Nebraska managing redshirt decisions in secondary amid injuries, surprise breakouts

A bye week means extra rest for one of the team’s star defensive backs in Tommi Hill, who continues to deal with a plantar fascia injury that has cost him two games. It also means reassessing who the Huskers prefer to deploy on the back end for the stretch run — and who they want to redshirt.

The conversation has perhaps changed most for Blye Hill, the winter transfer who was trending toward earning a starting cornerback job until suffering a knee injury in the spring scrimmage. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound true sophomore, now healthy, has yet to see game action because of Ceyair Wright’s breakout on the edge.

“To me you’re looking at a guy who’s got four open games in the next six games,” coach Matt Rhule said Monday. “So pending a bomb going off, you can probably play him in four games.”

Meanwhile, Tommi Hill went through pregame warmups against Rutgers and nearly played while working through foot pain. His potential return on Oct. 19 at Indiana would mean Nebraska rotates the two corner spots between Hill, Wright and Marques Buford.

Redshirt freshman Jeremiah Charles has done a “good job” of handling the No. 3 corner role amid attrition at the position, Rhule said. NU has also picked its spots with true freshman defensive backs Amare Sanders (three games played) and Larry Tarver (two) who are on track for four-game redshirts.

Another Husker still in line to redshirt includes sophomore defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel, who saw 29 defensive snaps Saturday in a “targeted decision” to face run-heavy Rutgers for his third contest of the year. Another theoretical redshirt candidate is kicker Tristan Alvano, who appeared in the first three games and has missed the last three amid injury. Rhule said Alvano could “potentially” begin the process of testing and building back up in the weeks ahead.

Rhule cited redshirting success stories elsewhere on the team including D-linemen Ty Robinson and James Williams. 

In a climate when multiple players around the country are opting out of playing to redshirt and preserve eligibility, Rhule said he’s usually the one encouraging it with the Huskers.

“I believe in redshirting,” Rhule said. “I believe in the old-school process. It takes parents who trust you, it takes players who trust you.”