Pags 10
Daily Nebraskan
Friday, August 27, 1982
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CU Buffaloes hope to avenge shutout
Photo courtesy of Big Eight Strvie Bureau
Colorado left cornerback Victor Scott
Plenty of talent on team
Editor's Note: This is the fifth part of a series previewing
Nebraska's 1982. football opponents. The stories will
appear in the order Nebraska plays the teams this fail.
By Cindy Gardner
Nebraska's 59-0 thumping of Colorado last season has
not been forgotten, and the Buffs will be using their four
non-conference games to prepare for the Oct. 9 rematch.
Colorado University Information Director John Clagett
reports that new coach Bill McCartney has his sight set on
the Big Eight opener against Nebraska.
"That's the game he wants to be ready for," Clagett
said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "He's treating
the non-conference games as what they are. He won't be
' afraid to experiment, and won't be overly down if he loses
one."
McCartney will be trying to overcome a general lack of
depth to bring Colorado up out of the Big Eight cellar.
The new mentor has said he feels that Buffaloes
will be competitive with every team on their schedule.
Part of McCartney's optimistic outlook lies in a de
fensive secondary that Clagett describes as one of the best
in the Big Eight.
The secondary includes junior Clyde Riggins, who led
the conference in interceptions with five in 1981. The
right corner back didn't become a starter until midseason
and then had interceptions in three of Colorado's last four
games.
Second team all-Big Eight selection Victor Scott fills
the other corner back position. The only senior in the de
fensive backfield is free safety Ellis Wood, who came back
after missing the second half of the 1981 season with a
fractured elbow.
Strong safety Jeff Donaldson completes the secondary
and may be the "unsung hero on defense," Clagett said.
The junior was second in tackles for the Buffs last season
with 83.
The secondary will join forces with a quartet of line
backers including three returning lettermen (Terry Irvin,
Dave Alderson and Alan Chrite) and a newcomer who
Clagett predicts will draw attention.
The man Clagett calls the "Spring Sensation" is inside
linebacker Ray Cone. Chuck Fairbanks and his former
coaching staff thought the senior played all-Big Eight
caliber ball during spring training, Clagett said.
This season's Colorado defensive ranks also will include
Mark Washington. At 6-6, 260-pounds, Washington is
described by Clagett as the most naturally talented de
fensive tackle to play for the Buffaloes in years.
The defense will employ new tactics under
McCartney's direction this fall. Clagett said Fairbanks' big
play defense is gone, and it will take long drives to score
against Colorado this fall.
Continued on Page 1 1
Returning starters boost Softball team's chances
By Jack Denker
Returning starters are so plentiful on the Nebraska
softball team this fall, the primary problem facing Coach
Nancy Plantz is not how to win consistently, but rather,
how to keep her talented players satisfied.
"It's going to be hard," said Plantz of her dilemma.
"With the re-entry rule, I plan to use a lot of players to
give them experience. Hopefully, I will be able to rotate
them in the fall, but the nine best players will play in the
spring.
"Last year it wan't bad, but this year it could be dif
ferent because we have some real good athletes.
Nebraska returns 13 of 15 players off last spring's
team, which finished first in the Big Eight, won the Mid
west regional and finished fifth nationally.
"The team is real enthusiastic right now and they want
to be there (top-rated) again. They know they can do it
and they want to do better " Plantz said.
Heading the list of returning starters are all-Big Eight
performers Rhonda Revelle and Cindy Aemi, both sen
iors, and shortstop Denise Day. As a freshman last spring,
Day led her team in hitting, with a .291 average.
Senior all-Big Eight pitcher Jeanne Wagner, however,
will be ineligible to play this fall because of scholastic
problems.
Wagner, who, according to Plantz, was the primary
reason the Huskers finished where they did last season.
will be missed by the team this fall. She compiled a 15-6
record with an 0.41 ERA fast spring.
"Certainly I'd prefer to have her this fall, but we're
optimistic she will be back in the spring," Plantz said.
Pitching staff
With the loss of Wagner, much of the attention this
season will fall on the pitching staff, where Revelle, junior
Sandy Wolterman (a former 30-game winner) and sopho
more Mori Emmons will form the rotation.
"Our pitching could be strong if they pitch up to their
potential," Plantz said.
On a more positive side, Plantz said the loss of Wagner
will give the other pitchers more experience and pull the
team closer together.
"We do have good pitching depth and now they have a
chance to show what they can do. The team needs to see
that. Their confidence will come from experience," she
said.
To offset the loss of Wagner and graduate Andrea
Casella, Plantz recruited Marty Pump, an all-American
pitcher from Waldorf Junior College in Forest City, Iowa.
