Tag: Gabe Ervin

Two Husker running backs out for seasaon due to injury

The Nebraska Cornhuskers learned some grim news regarding the health of two of their running backs.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers learned some grim news regarding the health of two of their running backs. Head coach Matt Rhule has informed the media that Gabe Ervin dislocated his hip and Rahmir Johnson dislocated his shoulder. Both are now done for the year.

“In injury news, we had some guys’ seasons end early, unfortunately, on Saturday. Rahmir Johnson will have surgery; he dislocated his shoulder. It’s serious enough that he’ll miss the year. Gabe Ervin dislocated his hip and will have surgery on his hip, so he’ll be done for the year. And Dwight Bootle hurt his shoulder in the game and will have to have surgery, so he’ll be done for the year.”

Ervin started the first two games for the Huskers and totaled 196 yards on 38 carries. He has 95 carries for 414 yards and three touchdowns for his career.

Johnson had 12 carries on the season for 65 yards, including a 44-yard run against Northern Illinois before his season ended. He’s amassed 739 yards in five seasons on 172 carries with six touchdowns.

Rhule expressed his heartbreak for the two injured players.

Football impact aside, especially for Rahmir, who’s a senior, I can just tell you it’s heartbreaking on this end. He’s an unbelievable young man and just a leader. Gabe has done a great job for us – excellent leader, excellent teammate. My heart really hurts for those two guys.

Nebraska will rely on running back Anthony Grant. Last season, Grant ran for a team-high 915 yards and six touchdowns.  Find a photo gallery of Gabe Ervin and Rahmir Johnson below.

Does Nebraska have enough depth at running back after pair of injuries

Where does the Husker offense go from here?

Through Nebraska’s first three games of the season, there haven’t been positives to take away after each game. The offense looked sloppy in the first week before getting dominated by Colorado the following week and then beating up on a team they should be beating up in Northern Illinois. However, the winning celebration was very short-lived, as the announcement noted that Gabe Ervin and Rahmir Johnson were both done for the season due to injuries.

Both players sustained their respective injuries in the Cornhuskers win over Northern Illinois (Ervin – dislocated hip, Johnson – dislocated shoulder) and will require surgery. Against Northern Illinois, Ervin accounted for 67 yards on the ground and added one touchdown while adding 20 yards receiving to his game total. This brings his total season yardage to 199, with his 20 receiving yards taking him to 219 all-purpose.

The second best is quarterback Jeff Sims, but with his appearance questionable due to injury, you have to go through Heinrich Haarberg before you get to Anthony Grant’s 67-yard total on the season. Rahmir Johnson accounted for 65 rushing yards before his season was cut short.

So, with two of the top three running backs out for the season, does Nebraska have enough in the backfield to carry them the rest of the way?

One point to the favor of the Huskers is the added benefit of having Haarberg and Sims as options at quarterback, as both have shown they can pull the ball down and run on their own. This is the better dynamic to Sims’ game and what makes him so effective, but his lack of a passing threat makes him a bit of a liability. Haarberg had 122 yards rushing against the Huskies, but that’s likely the worst team they will face the rest of the way, so is this production expectation sustainable?

Looking at pure running backs that have taken snaps this season, Nebraska only has two. Anthony Grant has taken 24 total snaps this season and carried the ball 16 times for 67 yards and one touchdown. So far, his involvement in the offense has been 19 percent of all offensive snaps.

Trevin Luben has one snap all season, one carry, but it went for 18 yards. Despite getting 18 yards, you know nothing of what Luben can bring now that his name will be called. He has essentially not been involved in the offense all season long.

However, in his Monday press conference, head coach Matt Rhule noted that Emmett Johnson and Kwinten Ives will back up Grant this week despite neither player having played on offense all season. Both running backs are freshmen.

Johnson is a three-star running back from Minnesota, and Ives was a three-star athlete from New Jersey. Ives totaled over 1,600 yards as a senior in high school, averaged over 10 yards per carry, and totaled over 3,000 yards combined in his final two years in high school. Johnson ranked number one in Minnesota, totaled over 2,500 yards his senior season, and scored 42 that season. Those are massive eye-popping numbers to consider as we look to lean on him some this season.

Watch: Gabe Ervin Jr gets big run for Nebraska offense

Watch: Gabe Ervin Jr gets big run for Nebraska offense

On the heels of the Colorado end zone, Gabe Ervin Jr. gives the Huskers offense some breathing room as he scampers off a big run to bring the offense to the 35-yard line. So far, Ervin is putting on a class performance as he is already approaching the 100-yard mark before the half.

Catch the highlight from FOX’s social media accounts.

