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Devanev. . . savs farewell to Memorial Stadium.
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by Jim Johnston S4:,''v ; "
It's not as big as it was last year. Nebraska and
Oklahoma aren't untested or undefeated and rated
first and second in the nation going into this year's
Thanksgiving Day game. And even though it's Bob
Devaney's final- coaching appearance at Memorial
Stadium, the Cornhusker head coach isn't about to
call it the biggest game of his career.
But, then, perhaps it's unfair to compare it to last
year. How does one compare anything to what was
truly the "Game of the Century"? How does one
compare anything to a game which involved the
emotions of the entire nation and was witnessed by
an estimated 80 million people on coast to coast
television?
The 1972 Nebraska-Oklahoma game is a bit more
modest. Oklahoma has lost. Nebraska has one loss
. and a tie. The Sooners' record-shattering Wishbone
offense of 1971 is no longer looked upon with awe.
The Cornhuskers' "Black Shirt" defense, regarded as
the most bruising defense in history in 1971, has
shown weaknesses at times this year.
The magnitude which surrounded last year's
Thanksgiving Day game (which Nebraska won, 35-31)
has definitely been minimized. But there's an
. explanation for the less impressive statistics and lower
national rankings Nebraska (No. 5) and Oklahoma
(No. 4) bring into Thursday's nationally televised
game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.
Best conference
The Cornhuskers and Sooners are competing in the
best football conference in the nation-the Big Eight.
It's a conference which finished with teams rated
1-2-3 in the final national polls last year. It's a
conference which will be represented in five
post-season bowl games this year.
It's a conference where no team can afford a bad
week. It's a conference where even the fifth place
team can stray away for one week and defeat a
national power. Just ask Notre Dame.
Nebraska and Oklahoma have been victims of a
brotherly brawl. After Oklahoma had climbed to the
No. 2 spot in the national ratings, Colorado handed
the Sooners a 20-14 setback. Nebraska, after a 20-17
I season opening loss to UCLA, had fought its way
back to No. 2 before Iowa State dashed hopes of a
national championship with a 23-23 tie. So the
Nebraska-Oklahoma game of 1972 will not decide the
national champion. It was, perhaps, too much to ask
for both teams to go through the non-conference
schedule and first six Big Eight games undefeated or
untied two years straight.
Although an improbable combination of upsets
could change the picture, the winner of the
Nebraska-Oklahoma game will probably have to settle
for just the Big Eight championship.
But what's so small time about that?
Championship goals
"Our goal is to win the Big Eight championship,"
Devaney said at the beginning of the season. "Of
course, we hope we're contending for the national
championship, too. But we realize the odds against
winning the national championship three years in a
row. .The competition for No. 1 in the Big Eight is
just too great."
So although the interest will be more regional than
national this year, nobody In the Big Eight is
counting the Nebraska-Oklahoma game short. And
the Cornhusker players and coaches aren't buying
that philosophy that Oklahoma's wishbone offense
isn't as devastating as it was a year ago.
"It's difficult to lose a great option quarterback
like Jack Mildren and not miss him in your offense,"
Devaney said, "but this Oklahoma running game is
truly as good as it was last year. It's more difficult to
defense because they do more things and have a
better inside running game."
Oklahoma, no doubt, has missed Mildren this year.
Senior quarterback Dave Robertson is regarded as a
good passer, but he cannot operate the wishbone as
effectively as did Mildren. With Robertson as
quarterback, the Sooners have passed more than a
year ago.
Oklahoma coach Chuck Fairbanks doesn't hesitate
to substitute freshman Kerry Jackson at quarterback.
He is a more effective runner, lacking only In
experience.
The outside game
Nebraska has concentrated on taking away the
outside game from wishbone teams. That means
taking away the third option of the wishbone where
the quarterback pitches to the trailing halfback.
Nebraska successfully managed to take away the
outside game last year . . . allowing Heisman trophy
candidate Greg Pruitt only 53 yards.
Some teams have been successful in stopping
Pruitt and the outside game. But the Oklahoma
speedster has put together three straight 100-yard-plus
performances coming into Thursday's game.
Pruitt rushed for 135 yards in the first half against
Kansas last week before injuring an ankle and missing
the entire second half. Fairbanks still expressed
concern about the condition of Pruitt's ankle Tuesday
afternoon.
Joe Wylie, who nudged Nebraska's Johnny Rodgers
for sophomore of the year In the Big Eight two years
!ag0y4s the other halfback reatramClahQma.
.Wylie, however, has not carried the footbal as much
this season. His backup-freshman Joe Washington
has seen more action.
"With Washington in the lineup, it's like having
two Pruitts in the backfield ." Kiffin said.
"Washington is a teff ific broken field runner and gives
Oklahoma another great breakaway threat. He's also
one of the best blocking backs around."
Senior Leon Crosswhite, the big reason for
Oklahoma's improved inside running game, is at
fullback.
Passing defense
Nebraska's defense no longer looks upon wishbone
teams with awe. The Black Shirts see it as a challenge.
They were satisfied with their performance against
the rush last year. It was just the job against
Oklahoma's passing game that concerned Devaney.
The Sooners passed for two touchdowns and 188
yards.
The wishbone forces a defensive secondary to play
man-for-man. Husker all-American cornerback Joe
Blahak has switched to safety against wishbone teams
this year and the experiment has been successful.
Nebraska now feels it is better prepared to defense
against the pass.
Juniors Randy Borg and Zaven Yaralian, who has
started only against wishbone teams, will get the
starting assignments at cornerback,
One part of Oklahoma's game which has definitely
improved since last year is defense. The Sooners had
to outscore teams last year. The defense was giving up
about 21 points per game. But this year it's different.
Oklahoma's defense has allowed only four
touchdowns the entire season.
The Sooner defense has been especially tough
against the long gainer. And it's that type of play
which has been Nebraska's specialty this year.
The Huskers used "ground-it-out" thinking last
year. But this year, that David Humm to Johnny
Rodgers passing combination can strike from
anywhere.
While fans across the nation may still be buzzing
about last year's classic, there's no reason to think
this year's Nebraska-Oklahoma game is second rate.
There are three Heisman trophy candidates
performing-rPruitt, Rodgers and Husker middle guard
Rich Glover. There's the Big Eight championship at
stake. There's Bob Devaney's last home game. And,
even though the "experts" may scoff at such a
suggestion, the two teams which take the field at
Memorial Stadium Thursday may still be the best two
football teams in the country.
. 5
A'
daily nebraskan
page 3
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Wednesday, november 22, 1972