Nebraska’s upbeat mood after Saturday’s second-half surge over Ohio took a hit Monday, when Matt Rhule cast doubt on Owen Chambliss’ availability for Bowling Green.
Rhule didn’t offer a clear timeline for the linebacker, and he didn’t sound especially confident when asked whether Chambliss would be back. The most he would say was that he wasn’t sure Chambliss would return, while also noting that he’s a great player.
The concern starts with the hamstring issue that has slowed Chambliss for much of camp. Rob Aurich first brought it up in late August, saying the transfer linebacker had missed a full week of practice. At the time, it didn’t sound like a major alarm bell, even though the injury had already kept him out of a good chunk of Nebraska’s fall work and the buildup to the Ohio game.
Last week, Rhule said Chambliss still wasn’t fully recovered and would miss the opener against the Bobcats. The extra week was supposed to give him a real shot at returning for Nebraska’s second game. That now looks shaky.
And Saturday’s game only sharpened the point. In particular, the first half showed several stretches where Nebraska could have used Chambliss’ presence. He was one of the better linebackers in the Mountain West last season, and he also spent time playing under Aurich in 2025, so he knows the defensive coordinator’s system better than most players on the roster.
That matters because Nebraska’s defense looked out of sync at times against Ohio. There were plays where the Blackshirts seemed unsure, and the unit wasn’t consistently flying to the ball the way Aurich wants. A veteran voice like Chambliss might have helped steady things on the field.
For Bowling Green, Nebraska probably can survive without him. The bigger question is what happens after that.
The Huskers have North Dakota next after their second straight MAC opponent, and then Big Ten play begins. If Chambliss’ hamstring lingers, this goes from a short-term setback to a much bigger problem.
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Now comes the part that will keep the conversation going in Lincoln. Even with that kind of opener, Rule remains third on the depth chart heading into Week 2 against Bowling Green, which leaves Nebraska with an early backfield decision to sort through as the season gets moving. The performance was impossible to ignore, but the official pecking order has not moved yet. [Read more 🡒]