Huskers’ Quarterback Picture Still in Flux
There was good and bad news Tuesday about Nebraska's quarterback situation.
Casey Thompson, sidelined by a nerve injury in his throwing arm for the last 2½ games, was throwing in team drills Tuesday and has a chance to return to action in Saturday's home finale against Wisconsin. Thompson's status remains day to day, and interim head football head coach Mickey Joseph said he'll be watching "how the ball is coming out of his hand" as the week progresses.
Chubba Purdy, who started the last two games in Thompson's place, definitely won't play again this season. Joseph said Purdy will have surgery this week after injuring an ankle during Saturday's loss to Michigan.
Logan Smothers has been playing through injuries of his own but is expected to be available against Wisconsin. Joseph said walk-on Jarrett Synek is next in line after Smothers and was taking snaps Tuesday with the No. 2 offense.
"If you gotta go to a third guy, you want him to be athletic," Joseph said of Synek, a redshirt freshman from Hastings who played the final series against Michigan. "You don't want them to be all the same, so he can go in and give you some run game and throw it a little bit. That's where we're at right now.”
Nebraska faces another 1,000-yard rusher this week in Wisconsin's Braelon Allen. As a freshman a year ago, Allen scorched the Nebraska defense for 228 yards on 22 carries.
"This kid is special," Joseph said. "Someone told me he is 18 years old. To be that big (6-2, 235 pounds) and to be 18, that's special. But he is a really good back.”"
Joseph offered no insights on Nebraska's coaching search but said he's "prepared for whatever." Whether he gets the job or not, "I'm good. Don't worry about Mickey. Mickey is gonna be OK."
Whoever is hired needs to be "ready to work" on the recruiting front and build competitive depth on the roster, Joseph said.
Refresh this page to see the latest coverage of Tuesday's press conference. Asterisk indicates item may require a subscription. Go here for the HuskerMax discussion.
Coverage
Non-paywall
- Husker247 | Joseph updates shifting Husker QB picture
- Husker247 | Joseph discusses competitive roster building and recruiting work it will take to lift Huskers
- Husker247 | Senior Day isn't always just for seniors anymore; Joseph commends those walking as 'stand-up kids'
- Husker247 | 'I know he is going to go to battle,' Joseph said of Alante Brown's hurdle effort
- Husker247 | Walk-on QB Synek pops onto the radar of Husker fan base
- HuskerOnline | Five things we learned from Nebraska's press conference
- KLKN | Huskers' QB chaos: Thompson questionable, Purdy out for Wisconsin game
- Saturday Tradition | Mickey Joseph addresses possibility of staying at Nebraska under new head coach
- Transcripts | Joseph, Nelson, Vokolek
- Omaha World-Herald | McKewon/Shatel analysis (video)
More sources
- HuskerOnline* | Nebraska’s top backup QB against Wisconsin may be a name many Husker fans don’t know well
- Omaha World-Herald* | Casey Thompson is practicing, but Chubba Purdy is out as Nebraska quarterback flux continues
- Omaha World-Herald* | 'I’d love to stay’: Mickey Joseph open to staying at Nebraska as assistant depending on role
- Omaha World-Herald* | Mickey Joseph: Alante Brown’s airborne play showed toughness
- Omaha World-Herald* | Mickey Joseph says recipe for success in Big Ten is having depth
- Hail Varsity* | Mickey Joseph Provides Updates on Nebraska's Quarterbacks and More
- Hail Varsity* | Mickey Joseph Still Enjoying Interim Role, Lists Roster Management as Key for Future Improvement
- Hail Varsity* | Veteran Huskers Juggle Emotions of Senior Day and Looming Decisions
- Hail Varsity* | Recruiting: Husker Coaches Going 'Where the Heat's At'
- Hail Varsity* | Nebraska Players, Coaches Embrace 'Next Man Up' as Season Winds Down
- Lincoln Journal Star* | Husker QB Thompson returns to practice; Synek rises; Farmer is back
- Lincoln Journal Star* | Amie Just: The situation at QB, and three more Nebraska football observations
Video
From the other side
- Badger247 | Injury updates: Mellusi could make return against Nebraska
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | 'I need to be better': Braelon Allen offers a telling self-critique after Wisconsin's loss at Iowa
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Wisconsin players, coaches working to heal after the death of former teammate Devin Chandler
- Badger Blitz | Wisconsin releases depth chart and injury report for Nebraska
More info
- Depth charts: Neb. | Wis.
- Flip sheet
- Pregame notes: Neb. | Wis.
- HuskerMax game page
- Practice schedule
- KLIN/HuskerMax reports
- NU roster
- 2022 schedule
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