LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska offensive tackle Turner Corcoran and guard Ethan Piper were lost for the season to injuries suffered Saturday in the Huskers’ victory against Northwestern, coach Matt Rhule said, and fellow starters Nouredin Nouili at guard and wide receiver Billy Kemp will miss multiple games.
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Here’s what you need to know:
- The three offensive linemen had started every game for Nebraska this season.
- Corcoran, a junior left tackle, made his 31st career start Saturday; Piper, the senior left guard, started his 27th; Nouili, the senior right guard, made his 21st start. Corcoran suffered a foot injury. For Piper, it’s a knee.
- Nebraska will look to sophomore Teddy Prochazka at tackle, redshirt freshman Justin Evans-Jenkins and sophomore Henry Lutovsky at guard.
- True freshmen Sam Sledge and Gunnar Gottula and redshirt freshmen Tyler Knaak and Jacob Hood may receive additional opportunities, in particular on special teams, Rhule said, though Nebraska won’t jeopardize their four-game redshirts unless they’re set to play major roles.
How do the latest injuries impact Nebraska?
Rhule said he’s never experienced “anything close” to the slew of injuries that have hit the Huskers offensively. In earlier games, wide receivers Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda and Marcus Washington were lost for the season in addition to running backs Rahmir Johnson and Gabe Ervin Jr.
The O-line had avoided problems until the seventh game of the season and has helped Nebraska rush for a Big Ten-leading 195.1 yards per game and 4.9 per rushing attempt.
“You know what, we press on,” Rhule said. “There’s no sadness in me. There’s sadness for my guys.”
The first-year coach said Nebraska has “enough players to win.” It is 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten as Purdue visits Memorial Stadium on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff. The Huskers are seeking their first three-game winning streak since 2016.
“I’m thankful for the backups who are now starters,” Rhule said. “These guys fight. They fight for the University of Nebraska.”
Backstory
Kemp, a sixth-year senior, leads Nebraska in receptions and receiving yardage. He was hurt during the same second-quarter play as Piper, a quarterback scramble by Heinrich Haarberg. The injury, an MCL sprain, might keep Kemp out until early November.
True freshmen Jaidyn Doss and Jaylen Lloyd helped fill Kemp’s spot in the 19-7 victory on Saturday. And true freshman wide receiver Malachi Coleman snagged a 44-yard touchdown reception, the first of his career.
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(Photo: Steven Branscombe / Getty Images)
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