield isn’t ready to shake things up just yet.

“We’d like to have one guy but right now it is what it is, which is that all three have traits that are helping us do things on offense,” Satterfield said. “Until one separates himself — and I don’t mean that as they’re playing bad, they’re playing good at the same level — we’ll use all these guys.”

While Dowdell has clearly emerged as Nebraska’s short-yardage back, a recent surge from Emmett Johnson has changed the distribution of playing time within the room.

Johnson has played the most snaps of any Husker running back each of the last two weeks, which is aided by the fact he’s created four explosive plays of 20 or more yards this season — two on the ground and two in the air.

“We’ve gotten some good runs during the season, but I’ve been explosive my whole life and I want to help this team win,” Johnson said.

Capable of both earning the tough yards on interior carries and outracing defenders on outside runs, Johnson’s versatility brings a different dimension to the Nebraska offense. As Johnson continues to work on making defenders miss and breaking off big runs, it’s that specialty that helps him stand out in NU’s continually evolving running back rotation.

“A lot of guys have it naturally, but it’s something you have to do over and over and over again in practice,” Johnson said of the ability to make defenders miss. “I do it every single day, I practice making guys miss and go score it.”