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Saturday, September 10, 1977
New era in the Big 8?Huskerfansmayhopenot
By Pete Wegman
A new era may be dawning in Big 8 Conference foot
ball, ushering out the recent years when the Cornhuskers
and the Oklahoma Sooners battled for the conference
crown while the other six teams scrambled for the re
maining spots.
Because of scholarship cutbacks, upgraded programs at
several schools and other factors, any of the eight schools
could be in contention for the title.
Going into the last week of last season, five teams, in
cluding the Cornhuskers, held a share of the lead. When
the season ended three teams-the Sooners, the Colorado
Buffaloes and the Oklahoma State Cowboys-were on top
of the heap, unprecedented in conference history.
For Cornhusker fans, the trend toward a more
balanced conference is esDecial I v evident with the 1977
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOG
Husker team. On paper, the Big Red may have one of its
weakest teams since the late 1960s. At least that is
what sportswriters and coaches across the nation seem to
think. .
Only one major poll listed the Cornhuskers in its pre
season top 10, the United Press International which had
them 10th. Other polls were even less respectful of the
Husker tradition. Associated Press put the Huskers 15th;
Playboy, 16th; Football News, . 17th and Sports
Illustrated, 18th.
If one thing is certain about the 1977 Cornhuskers, it is
their uncertainty. Head Coach Tom Osborne, in his fifth
year as mentor, has said his Huskers could finish anywhere
from first to sixth in the Big 8.
Much of . the Huskers' success will be determined by
their ability to fill voids at quarerback, the defensive line
and the defensive backfield caused by graduation losses.
A week '. ago senior Randy Garcia and junior Tom
Sorley still were battling to replace graduated Ail
American Vince Ferragamo at quarterback. They com
pleted only eight of 25 passes between them last season
while playing sparingly. Osborne has decided to start
Garcia today against the Cougars, but he says Sorley will
play.
Complementing the quarterback, the Huskers have a
bevy of running backs returning. Starting at l-back is
junior Rick Berns, who broke Frank Solich's single-game
school rushing record when he romped for 21 1 yards
against Hawaii last year. Three-year starter Monte
Anthony and sophomore Isaiah (I.M.) Hipp will back up
BeYns.
At fullback is junior Dodie Donnell, who retained the
starting berth by edging junior Keith Steward and fresh
Continued on p.7
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