Tag: Micah Mazzccua

Matt Rhule gives positive status update on Micah Mazzccua

Matt Rhule provided an update on the offensive lineman.

Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule gave a status update on offensive lineman Micah Mazzuca. Rhule confirmed that the offensive lineman was suspended for this past weekend’s game at Purdue. The coach indicated that Mazzuca was reinstated this week.

Mazzccua was a key player on the Nebraska football offensive line for the first two games of the season. He did not play in the Illinois game and was inactive for Saturday’s game against Purdue. He transferred from the Florida Gators in January after a previous stint at Baylor.

It will be interesting to see how he factors into the offensive line plans moving forward. The Huskers benefited from his ability to run block and his size. Rhule has indicated that he will remain in a reserve roll heading into this weekend.

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Rhule announces another status change for Micah Mazzccua

Micah Mazzccua will be available to play on Friday.

Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule confirmed that right guard Micah Mazzccua is available for Friday’s game against Illinois. Henry Lutovsky will still start at the position, but Mazzccua will be available to play.

This is a sharp contrast to earlier in the week when Rhule said that the guard would not play in Friday’s game but would still be with the team.

This is certainly of note, given that the guard started the first two games against UTEP and Colorado. At the very least, this gives Nebraska football more depth at the guard position.

It will be interesting to see how much Mazzccua plays, if at all, on Friday. His run-blocking abilities, size, and physicality undoubtedly make him an asset to the line. Huskers. Kickoff for Friday’s game is set for 7:00 p.m. CT.

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Matt Rhule gives status update on Micah Mazzccua for Friday’s game

Micah Mazzccua will not be available for Friday’s contest against Illinois.

On Monday, Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule noted that offensive lineman Micah Mazzccua won’t play this week. He will be on the team and practicing but won’t be out on the field for Friday’s game against Illinois.

Mazzccua started the first two weeks of the season against UTEP and Colorado. However, he was out of Saturday’s game against Northern Iowa. Rhule gave a brief update after the game, indicating that it was a coach’s decision to keep him out of the contest.

On Monday, the head coach told the press, “he won’t play this week. He’s on the team. He’s practicing with us. He is just working through some stuff right now doing everything we asked him to do. He won’t be available.”

Mazzccua transferred to the Nebraska football program in January after spending the 2023 season with the Florida Gators.

This will certainly be a situation that requires monitoring, as Mazzccua was a big part of the Huskers’ offensive line through the first two games of the season. Nebraska is set to take on Illinois this Friday as they look for their first ranked win since 2016.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT and the game can be seen on Fox.

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Matt Rhule gives update on offensive lineman Micah Mazzccua

Matt Rhule noted that he would elaborate on the decision later in the week.

Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule indicated it was a “coach’s decision” for offensive lineman Micah Mazzccua to sit out of Saturday’s game against Northern Iowa.

This is notable given that Mazzccua played at right guard in the UTEP Miners and Colorado Buffaloes games. He helped bring consistency to the offensive line, a unit that has improved each week.

Mazzccua came from Florida in January. He officially entered the transfer portal in December. He is familiar with Rhule from his connection to the Texas area and the Baylor program. After the game, the head coach was asked about the decision not to play the lineman.

“Micah, I’ll probably address that later. It was just a coach’s decision. He’s still with us. He just didn’t play tonight.”

It will be interesting to see how the situation develops, given Mazzccua was a prominent piece of the offensive line over the first two games.

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Nebraska Countdown to Kickoff: No. 56 Micah Muzzccua

Only 56 days remain until Nebraska’s 2024 season begins.

Only 56 days remain until the beginning of the 2024 season for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, putting Huskers senior and former Baylor and Florida offensive lineman Micah Mazzccua in the player spotlight.

Mazzccua transferred into the Huskers program this offseason, joining the Huskers in January and adding much-needed depth to their offensive line for the 2024 season. 

With just one year of eligibility remaining, Mazzcua brings plenty of experience to Lincoln with 31 career games and 21 career starts. In 2023, the Philadelphia native started in 11 of 12 games for the Florida Gators at right guard and was a crucial part of a potent Gators offense. He also started 10 of 11 games played in 2022 for Baylor. 

With the Huskers, Mazzccua will provide substantial depth at the guard position while battling redshirt sophomore guard Justin Evans for the starting right guard spot. 

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Where The Athletic ranks Florida football among in-state FBS programs

Florida finds itself in the middle of the pack among in-state FBS competition ahead of the 2024 season.

The Sunshine State has long been one of the epicenters of college football but in recent years, the in-state programs have not been quite as impressive as in years past.

Nonetheless, Florida boasts a robust rotation of seven Football Bowl Subdivision schools traditionally headlined by the Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes. However, the collegiate gridiron landscape is in constant flux and this triumvirate of teams does not have the stranglehold it once held over the rest of the state.

The Athletic’s Manny Navarro took a look at the seven Florida FBS programs and ranked them from best to worst ahead of the 2024 campaign. FSU came out on top, while Miami is right on its tail followed by the UCF Knights.

In fourth lands the Gators, who have posted three-straight losing seasons and missed out on a bowl game last winter for the first time since 2017.

“Billy Napier faces an incredibly tough schedule, and his program is reeling after five consecutive losses to end the 2023 campaign,” Navarro notes.

“The Gators lost eight quality players via the portal: running back [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] (Georgia), left guard [autotag]Richie Leonard IV[/autotag] (Florida State), right guard [autotag]Micah Mazzccua[/autotag] (Nebraska), edge rusher [autotag]Princely Umanmielen[/autotag] (Ole Miss), outside linebacker [autotag]Scooby Williams[/autotag] (Texas A&M), cornerback [autotag]Jalen Kimber[/autotag] (Penn State) and safeties [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] (Texas A&M) and [autotag]Miguel Mitchell[/autotag] (Arkansas).

