Jeff Sims enters at QB after Heinrich Haarberg suffers injury against Maryland
Heinrich Haarberg was taken to the injury tent after Nebraska‘s first offensive drive in the second quarter vs. Maryland. He emerged from the tent and was sent to the bike to stay warm — but Jeff Sims is set to replace him for the time being.
According to reports, he seems to be nursing an ankle but never went down on the field. He is on the sideline with his helmet.
The broadcast gave a brief update on Haarberg, saying that he emerged from the tent with both ankles taped. He had a conversation with a coach where he gestured and shook his head, ‘No,’ which indicated to the broadcast that he didn’t feel well enough to return to the game. That could change, as during the break he was running sprints down the sideline.
After the Cornhuskers dropped Saturday’s road contest against the Michigan State Spartans 20-17 last week, Nebraska dropped to 5-4 on the season and 3-3 in conference play. This has head coach Matt Rhule looking to make a change in any way that will prove beneficial to his team, so Sims’ appearance was academic — just not so early in the game and under the same circumstances.
“We give Jeff reps with the ones, at times. So he gets to rotate in,” said Rhule leading up to game day. “We’re not like your traditional practice; we get more guys reps. There were times last week, early in the week, that Chubba (Purdy) took some reps with the ones here and there; he gets more two reps and some three reps. But yeah, Jeff does get reps with the ones, as does as does Heinrich.”
For now, however, it’s Sims’ show in Lincoln. Catch the rest of Saturday’s Big Ten matchup between the Huskers and Terrapins live on Peacock.
Rhule feels for his players amid 5-4 start
Saturday marked yet another close call for the Cornhuskers, highlighted by a controversial touchdown call that gave Michigan State the lead they needed in the fourth quarter to secure the win. A similar instance happened in Week 1 to the Cornhuskers in there 13-10 loss to Minnesota, which Rhule addressed recently in a press conference along with some interesting comments alluding to Michigan‘s current sign-stealing investigation.
“I feel bad for our players, so we’re sitting at 5-4, we own 5-4,” Rhule said.” But we had one game where the team scouted us, we’ve had two games where replay was wrong. I mean that’s tough to swallow.”
“But you know what, we are where we are, and the issues about giving up sacks and turning the ball over, those are the main issues that we’re gonna work on controlling,” Rhule added. “But you guys did ask me about that and I did want to answer that.”