On Friday afternoon, Kansas State’s running back room led by coach Brian Anderson grew by one when Nebraska transfer Gabe Ervin Jr. committed to Kansas State. Playing sparingly the last few seasons in part due to multiple season-ending injuries in 2021 and 2023, Ervin finished his Cornhusker career with 455 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns.
Standing at 6’1 and 220 lbs. Ervin brings a physical running style that no other running back currently on Kansas State’s roster can replicate. An Academic All-American in 2024, Ervin entered the portal in December as a graduate transfer and arrives in Manhattan with one season to play.
Likely to be used near the goal line and in short-yardage situations, Ervin now slides in as the clear no. 3 back on the depth chart behind Dylan Edwards and Joe Jackson.
While at Nebraska, Ervin’s career got off to a promising start as he started at Illinois in 2021, becoming the first true freshman running back to start a season opener in the modern era of Nebraska football. Ervin had 12 carries for 33 yards in his collegiate debut but ultimately was inured a few games later. Another injury-riddled 2022 season saw him appear in 8 games where he was fairly effective when he was healthy, producing nearly 5 yards per carry.
In 2023, Ervin was injured three games into the season after starting the first two. He came back in 2024 and was unable to consistently see the field outside of a game against UTEP where he scored two touchdowns.
«I think Gabe has really kind of shown progress with the injury and all those things from last year and really getting his burst back the first four weeks of the season. He’s shown his burst. He’s shown it. The last two weeks of practice he’s really shown some giddy up and getting back to his old self. So when his name is called, he’ll be ready,» Nebraska running back’s coach EJ Barthel said of Ervin in October of 2024.
As a solid blocker in pass-pro, Ervin’s role at Kansas State will likely be unique. With Kansas State opting to use Dylan Edwards in the slot on multiple occasions against Rutgers, the Wildcats could very well have formations with two or more backs on the field at the same time. As a veteran, Ervin can also provide some much-needed experience in the running back room. With he and Edwards serving as the only upper-classmen, Ervin’s ability to bridge the gap and be a power runner was a major reason why the staff wanted to take a shot on the former Buford High School star.
Former high school teammates with VJ Payne, Ervin originally chose Nebraska over schools like Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Tennessee. Now, after four years at Nebraska, he is set to finish his college career in Manhattan, Kansas as a member of Kansas State.