Nebraska Football's Emmett Johnson: Running Back Room 'Expects to Dominate'

Nebraska football running back Emmett Johnson joined Sports Nightly on Wednesday night and spoke about his big run against UTEP, Dylan Raiola, and what the Huskers' plan of attack will be against Colorado's rush defense.

Aug 31, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Emmett Johnson (21) runs against the UTEP Miners during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Emmett Johnson had a productive day Saturday for the Nebraska football team. He hopes to keep that trend going through the next few months.

"We expect to dominate in the running back room," Johnson said on Wednesday night's 'Sports Nightly'. "We go hard in practice. Coach EJ (Barthel) pushes us really hard, so we expect to go out there and let everything out. It is nothing different than what we do in practice."

The leading rusher for the Huskers against UTEP added that the running backs had success from "trusting their training", allowing them to run confidently and "as hard as possible." The sophomore from Minnesota added that the backfield has taken pride in their protection and receiving.

Aug 31, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Gabe Ervin Jr. (22) runs for a touchdown against the UTEP Miners during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Johnson had the most productive rushing day amongst the running backs for the Big Red in the season-opener, toting the ball eight times for 71 yards. He added that the rushing success from the offense starts with the offensive line.

"It felt great to get back out there with those guys, but I give all credit to the O-line. I couldn't do it without them, the running backs couldn't run the ball well without them. It felt great to get a win most importantly," Johnson said.

Johnson's bulk of his 71 yards came on a second quarter carry for 42 yards, sprinting through the Miner defense before being brought down inside the five-yard line. Senior back Gabe Ervin would finish the drive with the touchdown plunge. Matt Rhule stated in his post-game press conference Saturday that first-year starter Dylan Raiola had changed the play at the line, allowing Johnson to break free.

Matt Rhule says one of the "best" things he saw from Dylan Raiola was when he "three-way checked" the 42-yard run in the 1st half by Emmett Johnson.

"He got us to that run..."@KETV #Huskers
🎥: @MSottileTV pic.twitter.com/5CYcz7bgnM

— Lauren Michelson (@LaurenMichelson) August 31, 2024

"Dylan reconstructed the whole play," Johnson said. "He's seen what their defense was in. He checked out of it, checked back to it, then checked back to it again. He switched up the play three times."

Johnson continued, saying that the inside zone run opened up exactly how the Big Red had practiced leading up to the contest. He added that he wants to continue to be "explosive" with all his carries. The running back was complimentary of his starting quarterback, saying that Raiola plays years ahead of his age.

"It gives the offense a lot of confidence, because Dylan is a freshman but he is mature. (He) approaches everything like a pro. Its great to have somebody like that in the backfield with me," Johnson said.

Aug 31, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) runs onto the field before a game against the UTEP Miners at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The Minneapolis native remarked that the game is "slowing down" for him, due to his extensive film study. The entire running back room contributed, leading the offense to 223 total rushing yards against UTEP. Johnson mentioned that the game plan remains similar to the season-opener when matching up against Colorado this weekend.

"Keep it about us. Keeping it about our offense, trusting in what we do in practice and going from there. Focus on us. It is not really about our opponent; we are going to respect them, but as long as we play Nebraska Football we should be fine," Johnson said.

Johnson added that he's "excited for the atmosphere" in Lincoln, saying that the Colorado crowd at Folsom Field last season was "crazy."

The Huskers continue to gear up for their long-time rival, the Colorado Buffaloes, for a Saturday night matchup at Memorial Stadium. Watch the full 'Sports Nightly' episode below:

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