Nebraska’s fall camp has already produced one of its quieter but more important developments: Gunnar Gottula looks like a different player now that he’s healthy.
What began with Gottula slotted as the backup at right tackle behind Elijah Pritchett has turned into a real storyline for the Huskers. Coaches have noticed that the veteran lineman is moving better and playing with more authority after spending the last couple of years battling back from injury.
Dana Holgorsen was the latest to say it out loud after Friday’s practice.
"Gunnar's back and he can run. He's a different Gunnar than what I've seen for two years," Holgorsen said after Friday’s practice. "He's back, he's healthy, he's playing very well."
That lines up with what Matt Rhule said a week earlier, when he made clear that Pritchett remains the favorite but the competition is still live.
"He's competing to be the starting right tackle ... He's played a lot of football for us, and he's gotten strong,” Rhule said about Gottula.
Nebraska’s staff didn’t get a full look at Gottula in the spring, since he was still working his way back and sat out most of the contact work. That made this version of him something of a reveal once fall camp opened.
And it matters because the Huskers can use more than just a steady right tackle. Rhule has talked about shuffling pieces around, and Gottula’s return gives Nebraska more ways to do that. He could stay outside, but he also has the option to move inside to guard.
Right now, Brendan Black is expected to handle right guard, though Black could also slide to center. Justin Evans is locked in at center, but the line would still have room to adjust if Evans needed a break or if something unexpected forced a change.
The big number attached to Gottula is 854. That’s how many college snaps he brings back into the mix, adding to a group that already had more than 7,300 snaps before his return. For new offensive line coach Geep Wade, that combination of experience and health is a major reason to believe Nebraska can be strong up front.
There’s still a catch, of course. Gottula missed most of the last two offseasons while rehabbing.
But he was lifting five days a week, and now Nebraska has a veteran lineman who is stronger than he has ever been. That’s a pretty useful development for a unit that suddenly has a lot more flexibility.
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