Nebraska ran its first offensive play from scrimmage against Indiana, and right tackle David Knevel, already bothered by a sore ankle, lay on the ground as he repeatedly pounded his fist into the turf.

Yes, he hurt, but pain isn’t why Knevel felt the need to abuse blades of plastic grass and pieces of ground-up rubber.

“The biggest thing was frustration,” said Knevel, who’d already missed the brunt of Nebraska’s previous game, Oct. 1 against Illinois, with his bum ankle. “I was just upset that it happened on the first play. That’s mainly what the pounding of the ground was about, because I figured it felt bad enough that I didn’t think I’d be coming back right away.”

Sure enough, he didn’t. Knevel wore a T-shirt and shorts when he limped off the field Saturday following Nebraska’s 27-22 victory.

The good news is that Knevel, a 6-foot-9, 315-pound junior, has been practicing this week as No. 8 Nebraska (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten Conference) prepares to host Purdue (3-3, 1-2) in a 2:30 p.m. game Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

That’s more than can be said of left tackle Nick Gates, who gutted through a sore ankle against Indiana before donning a walking boot after the game. He’s still in that boot, and his status for the Purdue game isn’t certain.

“I sure hope so,” offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh said, when asked if Gates would play against the Boilermakers.

If Gates isn’t able to play, coach Mike Riley said senior Sam Hahn could move from left guard to left tackle, and senior Corey Whitaker could replace Hahn at guard.

“Tackle is where I’ve been at for years, so I’ll bounce out there if I need to do something, and if not, I’ll stay at guard,” the 6-7, 300-pound Hahn said. “Just whatever needs to be done, I’ll do it.”

Sophomore walk-on Cole Conrad, a Fremont native who’s practiced at every offensive line position, has stepped in at tackle when Knevel was sidelined, and Cavanaugh said he’d be interested to see what Conrad could do should he focus on playing guard.

Whatever the spot, it’s another example of how the injury-bothered offensive line – the Huskers lost left guard Jerald Foster to a season-ending knee injury before the season even began, and played the Illinois game without right guard Tanner Farmer – is benefitting from player versatility.