Justice Haynes, RB @ Nebraska 2025
Player: Justice Haynes — RB, Michigan
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 209 lbs
Opponent: @ Nebraska
Season: 2025
Final Stat Line: 17 Carries, 149 Yards, 1 TD | 3 Catches for 12 Yards
Film Link: Watch on YouTube
Overview
Against Nebraska, Haynes puts burst + finishing strength on tape. He consistently turns early contact into forward yards—stays upright through first hits, keeps the legs churning, and finishes runs. When a crease appears, he has the acceleration to hit daylight and the open-field agility to add extra yards. In long-yardage situations, he’s not just a decoy—he converts on a screen and a late run, showing he can create on third down when the play design gives him space.
Usage / Alignment: Primarily shotgun, aligned right of the QB; inside handoffs, one screen to the right, and a late left-side run behind good blocking.
Film Review – Key Plays
Play 1) 2:01 2Q, 1st & 10 - 75 Yard TD Rush
Right of the QB in shotgun; handoff up the middle, a clean hole opens, and Haynes avoids two defenders before it turns on the jets in the open field—he outruns angles all the way for six. He showcases immediate crease recognition, decisive burst into daylight, then track speed all the way to the endzone. It’s the blend you want from a home-run back, turning a blocked lane into a true explosive touchdown without giving pursuit a chance to make a play.
Play 2) 9:22 4Q, 3rd & 9 - 15 Yard Catch & Run
Right of the QB in shotgun; screen right. He secures the ball, makes a defender miss behind the line, accelerates down the sideline, then tries to cut back inside before being brought down. The value here is short-area agility into vertical space: create the first miss in the backfield and get north in a hurry. It’s It’s an explosive play that pairs patience to set up blocks with the burst to stack yards after contact and move the chains.
Play 3) 7:59 4Q, 3rd & 10 - 20 Yard Rush
Right of the QB in shotgun; handoff running left with a hole that widens into a lane behind great blocking. Haynes hits it, gets into the secondary, and the last defender drags an ankle to end it. This is vision + tempo: trust the lane, hit it and accelerate, and make the DB tackle in space instead of at the line. On a pass down, it’s a statement run—disciplined vision, decisive acceleration, and finish that flips the field without needing a bounce or cutback gamble.
Also notable:
Throughout the game, Haynes strings together several ~10-yarders that start with early contact and still finish forward, which is an encouraging answer for a back that I’ve felt has been pretty boom-or-bust. These are schedule-setting, intermediate wins built on contact balance and leg drive, not just clean lanes.
Final Thoughts
This is an explosive-and-grind mix: a 75-yard sprint, a late 20-yard conversion on a run-heavy lane, a third-and-long screen turned into 15, and a stack of ~10-yarders built on tough yards. The tape shows burst when daylight appears and functional agility to add yards on designed perimeter touches, with enough toughness on base-down carries to keep the script on time.
Strengths on Display
Initial Burst & Acceleration: Hits interior crease and outruns angles for a 75-yard TD.
Intermediate Pickups: Multiple ~10-yard carries with hard finishing to keep ahead of the sticks.
Perimeter agility/YAC: Screen rep shows a miss behind the LOS and acceleration down the sideline.
Late-down run threat: 3rd & 10, 20-yard lane read and finish into the secondary.
Areas for Improvement
Expanded Receiving Usage: Three catches for 12 yards (one screen highlight) — more route/target variety would help round out the third-down profile.
Alignment Variety: Noted reps lean right of the QB in shotgun; more snaps from different spots (and motions) would show broader deployment.
