There was a lot to like about last week's Nebraska football spring game. However, there were a couple of pieces of news that no one likes to hear. Both wide receiver Demitrius Bell and defensive back Blye Hill suffered injuries that required them to be carted off the field.
After the game, Husker head coach Matt Rhule made it clear that the injuries were "significant." During that press conference he also made it clear that Bell's was considered a bit more significant than Hills. On Saturday, Rhule detailed just how the two injuries differed and it's especially bad news for the young wide receiver, who coaches said was winning the staff over all spring.
Rhule sat down with On3 and told Steve Sipple that Demitrius Bell is already ruled out for the 2024 season.
“He was going to have a great year,” Rhule said. “I know he’s frustrated, this being his second season (in the program). I told him that all great books, all great movies have twists and turns. He’s going to be really successful in the long run. But, yeah, it’s unfortunate for him.”
Nebraska football will medically redshirt Demitrius Bell for entirety of 2024 season
The Nebraska football head coach knows that the injury to the speedy receiver is especially frustrating because he redshirted during the 2023 season, waiting for his opportunity to get on the field. He then reportedly did everything he was supposed to do in order to rise up the depth chart during spring practice.
Bell will now have to wait until the 2025 season to show what made the Nebraska coaches so excited when the former 4-star recruit committed to the Huskers over Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia, and Kentucky among dozens of other offers.
Perhaps the weirdest thing about the timing of this announcement comes just days after Nebraska basketball got similar bad news from center Rienk Mast. The big man also underwent knee surgery and announced he'd take a medical redshirt.
Luckily for the Nebraska football team, Rhule's squad looks like it finally has a deep enough wide receiver room that it can weather this kind of injury.