Husker Camp Countdown: No. 13 Anthony Grant
A glance at Grant's 2022 rushing total — 915 yards, the most any Husker has recorded since 2018 — gives the appearance of a player who put together a consistently strong campaign. But Grant's season was an up-and-down one that reflected Nebraska's overall struggles in the run game down the stretch. Grant began the season on fire, crossing the 100-yard mark in four of Nebraska's first five games.
But when the caliber of run defenses began increasing, Nebraska's success in the run game cratered. Excluding a 115-yard performance against Minnesota, Grant averaged just 52. 5 yards per game in the second half of the season.
Those struggles coincided with an injury to starting quarterback Casey Thompson, and in fairness to Grant, none of NU's running backs excelled at interior rushes down the stretch. So the question becomes, how can Nebraska get the most out of Grant this time around? Considering the praise the NU coaching staff has heaped on Gabe Ervin, it's likely NU looks for Grant and Ervin to form a one-two punch in the backfield. Such a setup would suit Grant well, with his tough running style limited to 10-15 touches per game rather than 20-plus.
So long as the gaps are there, Grant's physicality and explosiveness will once again put him on the field as one of Nebraska's top offensive weapons. .