This just in: A lot of first-year college students stay up late, whether the rationale is studying, partying, video games or, well, just because.
Nebraska running back Sevion Morrison used to be one of those people.
Now the freshman back is an early-to-bed, early-to-rise type, and he appears to be rising up the Cornhusker depth chart because of it.
“It makes a huge difference. Usually people my age, we can stay up all night and still get ready, but I just know that was probably my biggest sacrifice,†he said. “I started going to bed at 9:30 p.m. and it really changed everything for me. I wake up in the morning just ready to go, I feel like I’m more prepared. …
“Once you know that the results work, I’m like, ‘I have to do this every night,’ so I can perform like this the next day.â€
The 6-foot, 210-pound back was one of three to speak with reporters on Wednesday and appears to be one of four still in the mix to win the starting job for assistant coach Ryan Held at camp’s midpoint.
The challenge for Morrison now is to actually win the job, but he’s already made substantial strides from a year ago when a hamstring injury, a quad injury and a bout with COVID-19 kept him from appearing during the 2020 season. Then he missed a chunk of spring ball, too.
Along the way, though, his coaches say he dedicated himself to taking better care of himself off the field.
"He's done a really nice job. He's lost weight. He's changed his body in the summer,†Held said Wednesday. “He's always had nice feet, but even better now. His vision is getting better each day, even though he's had really good vision. He's dialed in. He paid the price this summer.
“He's done well up to this point."
Said Morrison, “I had to change my eating habits, my sleeping habits, and those were really my main two factors. Held reminded me every day so I know, those can change your game. And it actually did.â€
Morrison had no interest in speculating where he might be on the depth chart, at least publicly, but did say he has an idea of where he is in Held’s pecking order at this point.
“I just know I’m working,†said Morrison, a star at Edison High in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who rushed for more than 5,000 yards in his high school career. “We’ve got good backs in the room.â€
When you’re sleeping well, eating right and producing on the field, even the middle of camp on blazing hot mornings feels like a good time.
“Camp is going real well, very well,†Morrison said. “It’s probably one of the highs of my life right now.â€
Photos: Huskers hit the turf for fall camp practice No. 11