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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1976)
daily ncbraskan Wednesday, September 1, 1976 P3g3 18 s By Jim Hunt Who is the number one college football team? The majority of college football polls pick the UNL Comhuskers to be the top team in 1976. The Associated Press (AP), United Press International (UPI), Football News and Playboy magazine have predict ed the Huskers will be the best college, football team this year. In the AP poll of 59 writers arid broadcasters, the Huskers, who finished 10-2 last season, were given 25 first-place votes. The Huskers received a total of 961 points, 43 points more than second-place Michigan, who finished with 918 points and 10 first place votes. Eleven fcst-plsce votes The UPI Board of Coaches gave the Huskers 11 first place votes and 223 total points. The Huskers had a 35 point lead over second place Michigan, who finished with 188 points and four first-place votes. In Playboy's Pigin Preview, writer Anson Mount also picked the Huskers to finish as the top team in the nation, iploc sports quiz Cob Devsney 1 tdLfi At A EVtK rVaimnatf tiiiwAfna coach at UNL? 2. Where did Devaney go to college? 3. What school was Devaney head football coach at before 4. How many years has Devaney been athletic director at UNL? 5. True or false: Devaney played fullback in college. 6. UNL won (a) 5, (b) 6, (c) 7, (d) 8, Big 8 Conference championships under Devaney? 7. Name the four teams Devsnfy has a losing record 8. What three years did the Devaney-coached Huskers go undefeated in regular season play? 9. True or false: Devaney collected an .806 career winning percentage. 10. How many AO-Americans did Devaney-produce in his 11 years at UNL? Answers ZZ'OI ami '6 . U6IFaB06rS96r8 rasqinog pus cuioirspiQ ureqsry W 'L 8(P)9 pua paXqd XauuAaQ ssnj j 5 jopairp orjspjie sb xesX ipuru siq 2utijej P 2utuioAa 66I '023303 rairy -3 r?6l l finish fw predicting an 11-1 record for the Huskers. Anson picked Southern California to finish second with a record of 10-1 and Michigan to finish third with an identical 10-1. record. The Huskers have a "deep and mature offensive line anchored by Playboy All-American Bob Lingenfelter and a defensive unit that would be the envy of some pro teams,'' Mount said. Football News also has rated the Huskers the top col lege team for 1976. In three other polls concentrating on predicting the fin ish in the Big 8 Conference, the Huskers were picked to win the Big 8 for the second straight year (last season the Huskers finished in a tie with Oklahoma). In a poll sponsored by Big 8 Magazine, 23 area sports writers gave the Huskers a total of 174 points to 166 for the Oklahoma Sooners. The magazine also conducted a poll of the conference coaches. In that poll, the Huskers received six and a half first-place votes of a possible seven. Iers receive 949 points The Big 8 Service Bureau in Kansas City conducted a poll of national sportswriters and announcers. The Husk-, ers received 949 total points and 72 and a half first-place, votes of apossible 128. J The Sooners again were second with 4s and a half first-place votes and 915 total points. The poll has been correct in picking the champion 20 out of 30 times since it began in 1946. Com s "it s not unusual lor one team to dominate the polls," said Don Bryant,, UNL sports information director. Bry ant, who has been sports information director at UNL for the last 14 years, said that the Huskers were the consensus preseason selection in 1965 and 1971 and the choice of a few people in 1972. "It isn't a surprising selection when you consider the Huskers went 10-2 last year and 10-1 during the regular season," he said. "The whole thing is based on potential and we have a lot of skilled people returning." Playboy recognizes liters Playboy also named offensive tackle Bob Lingenfelter and defensive tackle Mike Fultz as All-Americans and head coach Tom Osborne as Coach of the Year. Lingenfelter, a 6 ft. 7 in. and 277 lbs. senior, has been a two-year letterman for the Huskers. lingenfelter has . logged 465 minutes of playing time as a Husker. Fultz, a 6 ft 5 in. and 275 lbs. senior, will be entering his third year as a starter for the Huskers. Fultz already has made 62 unassisted tackles and 52 assists for 1 14 total tackles in his college career. In Playboy, Mount called Fultz and teammate Ron Pruitt the best defensive tackle tandem in the country. Osborne will be entering his fourth year as the Husker head football coach. Osborne has a record of 28 victories, seven losses and one tie for a .791 winning percentage as a head csoch. Osborne also has taken the Huskers to a bowl game every year, winning twice and losing once. Key personnel get thumbs-up signal hut Huskers still plagued by injuries - Much of the anxiety over injuries to key Nebraska football personnel was relieved Monday as Nebraska trainer Paul Schneider gave the okay sign to those injured players. , But the injury jinx continued as senior I-Back Dave Gillespie re injured a hamstring muscle working with the first team offense in Monday's practice. Also, it was an nounced that sophomore defensive end George Andrews had broken bones in his left hand. Andrews is fitted with a cast and should be ready for the Husker's opener Sept. 1 1 against Louisiana State Uni versity, Schneider said. , Schneider reported that the extent of quarterback Vince Ferragamo's injury wasn't as serious as previously thought. Fu3 speed Wednesday "We hope to have him going full speed by Wednesday," he said. "He had a slight groin pull that swelled up a little, but it's improved 100 per cent since Saturday night." The jinxed I-Back spot also was looking better prior to the injury to Gillespie. The protective cast on junior Monte Anthony's wrist is scheduled to come off some time later this week. Schneider said he expects Anthony will be running at full speed at Saturday's scrimmage. Junior I-Back Dale Zabrocki also was running in pads Monday. Zabrocki sustained rib injuries in Saturday's hard-hitting scrimmage at Seacrest Field. Gillespie was not expected to dress in pads until Wed nesday but was practicing in full gear when the injury occurred on Monday. MZ'ot mnzrses no prcsiem . Schneider . said there were over 40 treatments for bumps and bruises after the scrimmage at Seacrest but no major injuries occurred. Ankle injuries to interior offensive lineman Steve Horns, a senior, and Greg Jorgen son, a junior, were not serious either. Horns was running with the first unit Monday and Jorgenson is expected to be ready to practice again today. The first team offense went through Monday's work out against third team and scout squad defensive members, with Randy Garcia at quarterback. Sophomore Richard Berns and Anthony split time at I-Back while sophomore John Seiko played extensively with the first team at tight end. Thor Jacobs was one of the first freshman to practice with the top two units. Jacobs played fullback with the second team Monday.