Brett Davis-US PRESSWIRE
New Nebraska Cornhuskers‘ player Zaire Anderson was looking to make a big impact this fall. Following in the footsteps of Lavonte David, Anderson was looking to become a starting linebacker and dominant force like his predecessor.
Unfortunately, Anderson is going to have to wait a year for that to happen. Head coach Bo Pelini announced that Anderson has a torn ACL and is going to miss the rest of the year.
Thankfully for the Huskers, they are deep at the linebacker position. Unfortunately for them, Anderson was one of the few with a lot of experience.
Sure, Anderson was new to the system, but two years in junior college has prepared him well for the transition to the B1G 10.
There are both positives and negatives that are coming out of this situation.
As a positive, Anderson is applying for a medical redshirt, and should receive it, which means he will have two more years of eligibility left.
Not only does this give him the extra year, but it also gives Anderson a full year to learn the playbook. While he has a vast knowledge, any extra time in Pelini’s system is a good thing.
When Will Compton, Sean Fisher, and Alonzo Whaley leave, the Huskers are going to have a few questions about who will fill in. Anderson should be good to go by then.
This season, however, that means some younger guys are going to get a lot of action. Players like Trevor Roach and David Santos could see the field more this fall.
While the defense is really going to miss Anderson now, it could be a blessing for the next two years. A combination of Anderson, Jared Afalava, and Michael Rose already has me salivating at the potential greatness they could have.
Paul Troupe is the lead writer for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and San Antonio Spurs, while covering many major sports for RantSports. You can follow him on Twitter @gamin4HIM
