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Nebraska Freshman Carter Nelson Scores First Touchdown in Huskers Rout of Northern Iowa

Freshman wide receiver Carter Nelson scored his first career touchdown during Nebraska's 34-3 win over Northern Iowa, marking a dream moment for the Ainsworth native at Memorial Stadium.

Maren Angus-Coombs

Carter Nelson runs to the endzone for a touchdown.
Carter Nelson runs to the endzone for a touchdown. / Amarillo Mullen
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Freshman Carter Nelson entered his true freshman season positionless.

He has since become a wide receiver and scored his first career touchdown for the Huskers on the opening drive of Saturday's 34-3 win over Northern Iowa at Memorial Stadium.

Carter lined up wide, ran an inside option post, and reeled in a short pass before regaining his balance and carrying a defender across the goal line.

It was a moment the Ainsworth, Neb. native dreamed of.

"Being able to do it with those guys kind of just made every dream come true real quick," Nelson said after the game. "Being able to do that here knowing that all my family here, a lot of friends, and like I said, being able to do it with those teammates I've grown really close with, it was just amazing."

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound plamaker didn't join Nebraksa until this summer. He is also adjusting from playing four years of eight-man football in Ainsworth — a smaller field and the elimination of some positions — saw Nelson do a bit of everything on Friday nights. He lined up at quarterback, wide receiver, defensive end and on the offensive line. He also punted.

Adjusting to 11-man and playing in front of 85,000-pus hasn't been quick. To make a comparison, Ainsworth has a population of roughly 1,600.

“I think the sky’s the limit for the things that he can do,” head coach Matt Rhule said. “They’re doing a good job of bringing him along slowly. I say ‘slowly’ in terms of giving him tasks to master because he wasn’t here in the spring.”

Said quarterback Dylan Raiola: “Carter, from where he’s came to now, I can’t give him enough praise.”

Before suiting up for the Huskers, Nelson had only played 11-man football twice – in the All-American Bowl and the Polynesian Bowl. He didn't see action against Colorado but Rhule said during the week that Nelson would be a key cog moving forward.

Saturday might have been just the beginning for Nelson who finished with four receptions for a game-high 48 yards.

The adjustment period for Nelson now turns into Big Ten conference play with Illinois coming to Lincoln on Friday night. He will continue to lean on his teammates for guidance as the strength of the schedule is ready to take off.

Nelson is aware that he still needs to improve in some aspects.

"Coach G (Garret McGuire) and the other wide receivers have been doing a really great job at helping me out throughout that," Nelson said. "I still don’t think I’m ready in some aspects of course, but that’s because I haven’t had that experience and that’s why it’s great to practice against the guys we’ve been practicing against. We’ll go up against our defense which is awesome because we get a lot of good looks.” 

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

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