Emmett Johnson, Nebraska’s running back, sums up his priorities simply: “God and my family matter the most to me.” Growing up as the son of first-generation Liberian immigrants, family has always been his top priority. “This is something I can use to reward them: working hard and being the best person I can be every day,” he explains.

Born on October 10, 2003, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Emmett feels lucky to have both his parents, Charles and Precious Johnson, by his side. His father’s experiences during the Liberian Civil War left a lasting impact on him. “He told me stories about that time. He’s seen people die and a lot of crazy gunfire. I’m blessed that my parents are alive,” Emmett shares. Growing up with parents who faced such hardships has inspired him to work hard and strive for success.

In a chat with Corn Nation, he mentioned his love for cooking, thanks to his parents’ diverse culinary skills. He enjoys learning from his family and also loves to unwind by watching Netflix.

Before joining the Cornhuskers, Emmett played for Holy Angels, where he excelled both as a person and an athlete. He earned numerous honors, including AP Player of the Year and Mr. Football, and participated in track and field and basketball. Spending four years in high school, he made a name for himself academically and athletically, which isn’t easy for everyone. His drive comes from his deep love and respect for his parents, who have always been his biggest supporters.

Emmett Johnson’s football journey

Emmett started playing football at 8 years old at McRae Park with coach Kendrick Williams. “I fell in love with it, My first touchdown, just the excitement. It was a jet sweep, I know it was more than 50 yards. I felt I could love doing this. And it made me want to work harder,” said Johnson. Albeit, his success doesn’t end here. He was one of the state’s top 10 players overall. On top of this, in 2019, his game against Benilde-St. Margaret got the attention of fans and coaches because of his 80-yard touchdown. However, his team lost the matchup, but the night was a gift for the stellar performer.

After that game, Johnson said, “My cutback ability is something not a lot of running backs have. That play against [Benilde-St. Margaret’s] was one of my craziest runs. One guy tried to tackle me three times. That was the run that set the bar for me,“. It seems like the running back was confident about his caliber. Ever since then, the star running back has racked up awards like nobody’s business. Even now, against Northern Iowa, the Cornhuskers RB was a beast. He had 4 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown, plus 3 catches for 43 yards. Looks like Johnson is clearly headed for big things!