It’s an odd scene here around Memorial Stadium, with mostly empty streets around the great cathedral and the stands occupied by our cardboard cutout friends.
In the latest starting Husker opener on the calendar in 125 years, the Huskers will look for their first win of 2020 against a Penn State team in the same boat.
Someone’s going to get some chicken soup today.
Here’s what we’ve seen in Husker warmups before the 11 a.m. kickoff:
– Luke McCaffrey took the first snap at quarterback in the final team warmups. We’ll see if that translates to his first career start at QB.
– Cameron Jurgens is in uniform and heavily taped, making a go of it in warmups. He was working at center with the first team.So is senior tight end Jack Stoll, who has a brace on his left knee. Both missed last week’s game against Northwestern.
– The first-team lineup during team warmups at least featured Ethan Piper at left guard, Jurgens at center and Matt Farniok at right guard. Piper started last week.
– No Omar Manning was spotted in warmups.
– Wide receiver Oliver Martin is suited up, which suggests he perhaps has been declared eligible. No certainty on that, but the Huskers were pursuing that possibility after his transfer from Iowa. Matt Lubick has said Martin could help the cause if declared eligible.
– Both running backs Ronald Thompkins and Sevion Morrison are suited up. Thompkins did not play last week after seeing action against Ohio State. Morrison had a minor injury setback.
– Senior linebacker Will Honas, who did not play last week, is also in uniform, giving Nebraska a trio of options at middle linebacker with Luke Reimer having a big game in his spot last week.
– The flags at Memorial Stadium are getting moved around some. Connor Culp hit beyond 50 kicking to the North in warmups.
