Daily Nebraskan
Thursday, October 14, 1982
Wildcats have positive attitude
Page 16
Sp(D)fs
By Jack Denker
The last time the Kansas State football team had a
winning record when they came up against Nebraska
was in 1970, when the Wildcasts were 6-3. KSU lost
that match-up, 51-13, and finished the season 6-5.
One has to look back even further, to 1968 to be
exact, to find the last time KSU beat Nebraska - a 12-0
game in Lincoln.
But 1982 has brought new life to the K-State program.
Coach Jim Dickey believes this could be the year for a
winning season - and possibly a KSU defeat of the
Huskers.
"We're going to have to get some breaks to beat
Nebraska," Dickey said. "But I've been coaching long
enough to know there are upsets every week. I think we
are going to do everything we can to prepare well."
Last season, the Cornhuskers routed the 'Cats 49-3 in
Manhattan, but K-State was playing without the services
of eight senior starters who had been redshirted. This
year, those eight players are back along with eight othei
redshirts, giving the Wildcats depth at every position, a
luxury they haven't experienced before.
The redshirt experiment appears to have been success
ful, because the Wildcats will come into Lincoln with a
3-1-1 Record, their best start since 1969.
Because of this fast start, KSU is approaching Satur
day's game with a positive attitude, Dickey said.
"I've been here five years and they (Nebraska) have in
timidated us each of the first four times, "K-State corner
back Greg Best said. "But that won't be the case this
week. Us defensive players will have to make our minds
up to shut them down."
Defense experienced
Much of the Wildcats' early season success can be
attributed to an experienced defense. The 'Cats have
given up only 56 points in five games for an 1 1.2 average,
which ranks them ninth nationally in scoring defense.
The Kansas State coaching staff believes their pair of
senior linebackers, Dan Ruzich and Will Cokeley, are
among the best in the Big Eight.
"Both of them are playing very well," Dickey said.
"Our linebackers are going to do better because we are
more physical on the line of scrimmage. We're getting
situations now where our linebackers can just go make the
tackles."
Ruzich has led the Wildcats in tackles every week so
far this season and has 72 stops. Cokeley is second on
the team with 52 total tackles. Dickey also cited tackles
Reggie Singletary and Mike Simeta as tough competitors.
Injuries have plagued the K-State offense the last two
games as it has scored only seven points in each outing.
The Wildcats played most of the game against Missouri
last Saturday without their starting backfield. Dickey was
forced to start two freshman running backs, Carlos Adams
and James Ricketts.
Quarterback injured
Senior quarterback Darrell Ray Dickey suffered a
mild concussion during that game, and his status for
Saturday is unknown at this time. Starting tailback Mark
Hundley, K-State's leading rusher with 274 yards, is the
only running back expected to return this week.
"It's unfortunate that all of our injuries have hit one
area," Dickey said. "We would be better able to cope if
they had been spread throughout the team.
Coach Dickey said that injuries happen most often
when a player is tired. To prevent further injury to K
State first-stringers, Dickey intends to substitute often
against Nebraska, he said.
"If it looks like a physical mismatch we'll play a lot
of people and try to keep them fresh," Dickey said.
Along with injuries, lately the K-State offense hasn't
executed many of their offensive plays well.
"The biggest disappointment the last two weeks has
been our lack of ability on throwing the ball and picking
up the blitz," Dickey said. "We're not successful with
very many running plays and we've missed a lot of
blitzes."
Continued on Page 17
Defeat by Texas Christian sends
Rice to the top of The Bottom 10
The Small Fry
From its swampy vantage point, Claremont-Mudd
(Calif.) can finally see a ray of sunshine. After all, the
Mudders (0-4) scored for the first time this season Satur
day - a touchdown, no less - though, of course, losing
7-30 to Azusa Pacific.
And with their margin of defeat declining from 49
points to 33 in 23 in recent weeks, the Muddmen may
be sufficiently improved by the end of the season to
cms
Steve Harvey
hold La Verne to a 0-0 tie in their finale.
Elsewhere, Eastern Michigan, with a 23-game losing
streak on the line, played badly when it needed to and
pulled off a clutch 19-20 defeat to Toledo.
But previously winless Prairie View's dreams of cap
turing The Little Bottom 10 title evaporated in a 24-13
upset victory over Bishop (Texas). Somewhat less than
inspired, Bishop was assessed a 15-yard delay-of-game
penalty for showing up late for the second-half kick
off. The Rankings
TEAM, RECORD NEXT LOSS
1 . Claremont-Mudd (04) Occidental
2. E. Michigan (0-5) Ohio
3. Cal Poly-Pomona (0-5) Hayward St.
4. Kent St. (0-5). Ball St.
5. Ohio St. (2-3) Illinois
6. Lubbock Christian (04) McMurry
7. Tex . Southern (0-5-1 ) SE Louisiana
8. Richmond (0-5) Louisville
9. N. Illinois (14) Bowling Green
10. New Mexico St. (1-5) Wichita St.
Plagued with the nickname The Spiders.
