Nebraska starting right guard Micah Mazzccua absent for Northern Iowa game

LINCOLN — Starting Nebraska right guard Micah Mazzccua has been left out of Saturday night’s game against Northern Iowa. The Big Ten’s availability report did not give a reason why Mazzccua was sitting out, though coach Matt Rhule did not mention that Mazzccua was injured.

Mazzccua, a transfer from Florida who also played at Baylor, was one of NU’s top-rated linemen in wins over UTEP and Colorado. The 6-foot-5, 325-pounder also had reached a turning point in training camp after initially struggling with coach Matt Rhule’s culture.

With Mazzccua out, Nebraska will look to either Henry Lutovsky, who started two games each in 2022 and 2023, or Tyler Knaak, a transfer from Utah who started in nine games last season and has played in both of the Huskers’ victories this season.

Linebacker Javin Wright and cornerback Blye Hill remain out for the Huskers. Defensive end Jimari Butler, who has three tackles and a sack this season, is listed as questionable on the availability report. NU effectively has four defensive line starters — Butler, Ty Robinson, Nash Hutmacher and Cameron Lenhardt — and a full depth chart of backups that could be used on a night when temperatures will remain in the 80s well after kickoff.