Nebraska’s three-way battle at kicker has a little more clarity with the season opener two days away.
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said Tuesday that Cal transfer Kyle Cunanan will handle placekicking duties, while Tristan Alvano and John Hohl are still competing to see who will handle kickoff duties against Cincinnati.
“He would be the starter as of today,” Rhule said of Cunanan.
In addition to his kicking duties, Cunanan will also be the backup punter behind freshman Archie Wilson.
Cunanan, a sophomore from Phoenix, Arizona, played two seasons at Charlotte before transferring to Cal, where he spent the spring before transferring to Nebraska this summer.
Cunanan made 14-of-20 field goals and all 21 of extra-points during his two seasons at Charlotte.
He beat out Hohl and Alvano, who both have collegiate kicking experience, but have battled injuries in recent months. Hohl handled kicking duties last season, but was limited in the spring and fall by a leg injury. Alvano kicked in 2023, but missed time last season with an injury, clearing the way for Hohl to enter the mix last year.
With Cunanan winning the job, that means each member of Nebraska’s field goal battery will be new from last season. Long snapper Kevin Gallic transferred from New Hampshire in the offseason and punter Kamdyn Koch will handle holding duties on field goal attempts and extra points.