UW tight end Neuville done for rest of season
MADISON - Wisconsin senior tight end Zander Neuville is expected to miss the remainder of the season because of a left-knee injury suffered this week in practice.
UW coach Paul Chryst revealed Neuville’s status Thursday morning.
“As a team, you’ve got to be able to overcome that,” said Chryst, whose Badgers host Nebraska at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. “But you feel terrible for Z.”
Neuville suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in the 2017 regular-season finale at Minnesota.
He was cleared for full workouts in camp in August but battled a hamstring injury and missed the opener. He started in Week 2 against New Mexico and in Week 3 against BYU.
Neuville suffered a right-ankle injury against BYU and was limited in the Big Ten opener at Iowa.
According to Chryst, Neuville returned after the week off feeling completely recovered.
“He was feeling great,” Chryst said. “Best he had felt. You feel like you’re out of that tunnel. There’s light.”
Neuville then injured his left knee during practice Tuesday, though UW officials weren’t initially sure of the severity of the injury.
“It is so hard for me,” Chryst said. “The football part of it, we will (adjust) and you have to cover all the bases.
“But the individual component of it … you hate to see someone you care about go through that.
“Z will overcome that, but in the moment you feel bad for him.”
The loss of Neuville leaves redshirt junior Kyle Penniston and redshirt freshman Jake Ferguson as the team’s top two tight ends.
Ferguson has emerged as a dangerous receiver, with 12 catches for 166 yards and a touchdown. Penniston has shown promise as a receiver in previous seasons but this season has one catch for 4 yards.
Neither player can match Neuville’s prowess as a blocker on the line of scrimmage, however.
Redshirt sophomore tight end Luke Benzschawel is expected to be available this week. Benzschawel started the opener but suffered a right-knee injury and has missed the last three games.
UW can also deploy its Jumbo package, featuring linemen Jason Erdmann and Logan Bruss as blocking tight ends.
The Badgers used the package successfully in the victory over Iowa because Neuville was limited.
“It gives you options,” Chryst said. “A lot of different people have to step up and overcome it, whether it is through schematics or through individuals.”
Secondary banged up
UW’s defense likely won’t be at full strength when it faces a Nebraska team that averages 207.3 passing yards and 410.8 yards per game.
Cornerbacks Faion Hicks (right thumb) and Caesar Williams (left leg) were listed as questionable on the team’s Thursday injury report.
Hicks was on the preliminary injury report, released Monday.
Williams was added after suffering an apparent injury Wednesday.
Hicks has started all four games; Williams has started three; and Deron Harrell started one, the Big Ten opener at Iowa.
“It is very fluid,” defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard told reporters after practice Wednesday. “Everything is fluid in football. Whether it is injuries or how you progress as a player, especially as a young player.”