Nebraska football and Matt Rhule have officially been forced into a change at quarterback against Northern Illinois: Heinrich Haarberg is in. Jeff Sims is out.
Haarberg has taken the field as the Huskers' starter against NIU while Sims is officially listed as "questionable" on this week's availability report.
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Sims continues to nurse the high-ankle sprain he suffered in the fourth quarter against Colorado last week. He did not practice on Tuesday or Wednesday this week.
“I’m not sure what Jeff’s status will be for the game," Rhule said on Thursday. "He’s progressing. As you guys know, Thursday’s a walk-through day for us. Friday will be a full practice day. I know he feels like he’s getting better, he’s moving around and stuff, so we’ll see how he does tomorrow.”
Haarberg and Chubba Purdy are listed as co-starters on the official depth chart, but Haarberg got the nod for the Huskers on Saturday.
It's the first career college start for Haarberg, a third-year sophomore and former Nebraska high school star at Kearney Catholic. He saw his first action at quarterback last week against Colorado, playing 15 snaps and finishing 2-for-6 for 13 yards and a touchdown in the game's final seconds with both completions going to tight end Thomas Fidone.
“I like the way he took the field last week," Rhule said. "He went out there, excited to play and ready to go. Even though it was at the end of the game, it was an opportunity for him to play. He hasn’t played very much, so he was excited to get out there. All week, he’s been confident, taking things we’re asking him to do and running with them.”
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Haarberg also played two snaps in Week 1 against Minnesota as he lined up as a tight end on both plays and caught one pass for 10 yards.
“What I respected the most about (Haarberg) was being able to step into that moment, to get hit, step up in there, throw the ball. He didn’t let the rush or anything like that affect him at times,” Nebraska tight ends coach Josh Martin, who has coached Haarberg when he has repped with the tight ends in practice, said after the Buffs game. “I was proud of how he played. You never know how a quarterback’s gonna play until he gets into a game, a game setting. He really stepped up and did a nice job for us, so I was proud of how he performed and how he handled himself.”
Haarberg became the first in-state scholarship quarterback to sign with Nebraska since 2001 when he joined the program in the 2021 class.
He was a Sports Illustrated All-America candidate during his senior season in 2020 when he completed 55 percent of his passes for 1,857 yards and 19 touchdowns while adding 556 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns. The 6-foot-5, 215-pounder, a former top-three Nebraska Class C state track finalist in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter races, is a speedster who Rhule said in the offseason "is one of the fastest guys on our team."
Haarberg will certainly be looking to use that speed on Saturday against the Huskies.
That experience, while brief, is one that offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield and the Husker coaching staff is hoping will provide some value as they turn to Haarberg in Week 3.
“It’s an opportunity," Satterfield said on Wednesday. "It’s an iron sharpens iron mentality all the time through competition. (Haarberg and Purdy) are both preparing like they’re gonna be the starters, and they’ve had a good week so far.
“... (Haarberg) is very much a football guy. I don’t know if he comes across like that all the time, but he’s a very smart kid ,he works at it diligently, he’s grinded since the spring just improving his craft, it’s bad that Jeff got banged up but it’s good that he was able to get out there and get some reps. I think that’ll help him.”
Purdy is set to be the Huskers' backup quarterback against Northern Illinois. Purdy and Haarberg have been neck-and-neck on the depth chart and have been listed as co-backups for all three games this season. Purdy, who has been held back by a minor groin injury suffered about two weeks ago, is closer to full strength than he was for last week's Colorado game.
“He’s (healthy)," Rhule said of Purdy. "I think it’s just slowed down the work he was doing with Heinrich. Chubba had some plays (in practice Wednesday night) where he pulled it down and ran, looked good. He’s probably not back 100 percent, but I’m not sure anyone is during football season, to be honest with you.”
As for Sims, Rhule's message to the Huskers' starter over the past week has been simple.
“Just to control the things that he can control," Rhule said. "Number one, just getting healthy. He’s obviously watching tape, involved in the game plan, he’s out there at practice. Just gotta get healthy. It’s hard for a quarterback have anything lower leg, injury-wise, in terms of pushing off, moving and sliding in the pocket and doing all the things that make them great. Jeff has to just control what he can control and that’s to get healthy as quickly as possible.”
