If the Nebraska football team is going to stop the UCLA rushing attack, it's going to need all its best defensive players. Unfortunately, Dasan McCullough, who has been a revelation for the Blackshirts this season, won't suit up against the Bruins on Saturday night.
The Big Ten availability report broke some huge news for the Huskers, who had not mentioned that the linebacker was hurt at all this week. Still, he's listed as "out" for Saturday night's Big Ten After Dark game. The question of course, is just what is keeping him on the sideline.
Nebraska football offers unwelcome surprise for UCLA game
McCullough has mainly been a weapon on hidden blitzes for a Huskers' defense that has had problems creating pressure from time to time. On the season, he's got 19 tackles, 2 sacks, and a pass defended.
Nebraska coaches haven't given any hints at just why the defender will miss the game against UCLA. In the past, when this sort of surprise happened, it meant it wasn't an injury, but instead disciplinary action. If that is the case, the hope is that whatever the issue is will clear up by next week when NU takes on Penn State, another team with a powerful rushing attack.
The other problem with McCullough missing this game is that there isn't a great deal of depth at his position. With the Oklahoma transfer out, the next man up at Jack linebacker should be third-year sophomore Dylan Rogers. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Rogers is a converted inside linebacker who has played in every game this season and has four tackles. Rogers made his first tackle of the season with an assisted stop on defense at Minnesota. Rogers had a career-high three tackles against No. 23 USC.
Jordan Ochoa could be another option, but he's played in just three games for the Huskers this season. Nebraska will kick off its game against UCLA at 8pm on Saturday night.