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Nebraska Madness: QB/RB Breakdowns
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In the spirit of March Madness and the stage set between the Final Four teams, I decided to make a final four made up of 4 different Nebraska area teams. We divided the state into Team Omaha, Team Lincoln, Team…
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Continue ReadingIn the spirit of March Madness and the stage set between the Final Four teams, I decided to make a final four made up of 4 different Nebraska area teams. We divided the state into Team Omaha, Team Lincoln, Team 402, and Team 308. The goal is to expand on past “All-Nebraska” teams and bring exposure to players from all corners of the state. The winner of the final four will be determined through a Twitter poll vote. Stay tuned to see which squad becomes the “Kings of the Corn.”
Every article will reveal the starters for different positions. In this article, we roll out all four teams’ starting quarterbacks and running backs.
Team Omaha:
QB:
Zane Flores Zane Flores 6'3" | 190 lbs | QB Gretna | 2023 State NE (2023) | Gretna | 6’3″ 190 lbs
Season Stats: 2,885 passing yards, 70% completion rate, 26-7 TD-Int, 216 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns.
There are quite a few up-and-coming QBs in Omaha, but Gretna’s Zane Flores Zane Flores 6'3" | 190 lbs | QB Gretna | 2023 State NE continues to stand above them all. Flores is the top-ranked 2023 QB and arguably the top overall QB in the state. He continued to improve on an already impressive sophomore season with an even more explosive and efficient junior season. Flores destroys with his pinpoint accuracy and sharp release. With tons of experience and playoff success in his belt, he has earned the Team Omaha starting nod.
RBs:
CharMar Brown CharMar Brown 6'0" | 200 lbs | RB Creighton Prep | 2023 State NE (2023) | Creighton Prep | 6’0″ 200 lbs
Season Stats: 1,201 rushing yards, 16 rushing touchdowns, 62-yard touchdown reception.
Brown is a beast of a running back that broke out big time in 2021 for the Jr. Jays. He is very explosive with tons of speed, power, and balance to his game. Brown is currently RB1 in the 2023 rankings and should further stake his claim as such with a solid senior year. Charmar is a workhorse back that loves and embraces the grind. Brown and Ballard would be among the most athletic backfields you can assemble.
Cole Ballard Cole Ballard 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB Elkhorn South | 2023 State NE (2023) | Elkhorn South | 6’0″ 190 lbs
Season Stats: 1,208 rushing yards, 118 receiving yards, 23 touchdowns
Ballard is another elusive back with great acceleration and bursts through his gaps. Ballard’s balance when he runs is tremendous to see, and when paired with his elite vision, he is dangerous. Cole is a player that you love to get the ball in his hands in as many ways as possible, including receiving. Ballard is developing into a well-rounded back that can run downhill, kill with his speed, and catch out of the backfield. Watch out for his twitchiness because he can put defenders in a blender.
Team Lincoln:
QB:
Collin Fritton Collin Fritton 5'11" | 170 lbs | WR Lincoln Southwest | 2023 State NE (2023) | Lincoln Southwest | 5’10″ 170 lbs
Season Stats: 1,037 passing yards, 50% completion rate, 10-6 TD-Int, 185 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns.
Fritton is a player that I think is set for a big 2022 season. He will be in year three under center for the Silver Hawks and will have tons of weapons at his disposal. Collin is a straight-up athlete that can do many things on the gridiron. Even though he wasn’t asked to run much in 2021, he did show that he has the ability to tuck the ball and run when needed. Collin has sneaky shiftiness and moves very well in and out of the pocket. Fritton tossing it up to Team Lincoln members Malachi Coleman Malachi Coleman 6'5" | 195 lbs | WR Lincoln East | 2023 State NE and Beni Ngoyi Beni Ngoyi 6'4" | 195 lbs | ATH Lincoln High | 2023 State NE sounds like a dangerous trio.
RBs:
Max Buettenback Max Buettenback 6'1" | 195 lbs | RB Lincoln Southeast | 2023 State NE (2023) | Lincoln Southeast | 6’1″ 195 lbs
Season Stats: 913 rushing yards, 8 touchdowns, 93 receiving yards, 157 kick return yards.
Max is another great athlete to add to the Team Lincoln backfield. Max, currently a Husker baseball commit, is a force at running back that can ground and pound away at defenses all day. Buettenback is a powerful runner that can break off tackles and bounce off defenders, not to mention he’s got a tough, stiff arm. Another thing that makes Max so great is his field vision and his explosiveness through his gaps. He does a great job surveying the field and letting the play develop in front of him before hitting his lanes. Max’s power running will be super effective behind the Team Lincoln o-line we’re cooking up.
Cal Newell Cal Newell 6'1" | 195 lbs | RB Lincoln Southwest | 2023 State NE (2023) | Lincoln Southwest | 6’0″ 190 lbs
Season Stats: 658 rushing yards, 6 rushing touchdowns, 69 receiving yards.
