Applewhite brings energy, high expectations to NU's backfield

By the time Bryan Applewhite finished his first spring practice as Nebraska’s new running backs coach on Monday, he’d already lost his voice and recorded 9,000 steps on his Apple watch by 9:30 a.m.

He figured that step total would break 20,000 by the end of the day.

Energy is a bountiful resource within Applewhite, who joined head coach Scott Frost’s staff this offseason after holding the same position at TCU the past two years. Though he’s only been in Lincoln for a couple of months, his personality has already spread within the Huskers’ running back room.

“I love this sport,” Applewhite said. “I loved playing it, I love coaching it, I love watching it, I love learning about it. If you’re not loving what you’re doing, then what are you doing? That’s just who I am, because I love it so much.”

Fourth-year sophomore Rahmir Johnson has been in Nebraska’s program longer than any running back on the roster, and he immediately noticed a change within the room upon Applewhite’s arrival.

“He’s like an uncle on the field,” Johnson said. “He’ll get on you, but he’s going to praise you. I’m excited for that.”

But it’s more than just enthusiasm that has helped Applewhite hit the ground running with the Huskers. Boasting more than two decades of experience, the Denver, Colo., native prides himself on bringing a different perspective to the position than some others in his role.

Applewhite said he’d coached every offensive position during his career, which allows him to evaluate the running game beyond just the viewpoint of the running backs.

“Don’t just take the handoff and run in there,” Applewhite said. “I coached the offensive line for a year and a half, so I understand what’s going on upfront and how hard that is. If you have a running back back there dancing and hitting the hole too soon or too late, it could turn a 10-yard run into a two-yard run.”

His wide-ranging experience has also helped him narrow down specific characteristics he wants in his running backs. Applewhite covets versatile athletes, not just specialized football players. Multi-sport athletes are a must, especially if they compete in track and field.

But there are a few other intangibles Applewhite prioritizes that aren’t nearly as easy to identify.

“Toughness,” Applewhite said. “I want a tough kid first. I don’t care how much this game has changed; tough still wins… Then I want a smart kid. One that is passionate about football and loves football. At the end of the day, you’ve got to love what you’re doing, because this isn’t an easy sport…

“You can’t build a dynasty without being nasty. At the end of the day, this game is about tackling, blocking, catching, running. This is a collision sport. Contact is basketball. We’ve got to practice like that, too. I think we’ve gotten away from that. It’s still a collision sport.”

He’s only been on the field for a handful of spring practices at Nebraska so far, but Applewhite is confident the group he has this season possesses all of the necessary traits he wants at running back.

The key for him this offseason, he said, is making sure his guys understand the standard he’s set and that he holds them to those expectations every single day.

“Here’s the part where it gets hard - the one time they do it right, exactly how you want them to do it, now you’ve got to hold them to that standard,” Applewhite said. “You showed me you can do it once. If you can do it once, you can do it every time now. That’s where I like to apply the pressure, right there…

“I think once you get them to a point where they can believe in themselves because they know they can do it every time, that’s when you start seeing real growth.”

That’s why Applewhite said that while there might be a post-spring running back depth chart, as soon as Nebraska returns to work for the start of fall camp, the competition will start all over again.

Applewhite’s goal is to have at least four backs he feels confident playing in a game at any point. When NU eventually releases its Week 1 depth chart, don’t expect to read too much into who is slotted where.

The running backs won’t be listed as No. 1, 2, 3, etc. They will be “OR, OR, OR, and OR.”

“If I only have one bell cow for the University of Nebraska, then I didn’t do two things: I didn’t do a good enough job recruiting, and I didn’t do a good enough job developing them,” Applewhite said. “If I’ve done my job correctly, then they’re all a one (starter). I’ve never seen a football game decided on the first carry. It’s the ones after that. That’s what matters.”