Possible Carter Return, Westerkamp Fortify Offense

Huskers Travel to Columbus for a Top-10 Matchup

Fight Isn't Lacking for These Determined Huskers

Transcripts Feature Mike Riley, Husker Players

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It won’t be official until Tuesday’s possible return to practice, but Cethan Carter could start at tight end Saturday in the Huskers’ Big Ten Conference showdown at Ohio State.

“Cethan is on his way back,” Nebraska Coach Mike Riley said at Monday’s press conference. “I don’t know about this game. We’ll look at him tomorrow and see where he is. He’s been working out, hitting bags, running routes, doing stuff. He’s close, and we’ll see how that goes this week.

“It would be good to have him back, but I want to make sure he’s really well and feels good,” Riley said. “It might be one of those deals where he’s pretty close, and it might be best to keep him out another week just for his comfort and playing.”

Husker players, coaches and fans hope the Buckeyes will be the first team in a month to face Carter, a senior tight end who has the tools to play football at the next level.

After Carter missed road games at Indiana and Wisconsin and a home game against Purdue, Nebraska Offensive Coordinator Danny Langsdorf is hopeful he can practice this week and play in Saturday’s 7 p.m. (CT) nationally televised ABC game that features Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) and Samantha Ponder (sidelines).

After Missing Games Against Indiana and Purdue, 'Westy' Returned to Lineup

The news could not have come at a better time. Last Saturday, Jordan Westerkamp, one of four players in Nebraska history to reach 2,000 career receiving yards, returned to the lineup after missing back-to-back games against Indiana and Purdue. Westerkamp (pictured above) had three catches for 62 yards at Wisconsin with one reception for 36 yards.

“Westy” joins healthy fellow wide receivers Brandon Reilly, De'Mornay Pierson-El, Alonzo Moore and Stanley Morgan Jr., who has a team-high 23 receptions for 329 yards after catching five passes for 58 yards at Wisconsin.

Carter’s potential return would give Nebraska a strong pass-catching option at tight end. At 6-4, 240, the New Orleans native is one of eight Husker tight ends in history with at least 50 catches.

Carter’s ability to block is equally important, according to Nebraska tight end coach Tavita Thompson. Carter’s technique is considered stellar. So is the way he runs his routes and the combinations he uses to activate linebackers and releases.

Thompson calls Carter a prototypical tight end with good size, good athletic ability and a willingness to stick his face into the action. His toughness and blocking are valued assets.

Tight End Coach: You Can Tell Carter Loves Football by the Questions He Asks

“Cethan (pictured above at Northwestern this season) loves football,” Thompson said. “You can tell by the way he plays, his passion and the way he communicates with people. He watches a lot of film, and you can tell he loves football by the questions he asks.”

An elbow injury sidelined Carter for nearly a month. In waiting patiently to heal, Carter did everything possible to help and encourage fellow senior tight ends Sam Cotton and Trey Foster, who performed well in Carter’s absence.

“I see Cethan playing at the next level,” Thompson said. “He’s not huge, but he’s fast. He can get in and out of his breaks. He’s strong and explosive. Some defenders think they’re going to run him over, and Cethan is in you before you even get off the ball.

“You can’t get your feet started. He’s winning, he’s physical, and he wants to finish all of his blocks because he causes mismatches versus linebackers and safeties. Cethan’s just a real threat, and with his skill set, it’s hard to stop him.”

In his return to the lineup last Saturday, Westerkamp sprained an ankle, but indicated at Monday’s press conference that he’ll be ready to play at Ohio State. “I just kind of got pulled down from behind and rolled on the ankle a bit,” he said.

Westerkamp Feels Nebraska Should Still Be Undefeated after Wisconsin Game

A four-year Husker wide receiver starter and two-time captain, Westerkamp (pictured above being treated for injury during the Illinois game) likes the team’s overall mood despite suffering its first loss of the season. “It was a tough loss,” he said. “We had them at some points. We felt like we should have come out of that game with a win.

“Obviously it didn’t go that way, but we’re excited for this week,” Westerkamp said. “It’s a huge opportunity for us. We control our own destiny. Guys are still pumped up. They’re jacked to go to Columbus to play a great team at Ohio State.”

Westerkamp described Saturday night’s showdown as “a huge statement game” that requires great preparation and obvious improvement

“That being our first loss of the season had a lot to do with it compared to last season,” Westerkamp said. “We felt like we played real hard and just being able to go out there in a tough atmosphere at Madison and play as well as we did in some areas and almost coming out with a win, says something about our team and how far we have come as a team. We’re going to take that into this week and keep getting better.”

A college football history buff, Westerkamp describes Ohio State as “a different kind animal. They’ve been so good for so long, this is a huge game for us,” he said. “We know how good they are, but they’re beatable.”

Huskers Embrace Film Study, Identify Tendencies and Practice with Purpose

Westerkamp and his teammates embrace this week’s extensive film study to identify tendencies and practice with purpose and passion. “We’ll be ready to go,” he said.

In the last three weeks, Ohio State beat Wisconsin, 30-23 in overtime, lost a 24-21 game at Penn State and edged Northwestern, 24-20.

The closeness of those games “makes you feel a little bit better,” Westerkamp said. “Teams have been able to do stuff on them. We’ll watch those games real close and come up with an awesome game plan. This is a big game. We aren’t freaking out or anything like that. We take it like we always do. Every week is the Super Bowl for us. It’s just another great opportunity.”

Asked what he thought about the coin toss before last Saturday night’s overtime in Madison, Westerkamp had a one-word answer – awesome! “I think it’s awesome that they flip that coin for these games,” he said. “It was great to have Sam’s family there, and it was a cool moment to have that flip be Sam (Foltz).”

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