Tyler Knaak Won’t Let a Broken Hand Keep Him from Facing His Former Team in the Las Vegas Bowl
LAS VEGAS - For Nebraska offensive lineman Tyler Knaak, the Las Vegas Bowl isn’t just another postseason game - it’s personal. The Utah native is set to line up against his former team, and not even a broken hand is going to keep him off the field.
Knaak suffered the injury during a routine blocking drill in bowl practice back in Lincoln. One moment, everything felt normal.
The next, he felt a pop. A quick evaluation confirmed the bad news: a broken bone in his hand.
But when the diagnosis came in, Knaak already knew what his decision would be.
“There’s no way I wasn’t going to play against Utah,” Knaak said. “This is the one game I’ve been looking forward to my entire life.”
He’s not exaggerating. Knaak transferred from Utah, and this bowl matchup has been circled on his calendar for months.
As soon as Nebraska’s postseason destination was announced, the stakes became clear - and personal. Suiting up against the Utes wasn’t just a goal, it was a must.
So, with a cast on his hand and a fire in his gut, Knaak is preparing to take the field with a little extra motivation. He even walked across the graduation stage with the cast - a reminder of the price he’s willing to pay to play in this game.
“That Saturday I walked across the stage with a big club on my hand,” he said, smiling.
Knaak’s situation isn’t unique in the Nebraska locker room. Earlier this season, senior right guard Rocco Spindler played through a compound fracture in his finger before eventually opting for surgery and skipping the bowl game to prepare for the NFL Draft. Now, Knaak steps into that same right guard role - clubbed hand and all.
He hasn’t yet talked to Spindler about the mechanics of playing with a cast, but he’s learning on the fly.
“I’ve never played with a hindrance,” Knaak admitted. “You put a tape roll in there and wrap it nice and tight. I didn’t talk to Rocco about it yet, but you don’t have the normal feel in your hand, so you kind of place your hand with a little more right-side heavy with it.”
There’s an adjustment period, no doubt. Offensive line play is all about leverage, hand placement, and balance - and having one hand in a cast changes the equation.
But Knaak isn’t looking for excuses. He’s embracing the challenge, both physical and emotional.
This game means more than just a win or loss on the record. For Knaak, it’s a full-circle moment. A chance to prove something to himself, and maybe to the program he left behind.
He’ll take the field in Las Vegas with one good hand and a whole lot of resolve - and for Nebraska, that might be just enough.