Tuesday nuggets: Huskers getting healthier
Here are some quick notes and observations to pass along from Nebraska's half-padded practice on Tuesday inside Memorial Stadium...
***The good news on the injury front continued on Tuesday. Here are the players that were in pads and practicing: right tackle Nick Gates (ankle), defensive end Freedom Akinmoladun (knee), linebacker Michael Rose-Ivey (groin), defensive tackle Kevin Williams (groin), and cornerback Daniel Davie (groin).
***There were still a number of players who sat out of Tuesday's practice with various injuries: linebacker Chris Weber (neck), linebacker Luke Gifford (hip), defensive end A.J. Natter (unknown), cornerback Boaz Joseph (unknown), and defensive tackle Kevin Maurice (foot).
***For the first time since injuring his knee in the season opener against BYU, tight end David Sutton was back in pads on Tuesday. After initially being given an eight-week recovery timetable, Sutton was abel to return to the field in just about six and a half weeks since his injury.
***Offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf said they were still easing in both Sutton and Gates this week to see how their injuries respond. Sutton said he expects to start out with a pretty limited role when he does come back, primarily serving as a blocker.
***Unless Gates shows significant improvement in his recovery from his high ankle sprain, Langsdorf said senior Zach Sterup would continue to be the starter at right tackle this week against Northwestern.
***Sutton said he still had some "sour grapes" towards the BYU defender who dove at his knees from behind long after a pass had sailed over his head and out of bounds. Sutton said he hasn't heard anything from BYU since the game.
***Receiver Brandon Reilly said he was definitely frustrated during the Wisconsin game with how physical the defensive backs were playing, and he thought there should have been a lot more penalties called against the Badgers's secondary in that game. However, after watching the film Reilly said he realized UW was just playing good, physical football, and it was up to him and the rest of the wide outs to respond to that better than they did.
***A scout from the Cleveland Browns was in attendance for Tuesday's practice.
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