Nebraska settles on left tackle, kicker ahead of Purdue game

Redshirt freshman Gunnar Gottula is set to make his first career start on the edge of the Husker offensive line while John Hohl will handle field goals and extra points, NU coach Matt Rhule said Thursday.

“I thought he gave us good reps,” Rhule said of Gottula, who filled in last week after starter Turner Corcoran went down with a hamstring injury. “And he’ll be better this week.”

Ditto for Hohl, who Rhule said has bounced back well in practice after missing a potential go-ahead 39-yard try against Illinois. He continues to develop chemistry with new snapper Aidan Flege and punter Brian Buschini, who doubles as the holder on kicks.

“He’s a developing player — everything’s not going to be perfect,” Rhule said of Hohl. “Big he’s got all the talent. He’s got a big, big, big leg. His accuracy from outside of 50 (yards) was one of the highlights of camp. He can kick it from 55, 57, and made a lot of them.”

Other notes from Rhule’s Thursday media session:

Compiling a 74-man travel roster is “pretty easy,” Rhule said, especially given that some players are banged up after three straight weeks of games.

Some fringe contributors may stay back to heal.

More challenging on who to bring, he said, is among the support staff.

Rhule praised Purdue running back Devin Mockobee, quarterback Hudson Card and the Boiler offensive line along with a “really difficult” defensive scheme.

Watch linebacker Kydran Jenkins — the league leader in sacks per game — someone who Rhule called “as good a player as there is in the Big Ten in my mind.”

The 6-foot-1, 253-pound defender can also reliably drop into man coverage.

Rebounding from the Illinois loss with a strong performance at Purdue is a goal. But it’s not the only goal for the Huskers, who are aspiring for something more Saturday and this season.

“The great ones, they don’t just bounce back,” Rhule said. “They bounce back and elevate. We’re looking to see ourselves bounce back and elevate. You’re never going to be a relevant team in the Big Ten if you can’t win on the road.”