No Nebraska newcomer came into this season with higher expectations than junior college transfer wide receiver Omar Manning.

But for various reasons, the former No. 1 JUCO wideout in the country has hardly been on the field at all for the Huskers this fall.

A combination of injury and personal issues limited Manning for much of fall camp, and his lack of availability in practice kept him off of NU’s travel roster for last week’s opener at Ohio State.

But with Nebraska needing all the firepower it can get at the receiver position right now, Manning has finally been a consistent presence on the practice field the past few days.

Offensive coordinator/receivers coach Matt Lubick said there was a chance the former Kilgore (TX) College standout and TCU commit could be ready to make his Husker debut this week vs. Wisconsin.

“We’re still working on getting Omar healthy, but we’re hoping he can help us this week,” Lubick said.

At 6-4, 220, Manning brings a combination of size, strength, speed, and talent that NU hasn't seen at wideout since maybe Maurice Purify. He led Kilgore C.C. with 35 receptions, 727 yards, and six touchdowns last year as a sophomore while averaging nearly 21 yards per catch.

Along with getting back to 100 percent physically, Lubick said the next biggest challenge was boosting Manning’s confidence back up to the level it was when he signed with Nebraska last winter.

“He’s explosive,” Lubick said. “He brings some size to the table… He has strong hands, he’s physical. So he has a lot of skill sets that we want to utilize. The key is just getting him healthy and confident. Because he is getting healthy, and he’s showing some good things in practice.

“Now the next part is getting him confident so he can play at his best. Confidence is knowing your assignments and repping it over and over and over, and that takes time, that takes practice, and he’s doing a really good job of it right now.”

Redshirt freshman quarterback Luke McCaffrey has finally gotten some consistent reps in with Manning at practice, and he can already see the unique element Manning could bring to the offense.

“He’s got a very strong, athletic build, and just to see him be able to run routes and use his natural instincts is something that’s pretty cool,” McCaffrey said.

But as talented as Manning may be, Lubick made it clear that anyone who played in games would have to earn that right in practice.

“At the end of the day, when the game goes, we’re going to play the guys we think give us the best chance to win.”