The long-distance runner
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Nebraska's Bob Unger . . . carries Huskers hopes.
by Steve Kadel
A cross country runner is a hard person to
figure out.
He runs year-round, often 100 miles per
week. He runs in snow, mud, rain and summer
heat. His dedication to this lonely and little
known sport is total-anything less and he's
finished as a competitor.
Cross country runners get used to being
ignored. There are no sell-outs or ticket scalpers
at cross country meets. Usually the only people
who come to the races are runners' friends and
relatives or curious spectators who want to get
a closer look at the kind of people who can run
through parks and golf courses, through forests
and over hills, for a lung-bursting four miles and
call the ordeal fun.
Saturday at 10 a.m. Nebraska hosts the Big
Eight Conference cross country meet at
Pioneers Park. The Huskers will be trying to
improve on last year's dismal seventh place
finish.
They won't win. The top spot is generally
conceded to Kansas State. But NU coach Frank
Sevigne thinks Nebraska could wind up as high
as second.
The Huskers have won four straight dual
meets after losing the season opener to Kansas
State in Manhattan. One of the victories was
against Missouri, last year's conference
champion.
Leading NU's squad is sophomore Bob
Unger, whose only defeat this year was to
K-State's Jerome Howe. He'd like to avenge
that loss, but is cautious in his outlook for this
weekend.
"I'll be trying to win Saturday," Unger said,
"but I have to be realistic about it. There are
some good runners in the Big Eight, maybe
some of the best in the country."
Unger began his athletic career in high
school, as an end for the Lincoln Southeast
football team.
"When I began I never thought I'd do much
in sports," he said. "I really tried, though. I
realized I wasn't getting anywhere in football
and one of the basketball players talked to me
and said I might make a good distance runner.
So I gave it a try."
He tried track for the first time during his
junior year, concentrating on the mile and
two-mile relay. As a senior he moved up to the
two-mile run and won the state meet. He never
ran cross country in high school.
After graduating from Southeast Unger
planned to enroll at Nebraska Wesley an
University, where he could participate in
football as well as track. But shortly before
September he received a scholarship offer from
Nebraska and decided to attend the Big Eight
school
In his first track season at Nebraska Unger
surprised everyone by running an 8:46 two-mile
at the United States Track and Field Federation
Meet in Houston, Tex. It was the first time a
Nebraska athlete had ever been under nine
minutes for two miles and would have been a
school record except the Astrodome's track is
larger than normal, and Unger's time was not
officially recognized.
Unger has become a success in a quiet way,
without adopting the philosophy that you must
hate your opponents to be a true competitor.
Nebraska's team is young, with no seniors on
the seven-man roster. Rounding out the NU
squad are Lynn Hall, Dan Speck, Jim Hawkins,
Dave Bosley, Mike Fertig and John Perez.
Kansas State, which last won the conference
cross country title in 1966, has the oldest team
in the Big Eight. Six of their top seven runners
are seniors.
The Wildcats were contenders last year, but
choked under pressure at Stillwater, Okla. This
Turn to page 8.
Buff
s regroup, aim for bowl bid
Now that the mysticism of
Colorado's football team has
worn off, the Buffs must get
back to the basics.
After early season wins over
nationally rated Louisiana
State and Ohio State there was
talk in Colorado about winning
a national championship.
Oklahoma and Nebraska put a
quick stop to that idea and
even put the Buffs out of
contention for the Big Eight
championship.
Now Colorado must regroup
and concentrate on finishing
the season with a 9-2 record
and receiving a bowl invitation.
And a 9-2 season would be a
boost to Colorado's football
program. Only one Colorado
football team in history (the
1961 Big Eight champions)
have won nine games.
BUT BEFORE THE Buffs
reach the nine-win plateau,
they must face Kansas at
Lawrence and then return
home against Oklahoma State
and Air Force. And injuries
continue to be the bieept
obstacle the Buffs must
overcome.
Defensive guard Bud
Magrum, the lone member of
Colorado's defensive line which
started the season and escaped
injury in the first seven games,
suffered a severe ankle injury
against Nebraska and will be
out of action against Kansas
Saturday. Defensive guard Carl
Taibi, however, is healthy and
should be back in the lineup.
Injuries are even hurting the
Buffs' offense.
SPLIT END Cliff Branch,
Colorado's 9.2 speedster, is
doubtful for Kansas after
suffering a strained ligament on
his right knee against the
Cornhuskers.
But, despite the injury list,
Colorado is still favored to
score their seventh win of the
season Saturday. Kansas has
lost three straight games and
stands 3-5 on the season.
Kansas' leaky defense has
given up 112 points in the last
three games and the offense
hasn't recovered since being
held to minus 42 yards rushing
against the Huskers.
OKLAHOMA TAKES its
"you can't stop us" Wishbone
T offense to Columbia, Mo.,
Saturday to meet the Tigers.
Missouri is the only winless
team in Big Eight Conference
play.
Oklahoma's speedy halfback
Joe Wylie re-iijured his ankle
against Iowa State last week
and is a doubtful starter. But
that's really not a big concern in
the Sooner camp. Wylie has
been left as "second best" this
season behind Greg Pruitt.
Prnitt continues to lead the
Big Eight in rushing with an
unbelievable' 181-yard average
per game. He's averaging 1 1
yards each carry.
Sooner quarterback Jack
Mildren has put another play
into Oklahoma's offense. It's
called the forward pass.
Mildren completed seven of 12
passes last week for 175 yards
and set a new school total
offense record of 323 yards as
he rushed for 148 yards in 23
carries.
IF MISSOURI reads enough
about the Sooners this week,
the Tigers might not even show
up for their homecoming game
Saturday.
Kansas State visits
Oklahoma State in what could
result in a scoreless tie. Both
teams feature stingy defenses.
Oklahoma State gets the
favorite role, mainly because
the game is being played at
Lewis Stadium in Stillwater,
Okla.
Kansas State, however,
scored its first conference win
of the season last week with a
28-12 win over Missouri The
Wildcat offense, behind
quarterback Dennis Morrison
and backfield performers Bill
Butler and Issac Jackson, had
one of its best games of the
season.
THE WILDCATS are back
to their wide open offensive
tricks and are definitely an
improved offensive team.
Oklahoma State is
also hopine for improvement on
offense. Senior Tony Pounds
and "Mr. Everything" Dick
Graham will share the
quarterbacking for the
Cowboys Saturday.
Oklhaoma State coach
Floyd Gass says his team will
have to throw the ball more
effectively if it hopes to find
running room against the
Wildcats.
w TV " ' imimim i ii i i giiiiiii"" Jr
Iowa State at Nebraska
Oklahoma at Missouri
Colorado at Kansas
Kansas State at Oklahoma State
I " JM V. ! I f 7TT-
lis fk'-fi' y j
Huskers defensive end Willie Harper . . . tough to get around.
When youte out of Schlitz, you're out of beer.
Calvert-Beyer Dist. CO. 8QO S. Street Lincoln. Nebraska
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