Matt Rhule and his Nebraska Cornhuskers are buzzing with cautious optimism and some serious pressure to keep building on last year’s progress. Rhule’s approach this summer has been all about readiness and depth. And at fall camp, he sounded confident about his roster. The offensive side has its eyes on young stars like quarterback Dylan Raiola, who is still developing, and RBs like Emmett Johnson are stepping up to carry the load.
Speaking of Emmett Johnson, rumors leading into the season paint him as the guy expected to be the heart of the Huskers’ running game. Rhule and the staff fully trust Johnson to prove he can consistently produce. But Johnson’s 2025 season at Nebraska isn’t just any football campaign. It’s his new proving ground. It’s a year where all eyes, including Nebraska insider Sean Callahan is fixated on whether Emmett Johnson can handle the pressure and deliver as ‘the guy’ for Matt Rhule’s squad.
“I think he [Emmett Johnson] needs to really prove he can carry a load and, you know, be what this team needs him to be,” Sean said in the 93.7 The Ticket podcast. “I know he can be like a six-to-eight-hundred-yard guy. But can he be a thousand-yard guy? That hasn’t happened since 2018. Nebraska in terms of a thousand-yard running back. I mean that’s one.” The last Husker to hit that milestone was Devine Ozigbo in 2018. He quietly put up 1,082 rushing yards, breaking a dry spell since Ameer Abdullah’s 2014 stellar season. Before Ozigbo, Nebraska was famous for producing crushingly productive backs.
There were legends like Mike Rozier, Ahman Green, and Ameer Abdullah, each had massive rushing seasons in the past decades, racking up well over 1,000 yards. The 1,000-yard club is kind of legacy marker for Nebraska backs, tied deeply to the program’s identity. Last season, Johnson quietly led Nebraska’s offense in all-purpose yards, with 908 total yards, 598 rushing on 117 carries, plus 286 receiving yards with 39 catches, setting career highs in both categories. But the real catch is he wasn’t even the full-time starter. But this year is different. The team, along with new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, is counting on Johnson to be the workhorse, who carries the team on his back.
Johnson knows this year is his chance to step up as the undisputed lead back after Dante Dowdell’s transfer opened the door wide. Johnson’s mindset entering this new chapter is all about putting the offense in better positions to score. He talked about reading the offense and his blocks better while taking that leap to hit home runs. And targeting those 70-80-yard bursts that can flip the field in an instant. He’s hungry to lead the Husker run game, spark the offense with big plays, and carry the hopes of a team eager to revive its traditional ground dominance.
A new identity forms in the Husker locker room
Matt Rhule’s 2025 Nebraska locker room is buzzing with a fresh energy that’s less about coaches dictating every move and more about players stepping up to lead one another. Rhule revealed that this year, the players asked for more control over their environment. And specifically requesting that the coaches not stay in the dorms with them. The locker room energy is tight, competitive, and loaded with hungry players pushing each other to be better every day.
This culture shift is crucial for Johnson as he steps into the lead back role and shoulders heavy expectations. Among the key new factors helping Johnson’s cause are young, versatile backs like Kwinten Ives, who is now out because of a hamstring issue. Mekhi Nelson and Isaiah Mozee are doing fine, as per OC Dana Holgerson. These players can switch over from wide receiver. That adds a layer of support and competition that keeps things fresh and sharp. The coaching staff, led by Matt Rhule, is emphasizing the need for running backs to be versatile. Blocking, protecting, and being all-around players beyond just running the ball.
The Husker squad recently got ranked No. 8 in the Big Ten’s preseason poll, which is decent but has folks excited that they could climb higher as Matt Rhule’s third year unfolds. Inside the locker room, the biggest shift is a move toward a player-led culture. On the personnel front, Rhule is fired up about the infusion of new talent like Dane Key, a productive SEC transfer expected to make an instant impact. The 2025 Huskers are not just prepping for football games; they’re building a new identity inside that locker room.
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