It’s a major somber fest going on in Lincoln. Matt Rhule is in deep water at this point ahead of the 2025 season. Meanwhile, Nebraska’s fall camp is in full swing, and if you thought it would be a quiet, easy-going practice to ease everyone into the grind, think again. With Rhule’s third season looming and all eyes on him to prove this program’s on the rise, the energy is intense but tightly wound. Yes, Nebraska fans take that in a literal sense. The Huskers are currently riding a tough wave of injuries that’s been shaking up their depth chart and testing their resilience.
The latest hit came from Kwinten Ives, the promising backup running back who suffered a hamstring injury early in fall camp. That forced him off the field and sidelined one of the few bright spots in a thin running back room. But wait! The hardship doesn’t end there. Cornerback Blye Hill and linebacker Gage Stenger have both suffered serious knee injuries and are now out for the entire season, delivering a heavy blow to Nebraska’s defense. Ives’ injury was described by Rhule as “pulling up a bit lame.” But thankfully, the injury doesn’t seem severe, but it immediately raised alarms. That’s because the Huskers’ running back room is already thin. And anything that sidelines one of the few healthy backs can create a ripple effect.
Now the spotlight shifts to true freshman Isaiah Mozee. He is a former wide receiver who switched to running back just ahead of fall camp. The running back depth has always been a question mark for Nebraska, and Mozee stepping in adds a fresh but unproven element to the backfield mix. Now let’s talk about the fresh ones. Blye Hill, a 6-foot-4 cornerback from Baltimore, had already faced a tough battle this past year. He transferred from FCS Saint Francis in January 2024, where he had a strong freshman season with solid tackling and pass breakups. Hill showed serious promise stepping into a bigger role at Nebraska.
Injury news from Nebraska coach Matt Rhule: CB Blye Hill and LB Gage Stenger both out for the year with knee injuries.
— Evan Bland (@EvanBlandOWH) August 9, 2025
They expected him to compete strongly for the starting cornerback spot opposite Tommi Hill, and he impressed the Huskers’ coaching staff throughout spring practices and fall preview sessions. This injury is his second involving the same kneecap. The first incident occurred during the 2024 spring game. That sidelined him for about three months, and now again in early fall camp, during a non-contact play. This reinjury has ruled him out for the entire 2025 season. This is a major blow for the Huskers’ defense. His absence leaves a big hole in the Huskers’ defensive backs rotation. Scouts considered Hill a valuable depth piece who could fill multiple roles in different defensive packages. And especially those requiring more than the usual two corners on the field. Now, Nebraska has to rely heavily on a younger, less experienced group.
It’s behind projected starters senior Ceyair Wright and junior transfer Andrew Marshall from Idaho. Names like redshirt freshmen Amare Sanders, Larry Tarver Jr., Donovan Jones, and Jeremiah Charles move up the depth chart, but they lack the game reps and experience. Then there’s Stenger. His injury leaves a notable void in both the linebacker corps and the emotional fabric of the team. Stenger was a grinder. He is known as the “heartbeat” of the team and is described by Coach Matt Rhule as “the epitome of what it means to be a Husker.” And Stenger is expected to consistently contribute, particularly on special teams. There, he made 3 tackles last season and was poised to play even more. So the team is pushing through the setbacks, but it’s clear the physical toll this fall camp is taking on the Huskers is stretching their roster and patience.
Fans question the grass gamble
Despite the big switch to natural grass practice fields in 2023, the recent rash of knee injuries at Nebraska turned a lot of heads. The news has been a tough reality check for fans. And hoping that the grass upgrade would mean fewer injuries. A fan writes, “Glad we spent $6MM on state-of-the-art grass practice fields, so we don’t have knee injuries. 3 so far. I know the kids like it and it helps recruiting, but just have always been a bit cautious if the statistical data was sound.” The Huskers invested about $6 million in state-of-the-art natural grass practice fields outside the Osborne Legacy Complex, installing Kentucky Bluegrass with Healthy Grass Technology (HGT), chosen for its resilience and recovery ability in Nebraska’s climate.
Another fan chimed in, “I thought switching to grass fields meant we’d never see knee injuries in fall camp again? How many is that so far? 3?” And there’s one more portraying the same feeling: “I was told the new turf would mean no more injuries.” The turf change was intentionally done to reduce the higher injury rates historically linked to artificial turf. Studies, including NFL data, have shown that they cause a 28% higher rate of non-contact lower extremity injuries like ACL tears and meniscus damage compared to grass.
Coach Matt Rhule has said several times he pushed for grass because he believes it’s safer and more player-friendly. And particularly given the previous rash of knee injuries on turf, both in Memorial Stadium and practice fields. Another fan chimed in with just a 2-word opinion, “Bad grass.” The thing is, football’s a violent game no matter the surface. And injuries like Ives’s hamstring pull and the season-ending knee injuries for Hill and Stenger still happened despite the grass. All three injuries occurred during fall camp drills and practices, showing that while grass can reduce some injury risks, it doesn’t eliminate them.
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