LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -Niles Paul has finally showed up for Nebraska, and just in time for the Cornhuskers’ visit to 13th-ranked Virginia Tech.
For two years Paul had been going into games expecting to be a big part of the offense, but invariably going home disappointed.
That changed Saturday after he caught six passes and scored two touchdowns in the No. 19 Cornhuskers’ 38-9 win over Arkansas State.
“It’s been a rough road, definitely a humbling experience,” Paul said. “I’m thankful I had the opportunities I’ve had, but it’s been frustrating at times.”
Paul came out of the opener against Florida Atlantic with just two catches for short yardage. It looked as though the junior from Omaha might have another one of those days against Arkansas State. He was wide open over the middle in the first quarter when Zac Lee looked him off and went to Mike McNeill for a 13-yard touchdown pass.
gone unused.
Paul lined up on the right side, came around for a pitch from Lee and ran 30 yards down the left sideline to the end zone.
“Niles is a guy who doesn’t complain,” said receiver Menelik Holt, who sprung Paul with a block. “We all knew Niles could make a lot of plays. When they dialed up the reverse play, I knew I had to get that block for Niles.”
Paul thought he had scored again on the next possession when he caught a pass along the sideline and took it 70 yards, but the play was nullified by a holding penalty.
“I didn’t know until 10 seconds after that play that it was called back,” Paul said. “I was ready to go sit on the bench, and they told me I had to go back into the game. I was exhausted.”
Paul’s second touchdown came on a 2-yard pass in the fourth quarter, and he finished with a team-leading 69 yards in receptions.
“It was definitely a great thing to see him get some touches today,” receiver Curenski Gilleylen said. “He’s like my brother. When he got that touchdown called back, I was more frustrated than he was.”
In preseason practice, Watson called Paul the Huskers’ best receiver and a major part of the offense.
“We want him to get touches,” Watson said. “We move him around and can get him all kinds. He can really stretch a defense and put pressure on a defense in different ways.”
s a freshman, he thought he not only should have been on the field right away, but also featured. Paul ended up on special teams and caught one pass for 6 yards.
He played in all 13 games last season and had success as a kick returner, running one back 85 yards for a score against San Jose State. But as a receiver he was overshadowed by veterans such as Nate Swift and Todd Peterson. He caught 23 passes but never more than four in a game.
Coaches and teammates kept telling him his time would come.
“He was frustrated last week because he didn’t get any touches,” Gilleylen said. “But he knows how to handle it. He knows he’s a focal point of the offense.”
Now that he has been given a shot of confidence, Paul is eager to see what he can do against Virginia Tech, which beat the Huskers 35-30 in Lincoln last year.
“I love challenges,” he said. “I can’t wait to get after them. Their defense is going to bring it, and our offense is going to bring it.”
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