Emmett Johnson had a productive day for the Nebraska football team on Saturday, and he hopes to continue that trend in the coming months.

“We expect to dominate in the running back room,” Johnson said on Wednesday night’s “Sports Nightly.” “We go hard in practice. Coach EJ (Barthel) really pushes us hard, so we expect to go all out. It’s no different than what we do in practice.”

The Huskers’ leading rusher against UTEP added that the running backs have had success by “trusting their training,” which has allowed them to run confidently and “as hard as they can.” The Minnesota sophomore added that the backfield prides itself on its protection and reception.

Johnson had the most productive rushing day among running backs for the Big Red in the season opener, carrying the ball eight times for 71 yards. He added that the offense’s rushing success starts with the offensive line.

“It felt great to get back out there with those guys, but I give all the credit to the O-line. I couldn’t have done it without them, the running backs couldn’t run the ball well without them. It felt great to get a win, and that’s the most important thing,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s bulk of his 71 yards came on a second-quarter carry for 42 yards, sprinting through the Miner defense before being taken down inside the five-yard line. Senior back Gabe Ervin would cap the drive with the touchdown plunge. Matt Rhule explained in his postgame press conference on Saturday that freshman starter Dylan Raiola had changed the play at the line, allowing Johnson to break free.

“Dylan recreated the whole play,” Johnson said. “He saw what their defense was like. He checked out, checked back in, checked back in. He changed the play three times.”

Johnson continued, saying the inside zone run opened up exactly the way the Big Red had practiced leading up to the game. He added that he wants to continue to be “explosive” with all of his carries. The running back was complimentary of his starting quarterback, saying Raiola is playing years ahead of his age.

“It gives the offense a lot of confidence because Dylan is a freshman, but he’s mature. (He) approaches everything like a professional. It’s great to have someone like him in the backfield with me,” Johnson said.

The Minneapolis native noted that the game is “slowing down” for him due to his extensive film study. The entire running back room contributed, leading the offense to 223 total rushing yards against UTEP. Johnson indicated that the game plan remains similar to the season opener against Colorado this weekend.

“Stick it to us. Stick to our offense, trust what we do in practice and go from there. Focus on us. It’s not really about our opponent; we’re going to respect them, but as long as we’re playing Nebraska Football, we should be fine,” Johnson said.

Johnson added that he’s “excited about the atmosphere” in Lincoln and said the Colorado crowd at Folsom Field was “crazy” last season.

The Huskers continue to prepare for their old rival, the Colorado Buffaloes, in a Saturday night game at Memorial Stadium. Watch the full ‘Sports Nightly’ episode below:

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