By Bob Barney
Back in the friendly surroundings of Memorial Stadium
and having the luxury of a 60 man squad, UNL will battle a
high-powered Colorado Buffalo team in a Big 8 showdown
this afternoon.
Spending last Saturday in less than friendly Stillwater,
Okla., with the 48 man travel squad imposed on them, the
fourth ranked Huskers used a last minute goaline stand to
hold off the stubborn Oklahoma State Cowboys, 28-20,
Nebraska felt the effects of the limited travel squad for
the first time, as defensive ends Bob Martin and Dave
Redding, wingbacks Curtis Craig and Tom Heiser, along
with quarterback Terry Luck all suffered injuries. Only
Redding will not be available for today's ballgame.
Poor defense
Not all the blame can be attributed to the 48 man limit
imposed by the NCAA, though. Except for the final stand,
the blackshirts turned in their poorest performance of the
season.
"The defense played well in the first half and on the goal
line stand at the end. In between, we did have some shabby
football," head coach Tom Osborne said Monday.
Osborne said some credit had to be given to the Cowboy
offensive line. "I saw Mike Fultz and John Lee knocked flat
on their backs a few times. And that was a first time this
year," he said.
Fultz and Lee along with the rest of the Husker front
line could have their hands full with the Colorado offensive
wall if size has anything to do with it.
Big front line
The Buff front line averages more than 6 ft. 5 in. tall and
weighs in at 265 lbs. They overpowered the Missouri
defense for four second half touchdowns as the 11 rated
Buffaloes came from behind to beat the then 10th rated
Tigers, 31-20.
Lee and Fultz along with defensive ends Ray Phillips and
Bob Martin will lead the Huskers defensive charge against
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I if' 5 i t. i : 11
Husker fullback Gcry Higgs (46) bulls for yardage against Oklahoma State during the Huskers 28-20
win Saturday.
iff.?dce line.back" Cletus Pillen led the team with 12 which ranks as one of the tops in the conference.
ckies last Natm-Hav TrJiv A U u .. n . . . . r. . vul"wk"w,
tackles last Saturday. Today Pillen will team up with Percy
Eichelberger, who replaces sophomore Jim Wightman on
the weakside.
The Nebraska secondary, headed by all-American
Wonder Monds, will face a potent Colorado passing attack,
Monds alona with cornerhar.ks Chuck Jnnt
Butterfield, and safety Jimmy Burrow turned in some im
pressive plays last Saturday on the decisive goal line stand.
Burrows and Butterfield also had pass Interceptions for the
Huskers. It was Butterfield'i second, tying him with
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backer Gfete PlUen reaches for fee stop. uul 83 1U5e"
reserve back; Kurt Stacy for the team lead with two.
Vince Ferragamo, coming off the bench, on the
eighteenth olav of the
turned in an impressive performance in leading the Husker
offense. Th junior ran for two touchdowns and passed for
two more.
Ferragamo'a performance earned him a spot on UPI's
backfield of the week. He completed 10 of 16 passes for
140 yards, while throwing touchdown passes to John
O'Leary and Brad Jenkins.
Monte Anthony paced the Husker ground game. The
Omaha sophomore rushed 19 times for 117 yards. The
team piled up 394 yards total offense.
Offense played well
"The offense played well throughout the game and we
were in great shape to put the game out of reach in the first
half," said Osborne. "It should have been 28-7 at the half.
We had 21 legitimate points and one touchdown taken
wayfromus."
Anthony's output put him atop the team's rushing
leaders. He has rushed for 374 yards for the year on 77
attempts. Fellow I-back John O'Leary is second picking up
259 yards on 73 carries. 8 H
Anthony will replace O'Leary today as the starting
Iack. Another change will be at wingback, where Tom
iiel& r will start in place of the hobbled Curtis Craig.
Bobby Thomas, with two receptions against OSU,
continues to lead the Big Red in pass receiving with 17. One
catch went for 42 yards on a long bomb from Ferragamo.
Opened up offense
Nebraska opened up its offense last Saturday, and fans
should see some of the same today. Besides the bomb to
Thomas, the Huskers lined up Craig in the I-back slot, who
was Impressive until he was hurt.
Bonness will head the offensive line against a Buffalo
defense that has been bent but never broken this year. They
shut out an explosive Missouri offense In the second half of
their game last week.
tef will team with tackles Bob Ungenfelter, and
Steve Hoins, and guards Greg Jorgenson and Dan Schmidt
i ir ... -r "3 KUMkcr oacMKid. ine line has
been instrumental in Nebraska's 400-yard average in total
offense per game this year.