Husker defensive tackle Riley Van Poppel was a new name on Thursday’s injury report.
He is listed as questionable for Saturday’s game against Indiana, joining tight end Carter Nelson and linebacker Gage Stenger. The latter two were reclassified to questionable after being listed as questionable on Wednesday.
Van Poppel is the key name on the report as Nebraska prepares to take on Indiana’s rushing attack, which ranks ninth in the nation and has two backs averaging more than 100 yards per game. His 166 snaps are second most among Nebraska interior defensive linemen, behind Jahsear Whittington.
Fourth-year junior Van Poppel recorded seven tackles while tying for first on the team in tackles for loss (4) and second in sacks (2).
“I think I’m probably playing the best I’ve played in four years right now,” Van Poppel said Tuesday after Nebraska’s Week 4 win over Michigan State.
All five players listed for Nebraska have been in this category since the start of Big Ten play.
No. 7-ranked Indiana is mostly healthy and back to full strength in a few spots defensively.
As noted by our Indiana site, Peegs.com, Indiana cornerback AJ Harris is not listed on the injury report and is in line to be available to play against Nebraska. Harris earned a starting role to open the season, but the Penn State transfer was injured in the first quarter and has not played since Week 1. Fifth-year Jamari Sharpe and sophomore Jaylen Bell started the last two games at cornerback for the Hoosiers.
Indiana defensive end David Ndukwe is also not listed on the injury report after missing last week’s game against Rutgers. Ndukwe has six tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries and a safety in four games played this season.
The Hoosiers list three players out: running back Khobie Martin, tight end Andrew Barker and cornerback Carson Williams. Barker, who started the last four games, was injured in last week’s win over Rutgers and will not be available this week against Nebraska. Martin hasn’t played since Week 1 and Williams hasn’t played since Week 3 due to injuries.
IU wide receiver LeBron Bond is listed as questionable after missing the previous four games due to injury. Bond, a true sophomore, was expected to be one of Indiana’s two wide receivers this season, but he hasn’t appeared in a game since Week 1.
The injury report:
NEBRASKA
OUT
-WR Larry Miles
—DB Kahmir Prescott
-LB Jase Reynolds
—LB Jacob Bower
—DL Gabe Moore
Questionable
—DL Riley Van Poppel
—TE Carter Nelson
—LB Gage Stenger
INDIANA
OUT
—CB Carson Williams
-RB Khobie Martin
—TE Andrew Barker
QUESTIONABLE
–WR LeBron Bond
Gn sports
