In this day of NIL and the Portal, a very cool kid

[mthoopsfan]

Nebraska’s first winning season in years made possible because of a player who weathered the storms

Nebraska's first winning season in years was secured by a player who stayed through all of the troubled times.

www.nytimes.com

NEW YORK — Rahmir Johnson stayed. That is his legacy at Nebraska.

He stayed through a pandemic, when he was 19 and 1,300 miles from home and when life in Lincoln, Neb., looked nothing like what he was promised as a recruit out of Harlem.

He stayed through injuries and the disappointment of losing every year. Johnson stayed through a coaching change. He stayed when old teammates left and when new teammates came and left.

And this fall, he stayed through the unthinkable. When his mother, Angela, back in New York, grew “really, really sick,” Matt Rhule said, and the coach asked Johnson to go home and be with his family. Angela entered hospice care. But Rahmir said no. He refused to leave his teammates.

“This is what it means to be a Cornhusker,” Johnson said Saturday after his game-clinching, fourth-down run sealed an MVP performance in Nebraska’s 20-15 Pinstripe Bowl victory against Boston College. “I love this program. I’m dedicated to this place.”

During the Huskers’ bye week in November after the UCLA game, Johnson went home. His mother died. He confided in teammate Emmett Johnson, but Rhule kept it a secret, at Rahmir’s request.

“I told Coach Rhule, I don’t want it to be a big distraction,” Johnson said.

He didn’t want others to feel sorry for him and lose their focus.

No one outside of a small circle knew about his loss until Saturday. The Huskers had to pull Johnson out of the stands at Yankee Stadium after this victory to collect his MVP trophy. Athletes from his youth organization, the Harlem Jets, watched Rahmir’s final game in person. Family members gathered in the seats behind the end zone into which Johnson ran from 4 yards out on the first play of the second quarter for the first rushing touchdown of his sixth year at Nebraska.

Rhule choked up during the postgame news conference in revealing the story of Johnson’s final ride at Nebraska."

 

[kemajic]

Nebraska’s first winning season in years made possible because of a player who weathered the storms

Nebraska's first winning season in years was secured by a player who stayed through all of the troubled times.

www.nytimes.com

NEW YORK — Rahmir Johnson stayed. That is his legacy at Nebraska.

He stayed through a pandemic, when he was 19 and 1,300 miles from home and when life in Lincoln, Neb., looked nothing like what he was promised as a recruit out of Harlem.

He stayed through injuries and the disappointment of losing every year. Johnson stayed through a coaching change. He stayed when old teammates left and when new teammates came and left.

And this fall, he stayed through the unthinkable. When his mother, Angela, back in New York, grew “really, really sick,” Matt Rhule said, and the coach asked Johnson to go home and be with his family. Angela entered hospice care. But Rahmir said no. He refused to leave his teammates.

“This is what it means to be a Cornhusker,” Johnson said Saturday after his game-clinching, fourth-down run sealed an MVP performance in Nebraska’s 20-15 Pinstripe Bowl victory against Boston College. “I love this program. I’m dedicated to this place.”

During the Huskers’ bye week in November after the UCLA game, Johnson went home. His mother died. He confided in teammate Emmett Johnson, but Rhule kept it a secret, at Rahmir’s request.

“I told Coach Rhule, I don’t want it to be a big distraction,” Johnson said.

He didn’t want others to feel sorry for him and lose their focus.

No one outside of a small circle knew about his loss until Saturday. The Huskers had to pull Johnson out of the stands at Yankee Stadium after this victory to collect his MVP trophy. Athletes from his youth organization, the Harlem Jets, watched Rahmir’s final game in person. Family members gathered in the seats behind the end zone into which Johnson ran from 4 yards out on the first play of the second quarter for the first rushing touchdown of his sixth year at Nebraska.

Rhule choked up during the postgame news conference in revealing the story of Johnson’s final ride at Nebraska."

Not sure the kid's priorities were always right.

 

['68griz]

Not sure the kid's priorities were always right.

Maybe not, but you have to admire his principles. The kid knows what is important to him, and stands by it.

 

[ilovethecats]

Not sure the kid's priorities were always right.

Might have been right for him and what he needed at the time. We all grieve and process differently and it sounds like he did what he needed to do. And all the while being an incredible teammate. Good for him.

 

[GrizProtocol]

This thread needs to be moved or deleted. It's not Montana football and it sure isn't a representation of the players we have at UM that bail like rats on a sinking ship.

One must wonder why and what the OP was thinking when he posted it. Obviously trying to push and agenda here, again

 

[AZGrizFan]

This thread needs to be moved or deleted. It's not Montana football and it sure isn't a representation of the players we have at UM that bail like rats on a sinking ship.

One must wonder why and what the OP was thinking when he posted it. Obviously trying to push and agenda here, again

GFY.
You have zero problem GETTING players from the portal, but don’t feel we should LOSE any?

What a giant fucking hypocrite.

 

[mthoopsfan]

Might have been right for him and what he needed at the time. We all grieve and process differently and it sounds like he did what he needed to do. And all the while being an incredible teammate. Good for him.

His mom probably told him to stay at school. They probably talked frequently.

As I have said, Pat Hayden's dad was very sick and dying this fall. Pat played every game. Went home for the funeral when his dad died, missed the week of practice, and then was back for the game. I'm sure his dad wanted it that way.

My mother would never have allowed me to quit football if she were sick. My family wasn't that way. It was always what's best for the kids. I once got a voice mail from my mom saying: "The biopsy was positive. I am having a double mas in a few days. Don't come home. I'm fine." When my dad died when I was 10, my mom told me to go to the class C basketball tourney in Sydney, instead of my dad's wake. When my grandma died when I was senior in high school, my mom said my grandma would want me to play my football game and not come to her funeral. I wouldn't want a kid to give up his games to come home to be with me.

 

[mthoopsfan]

This thread needs to be moved or deleted. It's not Montana football and it sure isn't a representation of the players we have at UM that bail like rats on a sinking ship.

One must wonder why and what the OP was thinking when he posted it. Obviously trying to push and agenda here, again

Actually, you should be removed and deleted.

 

[CDAGRIZ]

Actually, you should be removed and deleted.

1 vote for the latter.