LINCOLN, Neb. -- Givens Price was 16 years old when he showed up to play football at Nebraska in 2011.

So you’d expect that he might need more time than most to find his way. Seven games into his fourth season, things may have just clicked for the offensive tackle.

And it looks like he’s intent to lead a group of teammates on this ascension.

Price, the Cornhuskers' backup right tackle, reserve guard Chongo Kondolo and No. 2 center Ryne Reeves stepped to the forefront on Saturday, as Nebraska overcame a halftime deficit to win 38-17 at Northwestern.

The emergence of Price, Kondolo and Reeves came after a bye week that followed a 27-22 loss to Michigan State in which none of the backup linemen played a snap. The starters struggled as Nebraska rushed 37 times for 47 yards, a low in coach Bo Pelini’s seven seasons at the school.

The backup linemen made their move in practice. And Price led the way.

“Everybody noticed,” left tackle Alex Lewis said. “He was very energetic, emotional at practice. I think it also helped guys like Chongo to see that it doesn’t always have to be the starters who step up and have that energy.”

Saturday started like Nebraska’s first six games -- with Lewis and Jake Cotton on the left side of the line, Mark Pelini at center, guard Mike Moundy and Zach Sterup on the right side.

The reserves got their feet wet in the first half, as planned. The Huskers trailed 17-14, rushing for just 79 yards in the first 30 minutes.

On the second possession of the third quarter, Moudy moved to the left side. Reeves entered. Kondolo and Price took the right side.

The next three drives produced 185 yards and three touchdowns.

Nebraska rushed for 155 yards in the second half and cruised to the easiest victory against Northwestern in four meetings since joining the Big Ten.

“It was really just everybody doing their jobs,” Price said, “listening to the coach and playing as hard as you can, as fast as you can, finishing blocks.”

Each of the three backups brings a compelling backstory.

Price, who turned 20 this month as a fourth-year junior, played little until this season. He said he understood the reasoning of offensive line coach John Garrison to go without subs against Michigan State.

“I wasn’t consistent in my game preparation,” Price said.

Price told himself and his fellow reserves that “we need to play like we’re playing a game.”

During the bye week, they did it, he said.

“The fact that it was acknowledged put more emphasis on it to do the little things right,” Reeves said. “There was a sense of urgency.”

Reeves, also a fourth-year junior, came to Nebraska as a heralded recruit from Crete, Nebraska. He was expected to contribute early but battled injuries, including a fractured ankle in the spring before his sophomore season, and has shifted between guard and center.

Last spring, Reeves was taken from the practice facility by ambulance after suffering a neck injury. He returned in April but missed more time with an ankle sprain.

Kondolo counted offers from Florida State and Tennessee out of high school in Carrollton, Texas. He failed to reach academic standards and landed at junior college in California before redshirting last season.

They’re an odd mix, but the trio works well together. Rarely does one enter the game without the other two.

“It’s nice throwing the second team in there and to still go down and score touchdowns on the first-team defense,” Lewis said. “It’s going to help us down the road. We’re such a close-knit group that you could see how it works. We’re all on the same page.”

This week as Nebraska hosts Rutgers, the backups are sure to play big roles again -- that is, if Price, Kondolo and Reeves remain on the second unit.

“I don’t know if we created a spark,” Reeves said. “We went out there, ran some good plays and moved the football.”

The Huskers will take that every week.