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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 22, 1999)
Iowa California Southern Mississippi First 3 games flffiSl ^ s 580^ ^3.8 First3gameS^1998T(fflC; gJJgiMl , pt 779 4.9 First 3 gamesbf ^ • 1,220 ' 6.5 First 3 gamesjof 1996 TOTAL 169 "A 790 5.0 First 3 games1 of |1995 II>T/t|L A f 68 1,459 . 8.7 First 3 games of 1994 TOTAL* : 18$# 1,37$ 7.3 * indicates a national champfonshipseason A|§|| Matt Haney/DN NU offense adjusting [ By John Gaskins Staff writer The ugly truths about the Nebraska offense are out there. The sixth-ranked Cornhuskers were able to produce just six offensive points and 185 total yards against Southern Mississippi on Saturday, the lowest NU offensive output since gain ing 179 yards in a 1993 win over Oklahoma. Its eight first downs were the fewest since a 47-0 loss to the Sooners in 1968. And what about the Big Red ground attack, which has won five national rushing titles in the 1990s? After mustering just 114 yards against California and 119 yards against the Golden Eagles, NU is averaging only 193.3 yards on the ground. If they keep at that rate, it will be its worst rushing year since 1969. Now, the NU players and coaches have to figure out a way to overcome those truths. “It’s embarrassing to not move the football,” junior split end Matt Davison said. “We’re all pretty frus trated with that, and we’re going to make some changes.” Coach Frank Solich and quarter back Eric Crouch hinted on establish ing a more prevalent passing game when the running gets rough. “We might have to throw the ball a little more,” Crouch said. “We’ve thrown 19 passes the last two games. Maybe that’s not enough to get the defense off the ball.” Said Solich: “We’re going to have to maybe open up a little bit more. If we’re not moving on the ground and play-action passes aren’t set up, then we’ve got to find ways of moving the football other than what we are doing. So, we do have the capability of throw ing the ball more.” Two games in point: this year’s California game, when Bobby Newcombe and Eric Crouch threw for 187 yards (20.7 yards-per-comple tion) when the run was stuffed; and in last year’s 28-21 loss to Texas A&M, when down 21-7, NU needed to air it out to catch up. Newcombe threw it 27 times - 10 times to Davison for 167 yards - and the Huskers almost pulled off the comeback. Ideally, Solich said, the offense likes to throw 20 passes in a game. Against USM, NU passed just nine times, a number that Solich said needs to increase. But most NU players and coaches were quick to point out that Southern Mississippi’s defense and NU’s five turnovers were what hurt them, not solely an unproductive rush. They also said the Huskers don’t plan on shying away from the ground attack anytime soon. “We’re still a running football team,” Quarterbacks Coach Turner Gill said. “We’re just going to have to mix it up more and take whatever the defense gives us.” 70th & A Streets NEVER A COVER Lincoln’s Karaoke Hot Spot Thursdays-Saturdays 9:00 p.m. ■ 1:00 a.m. Suffer from Fall Allergies and Asthma? Males/Females Age 1 5 or Older who are using an inhaler such as Ventolin, Proventil, or Albuterol are needed for a Fall Allergen and Asthma Research Study. This Study consists of 5 visits over six weeks. Participants will receive FREE Study-Related Exams, Study Related Medications and Compensation. For more Information, contact: Kelli or Marge at 464-6139. Allergy, Asthma, and Immunolgy Associates, PC 600 North Cotner, Suite 208 Lincoln, NE 68505 tMMlJ?VOl-CxSY' Blockers set to attack By Brandon Schulte Staff writer No other league in the country plays as draining of a schedule. Not the Big 10, the Pacific-10 or the Southeastern Conference. It’s no wonder why the Big 12 Conference has been rated as one of the top volleyball conferences in the nation year in and year out. Conference teams must play 20 matches in 10 weeks. That’s the journey the No. 4 Nebraska volleyball team (8-2 overall and 0-0 in the Big 12) embarks on for the next two and a half months, as it opens up conference play tonight against No. 24 Kansas State (6-2 and 0 0)at7 in the NU Coliseum. iNeorasKas tirst iu games, includ ing the matches against five teams cur rently ranked in the top 15, were all in preparation for the tough conference season ahead, Comhusker Head Coach Terry Pettit said. “Everything up to this point has been a tune-up for the conference,” Pettit said. “It should prove to be a very strong conference season. Five teams in the league are in the top 25 and two others are in the top 30.” To gear up for conference play, Pettit said the Huskers were working a little harder on their offense. More specifically, attacking from the middle blocker position. Senior Tonia Tauke, junior Katie Jahnke, sophomore Jenny Kropp and freshman Laura Pilakowski all see time at the position. Pettit said Tauke and Kropp are the best blockers, while _ Pilakowski and Jahnke rate as the top hitters at the spot. Tauke said the importance of setting the mid dle blocker is key every year for the Cornhusker |_| offense. Tauke “Each year> we start off by trying to set the middle more,” Tauke said. “(Pettit) said yesterday that it’s an attitude, and middles just need to want the ball and that’s what we’re working on in practice - and it will show.” The difficulty with setting the mid dle blockers comes from having three setters - Jill McWilliams, Lindsay Wischmeier