Washington and Nebraska enter a Big Ten Conference matchup in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday after a week off.
Yet the Cornhuskers (5-2 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) won’t be able to use that to their full advantage because the Huskies (4-3, 1-3) haven’t yet announced who they’ll use at quarterback.
The Huskies’ Demond Williams Jr., who had started 33 consecutive games, suffered a broken rib just before halftime of a 41-24 loss to Iowa on Oct. 9.
Elijah Brown completed 28 of 39 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns as the hosts outscored the Hawkeyes 21-14 after the intermission and then went 21 of 27 for 302 yards with three TDs and three interceptions Oct. 16 as Washington snapped a three-game losing streak with a 38-26 victory at Purdue.
“As for the quarterbacks, we will leave that until game time,” Huskies coach Jedd Fisch said. “Obviously, there’s a competitive advantage that we will not give up.”
Fisch said Williams Jr. has gotten healthier, but hasn’t yet made all the throws necessary to prove he’ll hold up against the Cornhuskers.
“He’s doing much better,” Fisch said. “But still dealing with, as a quarterback, when you have a fractured rib, you have to be able to not only protect yourself but you also have to have the same velocity and trajectory on the ball.”
He praised both quarterbacks for supporting each other.
“They’re continuing to build that bond putting themselves in position where those guys are making each other better,” Fisch said. “Rising tide lifts all ships.”
There’s no question who’ll be starting for the Cornhuskers.
Anthony Colandrea has completed 62.6% of his passes for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns with four interceptions. Colandrea is also second on the team in rushing with 334 yards and four scores.
Nebraska will be looking to snap a two-game skid after a 20-17 loss to then-No. 4 Indiana on Oct. 10 at home and a 17-14 loss Oct. 17 at Oregon, which opened the season ranked second. Leading rusher Jamal Rule carried just three times for 5 yards against the Ducks before reaggravating an ankle injury.
Cornhuskers coach Matt Rhule said Rule and fellow running back Mekhi Nelson have both been banged up.
“I think we’ve all seen what Jamal can do when he’s really rolling and I think this bye week comes at a really good time for him,” Rhule said. “It comes at a really good time for Mekhi – he doesn’t complain about it, but he hurt his ankle going into Maryland and just fighting through it … I think that whole running back room, seven weeks in the Big Ten you’re going to have some bumps and bruises, but hopefully they’ll all be flying around (Saturday).”
