 "Photo: DN File Photo")
Marlon Lucky is a soft-spoken guy, but that didn’t really matter Saturday night.
Lucky didn’t need many words as his play on the field spoke volumes about how far the sophomore I-back has come since arriving in Lincoln more than a year ago.
Lucky rushed 10 times for a career-high 156 yards and three touchdowns in the Cornhuskers’ 56-0 win over Troy. That averages out to an eye-popping 15.6 yards per carry for the North Hollywood, Calif., native.
In his first season with Nebraska in 2005, Lucky averaged 3.0 yards per carry in a backup role to Cory Ross, now with the Baltimore Ravens. Lucky has started each of the Huskers’ four games this season and is averaging 7.2 yards per carry.
NU senior quarterback Zac Taylor has noticed a difference in the running back this season. Last year, Taylor said, Lucky was concerned with making plays and would sometimes try to force things.
“He’s really matured, and things are just really slowing down for him,” Taylor said. “This year he’s letting everything happen, and he’s just running smooth out there. It’s fun to watch.”
On Saturday, Lucky broke free for the big plays that had thus far been missing in his Husker career.
Lucky established a career-long run with a 34-yard touchdown sprint in the first quarter before breaking that mark twice more before the game ended.
Early in the second quarter, Lucky got loose for a 45-yard TD rush before unleashing a 51-yard dash to the end zone in the third quarter.
“We’ve been knocking on the door on a lot of our runs, and it was great to see it tonight,” NU Coach Bill Callahan said after the game. “The timing is getting better. You can see the execution of the offensive line and the (running) backs tonight. We’re making strides in that area.”
Lucky wasn’t the only I-back to have success against the Trojans.
Junior Kenny Wilson broke the 100-yard mark for the first time in his Husker career. The junior college transfer from Liberal, Kan., finished with 106 yards on 19 carries in his fourth game in a Nebraska uniform.
Saturday marked the first time Nebraska had two rushers break the century mark in a game since Ross and junior Tierre Green accomplished the feat against Western Illinois in the 2004 season opener.
Callahan, Lucky and Wilson couldn’t talk about the success of the I-backs without mentioning the holes the offensive line created against Troy.
“It’s all a credit to those guys up front,” Callahan said. “When your running game goes, your (offensive) line’s doing a solid job.”
Just as the running backs get excited about seeing holes to run through, NU sophomore right tackle Matt Slauson said the o-line gets excited when the I-backs turn those gaps into big plays.
“Making a block and then seeing Marlon just break free, it’s awesome to watch,” Slauson said. “I’m trying to run and keep up in case I can make another block or something, but he was just booking it.”
