Huskers lose back-up QB Spano to torn ACL
The Nebraska football team suffered their first major injury blow of 2009.
NU head coach Bo Pelini said following Wednesday's full-padded practice that redshirt freshman Kody Spano tore his left ACL again and will miss the entire 2009 season.
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Spano tore the same knee during the final week of spring practice, but was able to make a speedy recovery in four months to come back for the final three weeks of summer conditioning.
Pelini expects Spano to return from his latest knee injury by the time winter condoning starts in January. The injury happened in a non contact situation while Spano was running in a drill on Monday.
With Spano out for the season, Pelini brought up walk-on freshman Ron Kellogg onto the 105 man roster in his place.
"We have obviously Cody Green and Latravis Washington and we have Taylor Martinez and we brought Ron Kellogg back in," Pelini said of his back-up QB situation. "We'll be ok, those guys are all coming along.
"We wish Kody was still with us, but he's not. That's part of the deal, you just move on. I'm not worried about us, I'm worried about him. He worked his tail off to come back and I feel bad for the kid."
Pelini said that NU will be able to apply for a medical redshirt for Spano, but that's the least of his concerns right now.
Surprisingly, Pelini said Spano is holding is head pretty high after hearing the devastating news. He was actually out at Wednesday's practice watching and encouraging his Husker teammates.
"Kody's a strong kid and he understands," Pelini said. "He's been around football his whole life, these things happen. You persevere and you move on."