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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 29, 2001)
Defensive line wants to see sack totals go up BY JASON MERRIHEW Last year’s Nebraska defen sive line held its own despite being depleted by injuries. However, the Huskers feel they can improve on last year's defensive line, which seemed less dominating than squads in years past The facts seem to back that up - the Huskers had only 25 sacks last season, down from 53 two years ago - but junior-to-be rush end Chris Kelsay said the statistic was somewhat mislead ing. “A lot of the teams we faced last year-a lot of passing teams were three-step chop-back pass es, quick on their routes, so we didn’t have a lot of time to get to the quarterback,” Kelsay said. Irish look for leader HOTIEMMI from page 10 experience at quarterback even more valuable than usual. For this reason, the battle-tested LoVecchio holds a few more cards than his counterparts. “It’s the combination of where he's been, where he's played and who we play early that gives him obviously the advan tage," Davie said. “The other two guys are going to have to play much better to be the starting quarterback in the first game or the second game of the year." The Notre Dame offense was decent under LoVecchio last sea son. The freshman threw for rally 980 yards in eight games, but he did have a 58 percent completion percentage and threw 11 touch downs compared with just one interception in 125 attempts. He also rushed for 300 yards on just more than four yards per carry. Battle, who spent three years at quarterback for ND, was a much flashier athlete than LoVecchio. Battle's quickness is part of the reason Davie moved him to receiver, and it's also why NO'S coach hasn’t entirely ruled out playing Battle a little behind center, particularly in goal line situations or specific plays that call for the quarterback to run. But the majority of the snaps will go to one of the three sopho mores. Whoever wins the spot, Davie said he is at ease because aQ three quarterbacks are multi-dimen sional and wont need specialized sets like Battle. “The reality is we practiced in the spring things we didnt really do in the fall because we went into the season thinking Amaz Battle was the quarterback," Davie said. “Vfe were thinking we were going to have to be a heavy option team. Vfe worked on a lot of triple option last spring that we really never got to use. “Vfe draft have that situation anymore. Vfe have three quarter backs that are the same.” Huskers take two from UWM BASEBALL from page 10 But with UWM closing on NU’s lead, the Husker bats began to give their defense and bullpen a little backup. NU scored two runs in the seventh and eigjhth innings to distance itself from the Panthers. Cetiter fielder Jeff Leise and catcher Jed Morns led Nebraska’s offense in the second game, with Leise going four for five, hitting his fifth home run of the yean Morris went three for four and broke the game open in the fourth with a three-run homer "Mfe knew we had to get things going after the last two games,” said Jj4hpt whose effith- inning homer traveled an estimated400 feet, eas In the opener; RD. Spiehs did his part to calm any anxieties Van Horn m^y have had about UWM hitters, who had averaged 14 runs in their last five contests. Spiehs (4-1) pitched five solid innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs and picking up die win in a game ended by the 12-run rule after seven innings. After allowing a second inning homer, Spiehs went on to retire 16 of the next 18 batters. That took off any pressure on the NU offense, which abused three Panther pitchers for 16 runs, 14 hits and five for extra bases, including Dan Johnson’s ninth homer of the year Nil's Bingham wants to use brawn HHSHAM from page 10 frustrated by the fact that he had just been gaining the technique he needed to be a competitive lineman. Asa hnllyinghigh srhnol player who could push everyone else on the fieki around, Bingham used his strength to get his way. That didn't work once he got to Nebraska. % T just thought he was too big to be able to play,’’ Clanton said. "Hewasbig,butnotagQe-could nt move around very weH" Bingham, as always, went to work, and within a year gained five pounds of lean body mass, improved both his 40-yard dash and pro-agility run times and his overall performance index score by 625 points, a major leap by most standards. And he became a better line man. "(Strength) is the thing that got me here today, but technique is key,” Bingham said. "If you’re strong but not quick, if you’re quick but don’t have the right technique, you're at a disadvan tage. If you have all three things, you're sitting good.” "I was at the point where I almost had all three.” But since the injury, Bingham has had to start from practically square one, and with three talent ed players ahead ofhim, he'll have to work extra hard to gain back the hype that brought him here. "Honestly, I don’t know what to tell you about him because