Aug. 10, 2003

Charleston, SC - "He's unlimited. He can be as good as any player who has ever played in the Southern Conference."

That's how The Citadel's Ellis Johnson, a veteran football coach not given to hyperbole, describes Nehemiah Broughton, the Bulldogs' junior running back.

As always in life, there is an "if" attached to that statement.

"If," Johnson continued, "he can start to put together the work habits and intangibles, the attitude and maturity. If he can ever get that straight, he's unlimited."

The good news for Citadel fans -- all indications are that Broughton, the 6-0, 248-pound man-child who terrorized opponents at North Charleston High School, rushed for 1,038 yards and 11 touchdowns last season and is regarded as a "freak of nature" by his teammates, is growing up.

He's finding Nemo, in other words.

"Hearing that from Coach Johnson, that means a lot," Broughton said Saturday at the Bulldogs' media day. "He's coached a lot of players, seen a lot of great athletes. But it also lets me know that I still have a ways to go, to get better and to grow."

This summer, Broughton was worked harder than ever to do just that.

"His work habits get better every year," says head strength coach Todd Lair. "Every year, he works harder and harder. His freshman and sophomore years, Nehemiah worked hard, but not to his highest ability. This year, he's done a much better job.

"We held him to a higher standard, and he's met that."

Broughton's reputation as a "Nemo-sapien" among his teammates stems from his outlandish numbers in the weight room -- a squat of 680 pounds and a clean lift of 360, both best on the team, and bench press of 430 pounds, in the top five among Bulldogs. Broughton's vertical jump is 32-1/2 inches and he runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.

"That's on grass," Lair said. "On turf, it'd be a 4.4"

No wonder opposing defensive backs tend to scatter when Broughton turns the corner.

"Look at him, man!" free safety Shawn Grant exclaimed. "He's not the usual. Nemo has his own race, he's one of a kind. When you see somebody like that coming at you, you automatically think, go low. But thinking low could also be wrong, because of the power in his legs.

"You're gonna get it either way you go, high or low."

Of course, Broughton has been hearing stuff like that since his days at North Charleston High, where he rushed for 1,670 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior.

"Sometimes players come in and because they are so far ahead of their peers physically, we assume they are ready to play," Johnson said. "I'm not sure he had all the intangibles to go with that physical ability when he got here. It's been a growth process for him, and I don't think The Citadel has been anything but a plus for him in that aspect."

While Broughton wanted a shot at running back, Citadel coaches fully expected him to play defensive line in college. He got limited time as a blocking back as a freshman, and last year actually lost his starting job at fullback to freshman Porter Johnson. Broughton was switched to tailback, where he backed up senior Nate Mahoney, who rushed for 128 yards in a 24-20 victory over Delaware in the season's second game.

But in the third game, against Western Carolina, Mahoney suffered a dislocated elbow on his second carry. Broughton came on and ran for 121 yards on 14 carries and caught a TD pass. It was the first of three straight 100-yard games and six on the season for Broughton, who was named second-team all-Southern Conference.

"That Western Carolina game," Johnson said, "was when I realized that he realized what he needed to be able to do, what it took to do it and that he could do it. From then on, he was an impact player."

The impact wasn't always good. Broughton had crucial fumbles in close losses to Appalachian State and Wyoming.

"That's the only minus he had," Johnson said. "He's got to be more consistent on ball security."

Said Broughton, "I've got a short memory. After something like that happens, you can't do anything about it. My job is to go out there and make up for it. I can't get depressed and think too much about it. I just have to keep focused on what's going to happen next."

For Broughton, the future could extend all the way to the NFL. Former Citadel defensive end Cliff Washburn's experience with the New York Giants this summer has helped Broughton realize the possibilities.

"Cliff has been a great example of what someone can do, if you put your mind and effort toward something," Broughton said.

"He's been a great motivator for the whole team."

Might Broughton get the same chance some day? Sure, Johnson said.

If ...

"Nemo's a special kid. But there are a lot of Nemos out there in college football, and we know the percentages of those who make it. That's what I try to preach to him. If that's what you want to do, then you have to put it all together."