Matt Rhule updates Arik Gilbert status, Marques Buford injury

Matt Rhule and the Nebraska football program have been awaiting word on the status of Arik Gilbert since he transferred from Georgia.

Gilbert initially transferred from LSU to Georgia before coming to the Huskers and needs the NCAA to grant a waiver in order for him to be eligible this season as a second-time transfer.

That waiting game, according to Rhule, is still ongoing.

"It's still in progress," Rhule said of Gilbert's waiver status on Friday. "We're hoping before we head to Minnesota we'll have a little bit more finality on it. There's obviously been some twists and turns with things going back and forth. Out of respect for Arik, I haven't broadcast those things, but we're still looking for some finality and everyone's working hard to get it done."

Friday marked the first time Rhule has spoken publicly with an update on Gilbert's status since Saturday, Aug. 12.

That was the day in which the Huskers head coach gave his strongest opinion on the handling of Gilbert's waiver process and what he strongly believes should be the end result.

"I’m just gonna be really, really disappointed if he doesn’t get it,” Rhule said that day. “He’s the most deserving young man (to get one). If he doesn’t get it, they shouldn’t even have the waiver. The NCAA should not even have the waiver if he doesn’t get it. But there’s a lot of parties involved, and there’s a lot of entities out there that don’t always have peoples’ best interests at heart.

"But Arik deserves it one hundred percent, in my humble opinion. The great thing about me is I’ve been through so much, I don’t care, I’ll say what I think. If he doesn’t get it, no one should and they should not have this waiver.”

Rhule provided another update to a player who could be key, if healthy, for the Huskers this season in Marques Buford Jr.

Buford, who is entering his third year with the Huskers, was a full-time starter last season. He played the fourth-most snaps for the team in 2023 despite suffering a season-ending injury in the 11th game on the first series against Wisconsin.

Rhule has been adamant that, with serious injuries like that of Buford's and tight end Thomas Fidone's, there will not be a rushed process to get guys back on the field.

"The big thing with us is, because this is his second time having a major injury, we don't wanna rush him back," Rhule said. "We communicated with the family and him early on, 'Hey we're gonna put you out there when you're ready but not a day too early.' According to the doctors, he had a significant jump just this past week, so hopefully he'll begin to progress into on-the-field work. But right now, I wouldn't look for him to get on the field anytime soon. I think it's more of a maybe Week 5, maybe Week 6. If not, maybe it's the last four games of the year and then he redshirts this year and plays for two (more) years.

"Either way, our responsibility is to make sure he comes back (healthy). There's a big difference between letting guys come back when they can come back or when they should come back. And we want him to come back when he should come back because he's got pro potential, and we wanna make sure he's healthy."

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