Herian returns to Huskers, out to be full speed by fall
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Nebraska tight end Matt Herian, who hasn't participated in contact work since breaking his left leg in October 2004, says he plans to be ready for the 2006 season.
"Every practice I'm doing more and more, until I get comfortable with it," Herian said Saturday. "We'll see next week."
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Herian's status for the Red-White Game this Saturday is questionable.
"We want him for the fall. Beating the White team or the Red team ain't the big thing right now," coach Bill Callahan said. "It's more important to get him ready for the fall."
Herian has been slowed this spring by a hamstring injury he incurred in winter conditioning.
Herian said he has felt "a little rusty."
"There have been good days and bad days," he said.
The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Herian's main attribute is his speed. He emerged as a deep threat for the Cornhuskers in 2002.
He said he believes he can regain his speed.
"The doctors said there's no reason I shouldn't," he said.
Herian, from Pierce, ran a 4.67-second 40-yard dash as a freshman. That was the second-fastest 40 among freshmen that year, behind Fabian Washington's 4.61.
He caught seven passes for 301 yards and four touchdowns in 2002. He caught 22 for 484 and three scores in 2003 and 24 for 308 and three TDs in eight games in 2004.
In the eighth game of 2004, Herian was blocking on a running play when a Missouri linebacker unintentionally landed on his leg. Herian hasn't played since.
Herian suffered a fractured tibia and fibia. He said he was told by doctors that the tibia doesn't always heal quickly.
"Its such an important bone," he said.
He underwent surgery in November 2004, missed spring practice, then underwent another surgery in April 2005.
"It started healing, then kind of slowed down," Herian said. "The healing stopped [after the first surgery], and the doctors realized they needed to do something before too long. It probably took longer than it should.
"They said its not uncommon for that stuff to happen."