Nebraska isn’t the only Big 12 football team dealing with injuries in fall camp, according to reports from coaches around the league.
Kansas, Texas and Colorado have lost players for the season.
Missouri and Oklahoma have each lost a key starter for at least a month.
Texas Tech and Baylor are restricting practice time for injured key contributors.
NU offensive tackle Mike Smith will miss the season with a broken leg. Also, NU linebacker Sean Fisher suffered a leg injury on Tuesday, the severity of which has not been confirmed by coach Bo Pelini.
KU coach Turner Gill said injuries will sideline two linebackers for 2010: returning starter Huldon Tharp and freshman Ed Fink.
Gill also dismissed two second-team players — linebacker Jacoby Thomas and defensive end Travis Stephens — for academic reasons.
Texas, which lost four tight ends last season to injury or medical conditions, is already without one for the year this season. Redshirt freshman Trey Graham suffered torn knee ligaments, coach Mack Brown said.
Colorado will be without sophomore safety Vince Ewing, coach Dan Hawkins said. Ewing suffered torn knee ligaments in a scrimmage.
At Missouri, the player expected to be the top receiver — junior Jerrell Jackson — already has been ruled out of the season opener against Illinois with a broken wrist. MU coach Gary Pinkel said Jackson had surgery this week to insert a pin.
Oklahoma No. 1 middle linebacker Austin Box has been hit by injuries again. The junior, who has missed multiple games the past two seasons with knee and elbow problems, now has a disk problem in his back that will sideline him for three to six weeks, coach Bob Stoops said.
Texas Tech is taking it easy with running back Baron Batch, a legitimate threat to win the league rushing title. Coach Tommy Tuberville said Batch’s sore shoulder wouldn’t keep him out of a game, but the coach doesn’t want to chance reinjury in practice. Red Raider inside receiver Austin Zouzalik is out two to four weeks after an emergency appendectomy.
Baylor is going slowly with two offensive starters recovering from ankle injuries. Coach Art Briles said tailback Jay Finley and tackle Danny Watkins will have their practice repetitions limited through fall camp.
Big 12 football begins Sept. 2 with Northern Illinois at Iowa State. Ten games are set for Sept. 4 (Saturday). Texas Tech wraps up the first weekend Sept. 5 (Sunday) hosting SMU.
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