Nebraska’s margin for error is already thin, and Rutgers just lost one of the few players who could have made Saturday morning a real problem.
KJ Duff will miss the game and the rest of the season after undergoing season-ending high-ankle surgery, according to On3’s Pete Nakos on Wednesday. For a Nebraska team trying to steady itself through a messy stretch, that’s one less excuse if it slips against a struggling Scarlet Knights squad.
Duff’s numbers tell the story of how dangerous he’s been when healthy. In eight games this season, he caught 45 passes for 774 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns, averaging 17.2 yards per catch. Across 33 games in three seasons at Rutgers, he finished with 132 receptions for 2,283 yards, 17 touchdowns and 17.3 yards per catch.
He entered the year with first-round buzz for the 2027 NFL Draft, and he backed that up right away even as Rutgers stumbled out of the gate in 2026. In a season-opening 37-21 loss to UMass, Duff put up 9 catches for 196 yards and 3 touchdowns. The next week, in a 28-21 loss to Boston College, he added 8 catches for 137 yards and 2 scores.
His production dipped as he began to get banged up, but he still had one more big outing in Rutgers’ lone Big Ten win, a 37-30 victory over Maryland in the final game of Mike Locksley’s tenure. Duff finished that one with 9 catches for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Then came last week against Northwestern, when he managed just 3 catches for 33 yards before the injury that ended his season.
Rutgers is already dealing with more than one issue on offense. The quarterback situation has been slowed by injuries or ineffective play, and running back Antwan Raymond is also working through several bumps and bruises. With Duff now out, the Scarlet Knights are even thinner.
That only raises the pressure on Nebraska. Matt Rhule knows exactly what kind of loss this would be, which is part of why he already made a major move after another game many viewed as a must-win against Illinois: he fired offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen.
ESPN’s matchup predictor still gives Nebraska an 87.2% chance to win, and by that same projection, Rutgers is the last regular-season game the Huskers are expected to win.
In Other News...
Nebraska May Have Found A Sneaky Coordinator Fit For Matt Rhule
Nebraskas search for a new offensive coordinator has turned toward a name that has quietly built momentum elsewhere. Landon Keopple has been running the offense at Texas State since January 2025, and the Bobcats have produced a scheme that has shown up near the top of the national statistical charts, especially on the ground. For a Nebraska program trying to reset after Dana Holgorsens firing, that kind of track record makes Keopple an intriguing fit for Matt Rhules staff.
Keopples background adds to the appeal. He has coordinated offenses before at Southern Arkansas and has worked closely with GJ Kinne at multiple stops, giving him both play-calling experience and familiarity with a system that has helped develop quarterbacks along the way. For Nebraska, the question is whether that blend of rushing production, quarterback development and coaching continuity can translate to Lincoln if Rhule decides to make a move. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas OC Search May Reveal Matt Rhules Real Offensive Vision
Cris Reisert has emerged as a name to watch in Nebraskas search for its next offensive coordinator, and the fit makes sense on paper. He is currently Toledos offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and the Rockets attack has been among the nations best in both total offense and scoring. Before that, Reisert built a reputation as a head coach at Ohio Dominican, Tiffin and Gardner-Webb, where his teams won consistently and put points on the board.
For Matt Rhule, the hire would say plenty about where he wants the Cornhuskers offense to go after Dana Holgorsens firing. Nebraska needs more than a replacement, it needs a clear identity, and Reiserts background suggests a coach who has done more than just call plays. Whether Rhule sees him as the right answer is still the real question, but the profile fits the kind of offensive reset Nebraska is now chasing. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Fans Have A Real Reason To Watch Kendal Briles
The search for Nebraskas next offensive coordinator has started to widen after Matt Rhule fired Dana Holgorsen, and Kendal Briles is one name worth keeping on the radar. Briles brings a long track record at multiple Power Five programs, along with a reputation for building productive offenses and bringing a clear identity to an attack.
For Nebraska, the appeal is obvious: Rhule needs someone who can help stabilize and elevate the offense quickly. Briles background and offensive philosophy make him a logical fit for a program looking for answers, but for now it remains just that, a possibility, with no hiring or official interest confirmed. [Read more 🡒]