Newell is a 2023 prospect that I think is very underrated. Newell is a well-rounded back that can run through a defense or turn on the burners to beat them coming around the corner. I initially thought Newell was more speed and finesse, but the more I watched his tape, the more I realized he is a powerful runner as well. He had several inside runs where he is able to dip the pads and lay some licks on the defenders. Cal is also great at cutting and bouncing his way into the open field.
Team 308:
QB:
Braeden Stull Braeden Stull 6'2" | 170 lbs | QB Scottsbluff | 2023 State NE (2023) | Scottsbluff | 6’2″ 170 lbs
Season Stats: 963 passing yards, 7-4 TD-Int, 1,089 rushing yards, 20 rushing touchdowns.
Braeden is a dangerous man on the football field. This year, he took control of the offense and showed everyone how talented he is with his arm and legs. With Stull under center, Scottsbluff had one of the most prolific rushing attacks in the state in 2021. On top of Bearcat teammate (and Team 308) Sebastien Boyle Sebastien Boyle 5'11" | 210 lbs | RB Scottsbluff | 2024 State NE ’s rushing prowess, defenses also had to account for Stull’s ability to take off with the football. With such a high-powered rushing attack, Braeden wasn’t asked to throw a lot but still managed to throw for over 900 yards and accumulated 2,000+ yards of offense. Braeden showed that he makes good decisions when throwing, has some zip to his throws and can push the ball through tight windows. A top-notch decision-maker, Stull would flourish having Boyle and Roblee in the backfield with him.
RBs:
Sebastien Boyle Sebastien Boyle 5'11" | 210 lbs | RB Scottsbluff | 2024 State NE (2023) | Scottsbluff | 6’0″ 200 lbs
Season Stats: 1,774 rushing yards, 25 rushing touchdowns.
One of the top breakout players of the 2021 season, Scottsbluff RB Sebastien Boyle Sebastien Boyle 5'11" | 210 lbs | RB Scottsbluff | 2024 State NE left his mark in a big way. Boyle is a very versatile runner that runs with power and speed. As only a sophomore, he already looks like one of the top overall running backs in the state. He currently sits as RB1 in the 2024 and #9 overall, with the very real possibility that he pushes the top 5 before it’s all said and done. Boyle is a punisher when he runs; he has a solid build that he uses to bulldoze defenders. Once he hits the open field, he is GONE! Sebastien has elite speed that helps him leave defenses in the dust.
Brock Roblee Brock Roblee 5'11" | 180 lbs | RB North Platte | 2023 State NE (2023) | North Platte | 5’11″ 180 lbs
Season Stats: 1,186 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns.
I can’t imagine any team wanting to travel X amount of hours to take on the RB duo of Boyle and Roblee. Brock is another tough runner that thrives off running the ball downhill. He uses more of a fullback stance, but he can generate lots of explosiveness and power coming out of his stance. He builds momentum as he hits the hole and has great acceleration when he reaches the open field. When you watch Roblee run, you notice that his legs never stop pumping, which makes him very hard to tackle. He put up impressive numbers that are even more impressive when you considered that he split carries with Genatone, who has now graduated. Big things coming for Brock!
Team 402:
QB:
Abram Scholting Abram Scholting 6'0" | 180 lbs | QB Pierce | 2023 State NE (2023) | Pierce | 6’0″ 180 lbs
Season Stats: 2,265 passing yards, 65% completion rate, 30-10 TD-Int, 500 rushing yards, 4 rushing touchdowns.
Abram has been one of the most consistent and productive players throughout his prep career, yet is still underrated in the recruiting circuit. Scholting is a proven winner with a state championship under his belt and was on the cusp of making it back-to-back titles in 2021. Scholting continued to improve his accuracy with a jump from 58% to a 65% completion rate. He has a big arm that can push the ball deep and he can add touch to his passes as well. Abram is also a very good scrambler and adds tons of value with his rushing ability. Abram is QB2 in the 2023 class and should continue to move up the rankings.
RBs:
Carlos Collazo Carlos Collazo 5'9" | 200 lbs | RB Aurora | 2023 State NE (2023) | Aurora | 5’9″ 200 lbs
Season Stats: 2,025 rushing yards, 26 rushing touchdowns, 198 receiving yards, 5 receiving touchdowns.
If Team Omaha has the most athletic RB duo, Team 402 might have the most physical backfield. I would instead do about a million other things than be the poor defender trying to bring down Collazo. Carlos is a very strong running back that thrives off of contact and does a great job escaping tackles and staying upright after first contact. On top of Carlos’ power, he is also a very shifty athlete that can put defenders on skates as easily as he can put them on their butts. Very impressive RB in the 2023 class!
Liam Blaser Liam Blaser 6'0" | 210 lbs | LB Columbus | 2023 State NE (2023) | Columbus | 6’1″ 205 lbs
Season Stats: 727 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 150 receiving yards, receiving touchdown.
Liam is a player that could have been on Team 402 as a linebacker, but I like the ground and pound duo that Blaser and Collazo would make. Liam is a big back that is very physical when he runs and demoralizes defenses with his powerful downhill runs. Liam is a high-effort, high-motor player with great athleticism, quick instincts, and solid hands out of the backfield. He is very patient with his runs and allows his blocks to line up before exploding through the hole. This would be a devastating duo.