Zack Carpenter • InsideNebraska
Publisher
@Zack_Carp
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Nebraska (3-3 overall, 2-1 in Big Ten) has taken the field for warmups at Ross-Ade Stadium as it prepares for a 6:30 p.m. Central Time kickoff against Purdue (4-2, 2-1).
The biggest items of note: It appears that the Huskers have switched their starting five at offensive line for the matchup with the Boilermakers, and the defense will be without one of its key starters.
Changes to OL starting five
It looks like
Henry Lutovsky and
Hunter Anthony are set to start against Purdue as the two would replace
Broc Bando (right guard) and
Bryce Benhart (right tackle) in the starting group. Lutovsky is lining up at right guard and Hunter Anthony is lining up at right tackle for first-team reps during warmups. This is the first-team offensive line unit that is warming up:
Left tackle: Turner Corcoran
Left guard: Ethan Piper
Center: Trent Hixson
Right guard: Henry Lutovsky
Right tackle: Hunter Anthony
Lutovsky played 12 snaps last week while Bando played 59 snaps. Anthony played 66 snaps while Benhart played just seven snaps despite starting.
The changes come as the Huskers are looking to do what they can to get more consistent production on a unit that has struggled this season and is coming off its worst performance of the season.
Nebraska's offensive line allowed the Rutgers defense to pressure quarterback
Casey Thompson on 24 of his 38 dropbacks (63.2 percent) as the Scarlet Knights picked up just one sack but totaled 11 quarterback hits and 19 quarterback hurries. This season, Nebraska's offensive line has allowed:
– Northwestern: 15 pressures, one sack
–
North Dakota: Seven pressures, two sacks
– Georgia Southern: 11 pressures, two sacks
– Oklahoma: Eight pressures, four sacks
– Indiana: Nine pressures, one sack
– Rutgers: 24 pressures, one sack
In other depth chart news,
Brandon Moore is starting at cornerback tonight opposite
Quinton Newsome, who will play tonight despite missing the second half last week with a groin injury.
Availability Updates
Newsome will be starting and playing tonight, but
Luke Reimer is out.
Mickey Joseph said earlier in the week that Newsome and Reimer were "day-to-day" as Newsome is dealing with a groin injury, and Reimer is not in uniform warming up with the team but did travel for the game as he continues to deal with an undisclosed injury.
Running back
Gabe Ervin Jr. is also out for tonight's game as he deals with a nagging toe injury that kept him out of the Rutgers game. Ervin did not make the trip to Purdue. Running back/receiver
Rahmir Johnson was warming up with the running backs.
Receiver
Omar Manning was not warming up with the receivers, either. Joseph said that Manning is also "day-to-day."
Newsome, though, is good to go and is running with the first-team defense alongside Moore.
Also, punter
Brian Buschini was on the field in full uniform and pads warming up. He has been dealing with an ankle injury but looks like he will again be playing through that injury. True freshman EDGE
Jake Appleget traveled. It's the Lincoln Southeast grad's first away game.