Nebraska coach Bill Callahan wouldn't address the status of wide receiver Maurice Purify, although Purify did practice on Tuesday.

Purify's girlfriend, Reia Shapiro, 20, died in a weekend car accident in the Los Angeles area. Purify on Monday said he didn't know if he'd return to California.

When asked if Purify would play Saturday at Missouri, Callahan responded:

"That's not the important thing. It's really not. The important thing is that he feels good about himself. And when he's ready, I think he'll make that decision. We'll work with him with that."

This tragedy comes only weeks after Purify's older brother, Ronald Spears, was shot and killed on Aug. 22.

"You just feel for the guy," quarterback Sam Keller said. "All I can do is be there for him, just like the rest of the team and coaching staff. We'll see where it goes from there. My heart goes out to him and his family."

Purify has 19 catches for 268 yards in four games.

Third down key: Among the many reasons Nebraska had to defend a school-record 102 plays on Saturday? The fact Iowa State converted nine times (out of 22 attempts) on third-down plays.

"It's never good to have to go 102 plays, but we had to do it, and we did it, and we persevered through it," sophomore nose tackle Ndamukong Suh said. "We'll take it, and it's something to learn from.

"We shouldn't have been on the field. We had opportunities to get off the field, and we just didn't capitalize on those. We need to make sure we get that done this week."

Missouri has converted 57 percent of its third-down plays this season (36 of 63). Nebraska opponents are converting third downs at a 41 percent clip (33 of 80).

By the numbers: 104. NCAA ranking of Missouri's pass defense. Opponents are throwing for an average of 275 yards per game against the Tigers, who are ranked 11th in the Big 12 in that category.

Scouting report: S Eric Hagg

True freshman Eric Hagg saw his first action Saturday against Iowa State, playing on kickoff and punt returns. Hagg said he's fine with burning his redshirt.

"Coach (Bill) Busch pulled me in his office," Hagg said, "and asked me if I wanted to start playing, and I said, 'Yeah.'

"I was kind of nervous, but it was good."

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Hagg said this week he's learning kickoff return.

"It's kind of hard," Hagg said. "I got knocked over."

Hagg was recruited as an athlete but has settled in at free safety. At one time, Hagg also worked with wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore after practice, but said he's now focusing solely on defense. Hagg played some cornerback in high school.

Now that he's no longer redshirting, does Hagg expect to play any defense this season?

"It's possible," he said. "I've just got to learn the plays, and the playbook's hard to learn. But last week Coach said that I might be able to get in."

Opponent watch: Missouri

Missouri's offensive players have apparently been studying that Nebraska-USC film.

Or maybe it was Ball State? Or Iowa State?

Whatever the case, can you really blame the Tigers for being so excited about their upcoming date with the Blackshirts?

"Our confidence is so high," running back Tony Temple told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "We're thinking they gotta play us, not we've gotta play them. That's it. They better be ready."

In other Mizzou news, sophomore receiver Danario Alexander is set to return Saturday. Alexander hasn't played since breaking his left wrist in Mizzou's opener against Illinois, a game in which he made nine catches for 82 yards. His replacement, redshirt freshman Jeremy Maclin, has blossomed into one of Missouri's most dangerous playmakers.

The Tigers' defense also will have a bit of a different look Saturday, as true freshman cornerback Carl Gettis has been elevated into a starting role. Gettis has been playing behind sophomore Hardy Ricks.

— Brian Rosenthal and Curt McKeever