Reports came out yesterday that Nebraska will be adding a running back to their roster. Sean Callahan of HuskerOnline broke the story saying the Huskers would be adding Iowa Western Community College player Tiqwai (Tikey) Hayes. Most are reporting that the Huskers are adding a former Penn State running back rather than one from IWCC. I guess Penn State just seems to have a better ring to it.
Hayes transferred to Iowa Western last May after playing his freshman year at Penn State. Stuck behind two future NFL players, Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton, he was denied the opportunity for playing time. He had three carries as a Nittany Lion, rushing for 18 yards against Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Hayes was a highly decorated 3-Star player out of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. He was a four-time All-State honoree and first-team All-Conference. He rushed for over 7,000 yards and 95 touchdowns throughout his high school career. He only played in 5 games as a senior due to an injury, yet he still rushed for 1,120 yards and 10 TDs on 95 carries.
The 5’11”, 205 pound running back has been described as a perfect fit for playing between the tackles in the Big Ten. Known more for his quickness rather than his speed, he is a hard-nosed runner with good patience and can break to the outside when needed. Is there anyone else out there that thinks it sounds like I’m describing Emmett Johnson.
The fact Hayes was recruited by Penn State, West Virgina, and was offered by Ohio State raises some questions. Why leave Penn State? Why wasn’t he pursued in the portal, say by Virgina Tech? And why drop down to IWCC?
There could be multiple reasons. Players often commit to coaches as much as schools and with Matt Campbell taking over at Penn State, Hayes may not have seen himself as a good fit. He may have wanted immediate playing time, and he would have gotten that at IWCC, as he was slated to be the starter. IWCC is a national champion contender in the NJCAA and rushing for 1,600 yards and 20 TDs would have looked good on his resume when trying to land with a new school. He may have also wanted to improve his grades before making a final commitment. There are a multitude of reasons, but it’s something that shouldn’t be ignored.
Nebraska needed added depth at running back, especially after Mekhi Nelson was arrested for domestic assault. It has since been announced that there would be no charges filed in the case and all indications are that Nelson will be part of the team going forward. However, it was a wake-up call for Matt Rhule and EJ Barthels, when you only have five guys in the room and you lose one, things change quickly. Before Nelson’s incident he was expected to be the starter. Behind Nelson are Isaiah Mozee, Kwinten Ives, Conner Booth, and freshman Jamal Rule. Nebraska’s staff can tout how much they like this room, but if you take one guy out for disciplinary reasons and one is injured, panic sets in quickly. That’s where Tikey Hayes comes in.
Hayes looks to be a good add and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the rotation. However, he comes in late and has work to do to get up to speed in Nebraska’s offense. Husker fans got another running back. Maybe not who they were envisioning, but a qualified sixth body all the same.
GO BIG RED!! SIMPLE, FAST, VIOLENT!!
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