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Offensive lineman-unsung hero
by Dave McBride
Each year, among the
glittering and flashy array of
running backs and
quarterbacks and ends, the
offensive lineman in college
football is relegated to the role
of unsung hero.
But each year, these
stalwarts, many of whom have
never crossed a goal line with
the football, play a vital part in
the success of every team, and
through their efforts, each year
some gain the same recognition
among the experts as the backs
and ends that every fan looks
at.
Nebraska left guard Dick
Rupert is one such person."
Tabbed during pre-season as an
All-American candidate Rupert
is the backbone of the 1971
Cornhusker offensive line.
"AS YOU PLAY line, your
thrills aren't things like making
touchdowns," the 6-2, 221
pound senior said. "That's not
where your sense of
accomplishment is. Your glory,
so to speak, is when a back
compliments you on your
block, or when he comes back
and says 'nice block' or 'thanks
for the block.'
"You don't look at your job
as being making touchdowns,"
he said. "It's just something
you kind of dream about. I've
never scored a point, and I
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must have played in around 50
games now."
Rupert has played offensive
line for his entire football
career, starting with the junior
varsity squad in high school
when he played center.
The physical education
major hails from Los Angeles,
and enjoyed an outstanding
high school career at
Westchester High, where he
won All-Los Angeles, most
valuable player, and
All-Western League honors.
HE STARTED college at
Harbor Junior College in Los
Angeles before transferring to
Nebraska.
"I kind of wanted to get
away from Los Angeles," he
said, explaining his choice of
Nebraska. "I liked the coaches
and I wanted to play big-time
football, and this is about as
big-time as you can get."
Rupert was quoted after the
Oregon game last Saturday as
saying, "Our line just likes to
block for our backs," and feels
that there is a great deal of
pride among the offensive
linemen in a job well done.
"The offensive line is
basically a unit-it has to work
that way," he said. "There are
four other guys on the
offensive line and no play will
work well unless all five block
well."
"EVERYONE TRIES to
help each other," he explained.
"When someone misses a
block, you try to help him not
get down on himself. The
offensive line is probably one
of the closest knit units on the
team."
Rupert pointed to the
importance of teamwork
among the members of the
offensive line as being a key to
their success.
"You find out who's going
to be playing next to you in
spring ball," he said, "then you
start to work with them and
get to know tneir moves.
He described the units
interaction as a process ot
mentally competing with
each other," and trying to
figure out what each member
will be thinking at any given
moment in order to know how
to react.
"OVERALL, we're
probably a better offensive line
than last year, but not bigger,"
Rupert said, noting the losses
of All-American Bob Newton,
Donnie McGhee, and Wally
Winter.
"We had Bob Newton last
year, which is quite an asset to
an offensive line," Rupert said.
"Generally I think we're
maybe a little stronger and
quicker than last year,
though."
Does the pressure of being
watched as an All-American
possibility bother him?
"It doesn't really affect
me," Rupert said. "I like the
game for what the game is. I
don't play it to be an
All-American, I play it because
I like football."
"As far as pressure, there's
always been a lot ofpressure,
because at any time, if you
miss your block, it can ruin the
play," he continued.
"Everytime I get on the
field, I like to play as hard as I
can. I play the game because I
like it, and for me, that means
playing as hard as I can all the
time."
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Rupert.. .heads Husker offensive line
Full Big Eight schedule slated
Oklahoma and Iowa State,
the only Big Eight football
teams without a 1971 game
under their belts, join their
brethren this weekend in a full
eight-game conference
program.
The speedy Sooners hope to
steal back some of the
attention focused on Nebraska
and Colorado last week with an
impressive home debut against
Southern Methodist. The
invading Mustangs will throw
something called a Flying
Wishbone offense at the
suspect OU defenders, but
Oklahoma's plain old Overland
Wishbone attack should be
more than enough to
compensate. Look for the
Fearsome Foursome to
run wild.
Iowa State should have an
even easier time with visiting
Idaho (after all, the Vandals
got whomped last week by
Boise State, and that ain't
good). Nevertheless, Coach
Johnny Majors' offense will be
hurting without super-soph
halfback Jerry Moses, whose
broken toe will keep him out
of all non-conference action.
Kansas State and Missouri
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will try to crank up sluggish
offenses on trips to lulsa and
the Air Force Academy,
respectively. Rookie Tiger
Coach Al Onofrio tried four
quarterbacks to no avail last
Saturday in Mizzou's 19-0 loss
to Stanford, at Columbia.
He'll go with senior Chuck
Roper in the mountains this
time, which is to say that
Roper caused the least grief
last time.
This is Air Force's opener.
It should be a defensive
contest, since all the Falcons
have left off last year's
offensive powerhouse is
bulldozing running back Brian
Bream. Fans viewing the
regionally-televised game
shouldn't expect too thrilling a
show.
On the other hand, flashy
aerial fireworks could develop
in the K-State-Tulsa game.
'Cats' Coach Vince Gibson says
the Hurricanes "will come out
throwing ." Gibson wants the
Wildcats to run more this year,
since Dennis Morrison is not
the passer Lynn Dickey was.
K-State should handle Tulsa
with its defense and
experience, but it won't be a
rout.
Arkansas should bring
Oklahoma State back down to
earth in Little Rock Saturday
night. The Cowboys, 26-7
victors over Mississippi State,
are starting to compare their
quarterback combination of
Tony Pounds and Brent
Blackman with a certain pair
from Nebraska. But
the Razorbacks' solitary
signal-caller, . Slinging' Joe
Ferguson, will overshadow
everyone.
For the rest of the league, it
could be track meet time.
Colorado figures to trample
Wyoming in Boulder, and
Baylor shouldn't be too taxing
for defensively-renewed Kansas
at Lawrence.
tffiM When you're out of Schlitz. vou're out of he
Calvert-Beyer Dist. Co. 800 S. Street Lincoln, Nebraska
PAGE 6
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 17. 1971