Nebraska Deals With Quarterback Uncertainty Ahead of Minnesota Game

Casey Thompson improving but hasn't practiced since injury; Purdy and Smothers split reps in drills

Joe Hudson | Nov 1, 2022

Dylan Widger photo-USA TODAY Sports

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There's a chance Nebraska quarterback Casey Thompson will play Saturday against Minnesota, although he didn't practice Tuesday.

Thompson was knocked out of last week's game against Illinois when he was hit during the second quarter and his throwing hand went numb.

Interim head football coach Mickey Joseph had said he doubted Thompson could play against Minnesota, but now things are looking somewhat better for the transfer from Texas.

At Tuesday's game-week press conference, Joseph said Thompson was "really beat up" Saturday but "felt better" Sunday.

"He looked better yesterday. ... Casey’s taken some hits this year, so I want to make sure I’m careful.”

"He saw the doctors yesterday," Joseph said. "Let them see him again today and see where he’s at tomorrow.”

Thompson's backups, Chubba Purdy and Logan Smothers, split reps Tuesday at practice, Joseph said. As for Purdy's erratic performance in the second half against Illinois, Joseph said he needs to "breathe and calm down" and play with poise. "He wants to make a play so bad that, you know, he makes a bad play," Joseph said.

Joseph also announced that defensive lineman Jailen Weaver is now working at offensive tackle. Joseph said the 6-foot-8, 345-pound redshirt freshman came to him with the idea.

Much more was said at Tuesday's session. Refresh this page to see the latest additions to the coverage links below. Items with asterisk may require a subscription. Go here for the HuskerMax discussion.

Coverage

Non-paywall

Husker247 | Backup Husker QBs step to the front: For Purdy, 'He has to breathe at that position'
Husker247 | Mickey Joseph Tuesday press conference news and notes
Husker247 | Jailen Weaver switches sides of the ball: 'He came to me'
HuskerOnline | Thompson's status "day to day" in advance of Minnesota game
Daily Nebraskan | Nebraska football preparing for physical ‘Big Ten November’
Omaha World-Herald | Carriker and McKewon/Shatel analysis (video)
Transcripts | Joseph, Nelson, Brown, Feist, Brewington, Hausmann

More sources

Omaha World-Herald* | ‘He’s a monster’: Nebraska praises Minnesota back Mo Ibrahim
Omaha World-Herald* | Notes: Players say losses aren't on Joseph
Lincoln Journal Star* | Joseph says Nebraska will ‘try and rely on the run’ vs. Minnesota
Lincoln Journal Star* | Practice report: Nebraska players make guarantee to Joseph
Hail Varsity* | Nebraska Relying on Toughness Ahead of Physical Remaining Schedule
Hail Varsity* | Casey Thompson 'Day-to-Day' as Nebraska Prepares to Face Minnesota
Hail Varsity* | Nebraska's Weekly Offensive Improvements Made with Run Game in Mind

Video

More info

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Published Nov 1, 2022

JOE HUDSON

Joe Hudson has operated a Husker-related website since 1995 and joined forces with David Max to form HuskerPedia (later renamed HuskerMax) in 1999. It began as a hobby during his 35 years as a newspaper editor and reporter, a career that included stints at the Lincoln Star, Omaha World-Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer and Denver Post. In Denver, Joe was chief of the copy desk during his final 16 years at the Post. He is proud to have been involved in Pulitzer Prize-winning projects in both Philadelphia and Denver. Joe has been a Nebraska football fan since the mid-1960s during his childhood in Omaha. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in journalism and economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1976. He resides a few freeway exits north of Colorado Springs and enjoys bicycling and walking his dogs in his spare time. You can reach him at joeroyhud@outlook.com.