LINCOLN—Emmett Johnson isn’t shying away from the expectations for him this fall.
The junior running back for Nebraska is expected to not only be the starter, but also be a workhorse out of the backfield. For Johnson, that begins with the intangible part of the game. He says that’s the biggest difference between this camp and previous one’s in Lincoln.
“I’ll just say the leadership part of it,” Johnson said. “Other than that, it’s just football, man. Just going out there and being a version of myself. Being a leader of the group now is the only thing that’s really different.”
As for the physical aspect of football, Johnson said he he spent the offseason working to improve “every part” of his game.
“Being explosive. Scoring on those longer runs. Putting the offense in better position to score quicker. I’m just doing my job of reading offense, reading my blocks, but taking that next step of just hitting those home runs and scoring those 70, 80-yard runs,” Johnson said.
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Johnson hasn’t been the lead back in college, always stepping in and stepping up when called upon as a guy not listed at the top of the depth chart. While that is expected to change, he says he “always got a chip” on his shoulder.
“I’m motivated and I’ve been motivated since I came here,” Johnson said. “There’s really nothing different. Just staying true to myself, staying true to my teammates, and helping the team win, most importantly. But motivation is something that’s already been in my life. I’ve been motivated my whole life.”
Over the summer, Johnson had the chance to chat with Husker legends Ahman Green and Ameer Abdullah.
“I’ve learned a lot, man. Me and Ameer got really close over the past couple months, but just to know those guys were Husker greats at the running back position. I really try to do a good job of buying in and listening to the little details.
“Ameer is somebody who’s still in the league right now, playing in year 11. That just shows that he he knows what it takes, and so every time that they give me advice, I always buy into what they say,” Johnson said.
Johnson said Abdullah told him to “go out and beat his record”. Abdullah is second all-time at Nebraska in career rushing yards with 4,588. He and Green are the top two spots for rushing yards in a season by a junior running back, with 1,690 yards for Abdullah and 1,877 yards for Green.
Nebraska has had just one 1,000-yard rusher in the last decade: Devine Ozigbo in 2018.
You can watch Johnson’s full media appearance from Monday below.
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