The loss to Minnesota on Friday night was bad enough for the Nebraska football team. What's worse is that the Huskers emerged from the disappointing showing with some serious injury problems on an offensive line that has already struggled mightily in 2025.
The Huskers surrendered 9 sacks to the Golden Gophers, which was a school record for PJ Fleck's squad. At least part of the reason why the Huskers' front was so porous is that NU lost guard Rocco Spindler early to injury. At the same time, tackle Elijah Pritchett was ejected in the first half for targeting.
Nebraska loses key lineman Rocco Spindler as injury woes pile up
Pritchett will be back for next week's game against Northwestern. Spindler will not. Just when Nebraska will get the transfer from Notre Dame back is a massive question. And considering he was sent to the hospital and returned with what was called a "giant cast" on his arm, it seems likely he's out for the rest of the year.
"All they said to me was he came to me off the field and they just said he broke his hand, broke his finger ... and it sounded like it was even more serious than that," Huskers head coach Matt Rhule said after the game. "I don't want to say more without knowing. But they had to take him to the hospital immediately."
Spindler's news adds injury to insult for a Nebraska offensive line that simply seems overmatched against defensive lines that don't overmatch anyone else. Now it's one more thing the Husker coaches need to fix as the team heads into the second half of the season off a very ugly loss.