Nebraska Cornhuskers looking forward to return of De’Mornay Pierson-El
The long-awaited return of De’Mornay Pierson-El could be the juice the Nebraska Cornhuskers need to win the Big Ten West. After suffering a foot injury during fall camp, Pierson-El’s absence was immediately felt by the Huskers’ offense. Out of all the receivers in the Nebraska program, he was supposed to be the game-breaker. Now that we’ve seen the Huskers play four games without Pierson-El in the lineup, one can only imagine what could have been.
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According to Nebraska.247sports.com, we might not have to imagine any longer. On Tuesday, Pierson-El performed with his position group during practice. Although he didn’t he didn’t participate in every facet of practice, there’s optimism about Pierson-El’s return. Could he actually make it back by Saturday?
It’s easy to get ahead of ourselves, but Nebraska will be cautious with Pierson-El’s return to the field. Despite having a (2-2) record, it’s more important to keep the sophomore receiver healthy throughout this season. Any setback to the foot will likely be the end of the year, so there’s a reason not to rush Pierson-El back.
However, all reports have been positive so far. Offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf has been impressed with Pierson-El’s return to the field. As everyone knows, Langsdorf called Pierson-El “another weapon.” Still, he hasn’t seen any action since the beginning of August. Therefore, it’s no surprise Pierson-El is testing his foot with every cut, and pattern during workouts. As he gets more comfortable, the coaching staff will give Pierson-El more to do.
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Wide receivers coach Keith Williams is also ecstatic about the impending return of Pierson-El. During yesterday’s practice, Williams had his eye on the talented second-year prospect. By all accounts, Pierson-El was moving well. If all goes well on Wednesday, Pierson-El might be able to contribute to the talented group of receivers.
Despite the hoopla surrounding Pierson-El’s return, it’s unclear how much Nebraska has missed the injured receiver. During limited reps as a freshman, DPE caught 23 passes for 321 yards, and four touchdowns. His 14 yards per catch is right in line with the rest of the receivers in 2015. However, he’s displayed a different gear most receivers around the country don’t have. He’s been at his best with the Huskers on punt returns. During his freshman season, Pierson-El returned three punts for touchdowns and led the Big Ten with a 17.5 yard punt return average.
If Pierson-El does earn some playing time on Saturday, don’t expect him to play a full game. He will likely be eased into the wide receiver rotation. Right now, it would be enough to see Pierson-El on the field, making a couple of plays, while the Huskers get a win.