Multiple Big Ten Football Teams Face Key Player Injuries Ahead Games

Nebraska shuffled its depth chart ahead of Saturday’s road game at Maryland, moving Elijah Pritchett to left tackle and Gunnar Gottula to right tackle with a starting line of Pritchett, Henry Lutovsky, Justin Evans, Rocco Spindler and Gottula, and several interior depth changes noted. Defensively the Huskers added David Hoffken as a third defensive tackle and trimmed jack/linebacker depth (Dasan McCullough remains the starter followed by Willis McGahee IV), along with other backup adjustments. Michigan State will be shorthanded in the secondary at Nebraska with senior starters Nikai Martinez and Ade Willie ruled out and five other players unavailable (including LT Stanton Ramil), though some injured players like Quindarius Dunnigan and Wayne Matthews III were reported to have a chance to play. Michigan’s pregame report for the Wisconsin game lists multiple season-outs (including backup QB Davis Warren and several position players) while starting guards Giovanni El‑Hadi and Brady Norton and TE Hogan Hansen are questionable but said to be trending toward returning; cornerbacks Zeke Berry and Jyaire Hill are expected to be active. Purdue will be without veteran starting cornerback Tony Grimes for the Illinois game after a practice injury (coach Barry Odom said he expected Grimes to be back by Monday), with left guard Jalen St. John’s status uncertain after leaving midgame; Purdue’s pass defense has struggled this year even as the run game showed improvement.