“Florida, though, did add the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year in defensive lineman [autotag]Joey Slackman[/autotag], a quality veteran safety in [autotag]Asa Turner[/autotag] from Washington and beefed up at receiver with Arizona State’s [autotag]Elijhah Badger[/autotag],” he continued.

“Getting back to a bowl game is going to come down to whether or not the offensive and defensive lines have improved. Right now, it’s fair to be skeptical.”

Navarro lists the passing game and experience in the secondary as the Gators’ strengths while pointing to the run defense and the pass rush coaching as their Achilles heels. He also noted four key games on Florida’s schedule: vs Miami, at the Tennessee Volunteers, vs the Georgia Bulldogs, at the Texas Longhorns, at FSU.

Florida’s 2024 season opener

Florida opens up its 2024 regular-season schedule in the Swamp against the Hurricanes on Aug. 31. Kickoff time is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ABC Sports.

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Every player transfering to Nebraska for 2024

Since becoming Nebraska’s head football coach, Matt Rhule has not been afraid to use the transfer portal.

Since becoming Nebraska’s head football coach, Matt Rhule has not been afraid to use the transfer portal. 2024 has already seen six players commit to the Cornhuskers.

The Huskers currently rank 20th in On3’s 2024 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings. Nebraska has also seen ten players depart the program since the portal opened at the end of the regular season.

Four of the six incoming players come from the offensive side of the ball, with three of those players coming from skill positions. Coach Rhule has previously discussed the types of players he looks for in the transfer portal.

“The portal for me, I either want to get someone with multiple years, no matter the position, that’s on caliber with the guys we have. Or someone who is an instant impact upgrade. Someone who can make a difference.”

You can find a complete list of all six commits below.

Florida’s starting OL to seek greener pastures through transfer portal

This transfer portal departure punches a big hole in Florida’s O-line.

Florida football has seen a large chunk of talent depart through the NCAA transfer portal over the past couple of months and on Thursday the program got some more bad news.

Starting offensive tackle [autotag]Micah Mazzccua[/autotag], who started at right guard for the Gators in 11 out of 12 games this past fall, will be seeking greener pastures according to a report from 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz. He joins reserve offensive linemen Jordan Herman and Jalen Farmer as members of the 2023 O-line to have now departed.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 325-pound trench warrior was one of the top players at his position in the portal last year when he left the Baylor Bears to replace O’Cyrus Torrence in Gainesville. He re-enters college football’s de facto free agency system with one year of eligibility remaining.

Mazzccua played 743 snaps for the Gators in 2023 and 759 snaps for the Bears in 2022, starting 11 games in the latter. The year prior, he started nine games for Baylor’s Big 12 Championship team.

The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, product is rated at four stars and ranked No. 180 overall and No. 11 as an interior offensive lineman according to the 247Sports transfer rankings.

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Billy Napier provides status updates on two key Florida linemen

The Florida Gators were missing a good chunk of their offensive line against Charlotte, but the unit could be back at 100% for Kentucky.

Florida spent the first half of Saturday’s game against Charlotte without three of its starting offensive linemen.

Right tackle Damieon George Jr. and right guard Micah Mazzccua were suspended for the first half of the game after getting too rough with the Tennessee players after a late hit a week ago. George came back in to play the second half alongside tight end Dante Zanders, also suspended for the brawl, but Mazzccua sat the entire game.

Napier explained on Saturday that it was a little bit of “in-house discipline,” and confirmed that Mazzccua would be back on Saturday.

The biggest question mark is still the man in the middle, though. Center Kingsley Eguakun sat against Charlotte to rest an ankle injury he suffered during fall camp. Eguakun played against Tennessee after missing the first two games of the year, and he’s expected to participate in practices for the rest of the week.

Still, Napier isn’t speaking as if it’s a certainty that Eguakun plays on Saturday.

“I think it’s to be determined,” Napier said Monday. “I think that he’s made progress. We anticipate him practicing tomorrow. I’ll be able to let you know Wednesday.”

If Eguakun can’t go, Jake Slaughter should start in his place at center once again.

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Suspensions given to offensive linemen, tight end after late-game scrum

Late-game fight with Tennessee turns into three suspensions for the Florida Gators.

Suspensions have been handed out by the SEC to three members of the Florida Gators offense after a late-game scuffle.

Linemen Damieon George, Micah Mazzccua and tight end Dante Zanders are suspended for the first half of Florida’s matchup against the Charlotte 49ers on Saturday.

Quarterback Graham Mertz and the Florida Gators were ready to snap the ball from the victory formation and seal the upset over the visiting Tennessee Volunteers.

Mertz started to play and realized he had time to kill, so he started to stall in the backfield while the Vols defense gave a half-effort getting to the quarterback.

Volunteer defender Omari Brown was a tad too late and took a shot on Mertz, even though the quarterback was already attempting to end the play. The Gators immediately jumped into action and confronted Brown, but he was trying to play innocent.

Tennessee defensive back Kamal Hadden jumped in to challenge the Gators to a brawl and the end of the game was about to get ugly. Mazzccua was the first to start swinging while other action happened near the Gators’ bench.

The SEC Offices released an official statement on Monday afternoon.

“The suspensions were determined after further video review and consultation between the Southeastern Conference Office, the University of Florida and the University of Tennessee,” the statement read.

“Offensive lineman Damieon George, offensive lineman Micha Mazzccua and tight end Dante Zanders of Florida will be suspended for the first half of the Gators’ game with Charlotte on Saturday in Gainesville. Defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott of Tennessee will be suspended for the first half of the Volunteers’ game with UTSA on Saturday in Knoxville.”

Head coach Billy Napier also said there will be internal punishment for the players involved in the late-game scrum.

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