University of Washington football player Ramzak Fruean will miss the upcoming game at Nebraska due to a knee injury, according to the Big Ten availability report. Fruean, a freshman edge rusher, started his first seven games but suffered the injury in the recent Purdue game.
The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Fruean was unable to practice during the bye week, and his absence will leave first-year defensive tackle Derek Colman-Brusa as the only first-year player who has been a first-teamer for every game. UW coach Jedd Fisch said earlier in the week that Fruean’s status was uncertain, stating “it’s either a game-time decision or a week away.”
Fruean’s injury means somebody new will be in the lineup in Lincoln, Nebraska. Fifth-year player Isaiah Ward, a 19-game starter at edge for the UW and Arizona, would be the most logical replacement for Fruean. Ward has 13 tackles, including 3 tackles for loss and a half sack, as well as a forced fumble and recovery.
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Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. is also listed as questionable for the game, which could mean he will be replaced as the starter by Elijah Brown for the second consecutive game. Williams gave way to Brown as the starting quarterback after fracturing a rib against Iowa, and Brown led the Huskies to a 38-26 victory at Purdue.
Other players considered questionable for the game include running backs Trey Cooley and Jayden Limar, and linebacker Xe’ree Alexander. Cooley reinjured a shoulder in the Purdue game, while Limar returned to practice during the bye week after missing six of seven games with a dislocated elbow. Alexander missed the Purdue game with a high-ankle sprain.
Fruean is tied for 12th in UW tackles with 14, including a half tackle for loss and half sack. His absence will be felt, but they have depth at the edge rusher position. The Huskies will make a game-time decision on Williams’ status, and the starter will be revealed on Saturday in Lincoln, Nebraska. Coach Jedd Fisch and his team will have to adjust their strategy without Fruean, and it will be interesting to see how they perform.