Husker TE Fidone out with knee injury; midseason return is best-case scenario, Frost says

Husker coach Scott Frost said Wednesday that Fidone suffered a non-contact knee injury and is scheduled to have surgery Thursday. Frost said Fidone will not be ready when fall camp opens in late summer.

Best-case scenario, Fidone will be back by midseason, Frost added.

The injury apparently happened Friday during NU’s 12th of 15 spring practices. 

Fidone, a Council Bluffs, Iowa, native and former Lewis Central High star, was the centerpiece of Nebraska’s 2021 recruiting class and was widely considered the best tight end prospect in the country for his class. 

He arrived on campus in January and took part in Nebraska’s winter conditioning program as a mid-year enrollee. Most recently, the freshman tight end had been coming on strong late in spring practices, according to his position coach, Sean Beckton. 

“He wanted to step out there on Day 1 and be the best tight end on the team,” Beckton said last week. “I had to humble him early on. That’s not going to happen. We’ve got to stack practices. We’ve got to stack reps on top of each other in order for him to be great. He’s definitely moving in that direction.”

In fact, last week’s scrimmage was, “his best day, by far,” Beckton said. “So I’m really, really proud of him. We just have to continue to press him. He’s going to help this football team this year.” 

Perhaps not anymore. An aggressive return from major knee surgery still would carry well into the regular season this fall. Frost said he knew this was perhaps the most pertinent risk of holding spring ball weeks later than normal this year. 

“Really the only risk you run is if you get the type of injury where somebody’s out for a while, you’re getting closer to the season,” Frost said on March 29 while listing off several positives like more time off after a long season last year, a full winter conditioning session and no spring break interrupting the middle of the spring schedule. “Those are the risks you have to run to practice hard and get better.” 

Shortly after Frost met with media Wednesday, Fidone tweeted, “I will be back. Bigger, faster and stronger! I can promise you that! Every setback is set to have a major comeback! GBR.”

Nebraska does have depth at the tight end position, highlighted by juniors Austin Allen and Travis Vokolek. After that, redshirt freshman Chris Hickman has been back with Beckton’s group this spring and freshman James Carnie is on campus as a mid-year enrollee. Freshman A.J. Rollins arrives this summer.