Nebraska’s coaches are looking for Jacory Barney Jr. to turn steady production into something bigger in his junior season.
Barney has already carved out a dependable role in the Husker offense over his first two years in Lincoln. As a freshman, he caught 55 passes for 447 yards.
Last season, he finished with 45 receptions for 484 yards. The numbers are close, and that’s part of the conversation now: how does Barney break through that plateau?
For offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, the answer starts with the basics.
"Just pure route running," Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen said Friday. "He's 165 pounds.
He's quick, but he gets knocked off his routes a lot. Being able to run the routes the way we want him to run the routes without getting knocked off of them is the biggest part."
Nebraska also wants more of the explosive element Barney showed earlier in his career. His yards per catch improved last season, but he no longer had the rushing production he brought as a freshman, when he logged 10 carries for 130 yards and three touchdowns.
Barney added another job last season as a punt returner, and that part of his game flashed plenty of big-play ability. He returned 22 punts for 270 yards, and the Huskers want that same spark to show up more often on offense.
"I would say just as much as any of the other guys, I want to see consistency," wide receivers coach Daikiel Shorts said. "Be consistent.
Jacory is a really good player in the return game and how he can change the game in the punt return. Now it's time to take that electricity from the punt game to the receiver position.
We're doing more with him, he just needs to stay focused and stay consistent and I think he'll be just fine."
Shorts said Barney will move around the formation this season, playing all three wide receiver spots at different times. Nebraska plans to use him in "play specific things" that fit his speed.
The staff likes what Barney brings every day, and Shorts said that energy matters to the rest of the room.
"We like his energy. We like to have him on the field. A lot of those other guys feed off him," Shorts said.
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