I haven’t seen much,” Defensive Coordinator Craig Bohl said. “Certainly he's got the physical strength to have an impact, but around here you've got to {day to show it He hasn’t been able to do that yet" Words that should make Bingham, who said he’s at 90-per cent playing strength right now, work even harder. “Right now, I’m just working die rust off," Bingham said. “But IH be practicing all spring, and 111 be here working out and lifting every day all summer “ I probably wouldn't be ready (to play in a game if the season started today), but I should be * back at full strength in the faD." Ryon Bingham at full strength. That should open some eyes. Replacing Heupel concern for OU OKLAHOMAfrompagelO corps. staying motivated and getting - - Still, the season may once some breaks. American free safety J.X Thatcher again boil down to a five-week Stoops said the Sooners, are also at the top of the springpri- stretch from late September to which are predicted by some ority list The Sooners graduated late October that indudes games experts to be in the preseason top three offensive linemen as wdL with Texas, Kansas State and a trip five, should have no problem Though Stoops is quick to ' to Nebraska. All three are expected remaining hungry following the mention issues that need to be to be top* 15 trams. school’s first national champi solved this spring, the truth The Sooners swept those three onship since 1985. remains that OU’s foundation is in games a year ago, rising from 12th . “The motivation of repeating' place for yet another run at a tide. to the top of the polls in the a Big 12 Conference champi The Sooners return 14 Starters process. onship and a national champi from last year's team, including Whether the "Boomer onship should be motivation by All-American linebacker Rocky Sooner" fight song will be roaring itself, and I think our players see Calmus and the entire receiving proudly this foil may depend on that," Stoops said. Last Minute Show! Tonight, 5:30-8:30 pm The Young Blood Brass Band I j^22J(jLil25Ji2iEtfiEHE2EliE^3H2i23EJLJ2MEi2l2LJL12R BEER 22nd & “0”st | J LIQUOR _ 477-7516 J | Li'qour ^Mon-Sat 8am-1am ! Prices good thru 04-4-01 Sundays noon-1am | | Busch Bud | ! Reg. or Light mg* Reg. or Light $A aa § Warm case cans^ I Ob 49 warm18pkcans ^9 .99 B 1 ; Old Milwaukee Icehouse i I Rea °rLight $Q QQ & Red Dog $ CQ § Warm30pkcans U.JJ Warm 18pkcans f.Oa R I Scotch Extra | y5L 1.75L 16.99 $13. j ■rick Jose Cuervo | (Tequila) 9 $ 13.9 9 | “But that is not really an excuse. We’re going to have to push our selves to get better pass rushes and to be quicker off the edges.” Although NU will miss gradu ated defensive line starters Kyle Vanden Bosch and Loran Kaiser, the Huskers feel they have the ammunition to reload. “Any program is going to miss a couple guys like that," Kelsay said. “We need to fill some gaps and hopefully take their place as best as we can." Kelsay and junior-to-be Demoine Adams are penciled in as the starting rush ends. Adams is expected to man die right ode while Kelsay will patrol the left Adams participated in every game last season, starting four. Adams amassed 12 tackles, one for which was for a loss, one pass breakup and five quarterback hurries. like Adams, Kelsay played in every game. However, Kelsay started seven games, making 29 tackles and nine quarterback hurries. ■ Seniors-to-be Jeremy Slechta and Jason Lohr are slated to anchor the middle of die defen sive tine. Slechta, who is expected to replace Kaiser at defensive tackle, also played in every game, start ing in four. Through the 2000 sea son, Slechta recorded 25 tackles. Lohr; the only defensive line man to start every game last sea son, will once again be the top nose tackle. Lohr finished with 46 tackles along with two quarter back sacks. “We feel we will have more depth if we stay healthy/ Defensive Line Coach Jeff Jamrog said. “That was the biggest thing that killed us last year. Not one guy went through die whole sea son healthy.” The defensive line has seen relatively few injuries this spring. Sophomore-to-be nose tackle Ryon Bingham has had a foot injury while Lohr is taking some time off to be with his wife and newborn baby “Ryon Bingham is going through some drills, but he hasn’t scrimmaged/ Jamrog said. “When we get Ryon back full - speed and Jason out there, we will have a good crew to work with." Join the Husker Football Recruiters Students, help the Husker Football team and coaches recruit student-athletes. Call Ten at 472-5963 by April 11th for details and to set up an interview. www.dailyneb.com I _ I_— —» IT = It's a simple calculation: TIAA-CREF’s low expenses mean more money working for you. The equation is easy. Lower expenses in managing a fund can equal better performance. How much? Just take a look at the chart Then call us. ’ We'll send you a free, easy-to-use expense calculator so you can see for yourself that no matter what your investment you'll benefit from low expenses. 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