Includes loss to Northwestern.
Crummy Game of the Week: Lubbock Christian
(04) vs. McMurry (14).
Special Citation: After losing three of its first
four games, Southern Mississippi fired whom? The head
coach? Nope. The play-by-play radio announcer.
The Big Fry
When Texas Christian elects to take three points off
the scoreboard against a, team, you know the Frogs'
opponent is poor. Rice-poor.
TCU had made a field goal to go ahead 3-0 Satur
day, but on the play, one of the myopic Owls had stumb
led into the Frogs' kicker. TCU took the penalty instead
of the field goal and marched in for a touchdown en
route to a 24-1 6 victory.
The Frogs' show of contempt was enough to send
Rice (0-5) to the top of The Bottom 10. Virginia (also
0-5) fell from No. 1 despite a 048 drubbing by Clemson
because (1) Ralph Sampson has agreed to play tight
end for the Cavaliers, and (2) Clemson is still considered
a threat to forfeit some of its wins.
Responding to last week's charge by Michigan Coach
Bo Schembechler that Big 10 teams are ignored in the
rankings because of "jealous" voters, The Bottom 10
selectors donated spots 11-20 to the conference. Enjoy,
Bo.
The Rankings
TEAM, RECORD NEXT LOSS
1. Rice (0-5) Texas Tech
2. Virginia (0-5) Wake Forest
3. UTEPO-5) Arizona St.
4. Memphis St. (0-5) Tulane
5. Dartmouth (0-4) Harvard
6. Oregon (0-5) Cal
7. Cornell (04) Brown
8. Kentucky (04-1) LSU
9. Oregon St. (04-1) Washington
10. Texas ASM (2-3) Baylor
11. Michigan St. (0-5); 12. Purdue (0-5); 13. Minnesota
(3-2); 14. Ohio St. (2-3); 15. Indiana (2-3); 16. Iowa
(3-2); 17. Wisconsin (3-2); 18. Michigan (3-2); 19. Il
linois (5-1); 20. Northwestern (24).
Military organizations receiving votes: Pentagon
(Army, Navy, Air Force) (7-9).
Crummy Game of the Week: Memphis State (0-5)
vs. Tulane (14).
Route of the Week: Arizona State (6-0) vs. UTEP
(1-5).
Quote Book I: Virginia Coach George Welsh: "You're
only as good as your last game, and on that basis, we're
a terrible football team."
Quote Book II: Summing up his team's 21-31 loss
to Northwestern, Minnesota Coach Joe Salem said:
"This means we're terrible."
, Ic) 1832, Universal Pre Syndieete
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Photo courtesy Big Eight Service Bureau
Kansas State defensive tackle Reggie Singletary
Basketball recruits
add needed stature
to reorganizing team
By Bob Asmussen
Before the 1982 college basketball season even
.starts the Nebraska Cornhuskers have improved
in one area - height. Nebraska has added to its
roster 6-11 Dave Hoppen and 6-7 Jim Moore.
Both players are taller than any of last season's
players.
"I think there are a lot of question marks that
we still have to answer," Nebraska Coach Moe
Iba said. "Talentwise we're maybe more optimis
tic than a year ago."
"One thing is how well Dave Hoppen comes
along at center. If he comes along to a point where
we see he's going to be a major factor then well
be able to try and move one of our centers to a
forward position."
Not only does Iba believe that Hoppen's per
formance is important, but the other players agree.
They see Hoppen as the possible big man in the
middle that they have never had.
"I think his height will add an extra dimension
that we've never had," Nebraska forward Claude
Renfro said. "He'll be more of an intimidator.
Last season teams would come into the game
and post up on us. With Hoppen there now theyll
have to think about it."
Iba said it was hard at this time for the team
to set goals for the season. He said he'd have a
better idea after the team practiced awhile as to
what the team's realistic goals should be. While
Iba doesn't have the goal set, Renfro does.
"I think everybody has high expectations for
the team this season," Renfro said. "I'd like to
have a successful last season. Success would be the
team winning at least 20 games and getting into a
post-season tournament."
One area of concern entering the season is the
replacement of two of last season's starters, Jack
Moore and Ray Collins. Iba said he didn't have
any idea how the replacements for those two
would perform
"One of the players we were counting on,
Eric Williams, has had a knee operation in the
last two weeks," Iba said. "We've got a junior
college guard who's never played major college
basketball." "When you replace somebody who's
handled the basketball as much as Jack did, as
a coach, you're concerned."
Looking at the schedule, Iba said he sees several
fine teams. He named Montana, Baylor, Creighton,
Wyoming and a possible game with Indiana as
teams that will present a stiff challenge to Ne
braska. "Our schedule is very difficult," Iba said. "I
think our conference is going to be as good as
it's been in the last eight to 1 0 years.
Hoppen said he doesn't expect to start at the
beginning of the season. He said he would be happy ;
to, try to contribute as a reserve player and learrt
from the other Nebraska center.
