Posted: Monday, November 21, 2005 6:00 pm
Nebraska offensive tackle Seppo Evwaraye needs the better part of half an hour to situate his aching feet into his size-16 cleats. He plays until the pain becomes too much to handle.
But he’ll try his best to help his team Friday at Colorado, he said Tuesday.
The 6-foot-5, 320-pound senior missed Nebraska’s last game, a Nov. 12 home win against Kansas State, and probably will be limited to spot duty against the Buffaloes because of stress fractures in both feet.
Before missing the K-State game, Evwaraye had started every contest at right tackle for the past two seasons.
For the second straight game Friday, true freshman Matt Slauson will start in place of Evwaraye, while redshirt freshman Lydon Murtha will make his fourth straight start at left tackle.
Evwaraye’s playing status will be determined right before Friday’s game, Husker coach Bill Callahan said. Evwaraye said he would be available for backup duty on either side of the line.
“I just have to stay positive and try to get back for the bowl game, and maybe help out against Colorado as much as I can,” Evwaraye said. “I think I could handle a whole game; it’s just more of a precautionary thing.”
Evwaraye said he began noticing soreness in his feet Oct. 22 against Missouri. He played in some pain Oct. 29 against Oklahoma, then began feeling increased pain in warmups the following week at Kansas.
“I just knew something wasn’t right,” he said.
Evwaraye said his feet probably won’t require surgery. With sustained rest, he said, they might be healed in time for the bowl game. He said his cleats are reinforced with carbon fiber bottoms and a hard plastic casing.
Meanwhile, Cornealius Fuamatu-Thomas, who started the first seven games at left tackle before missing the last three, underwent major reconstruction on his shoulder Monday and will miss the Colorado game as well as the bowl game, Callahan said.
Fuamatu-Thomas has petitioned the Big 12 for a medical hardship in hopes of gaining an extra season of eligibility. The Hawaii native played in only the opener last year before missing the rest of the season with an undisclosed injury.
In other injury news, true freshman wideout Chris Brooks remains sidelined by a hamstring injury. He tried practicing earlier this week but had to be shut down, Callahan said.
“We’re just hopeful he can make it through the bowl practices now,” the coach said.
UP NEXT: Nebraska students will enjoy a day off from school today. Husker players will visit area hospitals before practicing during the afternoon. On Thursday morning, the team will gather for a late breakfast, have a walk-through practice at Memorial Stadium, then fly to Denver for another walk-through workout and Thanksgiving dinner at the team’s headquarters.
ETC.: Nebraska scout-team players had Colorado Buffaloes decals on their helmets this week … Apparently for the first time this season, the Huskers had crowd noise piped into Memorial Stadium for Tuesday’s practice.
— Steven M. Sipple