College football injury report for Week 2: John Emery Jr. out for season, Graham Mertz in concussion protocol (2024)

Status: Broken leg, out for season

North Carolina starting quarterback Max Johnson remains hospitalized in Minneapolis after he broke his leg in last Thursday's season-opening win over Minnesota. He will need another week or two before he returns home, Mack Brown said, via InsideCarolina. Johnson underwent multiple surgeries on his leg after the game and will miss the remainder of the year. Conner Harrell is UNC's starter for the foreseeable future after he took snaps under center in the win over the Gophers.

Status: Torn ACL, out for season

The loss of John Emery Jr. for the season is a troubling development for LSU after the running back flashed in the Week 1 loss to USC. Emery sustained a non-contact injury in practice this week and tore the ACL in the knee opposite to the one in which he suffered the same injury last season. Emery broke free for a 39-yard run against the Trojans and was efficient in posting 61 yards on 10 total carries. Kaleb Jackson, Josh Williamsand Caden Durham will pick up the slack after Emery's exit from the lineup.

Status: Lower leg, out for season

Texas A&M's starting center, Mark Nabou Jr., is done for the rest of the season with a lower leg injury, coach Mike Elko announced. He played 22 snaps before sustaining the injury in the Week 1 loss to Notre Dame. Nabou started 11 games last year at right guard and one at center and was in line to anchor the Aggies' offensive front in 2024. Utah transfer Kolinu'u Faaiu replaced Nabou last week and was Texas A&M's second-highest graded offensive lineman after he logged 50 snaps in relief.

Status: Broken hand, out for at least five weeks

Inside The Rebels reports that starting right guard Jeremy James broke his left hand during Ole Miss practice this week, and that the lineman will miss at least five weeks after his recovery from surgery. James has been a mainstay in the Rebels' offensive line unit as he started every game since 2021 and last weekend logged the 50th start of his career. Washington transfer Julius Buelow is expected to fill his spot in the lineup.

Status: Soft tissue, out for multiple weeks

Star defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. left Miami's Week 1 win over Florida with what Mario Cristobal described as a soft tissue injury. The pass rusher will be out for multiple weeks, Cristobal said, after he played just three snaps against the Gators. Bain was a Freshman All-American in 2023 and registered 7.5 sacks in his debut season, and the trio of Tyler Baron, Elijah Alston and Akheem Mesidor will replace him in various roles along the defensive line.

Status: Ankle sprain, out for Week 2

Two-sport athlete Jordan Faison, who is expected to play a key role in Notre Dame's receiving corps, will miss this week's matchup with Northern Illinois due to a sprained ankle. Marcus Freeman said that Faison will be out one to two weeks with the injury, according to IrishIllustrated. The wideout played 20 snaps in the season-opening win at Texas A&M but came out of the halftime locker room without shoulder pads or cleats. He tallied three targets and turned them into a pair of receptions for 12 yards.

Status: Broken hand, out for Week 2

Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said on his weekly radio show that running back Chip Trayanum will miss this week's SEC opener against South Carolina. The incoming transfer was also out for the season opener with a broken hand. The injury occurred in camp, and the initial expectation was that Trayanum would miss around a month, so he could be ready for a debut in the coming weeks.

Status: Concussion protocol, questionable for Week 2

Sixth-year quarterback Graham Mertz is in the concussion protocol after he departed from Florida's season-opening loss to Miami. Coach Billy Napier turned to highly touted freshman DJ Lagway after Mertz left the field, and the newcomer is now the projected starter for this weekend's game against Samford. Mertz was just 11-for-20 through the air for 91 yards and an interception before he sustained the concussion in the third quarter, and Lagway went 3-for-6 for 31 yards in his debut.

Status: Shoulder, questionable for Week 2

Left tackle Kadyn Proctor, who transferred from Alabama to Iowa early in the offseason but returned to the Crimson Tide this spring, did not play in the season-opener due to a shoulder injury. First-year Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said Wednesday, via Bama247, that the sophom*ore is "working towards it" and that the program will be "smart and careful" with their prized, young edge blocker. Elijah Pritchett got the start last week in Proctor's absence.

Status: Arm, questionable for Week 2

One of college football's top running backs is questionable this week after Tahj Brooks injured his arm in Texas Tech's narrow overtime victory over FCS Abilene Christian. The star ballcarrier took 27 carries for 153 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, while backups Cam'Ron Valdez and Cam Dickey handled a carry apiece and would be next in line should Brooks miss time. Brooks had one of the most productive seasons in program history last fall when he rushed for 1,538 yards — good for fourth nationally.

Status: Bone bruise, questionable for Week 2

Chris Hilton Jr. continues to make progress from a bone bruise he suffered in the latter stages of fall camp, according to coach Brian Kelly, but LSU will not play him until he is fully recovered, per Geaux247. Fellow receiver Kyle Parker, meanwhile, is doubtful for this week's game against Nicholls after he injured his UCL against USC. Hilton boasts supreme speed and showed flashes last year of a potential breakout when he caught 13 passes for 225 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He will be in for an expanded role when he debuts in 2024.

Status: Blood clots, questionable for Week 2

Cincinnati defensive tackle Dontay Corleone was cleared this week to play in games, the team announced, after he battled blood clots in his lungs throughout the offseason. He is in a ramp-up period after missing extended time for treatment, and his status remains to be determined after he practiced in a limited capacity in camp. Corleone is a former All-American and a preseason All-Big-12 selection. He has 83 career tackles, 12 tackles for loss and six sacks over 23 games.

Status: Undisclosed, day-to-day

Nic Anderson entered the year as Oklahoma's top returning receiver from 2023 but missed the season-opener due to an undisclosed injury. Coach Brent Venables labeled the standout pass-catcher as "day-to-day" last week, and ahead of Week 2, he said that Anderson "will be back sooner rather than later," per Sooners Illustrated. Venables did not say whether Anderson would be available for the game against Houston. The reigning Freshman All-American tallied 38 catches for 798 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns last season.

Status: Leg, day-to-day or week-to-week

Starting tight end Quentin Moore — one of the few Washington football contributors from last year's national runner-up team to return for 2024 — could miss time after he left the season-opener with an apparent leg injury. Former prized recruit Ryan Otton, who would have been in line for a playing time bump in Moore's absence, remains out with an injury he sustained in camp. Moore logged one catch for 14 yards before he departed from the opener and is fresh off a season in which he scored the winning touchdown in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Status: Ankle, probable for Week 2

California has a tough test this week against Auburn, but it is likely to have its biggest weapon on the field for that battle in SEC country. Jaydn Ott, one of college football's most dynamic running backs, is probable for the Week 2 matchup after he limped off the field in the Golden Bears' 31-13 win over UC Davis. Ott is fresh off a first-team All-Pac-12 campaign in which he racked up 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground, and he is a plus receiver, as well.