The Nebraska football team could be having to deal with a two-time 1000-yard rusher next season. That's if Northern Illinois' Tre Harbison goes where at least one analyst believes he's heading. 247Sports Mike Schaefer believes there's a very good chance Harbison could eventually be a member of a Big Ten squad.
Harbison entered the transfer portal earlier this week. The running back announced he was leaving Northern Illinois as a grad transfer. He'll be sitting out immediately after the Huskies decided to deactivate him for their final game of the 2019 season.
While there isn't any indication where he'll go yet, Schaefer thinks it makes some sense he could eventually be strapping it up for a Big Ten conference team. Considering he had back to back 1,000-yard seasons in the MAC, he's got the talent to make it in big-time college football.
Nebraska football shut him down
As a true freshman, Harbison showed spurts. He ran for just under 300 yards and three touchdowns. As a sophomore, he had himself a very solid season, running for 1,034 yards and five touchdowns. This year, he capped the 1,000-yard mark again and eight touchdowns.
While he has had a very solid 2019, the Huskers have shown they can stop him. They did so when Northern Illinois traveled to Lincoln earlier this season.
The Nebraska football team made short work of Northern Illinois, one of their only blowout-wins of the 2019 season. In fact, it was easily the comfiest win of the year before last weekend's victory over Maryland.
In that game, Harbison went for just 30 yards on 12 carries. He was relegated to a non-factor early on as the Huskers beat an early lead and Northern Illinois had to take to the air in order to try and win.
Grad transfer means he can play next year
One reason why a Big Ten school could come looking for Harbison is that they'll be able to add a 1,000-yard rusher to their roster who can play in the 2020 season. Schaefer points out there are some teams in the conference who could use the rushing help.
Some fans of Nebraska football have already come out and asked whether or not he might be a good addition to the Huskers' roster.
Nebraska has a couple of commits in the 2002 class as well as Dedrick Mills and Wan'Dale Robinson returning next season. Rahmir Johnson will also be back and barring having to play in an emergency against Iowa on Friday, will retain his redshirt heading into 2020.
With that roster makeup, it seems unlikely the Cornhuskers will bring in a senior running back. There has been no indication by the Nebraska football coaching staff one way or another if they might be interested in seeing whether Tre Harbison would come to Lincoln.