Nebraska names clear cut No. 1 running back

As Nebraska moves closer to the start of the 2023 season, the depth chart is starting to become clearer.

As Nebraska moves closer to the start of the 2023 season, the depth chart is starting to become clearer. On Saturday, head coach Matt Rhule met with the media to discuss several aspects of the depth chart.

One of the more interesting storylines was when the head coach announced Gabe Ervin as Nebraska’s No. 1 running back.

“I think we feel like Gabe is clearly the No. 1 guy. Rahmir (Johnson is) clearly the third down back and still a runner.”

Last season, Ervin was hampered by injuries. He compiled 20 carries for 94 yards.

In his two collegiate seasons, he has 57 attempts for 218 yards and two touchdowns. Rhule said he’s been impressed by Ervin since Day 1.

“I didn’t see him before, but from the day I got here I was like, ‘wow, that’s what it’s supposed to look like.’ He’s big, he’s powerful. He can run behind his pads, he can run anything you want to run. He’s good in protection.

Last year’s leading rusher, Anthony Grant, has been impressive in camp but has struggled to hang on to the football.

“When the ball is in his hands, Anthony is elite running the football. Anthony has put the ball on the ground too much. No matter how talented you are, if you fumble the football, you can’t play for us. We’re going to continue to work with AG. He’s had a good camp up until the last couple of days when he’s sort of turned the ball over.

Nebraska is looking for its first 1,000-yard season since Devin Ozigbo did it back in 2018.

Barthel discusses implementing a ‘lion mentality’ for the running backs

Huskers’ running back coach EJ Barthel spoke with the media following the team’s fourth day of fall camp.

Huskers’ running back coach EJ Barthel spoke with the media following the team’s fourth day of fall camp. Barthel addressed a lot of questions in regard to the running back group, including the mindset he wants them in.

Barthel biggest emphasis he wants for his players is to go in with the mentality of a lion.

“We’re going to run the ball with a lion mindset,” Barthel said. “What that means is everything we do, we’re going to attack with a lion demeanor. You wake up a lion and you do lion things. A lion, if he’s going to hunt if he doesn’t kill, he doesn’t eat. That’s the reality of how we want to run the football. Everything we do needs to be with a physical intent.”

Nebraska coach discusses running backs heading into 2023 season

Nebraska running backs coach EJ Barthel appeared on the Husker Radio Network earlier in the week.

Nebraska running backs coach EJ Barthel appeared on the Husker Radio Network earlier in the week. The first-year Husker coach discussed the depth of his position group heading into training camp.

Barthel says one of the first things he told his group was that he wants to see his guys succeed on and off the field.

“The biggest thing I told them when I got here was hopefully we can be friends, that would be great but ultimately my job is to you, No. 1, help develop you guys into great student-athletes and really good running backs.”

He also discussed holding players accountable and the benefit to having those difficult conversations.

“I learned a lot of things about accountability and holding players accountable, holding coaches accountable. And being able to have those tough conversations is key for development. The kids have to understand that the criticism comes from a place of care. And I think over time, through action, they start to see that you generally care. That it’s not just words. I think that’s what really creates the friendships, the bonds and trusts.”

Find comments from Nebraska’s running backs coach on the players in his position group below.

Buford, Georgia RB Gabe Ervin releases top-five schools

Gabe Ervin of Buford, Georgia released his top-five schools and included the UGA football program.

Running back Gabe Ervin has released his top-five schools.

Out of Buford, Georgia, Ervin released a top-five of Georgia, Duke, Arizona State, Nebraska and Michigan State.

Considered a 3-star back in the class of 2021 by 247Sports, Ervin ranks as the nation’s No. 734 overall player, No. 54 running back and as the No. 61 ranked player in Georgia. (247Sports Composite)

The 6-foot-0, 200 pound ball carrier was tasked with trimming a list of 16 reported scholarship offers down to five finalists.

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Schools like Tennessee, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, FSU and Virginia Tech all offered but did not make the cut.

Georgia running back coach Dell McGee extended a scholarship offer to Ervin back in January.

 

Michigan State Football makes Top-5 for 3-star Georgia RB Gabe Ervin

The Spartans made the final cut for the recruitment of Georgia RB Gabe Ervin.

Gabe Ervin is a 3-star running back out of Buford, Georgia and on Thursday afternoon he released his top-5 final choices for his recruitment and one of those programs was Michigan State Football.

Ervin is the No. 92 ranked player in the state of Georgia, and Georgia itself made the cut for the No. 95 ranked running back in the 2021 class (per 247Sports rankings).

Also making Ervin’s final five was Nebraska, Duke, and Arizona State.

Spartan fans will want to note that Michigan also offered Ervin back in April but did not make his final cut.

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