PS39 12
frlday, tcptcmber 7, 1970
Lindquist shares
cornerback spot
y
v
Photo by Tom Gessner
Sophomore defensive back Ric Lindquist makes a tackle in Thursday's practice
NU, OU picked to decide race again
The race is almost ready to start.
The Big Eight football teams are in the starting gate
and ready for four non-conference work-outs before
entering the feature race: the Big Eight race.
ron p
ovell
Before telling who to bet on, here's who not to bet on:
Kansas, Iowa State, Colorado, Oklahoma State and Kansas
State.
Although Kansas will be improved from last year's MO
fiasco, it may not appear on their record. The Jayhawks
open the season on the road against Pittsburgh and Michi
gan, and that's suicide. To make matters worse, the Jay
hawks open the Big Eight season on the road at Nebraska,
which won't help the Jayhawks' confidence any. It looks
like another cellar year for Kansas.
Iowa State and Colorado appear to be a year away be
fore challenging for the conference honors. Chuck Fair
banks' Colorado team plays Oklahoma, Missouri and Ne
braska the first three conference games, but they could be
a team to watch later in the season when the players adapt
to his system. After this year, Fairbanks' teams will not be
also-rans, they will be contenders.
Iowa State starts 20 underclassmen this year, with only
a few having playing time in '?8. So, the Cyclones will
take their licks early this year. But the Cyclones should be
an improved team by the end of the season and a possible
contender in 1980.
The two teams favored to head the "also rans" will be
Oklahoma State and Kansas State. If healthy, OSU could
be a force to be reckoned with. The Cowboys have the
best set of linebackers In the conference in John Corker
and Ricky Young to go with six capable offensive running
backs. If injuries should strike down Cowboy starters,
however, the team would suffer from a lack of depth and
probably finish near the bottom of the league.
K-State won its final two games of '78 and finished
fifth in the conference. With 18 starters back, the Wildcats
should be a competitive team against the best in the Big
Eight.
The offense should be on par with the top teams in the
conference, but the defense which gave up 48 points to
Nebraska and 56 points to both Oklahoma and Missouri i
year ago must be tougher if the Wildcats want to upset the
Tigers, Sooners or Huskers this year.
The win, place and show teams will be Nebraska, Mis
souri and Oklahoma, but not particularly in that order. A
dead heat between the Tigers, Huskers and Sooners is t
definite possibility, which would give Orange Bowl offi
cials a well-deserved headache.
This three-team race should be interesting to watch be
cause all three are considered in the running for national
honors and play.each other bte m the season.
Since aUJhree play each other to November, early sea
son problems m-O not be u important ts injuries, fen
,rroveraent and Ef Elit scheduling. Any pick before
liar. 1 cn who wis th. conference is pure speculation.
The schedule favors Missouri the most. They play both
Nebraska and Oklahoma at home. The injury factor, how
ever, will affect Missouri more than the Huskers or
Sooners. The Tigers' fortunes ride mainly on two players:
auarterback Phil Bradley and fullback James Wilder. With
hem, the Tigers could be in Miami Jan. 1. Without them
the Tigers could be another "also ran."
A weakness last year was the defense. Last year, Mis
souri gave up a total of 76 points in the Nebraska and Ok
lahoma games. If the Tigers give up 76 points again this
year, they might have to settle for third place . ,
Although the Sooners play Nebraska at home this year,
OU has to play Missouri the week before. This could hurt
the Sooners in injuries and preparation.
OU has some big question marks to answer before their
stretch run. The rebuilt offensive and defensive lines and
the new wishbone quarterback will have to be performing
near 78 standards by that time for the Sooners to win the
title. But knowing the Sooners, they will be.
The Huskers have to play both the Sooners and the
Tigers on enemy turf. While Columbia has treated NU to
victories the last two visits, Norman has been downright
hostile, so the schedule is a disadvantage for the Huskers.
The advantages the Huskers have over the Sooners and
Tigers are depth and quality at running back, receivers and
a defensive line unmatched anywhere in the country. Pre
season weaknesses at quarterback and offensive line
should solve themselves with game experience, and the
positions should be solid by November. It's going, to be
another solid Husker team that should finish high in the
nation's rankings again.
Despite this, if I had to bet now, my emotions would
be with "Husker Hipp," but my money would be on
"Sooner Sims" in a photo finish.
Dy Paul Huscher
1
Rick Lindauist may find himself sharing a No.
position on the Nebraska football depth charts-again.
After Thursday's workout, defensive coordinator
Lance Van Zandt said Lindquist was even at the left
cornerback spot with senior Paul Letcher, who has been
bothered by bruised ribs.
In Monday's depth chart, Lindquist, a sophomore
from Plattsmouth, was listed as sharing the top right
cornerback position with Andy Means. But Means is
clearly on top at that position.
"I don't think anyone will bump Means out of his
right comer position," Van Zandt said. "Russell Gary and
Mark LeRoy are set at safety and monster."
Still, Van Zandt praised Lindquist for his efforts so
far this fall.
"Ric is an excellent football player; he's got good
hands, he's tough, and he's got good football instinct,"
he said.
"HE WAS VALEDICTORIAN of his graduating class,
not only is he smart in books, he's smart in football," Van
Zandt said.
Although Van Zandt termed it a tossup between
Letcher and Lindquist he said, "I don't know who'll start,
but I'm glad we have them both."
' Lindquist, a 5-10, 175 pounder was a recruited walkon.
He said he was excited about sharing the top spot.
"I can play both sides, right and left comer, they're
very similar,'' said lindquist who .runs the. 40 yard dash
in 4.51 seconds. 'The coaches have been trying Andy
(Means) at safety because starting safety Russell Gary has
been injured and they want Andy to be familiar with that
position."
Nebraska's defensive backfield may be the deciding
factor in the Husker's first two games.
'The scouting reports say that both Utah State and
Iowa will probably throw a lot, he said.
BUT LINDQUIST SAID he's confident the Husker
defense will be able to shut down their passing game.
"Our secondary has shown good progress and with a
little more experience we should be pretty tough against
the pass this year," he said .
. Lindquist earned Class & All-State football honors at
Plattsmouth as a wingback and safety.
He was also an All-State basketball performer. He said
if Nebraska head football coach Tom Osborne hadn't con
taced him in his senior yejur in high school, he would
probably be playing basketball somewhere.
Lindquist started as a defensive back as a freshman and
was redshirted last year. After this year's two-a-day
practices he said he was put on scholarship.
HE SAID NEBRASKA should be a very balanced team
this year because of the progress shown both offensively
and defensively.
'1 think throughout fall camp we've shown a lot of
progress and if we play to the best of our abilities, we
should get post season and Big Eight honors at the end
of the season "he said.
Lindquist will be vying for a prestigious blackshirt
which is rewarded to first team defensive starters.
ELEVEN BLACKSHIRTS will be issued to the starting
defensive squad on Monday, according to Van Zandt.
lf they (first reamers) don't practice good on Mon
day, then someone else will be wearing the "blackshirt,"
Continued on pae 13
Ticket
pick up
Step right up and get
your tickets. Today is
the last day for UNL
students who went
through the spring
lottery to pick up the
their football tickets.
The "tickets may be
picked up at the
South Stadium of
fices from 9 ajn. -12
and 1-4 pjn.
y " a- a M .