daily nebrasksn
thursday, epril 14, 1977
ox ouarverooe
By Kevin Schnepf
The quarterback race is on for the 1977 Husker foot
ball squad. '
With the graduation of All-American Vince Ferragamo,
the quarterback position is open to six candidates, accord
ing to head football coach Tom Osborne.
"Right now, we have the people that can play,'1
Osborne said, "but the number one, two , three and even
four spots have not been determined."
After last Saturday's scrimmage, senior signal caller
Randy Garcia was listed as the number one quarterback
followed by junior Tom Sorley and senior Ed Burns both
in the number two spot.
"The order they re listed in doesn't mean that much
right now," Osborne said. "The practices have been ade
quate so far but we haven't had anybody declaring them
selves as number one."
Osborne also said sophomore Tim Hagcr cannot be
counted out of the picture as well as sophomores Jeff
Quinn and Brad Humphrey.
Scrimmage
Garcia, Burns and Sorley were equal in the scrimmages,
ks vying for F
Qrraaomb s thr
Osborne said, adding that their passing was affected by
poor pass protection and strong winds.
"Randy has a fine arm in terms of just throwing the
ball and has good leadership," Osborne said. "Sorley is
the better runner of the three, whereas Garcia and Burns
are better throwers."
Osborne said the quarterbacks feel no pressure about
replacing Ferragamo, and Garcia agrees.
"I really don't feel any pressure," Garcia said about
replacing Ferragamo. "Well have a good overall team,
smaller but quicker.
'The running backs will have a much better year not
depending on the pass so much as last year," he said.
Garcia, who will be a senior next fall, has played
behind Terry Luck and Ferragamo the past three years.
He said the experience will help both himself and Burns.
"Ed Burns and I have been here the longest," he said.
"We can relax more because we know the system. Guys
like Sorley and Hager who have their confidence already
make things that much harder."
Garcia said throwing the ball is one of his strong
points, but said hell run if he has to.
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Photo by Kevin Hig'ay
Starting pitcher Jerry Yingling (23) lasted only until the third inning and it was up to freshman Gary
Nolting to pace UNL to a 6-5 win over Wsyne State College, Wednesday at the UNL diamond. Nolting
picked up his first win as a Husker. UNL will open its Big 8 season Friday in a doubleheader against the
University of Missouri in Columbia. 4
Allen wins coach-of-the-year award
as gymnastics team ties loose ends
By Rob Barney
Gymnastics coach Francis Allen said being named one
of four regional coaches of the year by the National
Association of Gymnastics coaches last week lias to be
one of my biggest honors."
"I'm too young to have accomplished much of a list,"
he said. "Of course I'm pleased. To be cited by your
fellow coaches is a great honor."
Allen is keeping busy even though the regular
gymnastics season is finished. He said some of the team
members are practicing at the Sports Complex.
He said there still are some meets left. Larry Gerard
and Kurt Mackie qualified for the United States
Gymnastics Federation (USGF) meet in Baton Rouge,
La., May 5. And the AAU National Meet is June 3
through 5 in Rogers, Ark. Allen said some of the gymnasts
might go to the meet. v
UNL had four individuals compete at the NCAA
championships in Tempe, Ariz., April 2. They were
Gerard fourth on the Horizontal bars, Mackie fifth on the
stOl rings, Duane West seventh in the floor exercise and
Mike Cosgrove 13th on the pommel horse.
AS-Amcdcsa
With their performances, Mackie and Gerard earned
All-Arnerican status. Mackie 's brother. Gene, was an AU
American performer for UNL in 1975.
1 thoyght we did reasonably well at r.ziion-Is," Allen
said. T thought West had a perfect routine on the floor
cxz rci'js tzi h 5 gzt ripped cf f ."
The head judge gave hsa a 9.6 and the ether judges
grve hira a 93, 93 and a 9 JO," he said, lie won the Mid
west Livitstiorial with a 9.5. and he 'a certainly not a 9.0
performer."
AHzn also was dir,poi."ted his entire team could not
make the trip tq Arizona.
"That's the ultimate goal, to make nationals," Allen
said. "It was the highlight of my career the last two years
to take a team to nationals. And I'm sure it was a big
highlight for the team members." '
Recruiting
The scavenger hunt for top gymnastics recruits also is
keeping Allen busy, he said.
"I'm going to take a look at an all-arounder and ring
man in Illinois a week from Thursday, but we've pretty
much decided on who we want," he said.
"I have two full scholarships open and I'm giving out
one-and one-half of them. I have to save something for
next year for (Jim) Hartung. He's the best gymnast in the
country."
Hartung, a junior, hails from Omaha South High
SchooL
Along with the two from Illinois, Allen said he hopes
to recruit a junior college performer from Texas and an
all-around cr from Illinois. Alien said he is trying to get an
Omaha gymnast to walk-on.
