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Can Nebraska’s Running Backs Take ‘the Next Step’?
Position coach E.J. Barthel seeks more explosive runs, elusiveness at second level
Four days before the Nebraska football spring game, running backs coach E.J. Barthel is looking for more from his ball carriers. "Good enough" simply isn't good enough.
Barthel said after Tuesday morning's practice that he wants to see his backs "make some guys miss at the second level" and "make some more explosive runs."
"The big challenge for us is to take the next step," Barthel said. "Not just be good enough, but ... let's really dominate. That's what we're looking for Saturday, me as a coach."
Barthel said sophomore Emmett Johnson is "a step ahead" of last season and has "grown up fairly quickly." Junior Gabe Ervin Jr. is "working his tail off" to get back to full health after missing most of last year with a hip injury. Ervin is being limited to individual drills this spring.
"I feel good," Ervin said. They're just really trying to take precautions, get me even more healthy. Summer, I'm going to be rolling. Fall camp, I'll be rolling."
Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield said freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola played with the energy of a kid on a playground during last Saturday's scrimmage, in which the offense had a stellar day.
"We challenged him ... to get his energy going because people are gonna feed off him," Satterfield said. "He played like he was at recess, he played like he was in third grade out on the playground: flying around, moving around, dancing around, giving people high-fives. I think that bled into our offensive guys, gave them a lot of confidence to go out and do some really good things."
Scroll past the video for more from Tuesday's practice, the 13th of spring ball. Refresh this page to see the latest additions. Asterisk indicates item may require a subscription. | HuskerMax discussion
Coverage
- Husker247 | Barthel on the progress in the Husker running backs room
- Husker247 | Satterfield sees improvement in turnover issues this spring
- Husker247 | Ervin keeps positive mindset, expecting ‘special’ days ahead
- Nebraska Athletics | Satterfield discusses spring game plans, offensive execution
- Video | Barthel, Satterfield, Johnson, Ervin
- The Athletic* | As Nebraska wraps spring practice, has it found some elusive clarity at QB and RB?
- Omaha World-Herald* | E.J. Barthel wants running backs to go beyond ‘good enough’
- Omaha World-Herald* | Tight end Luke Lindenmeyer enhancing knowledge of entire Nebraska offensive playbook
- Omaha World-Herald* | How Gabe Ervin learned to ’embrace the suck’ of hip rehab and rejoin Nebraska’s RB race
- Omaha World-Herald* | Dylan Raiola scrimmaged like he was at ‘recess’ — and Marcus Satterfield loved it
- Lincoln Journal Star* | Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson continuing growth from versatile fall campaign
