Few running backs rushed more than Nebraska’s Rex Burkhead last season.
The senior carried the ball 284 times last year, including a school-record 38 times against Iowa. That ranked Burkhead 10th nationally in rushing attempts. Not even Heisman Trophy candidate Trent Richardson rushed more than Burkhead last year.
Burkhead is tough, but the amount of attempts started to take a toll on his body late in the year, he said.
“I’m not going to lie, you feel it but you still go out there and give the best you have,” Burkhead said.
“Rex took a beating at times,” offensive coordinator Tim Beck said.
Nebraska needs to get the ball to other backs besides Burkhead, Beck said. That means sophomore I-backs Ameer Abdullah and Aaron Green.
Both are talented players, coach Bo Pelini said. However, they struggled at times learning the offense and hanging on to the football last season.
“They’re two talented young men and guys that can do a lot of things,” Pelini said. “They were thrown in as true freshmen into a role that they were learning what to do and playing off of instincts and those things.”
Abdullah replaced Green as the No. 2 I-back midway through the season, but both players combined to carry the ball just 65 times for 255 yards and five touchdowns.
Abdullah said at times he just didn’t know the offense well enough last year. So far this spring though, the sophomore is playing with better confidence, he said.
“I feel like I know the offense much better,” Abdullah said. “I feel like I’m not as timid when I play, and when you play fast you play your best.”
Another problem for the backs in 2011 was ball security. Both Green and Abdullah fumbled the ball multiple times, with a couple being in key moments of the game.
The best example of this came against South Carolina in the Capital One Bowl when Abdullah fumbled the ball during a key Husker drive. Abdullah said that fumble changed the momentum of the game, which the Huskers ended up losing.
Hanging on to the football has been a focus this spring, Green said.
“Fumbles and ball security is really huge in this program,” Green said. “We know we have to lock the ball up.”
Beck said other players need the ball more to give Rex a break.
“You just got to sub them in, and you just got to give it to them some times,” Beck said. “You got to let those guys play too. It’s hard to do that I know, but you got to do it.”
The talent is there for Green and Abdullah, as was seen early last season.
Green looked as if he was going to be the lightning to Burkhead’s thunder early in 2011. In the third game of the year against Washington, he rushed five times for 36 yards and a touchdown.
Abdullah provided the brightest spark out of the duo. He wasn’t a big producer on offense to start the season, but contributed through special teams early in the year. Against Fresno State he returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.
Burkhead said he thinks both players are talented enough to play. He also likes the idea of using more backs this fall.
“You got to have multiple backs because it is a long season and especially in the Big Ten conference you need that,” Burkhead said.
It will be hard to adjust to taking more plays off this season, he said. However, he also said it would feel like the 2010 season when he shared the backfield with now NFL running back Roy Helu.
For now though, the senior said he needs to focus on staying healthy with the help of the younger backs.
“Younger backs definitely have enough talent to carry the ball,” Burkhead said. “It will help later down the road in those late games of the season. It’s all about staying fresh.”