Former Nebraska star's football future clouded by serious ATV accident

Former Nebraska running back Dante Dowdell suffered some serious injuries in the wake of an ATV accident near his Picayune, Mississippi, home. The back, who transferred to Kentucky last year after one season with the Huskers, transferred to Georgia this winter. Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart confirmed that Dowdell was in the hospital during his appearance at SEC Media Days on Tuesday.

"He's injured," Smart said. "We don't know when his return will be. I don't know the specifics of it, to be honest with you. It was a recreational vehicle, and he had some serious injuries."

While Smart didn’t go into detail about what kind of injuries the former Nebraska running back suffered, it’s clear by where Dowdell is recovering that the crash was no small thing. Smart told ESPN that Dowdell is being treated at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, which specializes in treatment and rehabilitation, including spinal cord and brain injuries.

"He's out of the really tough range, but as far as his complete health and coming all the way back, I don't know what that looks like in terms of this year," Smart added.

Former Nebraska running back Dante Dowdell recovering after serious accident

Dowdell started his college career with the Oregon Ducks but transferred to Nebraska after getting just 17 carries for 90 yards in Eugene. He was a hit with the Huskers as he split time in 2024 with Emmett Johnson. He tallied 614 yards and a whopping 12 touchdowns as he helped NU make a bowl game for the first time in a decade.

Instead of going for a second year with the Cornhuskers, he transferred to Kentucky, where he was once again part of a 1-2 punch. The Wildcats’ offense struggled mightily, but Dowdell was still able to rush for 560 yards and had just three touchdowns.

After his one campaign in Lexington, Dowdell hit the portal again, and there was at least some talk that he might return to Nebraska now as the featured back after Johnson left for the NFL Draft following a breakout season.

Instead, the former Husker landed with Georgia and was expected to be the primary backup to Nate Frazier. The Bulldogs’ leading rusher had 947 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2025.

There’s no way to know if and when Dowdell will be able to play again, as it's far too early, and the injuries were severe enough that they are now just worrying about him recovering. "He's just a tremendous kid [with a] great family," Smart said. "We're very supportive of them. Our players have been up there to see him. It's a really tough deal."

Hopefully the former Nebraska star will make a full recovery, and Dante Dowdell will be able to play football again, should he want to.

Today's best reads

• Nebraska hopes its veteran roster can prove one of the oldest unwritten rules correct
• Michigan chaos, Husker duo hype, SEC threats and other Nebraska Cornhuskers news
• Nebraska just got another reminder about the tall task in front of its offense
• Nebraska’s QB1 has another opportunity to make Anthony Colandrea doubters look silly
• Scott Frost’s Nebraska grudge survives another courtroom test in latest ruling

This article was originally published on huskercorner.com as Former Nebraska star's football future clouded by serious ATV accident.