Emmett Johnson named First Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten RB of the Year

Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson was named the Big Ten’s Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year and earned First Team All-Big Ten honors by coaches and media, both honors announced on Thursday.

Johnson is the first Nebraska offensive player to earn first-team honors since tight end Austin Allen, who was voted by the media in 2021. He is the first Nebraska running back to do so since Ameer Abdullah in 2013.

This season, Johnson ran for 1,451 yards on 251 carries with 12 touchdowns, posting the first 1,000-yard rushing season by a Husker since 2018. He added another 370 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 46 receptions, the second-highest receptions season total by a running back in Husker history. Johnson finished the year leading Nebraska in carries, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, receptions, yards from scrimmage (1,821) and all-purpose yards.

Johnson finished the season ranked third nationally in rushing yards, but led the nation by accounting for 40.7 percent of his team’s total yards during the regular season. Johnson ranks second nationally in yards from scrimmage, yards from scrimmage per game (151.8) and all-purpose yards per game. He leads the country in receptions by a running back this season and ranks ninth nationally in total touchdowns, with 15 on the year.

Johnson had eight 100+ yard rushing games, one 100 yard receiving game and one 200+ yard rushing game, on Friday against Iowa. Though the Huskers fell short, Johnson was just the fourth back to rush for more than 200 yards against Iowa in the last decade. Only Saquon Barkley, Jonathan Taylor and Mohamed Ibrahim can say the same.

“We have tremendous respect for No. 21,” Kirk Ferentz said after the game. “He’s a really good football player. He was on film and then certainly we got to experience him live today.”

He added.

“We had a hard time tackling him,” Ferentz said. “He ran the ball really well, popped the one big real big run and then hurt us on that screen pass too. That was a real big play for them. We had our work cut out for us defensively.”

Johnson fell short to Indiana quarterback and Heisman candidate Fernando Mendoza for the Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year honor. He was named First Team All-Big Ten alongside Penn State’s Kaytron Allen.

Up next for Johnson is a decision about his future at Nebraska. He could strike while the iron is hot and take a shot at playing in the NFL by declaring for the draft. Or he could utilize his senior season at Nebraska, or elsewhere, before moving on to the NFL.

“Just leaning on God, leaning on my faith,” Johnson said of his decision-making process. “I’m just going to go back home, talk to my family and let God take over that. I’m just going to take this time to pray about everything. I’m thankful for everyone here. Thankful for the fans, teammates. I love this place a lot, so I just have to pray about it and let God decide what I’m gonna do.”

Matt Rhule knows how difficult a decision Johnson has ahead of him, but plans to support his star running back in whatever comes next.

“I’ll support him whatever his decision is,” Rhule said. “I’ve told him that from day one. I think he’ll be a really good pro player, and I think if he comes back here, he’ll have another dynamic year, he’ll be up for every major award and he’ll leave a Husker legend. But more importantly, he’s a really good man.”