Wednesday, August 22, 1S34
Daily Ncbraskan
Pago 63
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By Scctt AMstrand
Dally Ntbrkan EtaiTWiiter
It wont be confused with "the greatest
team in college football history," but the
1934 Nebraska Cornhuskers already have
won the confidence of Big Eight coaches,
and at least two magazines have picked
them for the national championship.
Absent from the 1 934 line up will be the
"million dollar? backfield of Turner Gill,
Irving Fryar, Mike Rozier and Mark Schel
len. But Big Eight coaches again picked
Nebraska as the favorite of this year's Big
Eight.
The Cornhusker offense returns only
three starters from last year's power
packed squad. But many of the 22 return
ing lettermen saw extensive action in
high scoring victories. .
Coach Tom Osborne, speaking in a
press conference at the annual photo
day, said the players were "anxious" to
practice and in good condition.
"I was looking at some of the physical
reports from the first night and I was
impressed," Osborne said.
Osborne said an experienced quarter
back is always a tough position to replace.
Particularly when the quarterback was
Turner Gill, who is now with the Montreal
Concords.
Craig Sundberg, a Lincoln Southeast
graduate, and Travis Turner, a walk-on
junior from Scottsbluff, are the leading
candidates for Gill's job.
A native cf Lincoln, Sundberg was effec
tive as the No, 3 signal caller last year
behind Gill and senior Nate Mason. Sund
berg completed nine of 12 passes, throw
ing for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
Turner lacks the experience of Sundberg,
having appeared in only two games. But
came on strong during spring practice.
Senior Jeff Smith returns at I-back
after gaining 1,001 all-purpose yard3 in
1933. The Big Eight punt return cham
pion, Smith earned 439 yards in 78 car
ries as a back-up to Rozier, and has been
picked as an All-American candidate by
Playboy and Street and Smith.
Backing up Smith will be junior Paul
Miles and sophomore Doug DuBose.
Junior Tom Rathman won the starting
nod at fullback ahead of senior Scott Por
ter. Rathman backed up Schellcn last
season, but started against Oklahoma in
Nebraska's 28-2 1 victory. Rathman gained
a career-high 48 yards on five carries
against the Sooners. The receiving duties
will be handled by returning lettermen
Shane Swanson and Scott Kimball.
Brian Hiemer earned the starting tight
end Job after a solid spring performance,
beating out junior Todd Frain. Frain saw
extensive action last year as Nebraska's
No. 2 tight end.
"We'll run the same plays we ran last
year, but we will have some sort of quality
control on them," Osborne said.
Last year's big play was a 41 pitch to
Mike Rozier, which averaged 6 to 7 yard3
a carry. The pitch still will be in for this
season, but it will get another lock if it
isnt as effective, Osborne said.
"Well get that film out and try to figure
out why that isn't working anymore,"
Osborne said. "Well do that with the
whole offense and try to determine if it's
personnel or another problem. We may
have to make adjustments."
Nebraska's three returning offensive
starters are linemen in left tackle, Mark
Behning, left guard, Harry Grimminger,
and center, Mark Traynowicz. Behning
and Traynowicz and being hyped a3 Ail
American candidates. Also starting on
the line are senior right guard, Greg
Orton, and senior right tackle, Tom Mor
row. ,
Defensively the Huskers return eight
starters and 30 lettermen.
The defensive backfield returns all four
starters from last year's crew and should
be one of the more experienced back
fields in the nation.
Safety Bret Clark returns for his third
year as a starter. A preseason All-American
in several publications, the 0-3, 200
pound Clark combines strength (bench
press of 325 pounds); speed (4.59 for 40
yards) and experience.
The starting monster will be senior
Mike McCashland. McCashland led Busker
defensive backs in tackles last year with
57. His backup is junior Todd Fisher.
The starting cornerbacks will be seniors
Dave Burke and Neil Harris. Burke re
corded three pass interceptions last year,
while Harris is remembered as the hero of
Nebraska's win over Oklahoma. The 6
foot, 190 pounder batted away two
straight Danny Bradley passes in the final
minute. Burke and Harris' backups will be
Dennis Wadkins and Ricky Greene.
The linebacking crew suffered a loss
when senior Mike Knox went down with a
knee injury in spring practice. Knox had
surgery and is not expected to return for
the '84 season. With Knox out, the No. 1
linebackers are senior Mark Daum and
sophomore Marc Munford. Daum was
second on the team in tackles last year
with 97.
Munford came off the 5-0 Husker fresh
man team last year, and used his speed
(4.72 in the 40) in spring practice to win a
starting Job. Sophomore Kevin Parsons
will back up Daum, while sophomore
Steve Forch will come in for Munford.
The defensive line is anchored by re
turning starters Bill Weber, Rob Stuckey
and Scott Strasburger. The three will be
joined by Ken Graber and Chris Spach
man. Weber, Stuckey and Strasburger
combine academics with athletics. All
three were named academic all-Big Eight
performers, and Stuckey and Strasbuger
were academic All-Americans.
Back ups to the starting line are Brad
Smith, Danny Noon an, Ken Shead, Jim
Skow and Gregg Reeves.
Punting and kicking duties will be
handled by senior Scott Livingston. Liv
ingston averaged 40.8 yards a punt last
season and converted on 35 of 37 extra
point attempts.
Osborne said he was worried about the
four-game stretch that will take the Hus
kers to UCLA and Syracuse, then back
home to play Oklahoma State and Mis
souri, both of whom have the best chance
in years of knocking off Nebraska or
Oklahoma for the conference title.
"A lot of people seem to think the Syra
cuse game will be a breather for us, but
we had a deceptively easy game with
them last year," Osborne said.
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