Matt Rhule provides multiple injury updates as Nebraska opens camp

With the Nebraska Cornhuskers opening up Fall Camp, head coach Matt Rhule provided multiple injury updates for the team.

As Rhule broke down, teams are allowed to have a 120-man roster during camp. So, dealing with injuries is going to be a balancing act at this point in this stage of the offseason.

“Excited to get started. A couple of updates,” Matt Rhule said. “Obviously, it’s 120-man roster for camp. As people get hurt you still have the ability to rotate people in. So, that’s not a 120-man roster limit. We still have the whole team but 120-man roster to start camp. Injuries to start camp. Tristan Alvano is limited. So, he’ll be out at the start of camp.”

Tristan Alvano is a kicker for Nebraska. In 2023, as a freshman, he was nine of 15 on field goals and set the Nebraska program record for longest field goal made by a freshman at 55 yards. According to Rhule, it’s been a groin issue for him.

“He had a groin that’s just been — it’s been trending in a good way, but [the] groin has been bothering him and had a quick surgery,” Rhule said. “Sort of a two week recovery time. So, he’s recovered but he’s just not full go. So, he’ll be working with the training staff and shouldn’t be too long.”

Of course, Alvano isn’t the only injured Cornhusker heading into camp. Matt Rhule listed five other players as missing time.

“Blye Hill, Barret Liebentritt, Maurice Mazzccua, Brodie Tagaloa, and Michael Booker. So, those guys will not be in that 120 and they will wait until they’re healthy. Then, if someone else gets hurt they’ll replace that as well as some of the other guys we’ve had on our team who worked their tails off. It’s just we have to do a lot of things by numbers,” Rhule said.

“So, a lot of deserving guys aren’t allowed to be in the 120, but they will be and they’ll all be there for when school starts.”

That leaves a total of six players who Matt Rhule admitted were dealing with one issue or another as Nebraska heads into Fall Camp. Along with the kicker Alvano, three of the injured players are from the defensive side of the ball and two are in the backfield.

Rhule and Nebraska will hope to be healthy by the start of the season against UTEP. From there, it’s a long year where injuries are inevitable while the Cornhuskers look to break through and find a way to make it to a bowl.