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Nebraska rotates Chubba Purdy, Logan Smothers at quarterback in second half vs Minnesota

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•11/05/22•

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Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

Shortly after Minnesota made a change at quarterback, Nebraska did the same — a few times, actually. Cornhuskers coach Mickey Joseph pulled Chubba Purdy in the third quarter and brought in Logan Smothers, but ended up switching them out again in the fourth quarter to try and find a spark.

Purdy started the game in place of Casey Thompson, who’s out with an arm injury he suffered last week against Illinois. At the time he initially left the game, he had completed six of 12 passes for 41 yards in the air and rushed for 24 yards and Nebraska’s lone touchdown on the ground. On Smothers’ first drive, the Cornhuskers went three-and-out after two rushing attempts and an incomplete pass.

Purdy then re-entered the game on Nebraska’s next drive, but Smothers came back out in the fourth quarter after a wave of three-and-outs. In fact, with less than seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, found Trey Palmer for the Cornhuskers’ first first down since the second quarter.

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It appears Joseph and the coaching staff are trying to do whatever it took to light a spark under the offense. The Cornhuskers took a 10-0 lead into halftime, but Minnesota rallied back after the break with 20 unanswered points to take a 20-10 lead with 9:22 left in the fourth quarter.

Tanner Morgan out for remainder of Minnesota vs Nebraska with apparent injury

As Minnesota took the field to start the second half against Nebraska on Saturday, the Golden Gophers showed off a new look. Quarterback Tanner Morgan didn’t start the half — and he won’t return, P.J. Fleck told ESPN2’s Taylor McGregor.

Morgan is out with an apparent injury after taking a bit hit on a sack in the second quarter, McGregor reported after halftime. That meant Athan Kaliakmanis took over under center, but Fleck made it clear the decision came from the medical team. It wasn’t a result of Minnesota’s struggles on offense in the first half.

“Tanner Morgan will not play in the second half,” McGregor said on the ESPN2 broadcast. “P.J. Fleck telling me this is not a quarterback controversy. The medical staff decided to hold him out of the second half to due to an undisclosed injury. … The fact that Tanner Morgan is not playing is interesting, guys. We’ll see what Minnesota can do to get their offense going.”