Stryker Pregame Perspective: Who Will Lead the Huskers’ Running Game?

Dante Dowdell is the fans’ choice in a pregame survey about Nebraska football’s four-way battle at running back.

Dante Dowdell breaks free for a 49-yard touchdown run during the 2024 Nebraska football Red-White Spring Game. / Cory Edmondson, KFGE

After one game, the Nebraska rushing attack appeared to be potentially effective, with no clear leader emerging among the four lead running backs, who each had a comparable number of carries against UTEP.

This week’s Pregame Perspective is focused on this issue. What will the season hold for the Husker running game? Who will emerge as the busiest, most effective rusher?

On a gorgeous afternoon in Lincoln before the Nebraska-Colorado game, I asked this question of 100 Husker fans in the Haymarket Park south lot, on the university campus and on South 12th Street:

“Which of these four Nebraska running backs will have the most rushing attempts this year?”
• Dante Dowdell
• Gabe Ervin Jr.
• Emmett Johnson
• Rahmir Johnson
• All about the same.

A clear leader emerged. Sophomore transfer Dante Dowdell, a transfer from the University of Oregon, finished atop the list with 43 percent. Dowdell was a four-star prep performer from Mississippi, who built some early momentum, rushing for 55 yards on eight carries and a touchdown early in the game, then fumbled inside the UTEP 10-yard line and didn’t get another carry.

Gabe Ervin Jr. was second with 24 percent. The junior from Buford, Georgia, is coming back from a hip injury that kept him out most of last season. He scored two touchdowns and had 24 yards on six carries against UTEP.

In third with 19 percent of the vote was sophomore Emmett Johnson, a Minnesota native whose playing time increased dramatically during the last half of 2023. Against UTEP, he had the longest run of the day, a 43-yarder, and had eight carries for 71 yards.

Rounding out the vote with 12 percent was Rahmir Johnson, a senior who got the first carries against UTEP last week, finishing with 50 yards on 11 carries.

Two voters chose the “all about the same” option.

Sep 7, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) leads the team into the facilities before the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

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