The Nebraska Football team is currently on spring break but before the team went on hiatus, it appears there was some separation between the running back corps. At one of the last practices before the team took its spring break, head coach Mike Riley made it clear there is currently a front runner. Unfortunately, he's not spilling the beans on just who the leader for the RB1 position is just yet. On why he was keeping mum, the Huskers head coach said he wants to keep the competition going and added the position certainly hasn't been settled.
Is Tre Bryant making waves?
Cornnation is just one website where it's pretty clear the odds on favorite to be the starting running back for the Nebraska football team is Tre Bryant. He made some serious waves as a true freshman last year, looking like the best back on the team, bar none every now and then. There have been plenty of nice comments about what Bryant has been doing since Spring practice has begun. While the other backs have also shined at times, Bryant enters this competition with the edge in raw talent. He's got shiftiness the Mike Riley offense needs in a running back, he can catch passes out of the backfield and he has breakaway speed. All of those things make it look as though he could be the winner of this competition.
Running back rotation still in the works?
Mike Riley said there indeed is some separation among the #huskers running backs but he's not ready to announce. Wants competition.
— Brian Rosenthal (@GBRosenthal) March 16, 2017
Even if Tre Bryant becomes the Nebraska football team's starting running back, it's a safe bet Devine Ozigbo and Mike Wilbon will see carries.
If there is one thing that has already been demonstrated by Mike Riley and company, it's that they aren't scared of splitting duties depending on the situation. Nebraska has made do with splitting carries because it hasn't had a back that has truly set itself as better than the rest. Bryant could change things this year, though the coaching staff clearly likes the idea of Ozigbo as a kind of bruiser, who might be used more on the goal line. While we should get some idea of who the leader is in the Spring Game, don't expect to competition to end before week 1 of the regular season.
