Nebraska Running Back Has Quiet Success
Jan. 1, 2002
By DOUG ALDEN
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Nebraska I-back Dahrran Diedrick’s 1,299-yard season washardly noticed.
Overshadowed by Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Eric Crouch, Diedrick hashad the most productive season for a Nebraska running back in four years. Hedoesn’t have the flare or fame of some of the former Cornhusker backs, buthe hasn’t really wanted that.
“My running style is just get up in there and do whatever it takes. I’llmake a move if I have to. I’ll run over you if I have to. I’ll catch theball if I have to,” Diedrick said. “I prefer whatever works.”
Diedrick doesn’t have the speed to break away for long runs down thesideline. He doesn’t have moves like Crouch, who can fool defenders with ashake of his hips or a simple head fake.
But Diedrick can go forward. The 6-foot, 225-pound junior from outsideToronto is a power runner who doesn’t mind contact. He even enjoys it.
“It’s up to me to just run hard. That’s what I’m going to do,” Diedricksaid. “Football is a team game with a lot of individual battles. You justhave to win what you do.”
Diedrick will start his 12th game when the Huskers (11-1) play top-rankedMiami (11-0) in the Rose Bowl on Thursday. The winner takes at least a shareof the national title.
“I’ve never been so excited to play in a football game,” he said.
Diedrick, who was bothered early in the season with a sprained ankle, didn’tpractice Monday for precautionary reasons. He returned for part of Tuesday’sworkout and will be ready to go Thursday, coach Frank Solich said.
In his first year as a starter, Diedrick led the Big 12 in rushing and wassecond on Nebraska in touchdowns with 15, three fewer than Crouch. Heaveraged 5.6 yards per carry and, just as significantly, was enough of athreat on the option that defenses couldn’t focus only on Crouch.
Diedrick’s runs have mostly been up the middle and he didn’t break a lot oftackles and produce highlight material, but he has been solid and durable.
That’s how he wants to be.
“We have a lot of guys on offense that can get it done and a lot of guys ondefense that get it done. It’s really easy to get overshadowed a littlebit,” he said. “It doesn’t bother me at all as long as we get it done.”
Diedrick, Nebraska’s first scholarship athlete to come from Canada, came toNebraska for its run-oriented offense. He came to Nebraska in 1998,redshirted and spent the next two seasons backing up Dan Alexander andCorrell Buckhalter before finally taking over as the starter before thisseason.
He ended up missing the season opener because he was suspended for gettingarrested when he refused to leave a disturbance outside a Lincoln bar.Diedrick told Solich to suspend him as an example, paid a $100 fine forfailure to disperse and got back to football.
In his first game, Diedrick ran for 177 yards on 25 carries with threetouchdowns to lead the Huskers past Troy State 42-14.
“He’s had a great attitude and certainly is as tough as they come,” saidSolich, who was Nebraska’s running backs coach for 15 years.
“We’ve had a lot of great running backs in our system. A lot of them findways to make it work and Dahrran has done exactly that. He uses his strengthand quickness.
“He’s provided us with the tough runs and the runs that needed to get thekind of yardage that the everyday back can get.”
Thursday will be Diedrick’s first game since he fumbled twice in Nebraska’s62-36 loss at Colorado on Nov. 23. He coughed up the ball in Nebraska’ssecond series of the game, then again on the Colorado 1-yard line in thethird quarter as the Huskers were desperately trying to rally.
Good fortune and the Bowl Championship Series have given the Huskers anotherchance.
“You won’t be a good running back if you can’t let things go away. You letit keep plaguing you, you won’t be able to accomplish what you want toaccomplish,” he said. “We’re going to go out there and let people know thatwe belong here. We’re a great football team and we’re going to be nationalchampions.”
