What happened to A.J. Henning? Exploring Northwestern WR being carted off vs Wisconsin

Northwestern wide receiver A.J. Henning was carted off the field on Saturday during the first half of the Wildcats' game against the Wisconsin Badgers. It is not yet clear what the injury he sustained is. He was seen entering the medical tent after coming off the field in the first quarter before being carted off.

What happened to A.J. Henning?

It is not clear what caused A.J. Henning's injury. It was likely a non-contact injury because, before the injury, Henning had not registered a reception. He had only carried the ball once for two yards.

When the Northwestern wide receiver first left the game, Big Ten Network sideline reporter Brooke Fletcher issued an update on the broadcast.

"A.J. Henning was in the medical tent and immediately was put on a cart," Fletcher said. "He is being taken back to the locker room right now. It looks like he was uncomfortable, is a great way to describe it. I will keep you updated once I know more."

Fletcher later returned to the broadcast in the second quarter to provide an update on Henning. She reported that his return was questionable as he had suffered an undisclosed upper-body injury.

When will A.J. Henning return?

Entering halftime, it was still uncertain whether the wide receiver would return to the game. However, during halftime, it was confirmed that A.J. Henning was ruled out for the rest of the game. After the first half, the Wisconsin Badgers led the game 14-0.

How will A.J. Henning's absence affect Northwestern's offense?

With Henning out of the lineup, the Northwestern Wildcats are without their second-leading receiver. By some metrics, he is the leading receiver at Northwestern. He ranks second on the team in receiving yards with 357, but he has caught the most passes with 34. Furthermore, he has three of Northwestern's four receiving touchdowns throughout the season.

Given his absence, Northwestern must rely on other members of its receiving core to pick up the slack. Bryce Kirtz is another highly targeted receiver on Northwestern, so Wildcats fans should expect him to have an increased role.

Additionally, tight end Thomas Gordon will be asked to play a more active role in the offense. The Wildcats will also be compelled to tailor their offense strategy around the rest of the receiving core, including Frank Covey IV and Calvin Johnson II.