Nebraska’s offense is changing fast in 2026, and the biggest pressure point may be the backfield.
A new starting quarterback is likely on the way. The offensive line is mostly new, too.
That alone would be enough to make the Huskers feel like a work in progress. But the running back room is where the uncertainty really sharpens, because Nebraska is trying to replace Emmett Johnson, the Big Ten Running Back of the Year in 2025, after he was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Johnson’s departure leaves a massive hole. He was the kind of back who could take punishment, break tackles and keep churning.
He also piled up 1,451 rushing yards on 251 carries with 12 touchdowns, while adding 460 receptions for 470 yards and three more scores as the team’s top pass catcher. That kind of production is hard to replace by any standard, and the numbers make the challenge plain.
Now Nebraska is looking at a group of six backs competing for snaps, including true freshman Jamal Rule. Together, they logged 77 carries for 420 yards last season. The individual numbers show how much of the workload is gone:
Mekhi Nelson: 27 carries, 147 yards, 2 touchdowns
Kwinten Ives: 20 carries, 133 yards, 2 touchdowns
Isaiah Mozee: 26 carries, 115 yards, 0 touchdowns
Conor Booth: 3 carries, 6 yards, 0 touchdowns
Tikey Hayes: 1 carry, 3 yards, 0 touchdowns
There is always a place in football for production by committee. But that is not the same thing as having one back defenses have to account for on every snap. That’s the standard Nebraska is trying to reach.
Nelson gave a strong glimpse of what that could look like when Johnson sat out the Las Vegas Bowl against Utah. He ran for 88 yards on 12 carries and scored a touchdown, which made him look like a legitimate candidate to carry more of the load.
“They’re a really young group that probably didn’t get as many snaps last year as they wanted,” offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen said in an interview after the Huskers’ second day of practice Thursday.
“We didn’t know that Emmett could carry the load the way that he carried the load for 13 games. Fortunate for him, he was an All-American, which is awesome. Unfortunately, for the other guys, they didn’t get as many snaps as they wanted to.”
Rule is another name to watch. The Salisbury, N.C., native stood out in Nebraska’s spring game, where he rushed for 119 yards on 10 carries and broke loose for a 75-yard touchdown.
He also caught a 15-yard pass. CBS Sports named Rule one of 11 true freshmen who could make an impact in 2026.
After that spring performance, Matt Rhule made it clear he liked what he saw.
“Jamal had a really good spring,” Huskers coach Matt Rhule told the media after the spring game. “What he looked like today, he looked like all spring long.
He’s very conscientious. He’s big, he’s tough, he’s fast, he’s got home run ability.”
Holgorsen said the group had already given him reason to feel good about the room.
“I left spring comfortable with the five backs that we had,” Holgorsen said. “They haven’t disappointed me in two days.
They’ve looked great. I am not worried about that room.
They’re just young, and they’re going to have to grow quick.”
The offensive line should help, and Nebraska’s schedule gives the staff some time before the toughest questions start getting answered. With the easy start to the year, it may not be until Sept. 26 at Michigan State, Week Four, that the Huskers really begin to find out what this offense can be.
For now, the running backs are the position group that has to come through if Nebraska is going to find offensive stability in 2026.
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