Matt Rhule shares how he will determine Nebraska's starting quarterback vs. Michigan

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Nebraska Football Head Coach Matt Rhule's Press Conference Ahead Of Michigan Game I Nebraska Huskers

After Jeff Sims started the first two games of the season, Matt Rhule has played both backups. Heinrich Haarberg and Chubba Purdy both saw the field on Saturday against Louisiana Tech as Sims continues to get back healthy.

Haarberg started against both Northern Illinois and Louisiana Tech, totaling 265 passing yards and three touchdowns in that time. Purdy didn’t play against NIU, but took eight snaps against Louisiana Tech while Sims got in for one.

When it comes down to picking a starter for this week’s game against Michigan, though, Rhule said it all comes down to practice performance and how that can translate to the field on game day.

“I play the guy I think gives us the best chance to win,” Rhule said. “It’s unique in that I have a guy that was the starter that couldn’t finish the game, really. And then, I had another guy that was the starter this past game that couldn’t finish the game. So I had two quarterbacks that couldn’t finish the game. So for me to sit up here on a Monday and say, ‘This is what’s happening,’ this isn’t, like, gamesmanship. Both guys do the same thing, really.”

Matt Rhule on Nebraska’s quarterbacks in practice: ‘My job is to get everybody ready’

Getting all the quarterbacks prepared is one of the keys to game-planning, Rhule said. Considering he’s played multiple quarterbacks in the last three games, he said it’s essential to make sure everyone takes some snaps in practice.

“My job is get everybody ready,” Rhule said. “Chubba was going into the game as the No. 3 and he was down there at the end the game playing. So we get Chubba reps. Everything we do is reps, reps, reps, reps, reps because I don’t know who the hero is going to be this week, I don’t know who the hero is going to be next week. So yeah, I don’t know.

“We just try to split the reps because we get so many reps because we’re always doing multiple drills. It’s the Nebraska way and we do it, so that helps us as opposed to most teams.”

Non-conference play is officially in the books as Nebraska gets ready to welcome Michigan to Lincoln. The Wolverines, ranked No. 2 in the nation, cruised through four games and won’t make life easy on the Cornhuskers. Jim Harbaugh’s group is an 18.5-point favorite, according to FanDuel, and the game will kick off Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX.