LINCOLN, Neb. (KMTV) — Nebraska running backs coach Ryan Held held nothing back after Wednesday's practice when it comes to how motivated the players at his position group are.
"There's a lot of stuff out there: We don't have a very good group. What's the group? Everything's unproven," Held said. "So our guys want to go out there and prove that we have talent in the room and be able to be a position of strength on the football team."
Held wouldn't release a depth chart at the position but said four guys are starting to rise to the top.
"We've got to be able to run the ball in this league," said Held. "We've got to have running backs that can run it. We can't rely on Adrian to run the ball all the time and there's times we need him to but we've got to be able to run the football. Like Turner (Corcoran) has the hat: 'Run the (you know what) ball'. And so you've got to be physical and that's what I'm on our guys. We can't tiptoe through the tulips."
Freshmen Gabe Ervin, Sevion Morrison and sophomore Markese Stepp all spoke to reporters following Wednesday's workout.
"We have a chip on our shoulders," Ervin said. "With Dedrick Mills, the senior, leaving we've got something to prove. We've got to prove to everybody that we're the best group out there. We're going to get the job done."
"It's time to put it out there and let everybody else see it," said Stepp. "It's been a question: 'How the RB's are doing at Nebraska.?' But I feel like we have a pretty good room and I think we're all just hungry ready to show everybody what we're made of."
Nebraska is at Illinois to open the season August 28.