"We've had to turn down three other super gymnasts
because we just don't have the money, Allen tiki.
That's unfortunate because the more people you have
the better the competition you have and the better team
you have."
Allen uii he thinks next year's tzzm will score
comparably with this year', even though junior Gerard
mfht be redshirUd.
"It looks like well do it," Allen said, "but there are
things to consider like his schooling, health and attitude."
"Larry's attitude is good and he wants to do it. Ill just
have to sit down and evaluate the situation and make a
dec&on. Well have a good team without Larry."
"In high school (in Los Angeles, Calif.), I didn't run at
all unless it was scrambling," Garcia said. "I'm becoming
more familiar with the option so I'll run the ball if 1
have to."
Garcia did not gain any yardage in last Saturday's
scrimmage compared to Sorley 's six carries for 13 yards.
Garcia completed only two of eight passes for 23
yards, and Sorley completed eight of 1 6 for 94 yards with
one interception. Burns completed five of 1 1 passes for
52 yards.
"The wind influenced the passing game a lot," Garcia
said, "but you can't blame it all on the wind. When it
calms down, the passing will be improved."
Garcia said the first scrimmage went well and said
Saturday's scrimmage didn't go that well.
'The whole offense didn't do that well," he said.
"I think it'll get better but I wish we were more consis
tent." Sorley, a junior from Big Springs, Tex., agreed with
Garcia about the scrimmages.
"The first two scrimmages were nothing terrible and
nothing good," he said. "Saturday's scrimmage was not
real good."
Sorley said he can throw the ball and run when he has
to.
Confidence ",
"I feel the best thing 1 got are the other guys on the
team," he said. "I got the confidence to do any job, if
I need to run, 111 run. If I need to throw, 111 throw."
Sorley, who may bring back memories of Dave Humm
by throwing left-handed, said the competition for the
quarterback position is stiff.
"Wg have about six guys who think they 11 all be start
ing," he said. "I'm using my God-given talent and doing
my darndest to start."
Both Sorley and Garcia said the outlook for next sea
son is good.
"We don't have any superstars," Sorley said, "but we
do have guys wholl pull together to win."
Garcia said the new coaches and the defense have done
a good job.
. 'The guys have picked up the new system well," he
said referring to first-year defensive co,ach Lance Van
Zandt's attack defense. "Both the offensive and defensive
lines are smaller but are quicker," Garcia said.
"A lot of feelings have been expressed about a poor
team next year," Garcia said, "but I think we' 11 surprise
a lot of people."
UNL women tracksters
trying for more records
By Rob Barney
The UNL women's track team will try to continue its
record setting ways Friday at the Oklahoma State Invi
tational in Stillwater.
"We broke every existing school record during the
indoor season and so far we've broken two or three out
door records," said Husker coach Carol Frost.
Record-breaking performances have earned four team
members a trip to the Association of Intercollegiate Ath
letics for Women national meet next month. They are
Toni Midder in the 100-yard dash, Pam Baker in both the
100-yard dash and the 100-yard hurdles, Cindy Dixon
in the 880-yard run and Deb Raddatz in the shot-put.
"We're hoping to quality more girls as the season
goes on," Frost said . 'The season is still young."
Friday's meet will include teams from Oklahoma and
Texas besides UNL, Frost said.
'The Kansas schools might be there, but I don't
know," she added.
"The Oklahoma schools, The University of Okla
homa and Oklahoma State University aren't very far
along with their programs. Oklahoma didn't even show
up at the Big 8 meet and Oklahoma State sent just a
few girls.
"We're farther along than they are. But the Texas
schools are noted for their track programs."
Besides the four women who qualified for the national
meet, other team members have performed well, Frost
said.
Freshman Karen Frazee broke the UNL outdoor record
in the long jump with a 17 ft. 10 in. jump in the Red
Grovert Relays at Fairbury April 2.
Other winners in the meet were Midder in the 100
yard dash, Baker in the 100-meter hurdles, Cindy Vkkers
in the 880-yard run 'and Pam Koontz in the discus.
The mile relay team and 880 medley relay team also
won.
One performer who won't be running any .events this
season is freshman Sondra Obermeier.
Th 1976 Nebraska High School Girl Athlete of the
Year from Aurora will be redshirted. Frost said.
Obermeier has been out much of the season with pullec
thigh muscles and is just now getting back into top form,
Frost said.
"We could use her if we wanted to," Frost said, "but
there are only five or six meets left. I think it would be
to her benefit and the team's benefit that we red shirt
her.
"It just wouldn't be fair for her to have to try to qua
lify for nationals in just the meets kft I ha talked to
her and her parents and they agree."
The women's team still his two or three scholarships
to offer. Frost said.
3 feel we potential have the test girls in the state
of Nebraska. But there are always some dark-horu-s.
vie re just going to wait and.see what rpeni in the st:ie
ana the surrounding area during the season."