“I’m not going to say that, feel like I might catch a little backlash, but we love to run the damn ball here and we’ve got a great class of backs,” Corcoran said. “Our running backs are phenomenal and with this offensive line, we can do some damage in the run game.”
Nebraska ran the ball 86 total times Saturday, with much of that coming in the second half as NU’s younger players went full-contact against each other. There were plenty of carries to go around, as there always are in these scenarios, and 15 Huskers toted the ball at least once.
Should Nebraska lean on the running game like that again in the fall, or like it did to end last season when it piled up 620 total yards against Rutgers, that would appear to be just fine with the guys up front.
“You can draw up a play however you want, but if you don’t have that energy and that passion to get it done, it’s not going to happen,” NU center Cam Jurgens said. “I feel like, kind of slowing down the tempo, and being able to just practice and just finish our blocks — and we’re not worried about our next play. We’re worried about finishing through the whistle, and that helped us a lot.”
Photos: All of the sights from the return of the Red-White Spring Game at Memorial Stadium
Red Team running back Gabe Ervin (22) attracts a quartet of defenders in the first quarter during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
White Team quarterback Heinrich Haarberg (10) throws under pressure in the second quarter of the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Two people wait for tickets before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Fans walk around Memorial Stadium before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday.
Aimire Rodgers, 8, stands in front of the Legacy Statue before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Kash Boggs (right) throws to his grandparents as Drew Milligan climbs on to the Legacy Statue for a picture before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Victor Ortiz (left) helps Kim Bergmark find her tickets on her phone before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Tristan Minderman, Omaha, throws the ball on the east side of the Memorial Stadium before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Caden Haar (left) and Ryan Whiston, both of Lincoln, pose at the Brook Berringer-Tom Osborne statue before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Xander Wilson, of Lincoln, poses at the Brook Berringer-Tom Osborne statue before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska head coach Scott Frost and the Huskers run on to the field to a sea of fans for the first time in the COVID-19 era before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Red Team running back Gabe Ervin Jr. (22) runs in the second quarter of the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Red Team’s Omar Manning (right) is defended by White Team’s Phalen Sanford (37) in the first quarter of the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Red Team’s Gabe Ervin (22) rushes in the second quarter during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Red Team quarterback Adrian Martinez (2) scrambles during the first quarter of the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Omar Manning (right) anticipates a pass from Adrian Martinez as he’s defended by the White Team’s Isaiah Harris (37) during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska head coach Scott Frost walks behind the Red Team during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska quarterback Heinrich Haarberg throws the ball downfield during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
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The White Team’s Wyatt Liewer (85) catches a first-down pass in front of the Red Team’s Mason Nieman to set up a game-tying touchdown by Liewer moments later on Saturday during the annual Red-White Spring Game at Memorial Stadium.
White Team quarterback Heinrich Haarberg (10) signals for one more play as time runs out in the fourth quarter Saturday during the annual Red-White Spring Game at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska football fans are scattered throughout the stadium for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic as the Huskers scrimmage in the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska football fans fill the stadium for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic as the Huskers hosts a team scrimmage during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Samori Toure (6) is tackled by the White Team’s Noa Pola-Gates during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Red Team quarterback Logan Smothers (second left) gets sacked by the White Team’s Jake Archer in the fourth quarter during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Ty Hahn catches a pass in the fourth quarter during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Darius Moore (left) intercepts a pass intended for the White Team’s Will Nixon in the fourth quarter during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Red Team kicker Chase Contreraz (right) kicks an extra point in the fourth quarter during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Brody Belt rushes for a fourth-quarter touchdown during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Zach Weinmaster (31) tries to avoid the tackle of the White Team’s John Bullock (84) in the fourth quarter during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska head coach Scott Frost and the Huskers run onto the field before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska head coach Scott Frost looks down after the White Team intercepts the ball during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Cameron Jurgens (left) and Riley Moses get into position during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska head coach Scott Frost (left) speaks to quarterback Adrian Martinez before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Marvin Scott III (left) runs the ball as the White Team’s Isaac Gifford goes in for the tackle during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska running backs coach Ryan Held walks down the White Team’s sideline during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Fans chant “Go Big Red” moments the players take the field at the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
A Nebraska fan celebrates with others after catching a hot dog fired from a cannon during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Gabe Ervin narrowly avoids being tackled by the White’s John Bullock in the second half of the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Tyson Guzman (left) is pushed back by the White Team’s Trevin Luben in the second half of the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska defensive coordinator Erik Chinander looks up at the scoreboard in the second half of the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Red Team quarterback Adrian Martinez scrambles around looking for an open receiver in the first quarter during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
White Team quarterback Heinrich Haarberg (10) scrambles away from David Alston as head coach Scott Frost looks on during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Red Team’s Gabe Ervin (left) protects the ball as he rushes against Damian Jackson (38) in the second quarter during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Nebraska student section cheers on the Huskers before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Red Team’s Gabe Ervin (22) rushes in the second quarter during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Nebraska student section stands for the national anthem during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Nebraska student section cheers as the Huskers make their way onto the field for the Tunnel Walk before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Nebraska student section cheers on the Huskers during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Samori Toure (6) jumps over the White Team’s Noa Pola-Gates (bottom) in the first quarter during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Travis Vokolek (83) fends off the tackle of Jackson Hannah in the first quarter during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Red Team running back Gabe Ervin (22) runs the ball as head coach Scott Frost looks on during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco watches the Red Team warm up before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Offensive line coach Greg Austin pulls up his mask before the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska head coach Scott Frost (left) smiles at offensive line coach Greg Austin after the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Red Team quarterback Logan Smothers (bottom center) runs the ball while pursued by the White Team’s Zach Schlager (right) during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
A referee watches the action during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska quarterback Logan Smothers (far left) is sacked by the White Team’s Jake Archer during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Beau Psencik (center) is tackled by the White Team’s John Bullock (top) and Lane McCallum in the second half during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Gabe Ervin protects the ball as he is tackled by the White Team’s Braxton Clark during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Red Team starting quarterback Adrian Martinez (right) speaks with wide receiver Omar Manning as they exit the field at halftime during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Marvin Scott III (second right) is swallowed up by White Team defenders Jackson Hannah (first right) and Isaac Gifford (right) as teammate Austin Allen (left) looks on during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska football fans fill the stadium for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska quarterback Heinrich Haarberg (center) jumps in an attempt to avoid a tackle from the Red Team’s Ashton Hausmann (29) during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska quarterback Heinrich Haarberg throws the ball downfield during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Young Husker fans bide their time while waiting for the Nebraska football team to begin play during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska quarterbacks Logan Smothers (center left) and Heinrich Haarberg (center right) walk along the sideline during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska starting quarterback Adrian Martinez (2) is tagged down by the White Team’s Blaise Gunnerson (24) and pursued by Jimari Butler (17) during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Red Team’s Gabe Ervin (center) is pushed by teammates as he attempts to carry the ball for a few extra yards during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez (center), playing for the Red Team, tries to elude by the White Team’s Braxton Clark (left) and Myles Farmer during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska fans watch football from Memorial Stadium seats for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic during the Red-White Spring Game on Saturday.
Contact the writer at cbasnett@journalstar.com or 402-473-7436. On Twitter @HuskerExtraCB.
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