Jonas Weatherbie might get a second chance.

Kansas University football coach Mark Mangino said Sunday that his senior backup quarterback would start Saturday at Nebraska if junior Bill Whittemore was unable to play for the second week in a row because of a knee injury.

Weatherbie made his first collegiate start Saturday in a 64-0 loss to Kansas State at Memorial Stadium. He completed two of nine passes for zero yards with one interception and also lost a fumble before being replaced by red-shirt freshman Brian Luke early in the second quarter.

Luke, who broke the thumb on his throwing hand during a preseason practice, also struggled in his first college game. He completed seven of 18 passes for 74 yards with one interception and lost two fumbles.

“Brian is going to be a very good player for us here in the future,” Mangino said. “He’s just not ready yet. It’s not fair for me to ask a young man who had his hand in a cast for six or seven weeks and just came back a week ago to be ready to control the huddle, make audibles, make good throws and make good decisions. I probably asked too much of Brian, and that’s my fault.

“But when Jonas was struggling we thought Brian, who’s a big, strong guy who can throw the ball, might be able to make something happen. Hindsight is always 20-20, but he just wasn’t ready and should only be used if pressed into duty.”

Whittemore, who ranked third in the Big 12 Conference in total offense before sitting out the KSU game, injured the medial collateral ligament in his left knee two weeks ago during a 36-12 loss at Missouri. He saw limited practice time last week before being ruled out on Thursday.

Â

Center of attention: Freshman backup Justin Henry saw extensive playing time Saturday in relief of starting center Greg Nicks.

“Nicks didn’t practice all week,” Mangino said of the senior, who also is KU’s long snapper. “He’s banged up. He really struggled out there. It’s hard to play in a game and be really sharp when you don’t practice all week. Justin Henry got some valuable work and made some strides. We tried to finish up with Nicks so we could sharpen him up for next week. We think he’ll be ready to go full time this week. We hope so.”

Â

Duncan done: Junior running back Reggie Duncan did not play against Kansas State and might be done for the season.

“There’s a good chance you will not see him in the last two games,” said Mangino, whose Jayhawks (2-8, 0-6 Big 12) play Saturday at Nebraska (6-4, 2-3) and play host to Oklahoma State (4-4, 2-2) the following week.

Duncan, who was a starter last season, has been used in a limited role this year. He was slowed by a hamstring injury earlier in the season, but Mangino would not clarify whether Duncan’s status is related to his injury or off-the-field issues.