She also signed Peg Richardson, a junior college Region
11 all-American catcher from Kirkwood Community Col
lege in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
"They both come out of two strong junior college pro
grams and are experienced players. They are ready to
move right in and play immediately," Plantz said.
The strength of the Huskers this fail will again be the
defense, while their weakness appears to be team hitting.
Plantz said her young people will help out in that area,
though.
College World Series
Plantz, who begins her third year as Husker coach,
said last season's trip to the Women's College World
Series in Omaha was her greatest coaching achievement so
far. She also said the experinece her team gained will be a
positive influence on this year's team.
"1 think the ability to compete under pressure will
help us this year," Plantz said. "The girls are proud and
have something to live up to now. The only problem is
that last year, we were kind of a dark horse, and this year
everybody wil be out to get us. Hopefully we can rise to
the occasion. I think we can; we have that type of ath
letes." Practice for the fall season began Wednesday, with 21
girls reporting for drills. Plantz and her new assistant
coach, Linda Spradley, intend to trim the roster to 15
girls by Sept. 1.
The Huskers play their first double-header of the
season Sept. 3 at 4:30 p.m. against UNO. The games
will be played at the new Husker Softball Complex
located directly behind Mabel Lee Hall.
Both Plantz and Terry Beek, women's sports informa
tion director, said the new complex will be a big boost to
the program.
"It's going to help tremendously," Beek said. "Before,
the girls had to go all the way to Ballard Field, which is a
15-minute drive to play games and just practice. It's really
nice to have an on-campus site for them to play and prac
tice. Also, they should be getting better crowds because
people won't have to go so far to see them play."
M
usscer practice not up to par
By Tad Strykcr
The Nebraska football team is entering a critical
period as it prepares for the upcoming season, Husker
Coach Tom Osborne said.
That's why he was a little upset with Thursday's
practice.
"It wasn't a terrible practice," Osbome said. "It
just wasn't very good. The intensity was down after
our scrimmage Wednesday."
Osborne said he hopes the players would resist the
temptation to coast through workouts.
"The newness of playing football again has worn
off," he said, "and there are still two and a half weeks
to the first game. You've got to push yourself.
"It's easy to get up the week before the Iowa game,
but we need to start getting ready now," Osborne said.
"I told the players that one of the reasons we lost to
Iowa last year was because we didn't practice well."
Osborne said he is hoping the team looks sharper
tomorrow In preparation for its Saturday scrimmage.
The Huskers continued to stay free of crippling
injuries. Still, several players missed practice Thursday,
including quarterback Bruce Mithison, fullback Doug
Wilkening, tight end Mitch Krenk and defensive back
Kris Van Norman.
Mathison suffered a slight concussion in last Satur
day's scrimmage. Trainer George Sullivan said several
tests have been run on Mathison, and the results are
expected to be in today. Osbome said Mathison might
practice Monday if the test results are encouraging.
Wilkening continues to fight mononucleosis. Sulli
van doubted Wilkening Would be able to practice for
about a week.
Krenk, whose cancerous toe on his right foot had to
be removed this spring, has missed practice this week
because the foot swelled up after two-a-day workouts
put undue stress on it. Krenk probably will suit up
again next week, Sullivan said.
Van Norman missed practice because of a dental
appointment.
Quarterback Turner Gill is nearly fully, recovered
from a slight groin pull.
"It's not serious," Sullivan said. "He ran on it OK."
The Big Eight Skywriters are in Lincoln today fot
interviews with Husker coaches and players, starting
this afternoon in Memorial Stadium.
Sports Shorts
There will be a meeting and clinic for intramural flag
football officials Tuesday at 6 p jn. in Coliseum 7.
Arash Soccer Club and GAS of Omaha will kick off the
Lincoln portion of the Eastern Nebraska Soccer Associa
tion Tournament when they meet at 1 1 a.m. Sunday at
the East Campus Fields. Following that match, the
Lincoln Soccer Club will play the Omaha Chargers at 1
pjn.
Coors will sponsor an Intramural Festival today and
Saturday on the UNL campus.
The Nebraska volleyball team's annual Red-Vhite
scrimmage game has been set for Tuesday at the Grand
Island High School Gym beginning at 7 pjn.
The evening's events will open with i warm-up session
and drills, with the match beginning at 7:30 pjn. After
the match, those in attendance will be able to meet the
players and coaches.
Missouri will open the Big Eight football season Sept. 4
when they meet Colorado State in Columbia, Mo. The rest
of the conference schools begin play Sept. 1 1 .