and Greichaly Cepero - work with the four blockers, Tauke said. The task will be complicated against the Wildcats. Kansas State Coach Jim McLaughlin will bring a different dimension to the game, as he was the men’s coach at USC. Because of that, Pettit said, McLaughlin’s team will take a more tactical approach sim ilar to the men’s game, rather than the fundamental approach most women’s teams use. “His team really prepares and does things that are unusual for the women’s game,” Pettit said. ‘‘For example they ‘bunch block,’ meaning all three block ers are in the middle of the court. That’s pretty common in the men’s game. Given the personnel, it’s a good deci sion for his team.” The Wildcats haven’t had much success against the Huskers. NU owns a 58-0 all-time advantage. In the NU Coliseum, the Comhuskers have been unstoppable, winning 92 straight con ference matches in the building. Five players on the Wildcats’ roster who hail from Nebraska will try to reverse the trend. Three of those Nebraskans should be in the starting lineup. Senior outside hitter Dawn Cady and right side hitter Liz Wegner, from Tekumseh, head the KSU attack. Cady is the team leader in both kills-per game (5.00) and digs-per-game (3.16). Wegner is just a shade behind Cady in the kills department, averaging 4.92 per game. 1 he national championship is still the main goal for Nebraska, yet Tauke stresses the importance of the Big 12 conference title. That’s something the Huskers won’t overlook when they start conference play tonight. “Going for the national champi onship and vying for a home regional and things like that, the conference championship can kind of get lost,” Tauke said. “But I’m all about winning the conference championship. If you win that, you put yourself in a great position for a regional h0st. And win ning the Big 12 means something to the nation.” Deer numbers relatively high in Nebraska By David Diehl Staff writer There is a plentiful stock of deer for harvest this fall throughout Nebraska, especially in the southeast region of the state, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Wildlife Division. Game and Parks estimates 250,000 deer are available statewide for hunting and anywhere from 35,000 to 50,000 deer in southeast Nebraska - based upon computer-generated population models. The assessments are gathered from harvest information from the previous seasons and birth and mortality statis tics for deer. Jeff Hoffman, a district manager of the Wildlife Division of Game and Parks, says the numbers are relatively high for deer populations. In the past few years, he said, the population has swelled. “We had a population that was growing faster than we were harvesting them,” Hoffman said. The high population was attributed to natural and human elements: rivers, streams, and timber, developed farm land with food sources and also Conservation Reserve Project land (farmland set aside to grow naturally to « The best time to get out is during an away Nebraska football game. Nobody is out.” Dustin Hogzett UNL freshman hunter promote wildlife production). “Combine all those things together and you get a great deer habitat,” Hoffman said. Because of the lofty state of the deer population, Game and Parks said they have been on a three-year effort to reduce deer numbers. Such things as increasing the num ber of permits allotted and extending the hunting season go into the program, Hoffman said. The efforts have paid off so far, with the deer population going down, according to Hoffman. “It’s still relatively pretty high, and it’s doing what it’s supposed to do,” he said. Dustin Hogzett, a freshman con struction management major, said he did most of his hunting near Union last season. He had minimal success with firearms, killing one doe, and he came up empty with his bow. Though he didn’t kill anything with his bow, he says he enjoyed using it more than a rifle. “To an extent, high power takes the fun out of it,” Hogzett said. “You can kill a deer from 300-400 yards away. Bow is a lot more challenging.” Bowhunting season for deer opened on Sept. 15 and runs through Nov. 21. The season for all firearms, except muz zleloaders, runs Nov. 13 to Nov. 21. Applications for permits for the Lancaster County and surrounding areas became available this past April and all 6,000 for the early season are sold out, but around 1,100 remain for the late season, which begins in January. Despite his limited success, Hogzett said that he has found the perfect time to get out and shoot some deer. “The best time to get out is during an away Nebraska football game when everybody is watching the game on TY” Hogzett said. “Nobody is out.” While Company Care is known for its treatment of worker's compensation injuries, we now treat non work-related injuries and illnesses, too. Saint Elizabeth Company Care can help you and your adult family members with our expanded services. Walk in during regular daytime hours at our convenient West O location. Our qualified medical team is always on hand to get you back on your feet and feeling like yourself again. We accept the following health insurance plans: I Unity Choice I United HealthCare ■ Blue Cross Blsie Shield of Nebraska plans (excluding HMO Nebraska) For other health plans, patients can self-pay and our staff will provide appropriate paperwork to facilitate the filing of your insurance. 4. 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