The Nebraska Cornhuskers’ push for prosperity continues into 2025. This storied blueblood yearns to get back to its pedestal at the very top echelon of the sport. But even while the Huskers have been on a bit of a hiatus from national hardware, the house that Tom Osborne built, now under Matt Rhule’s custodianship, has continued to mobilize and then develop some of the best talent going. QB1 Dylan Raiola is the pièce de résistance for the Big Red right now. But don’t sleep on his running mate in the backfield. Coach Rhule certainly wants you to gloss over them, keeping his cards close to his chest.

The Chinese calendar says 2024 was the Year of the Dragon. Over in America, though, it was the year of the running back. Across both rungs of the footballing ladder, the dying, unfashionable position has been resuscitated back into vogue. Saquon Barkley and Ashton Jeanty were the poster children of a revolution that spanned far and included many. Not that Matt Rhule or his even more experienced OC Dana Holgorsen would’ve needed it, but it served as a good reminder of how far good tailback play can take you. Even in an era where the game has evolved more towards airing out the pigskin. Fortunately for Coach Rhule and his Huskers, they’ve got a very potent one back next season.

When Emmett Johnson initially announced he’d be hitting the transfer portal back when the season ended, an air of doom descended over Lincoln. Johnson had just come off a career year as a sophomore. Poised to be the unequivocal RB1 lined up next to Dylan Raiola. His announcement represented a backward step for the offense. So when he retracted it and ended up staying put, the doom transpired into relief. Emmett Johnson will indeed be Matt Rhule’s starting running back in ‘25. A legitimate 3-down back, he had the most pass receptions for the program in 18 years. Johnson isn’t just someone who alleviates the offensive load off Raiola with his legs, he’s a weapon that moves the sticks with his hands too. No wonder Coach Rhule has a special appreciation for him, which he displayed over on IG. However, he’s not letting off too much. 

Matt Rhule took to his IG handle to post a story that’s equal parts cryptic and intriguing. It’s a picture of him smiling at Emmett Johnson during training. The accompanying caption reads, “I know something the rest don’t know. My guy @emmettj_” He even added a couple of “🤫🤫” emojis for good measure. Just a guy sending social media into a doozy for banter? Or a head coach warning his contemporaries and opponents of what he and Johnson are about to unleash? There are a lot of ways this can be construed. And all of them are positive for his partner in crime Dylan Raiola and Husker Nation.

Emmett Johnson’s athletic prowess isn’t limited to football. Nor has he merely been a key factor in gaining yardage for the Huskers’ offense. His history as a high-end basketball player in high school is helping Nebraska’s hoops program on the recruiting trail, too. Johnson’s dual-threat nature isn’t limited to rushing and catching, this is a bit of a do-it-all Swiss Army knife!

Emmett Johnson’s contributions to Nebraska transcend the Matt Rhule-led football program

Emmett Johnson reportedly had a major part to play in getting shooting guard Kendall Blue to Fred Hoiberg’s basketball program via the transfer portal. The two are childhood friends, and a report from The Independent relayed some fascinating insight on how Johnson made this happen. “Johnson reached out to Blue shortly after he found out he was entering the portal. They had grown up playing AAU basketball together, so he knew Blue’s skill set would be a good fit at Nebraska,” read an excerpt from the report. 

“He’s a good person, so it’s not just the basketball part,” Johnson said upon Blue’s arrival in Lincoln. “I told [Coach Hoiberg] he’s getting a great guy, a great person, so that was an important part…“I’m really excited that it actually happened. Now, I’m gonna have somebody from Minnesota here with me to cheer on on the basketball side,” he added. Maybe this is an appendage of what Matt Rhule was being all secretive about on IG. Maybe Emmett Johnson’s got more surprises up his proverbial sleeve!

Emmett Johnson taking a junior-year leap this offseason will really help this offense and, by extension, results. He played every game last year and started 5. He rushed for 598 yards on the ground on 117 carries, and added a further 286 receiving yards on 39 catches. Which, as aforementioned, was the most by a Husker RB since ‘07. Those starts and carries will go up this season. So will every stat across the board, just by virtue of more action. Whether the vim and efficiency of his game improve will dictate whether Matt Rhule’s team can take that next step. They finally got the monkey off their backs and made a Bowl game last year. Won it, too. Now, the goal has to be a playoff berth.