Nebraska football will be licking their wounds with a key player out for Saturday’s game against the UCLA Bruins. Defensive back Malcolm Hartzog is expected to miss the game.
Hartzog has recorded 27 tackles on the season. His absence is certainly notable, given his impact in the secondary this season. If there is any silver lining, it’s that the Bruins rank at the bottom of the Big Ten with 302.1 passing yards per game. This is certainly positive news for a battered secondary.
Malcolm Hartzog injury update
Hartzog is dealing with a hamstring injury he sustained in the Huskers’ loss to Ohio State last Saturday. Head coach Matt Rhule said that the defensive back was trying to rehab so he could play this weekend but was not optimistic on Thursday.
“We’re beat up. We don’t have Malcolm (Hartzog)… Malcolm is doing his best to get back, but I don’t think that he will. We’ll be counting on some other guys.”
How long will Malcolm Hartzog be out?
Given the fact that Hartzog was trying to play this weekend, the hope is that the injury will only cause the defensive back to miss one week.
Nebraska Defensive Backs depth chart
Hartzog may not be the only Husker in the secondary who misses Saturday’s game. Head coach Matt Rhule mentioned that Tommi Hill may not be available due to his ongoing issues with plantar fasciitis. It appears that Jeremiah Charles will be thrust into a starting role against the Bruins.
“We’re planning on Jeremiah starting, he’s a tremendous athlete. He’s had to play in some serious situations, he has the benefit of going against two of the best wideouts in the league last week. He should be very confident, he goes against those guys and does a good job. Probably not many guys as fast as him.”