Nebraska Wednesday nuggets: RB battle update, TE progress, and more
Nebraska is now a week away from its 2025 season opener in Kansas City, and the Huskers are putting the final touches on their offseason work. Running backs coach E.J. Barthel, tight ends coach Marcus Satterfield, and a handful of players met with the media following Wednesday’s practice.
Here is a full update on what they had to say…
Nebraska running backs coach EJ Barthel
***Barthel said Emmett Johnson was the first running back he’d had at Nebraska who had gone through “the three-year carwash.” A significant focus this offseason has been bulking up, and Johnson is now a steady 203-205 pounds.
***Barthel said a critical part of ball security is bicep strength. That’s why NU’s backs will do arm curls after practice. They did the same thing with the Carolina Panthers with guys like Christian McCaffrey.
***Barthel said Isaiah Mozee was “pretty special” when he gets the ball in space. He said Mozee had natural ability “that he probably got from his father,” and when you have an athlete like that, “you want to get the ball in his hands.”
***Barthel said the biggest part of a young running back’s development was understanding the fine details of the position and then applying that with the physical aspect of the position. He said Mozee “takes the coaching points very seriously,” and that’s shown in his development since moving to running back.
On Nelson, Ives, Genatone, and impressions of the d-line
***Barthel said defensive lineman Jaylen George was “really standing out” to the offense in practice. He added that Terry Bradden had done a phenomenal job with that group and set the tone with his group every practice.
***Barthel said Kwinten Ives was “crushed” when he injured his hamstring in the first fall camp practice. As tough as that setback was, Ives stayed focused with his mental preparation and stayed “locked in.” Barthel said Ives had his best practice of camp on Tuesday.
***Barthel said everyone knows about Mekhi Nelson’s explosiveness and nose for the end zone. Where Nelson has really grown is in understanding the importance of mental preparation. He’s taking mistakes from watching film and fixing them the next day in practice.
***Barthel said Vince Genatone’s size and athleticism immediately stood out to him. “To me, he’s like an old-school throwback running back.” Genatone is working at running back and fullback this fall.
***Barthel said he wasn’t going to “spill the beans” on any defensive linemen potentially replacing Ty Robinson as a short-yardage fullback this season. He said NU wouldn’t “skip a beat” with its power running game.
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Tight ends coach Marcus Satterfield
***Satterfield said Carter Nelson was “moving around really, really well right now,” coming off his offseason hip surgery. The receiving and route-running aspects were all there, but “we just have to get the physical component” up to par.
***On Heinrich Haarberg, Satterfield said he was “a totally different tight end” since the spring. He’d adjusted well to the physical element, but as a former quarterback, “he knows how to play football” and understands the offense very well.
***Satterfield said Haarberg, Nelson, and Luke Lindenmeyer provided a variety of skill sets for Nebraska’s tight end room. He said Lindenmeyer could do a little bit of everything, while Haarberg and Nelson brought elite athleticism.
***Satterfield said Cayden Echternach, Danny King, and Eric Ingwerson. He said all three “would have a chance to play this year.
***Satterfield said Mac Markway was “around the guys all the time” despite suffering a second-straight season-ending injury.
***He said Dylan Raiola’s ability to check the ball down and make “real simple plays” should benefit the tight ends this season.
***Satterfield called Lindenmeyer “the leader of our room,” saying Lindenmeyer had developed a strong voice this offseason.
