wmil- imj.iim.i.h iw.iin I , iiuuinjicmwfc . ipiiw mm HI.III1. a mi -- , ,
I " " o JJS , J'i.-- 'W--r .-C
- - 0 J
i , i r
r. .;::xxm 43 K -
iWifNxr? fi,-.-.-.
Power -I starts race for No. 1
by Jim Johnston
VLiior a.vomplihmont. like
ihc sik'i'Css tit' j font ball team,
result from seemingly
insignificant suggestions. A
coach gets an idea, he tells the
other coaches, the pros and
cons are discussed and finally
the idea develops into reality.
Fven in the world of major
college football, where
operations appear to run like
clockwork, ihe actual planning
ft
meetings are nothing more
than informal "give-and-lake"
sessions between coaches.
It was in the spring of bS
that the Nebraska football
coaching staff first discussed
and evpenmented with the
Power-1 offense.
"It was start ing to become a
popular formation."
remembers Nebraska back fie Id
coach Mike Corgan. "Other
teams like Oklahoma. Missouri
n
i
and Alabama were using
different variations of the I
formation and having success
with it. We talked about it and
decided to experiment wjih it
during spring practice."
So during the lfcS season
ihe C'ornhuskers worked the
l'ower-1 into their offense. The
pro set. a passing formation,
remained as the basic offense
and the lluskers suffered
another 6-4 season and a fifth
place finish in 1 he Big tight .
"We con id move the ball
from one 20-yard-line lo the
oilier, but ue had a haid time
scoring." said Corgan. "The
closer you gel to the goal line
1 he more squashed your
operating room gets and you
have to run more."
But a good running atlack
was something Nebraska
lacked .
"Hell, we didn't have
enough running power to
move the ball 20 yards after
our passing put us in scoring
position." continued 'organ.
"We just had to find a way lo
score.'"
So during the spring of
J4h) it was deckled Jo use the
power 1 as the basic offense
during the next season.
"Our personnel ha3
something to do with our
decision lo use the Power-J."
said Vrgan. "You need a good
runner and a quarterback who
can lake and hand off well."
Coming up from Ihe
freshmen team were two
talented -quarterback Van
Brownson and Jerry Tagge.
Veteran running back Joe
Old una was the scheduled
starter at J-hack. Jhc player
that carries the football the
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
sports special
Nebraska
vs.
Texas ASM
pi ouf and save
for the game
most .
But Ord una injured his knee
during tali camp jnd required
knee surgery which foived him
to sit out ihe 1 season.
That's when a sophomore from
McCook - Jeff Kinney- entered
the picture.
Kinney, a high school
quarterback, was listed as a
wide receiver for the Huskers
in 1 6 . But following
Orduna's injury. Kinney was
shifted to l-back shortly before
Nebraska opened the season
against mighty Souihern
California.
Nebraska's late rally fell
short and the Huskers lost the
opener against I 'SC. but it was
obvious to the Nebraska
coaching stall thai Kinney
would become one of t he most
punishing runners in
Cornhusker hisiory. Nebraska's
first victory using the I
format km was against Texas A
A: M. Saturday's opponent at
Memorial Stadium. The
Huskers stopped the Aggies
14-0 in the game.
Kinney then raced lo Big
l ight sophomore back of the
year honors and Tagge and
Brownson quarterbacked the
way lo a t k lor l he conference
with Missouri. Nebraska fans
don't need reminding about
the following season, the year
Kinney and Ord una shared the
l-back position and Ihe
Huskers won the national
championship.
Now again in 171. ihe
Huskers are rated No. 1. That's
where the 1 formal km has
taken Nebraska fool ball. Since
starting the formation in 1969.
Nebraska has recorded a 22-2-1
record .
II
W hy has Nebraska had such
success with the I formation?
W h haven't powerful
defensive teams, like Louisiana
State, been able to stop the
formal ion?
"lt"s tough to say why
we've had so much success
with the formation." said
Corgan. "We don't surprise
anybody with our plays and
it's nol difficult lo scout."
the thing, perhaps, that has
made the formation work for
Nebraska is great individual
efforts. The I offense pits one
individual against another...
one. Jackie against another
tackle, the center against the
middle guard and a runner
against a defender.
It's a blood and guts
offense. There's nothing fancy
about it. The I -back is the main
runner, the fullback serves
mainly as a lead blocker and
the quarterback has an ojMkn
to pitch or keep the ball.
"We always used to have
three backs and run a straight
T" formation at Wyoming." said
Corgan. "but it was difficult lo
find enough lalented backs to
enable us to be very deep. With
the 1 formation we look for a
fullback lhat can first of all
block and second of all run. We
look for an l-back that can first
of all run and catch passes and
second of all block. Players are
more specialized and this is
what makes it so effective."
Corgan says lhat the
quarterback doesn't have to be
a good runner to operate the I
formation.
"The I formation isn't
predicated on a running
Turn to page 6.
FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 24, 1971
PAGE 5