Nebraska football had a clear victory on Saturday against UTEP, including a 23-point second quarter to put the game out of reach. Because of that cushion, more than 100 Huskers saw the field.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever done it with five minutes left in the third quarter, put all the twos in,” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said Monday about getting backups into the first game. “But I thought it was really important for the development of our team that a lot of those guys got a chance to play.”
Notably absent from the players to step on the field was wide receiver Malachi Coleman. That led some to wonder if the Lincoln East graduate may have been injured, although he was not listed as “out” or “questionable” on the pregame availability report.
“Malachi’s healthy,” Rhule said. “Malachi’s doing great. There’s no problems.”
With health not an issue, Rhule pointed to the depth of the wide receiver room.
“Malachi stepped up for us last year, in a year that maybe he could have redshirted,” Rhule said. “If we have to play him, we’ll play him. But I don’t want to (only play him) later in the games.
College football players can play in up to four games and still redshirt. If Coleman had played in the final quarter against UTEP, where the Huskers threw the ball just five times, that would have used up one of those games for a potential redshirt.
“We have these two big receivers out there that are playing well,” Rhule said, alluding to transfer receivers Jahmal Banks and Isaiah Neyor. “If Malachi can have this year, he can play four games and play in the postseason, I think he would just be picking right up where those guys left off.”
Banks and Neyor both measure at 6-4. Against UTEP, the pair combined for 182 yards on 12 catches, each scoring one touchdown. Coleman appeared in 11 games as a true freshman in 2023, including six starts.
“Just kinda taking the pressure off of him for a little bit and letting him go compete,” Rhule said. “I’m sure he doesn’t wanna redshirt. I’m sure he wants to play, so if something happens he can play in the next couple weeks.
“I just didn’t wanna put him in for a play here, a play there. When we use someone’s redshirt, I really want it to be worthwhile.”
With Dylan Raiola at quarterback, the Big Red have shown – through one game at least – a trust in the passing game that has been missing. Raiola was 19-of-27 for 238 yards in his debut. Heinrich Haarberg was 5-for-5 for 35 yards in releif whiel Jalyn Gramstad complete a pass for 11 yards as well.
There were 15 Huskers to get targeted for passes during the game, with 11 making at least one reception.
The next opportunity for Raiola, Coleman, and the rest of the Huskers to see action will be Saturday against Colorado. That game is set for a 6:30 p.m. CDT kickoff on NBC and Peacock.
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