For Jerry List, it means 'going out in style'
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Doug Dumler
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Joe Blahak
by Stve Kad&l
There'll be quite a few college seniors playing the last
regular season football game of their career this week, but
none of them can make the same claim as five University of
Nebraska seniors - that they started on a team in contention
for a third straight national championship.
Joe Blahak, cornerback; Doug Dumler; center; Willie
Harper, defensive end; Jerry List, tightend; and flanker Johnny
Rodgers can make that statement, at least until after, the bowl
games on New Year's day. And although this Thursday's game
with Oklahoma hasn't been billed as another Game of the
Century, those Nebraska seniors aren't exactly going into it
with a ho-hum attitude.
For some, the outcome will determine whether their years
at Nebraska will be remembered as successful or frustrating.
"The last three years are hinging on this one game with
Oklahoma," List said. 'The last two years have been truly
amazing and great, but you can't live in the past. Nothing
would mean . more to me now than to leave this town in
victory and be remembered not only the two national
championships, but for having gone out in style too."
Victories against Oklahoma and then Notre Dame in the
Orange Bowl would, for Blahak, cap three unbelievably
successful years.
Looking back
"Looking back on the years of playing varsity football at
Nebraska, I'm just thankful that I actually got a chance to play
here," he said. "At first I didn't think I'd get to. I thought I
wasn't big enough and it was shocking to find out that I could
play on this level."
Although the national championship probably is out of
reach for Nebraska this year, the Big Eight title is something
no one is taking for granted.
"Playing for the national championship was in the back of
our mind after the UCLA game," Dumler said. "The thought
was sort of far fetched after that first loss, so since then our
prime objective has been to win the Big Eight and that's on the
line Thursday."
"To us the Big Eight is as important as the national
championship," Blahak added. "The Big Eight is one of the
toughest conferences around, if not the toughest, and we've
always had a rivalry with Oklahoma."
No letdown
There was no mental letdown after the UCLA game,
according to Dumler.
"In fact, I think we've worked harder since losing the first
one to prove that we aren't washed up like some people
think," he said.
"Nobody likes to lose, but in a way I think the loss to
UCLA was good for us," Blahak said. "It took the pressure
off. This team has too much character to let that one loss put
us down for the rest of the season.
"Despite our record this year I think this is the best team of
the three I've played on," he said. "The competition we've had
this year has been tougher because the entire conference is
improved."
List agreed.
"Personnel-wise I certainly think this year's team is the
best of the three I've played on," he said.
Inexperience
Inexperience at key positions is the only thing that has
bothered the team this year, according to List. He also feels
the Big Eight is stronger this season.
Most of the players expect a close, low scoring game with
Oklahoma.
Blahak, who holds beating Oklahoma last season as a thrill
equal to the two national championships, said: "I expect the
game to be just as tight as it was last year, although not as high
scoring. I think our defense Is better this yssr than last."
"Their defense is better than last year - they're more
aggressive," List said. "We'll have to play near perfect football
to beat them."
As for the Orange Bowl, Dumler has special reason for
looking forward to it.
Notre Dame
"I've always wanted to play Notre Dame because I'm from
Chicago and everybody back there loves them," he said. "All
the Chicago papers write about is Notre Dame and Ohio State,
and half the people think Notre Dame's number one no matter
what their record is. I'll go home In the summer and they'll ask
me how our season was and I'll tell them 13 and 0.
"I had a chance to meet John Dampeer of Notre Dame last
summer during a NCAA-sponsored tour of Vietnam," Dumler
said "We spoke then about the possibility of meeting in a
bowl game, so I'm looking forward to seeing him."
But nobody's going to be thinking about anyone except
Oklahoma this week. The Big Eight title - even if not the
number one ranking again hangs in the balance, and
somehow it seems that Nebraska-Oklahoma games have a way
of meaning just a little more than another win or loss.
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