Nebraska football spring position primer: At running back, a committee to replace Emmett Johnson

Lincoln — Nebraska’s backfield will open spring drills without Emmett Johnson, and the coaching staff is already signaling that no single successor will be anointed. Instead, head coach Matt Rhule and his retooled staff plan to deploy a committee approach as they sort through a depth chart that lacks a clear-cut feature back.

Johnson’s departure—he elected to leave the program after three seasons—has created both a production void and an opportunity for a fresh backfield identity. The sophomore had emerged as the most consistent threat in 2023, finishing as the team’s leading rusher before entering the transfer portal. His exit leaves Nebraska without a returning runner who has logged more than 80 carries in a Husker uniform.

Rhule, who overhauled portions of his staff this offseason, has told reporters that the competition will be “wide open” when practices begin. The coaching staff intends to evaluate speed, pass-protection reliability, and ball security through a rotating cast during the 15-practice slate. While no individual statistics or returning names are detailed in the program’s released materials, the emphasis on shared reps underscores a desire to identify situational roles rather than a traditional workhorse.

Athletic director Troy Dannen, who has taken an increasingly visible role in football operations since his arrival, echoed the coaching staff’s sentiment, noting that “depth and versatility” will determine how carries are distributed once the season arrives. The approach mirrors Rhule’s history of utilizing multiple backs to mitigate injury risk and exploit matchup advantages.

Nebraska’s quiet February signing day yielded no high-profile high-school tailbacks, reinforcing the idea that answers must come from within the current roster or the transfer portal later this spring. Until then, every practice rep will carry heightened importance as the Huskers search for a collective replacement for the production Johnson took with him.