Mills progress ?

[Huskerthom]

Huskers.com lists Wandale Robinson at 5’ 10” but I believe that’s inaccurate unless he grew recently. This is Robinson standing next to Coach Saban (5’ 6”). Does 2 or 3 inches in height mean a whole lot at RB in this offense? Yes? No? Maybe?

Adrian Killins (UCF) is 5' 8" 170 but that's a different conference. Does that even matter? How about these guys that played under Frost? LaMichale James (Oregon) 5' 9" 195; Kenjon Barner (Oregon) 5' 9" 190; De'Anthony Thomas (Oregon) 5' 9" 175; Royce Freeman (Oregon) 5' 11" 230.

If Washington and/or Mills doesn't show up, Robinson will be need to be an option to become part of a RB by Committee. I'm not that bullish on the RB position without a Mills or Washington and even then there may still be issues of performance.

Wandale is taller than saban in that pic. 2"? Who knows? The answer to your question IMHO is. RB is the one position in this Offense that you can short and successful.

 

[Rednu]

I’m not going to toot my horn, but he was my favorite back coming into last spring.

I was not a fan, he had not shown me much under the previous coach. He made me a believer.

We will see who steps up in time. It just might be Bradley, I’m excited to see who wants it.

 

[CrabHusker]

I was not a fan, he had not shown me much under the previous coach. He made me a believer.

We will see who steps up in time. It just might be Bradley, I’m excited to see who wants it.

I loved Ziggy’s toughness in Riley’s last year, but he took it to another level entirely. Big fan.

I say Bradley’s HS film and thought he was the real deal. Thought I remember someone saying he’d gotten bigger than he should have and it affected his quicks and top end speed. Hes down from last year and looks good.

 

[NUinID]

I get the feeling it is going to be RB by committee next year. I just don't see a back right now that is showing to be head and shoulders above the rest. Hopefully Mills is that every down back.

 

[NUinID]

I was not a fan, he had not shown me much under the previous coach. He made me a believer.

We will see who steps up in time. It just might be Bradley, I’m excited to see who wants it.

It wasn't that I was not a fan it was more that I felt like he was wildly inconsistent. It could be the way MR used him but I don't know. He looked great one week and the next nothing.

 

[Rednu]

I have in my head that scheme helped Ozigbo more last year than anything else. In a way that is good. Not sure getting the RB big holes to run through was a strength of Riley’s offense.

We have talent to succeed in the run game, we just can’t stand it when it is blurry on how it will look.

 

[Huskerwisdom]

I have in my head that scheme helped Ozigbo more last year than anything else. In a way that is good. Not sure getting the RB big holes to run through was a strength of Riley’s offense.

We have talent to succeed in the run game, we just can’t stand it when it is blurry on how it will look.

Scheme definitely helped, but Duval/Ellis really helped him as well. He was much leaner and quicker after their work. One thing that worries me about Mills - would have loved to have him here early enough to work with the S&C team for at least for the summer

 

[CrabHusker]

Scheme definitely helped, but Duval/Ellis really helped him as well. He was much leaner and quicker after their work. One thing that worries me about Mills - would have loved to have him here early enough to work with the S&C team for at least for the summer

100% agree.

Aside from a physical freak like Marcus Dupree, not too many kids can just walk on campus and play, much less contribute at a high level. Any time he can get in the system and S&C program will help.

 

[EastOfEden]

I hop;e the first coule of games show us who is a game day runner. We don't need an every down back; that doesn't seem to be how this offense works. So I don't worry too much about lack of size in any one back. I just hope that every one of them holds on to the ball - no fumbles. Everything else will work its way out.

 

[Rednu]

seems pass blocking is the excuse most young backs struggle, but with this offense how important is this compared to say Riley’s offense?

Mills may not even be good at this.... not sure he saw 30 passes in JC

 

[Huskerphin]

I have in my head that scheme helped Ozigbo more last year than anything else. In a way that is good. Not sure getting the RB big holes to run through was a strength of Riley’s offense.

Well, the offense that Mike Riley wanted to run would've looked a lot like what Wisconsin runs. Actually, it would've been just about exactly that. That's fine and all, but one thing you MUST have for that offense to work is a really, really good offense line. No if's, and's, or but's about it, you have to because the alternative is what we saw in 2017 which was a hot bag of garbage. It doesn't matter how great a RB is, if the offensive line sucks in that offense, the RB is going nowhere.

SF's offense gave Ziggy the opportunity to show what he can do if given the chance, and sure as heck showed us what he can do. I'm not saying he's the best RB that ever lived, but he's a good one.

 

[Middle-aged_Ball_Coach]

It doesn't matter how great a RB is, if the offensive line sucks in that offense, the RB is going nowhere.

I agree, and I think that we're going to find out this year how good Jonathan Taylor really is. I think that he is an elite back, but he's going to have a lot tougher path this year after Wisconsin lost so many stud O-linemen. I'm sure that they'll still have good O-linemen, but it doesn't seem like they have had the depth that they've had in the past. If Taylor can still run wild behind a mediocre offensive line, he should win the Heisman.

 

[berryhusker]

I agree, and I think that we're going to find out this year how good Jonathan Taylor really is. I think that he is an elite back, but he's going to have a lot tougher path this year after Wisconsin lost so many stud O-linemen. I'm sure that they'll still have good O-linemen, but it doesn't seem like they have had the depth that they've had in the past. If Taylor can still run wild behind a mediocre offensive line, he should win the Heisman.

Can a statement be both bold and realistic at the same time? In this case I say yes indeed.

 

[BigRedOhio]

Dedrick Mills will have instant playing time if he arrives ready to go both physically and academically. No other RB on the current roster holds a candle to him. He and Maurice Washington (assuming he is back) will be a great duo.

The x factor is Ronald Thompkins. If he arrives ready to go, he could get a very legit shot. A lot of big schools were after him.

 

[MadRat]

It's a shame Nebraska couldn't steal Bamidele Olaseni away from Utah during February. The four-star right tackle, has 12 offers from Power-five conferences including Auburn, Kansas State, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Ohio State and Ole Miss. That guy was a gigantic miss. We haven't had a big boy like that on the team for awhile. (See the following on HuskerOnline)

The highlight reels of Mills suggests he has no love of the stretch play, not unlike Bradley. The guy would have been good in a Solich-style attack with a fullback running lead. So, yeah, I stand behind him being a Cory Ross type without near Ross's size in arms and legs. He isn't going down with an arm tackle when he's in the groove.

Mills was the second best on his JUCO team, behind Charles West. Someone said Mills was like Barry Sanders, but they obviously didn't look at footage of West whom has the ability to run sidelines and is blazing fast. West followed Olaseni to Utah, but he was also tagged with sexual assault case history that may haunt. Odd thing is he originally committed to BYU where his legal battle fits in with the BYU mess. Nebraska was wise to take a pass on him. There is no way Mills is comparable to West, because Mills doesn't have second and third gear like that.

Ronald Thompkins Jr. runs very similar to Bradley. He has kind of a misleading speed for the number of steps he takes, which probably explains why it seems so many people take bad angles. It's difficult to judge him by high school reels. The upside is he's a power style of runner. The downside is he's torn the same ACL twice now.

I would think Rahmir Johnson from Bergen Catholic will get PT before Thompkins.