Nebraska OL Ethan Piper leaves game vs. Illinois with injury

Nebraska already lost one of its top offensive players against Illinois when Marcus Washington left with an injury. Then, with just over a minute to play in the first half, the Cornhuskers lost one of their offensive linemen.

Ethan Piper got rolled up in a pile and ended up leaving the game with 1:01 left until halftime. It meant Nebraska lost one of the anchors of its offensive line. Nouredin Nouili moved over to left guard in his place and Henry Lutovsky came into the game at right guard as a result.

The cart initially came over toward the Nebraska sideline, but Piper walked to the tunnel under his own power, according to the Lincoln Journal Star’s Amie Just.

Ethan Piper was Nebraska’s second-highest graded offensive lineman last week against Michigan, according to PFF, and is a key piece of the offense protecting Heinrich Haarberg.

Nebraska lost Washington early in the game when he went down with a leg injury on a 38-yard reception. He hit the turf afterward, holding his knee and eventually leaving the game.

As he left the field, Washington didn’t put much weight on his left leg while being helped off. His loss would be a big one for Nebraska. He entered the game second on the Cornhuskers roster with 137 receiving yards on the season.

The Husker Radio Network later said Washington’s leg was wrapped and he didn’t have his helmet, meaning his night is likely over.

Marcus Washington is in his second year at Nebraska after transferring from Texas. He was a key weapon last season, as well, as he finished with 471 yards and a touchdown. He started this year with a hand injury, but ultimately made his way onto the field in Week 1 against Minnesota.

Nebraska is searching for its first Big Ten win of the Matt Rhule era, heading into Champaign to take on Illinois. The Cornhuskers got their first red zone stop of the year on the game’s first drive when they kept the Fighting Illini out of the end zone twice on fourth down.

They ended up taking a 17-7 lead into the locker room thanks to two touchdowns in a 10-second span. Anthony Grant punched in a score with 6:47 to play to make it 10-0 and after a muffed punt by Illinois, Nebraska got the ball back at the 25-yard line to set up a Haarberg rushing touchdown to extend the lead to 17-0.