Matt Rhule evaluated Chubba Purdy’s Week 12 outing after getting a road start against Wisconsin. In fact, Rhule says he told the QB he was going to play well before the game even got started.

At his Monday press conference, Rhule praised the QB for stepping up and staying “in the moment” against the Badgers. As a result of taking things one play at a time, Purdy had a chance to give the Huskers a win.

“I thought Chubba was just in the moment, playing the play. The one thing I told him late in the fourth quarter was just don’t try to win the game, play the play,” said Rhule. “I know how badly he wanted to win the game, but the way you win the game is by playing each play as it comes. There were a lot of really good plays he made that gave us a chance… I thought he looked like he was comfortable.”

Rhule was asked about Purdy’s journey this season and the delay to the QB getting on the field after the way he flashed on Saturday. Rhule admitted Purdy was having a strong offseason before getting hurt in camp, but that adversity helped the QB play free when his number was called.

“As I said, if you go back to my statements, I said I thought he was having a great camp. He got banged up and hurt. He’s gotten healthier and healthier and healthier,” Rhule said. “You certainly see the speed he has. He’s got moxie and toughness.

“I told him before the game — not after the game — I told him before the game you’re going to play well. And people are going to say why didn’t you play earlier? …I think Chubba has endured some of the physical adversity and then not playing and gotten better and better. He’s played on the scout team, he’s taken the reps we’ve given him, so then when he got out there I thought he just played free and just played the play.”

Though Purdy did not pull off the win, he shined in his first extensive action of the season. We’ll see how that translate into Week 13 and beyond.