Tuesday, October 26, 1982
Page 10
Daily Nebraskan
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Osborne: Missouri not a 'dirty, cheap shot9 team
By Larry Sparks
The controversial tackle that left Ne
braska quarterback Turner Gill with a
concussion in Saturday's 23-19 victory
against Missouri shouldn't distract from
what was otherwise a great football game,
Husker football Coach Tom Osborne
said at Monday's Extra Point Club lunch
eon. "I don't believe that Missouri is a dirty
football team. I don't believe that Mis
souri is a cheap shot football team,"
Osborne said in reference to Husker
fans' accusations about the second-quarter
hit by MU defensive tackle Randy Jostes.
Osborne said he has heard from the
Missouri coaches that Jostes' family in
Ralston has been the subject of several
harassing phone calls since Saturday.
"That's really unappropriate because
the family did not do anything, it is a
game and Turner Gill is going to be fine,"
he said. It isn t like we ought to start
some kind of civil war."
Osborne declined to discuss the con
troversy further but did say Saturday's
victory was a satisfying one for him.
"I don't think there's any team that
I enjoy a win over more than Missouri,"
Osborne said. "I don't mean anything
negative toward Missouri. They're just
a team that always seems to play us tough.
They're very competitive and we really
do enjoy it (beating the Tigers)."
Mizz oil's best performance
Saturday's game probably was Mizzou's
best performance of the year, he said,
adding that he had expected the Tigers
to be good because they had been im
proving all season.
"I thought they'd be the best defense
we had seen and they were. They're a
great defensive team and they're the type
of offensive team that gives us trouble -they
throw the ball well," he said.
Osborne had praise for the performance
of several Husker reserves who came,
through with crucial plays when called
upon. He singled out fullbacks Mark Schel
len and Mark Moravec, I-back Jeff Smith
and quarterback Bruce Mathison.
He said he was pleased by the perfor
mance of starting I-back Mike Rozier,
who picked up 139 yards despite playing
with a hip pointer. Rozier played in so
much pain that he wasn't able to get down
into a three-point stance when the Hus
kers ran out of the weak-set formation,
Osborne said.
"I would have to say that it was pro
bably as remarkable of a performance as
I've ever seen," Osborne said.
Husker defense improved
Osborne said that if the Huskers had
not allowed the Tigers to score on their
final drive, he would have termed the
game an "outstanding defensive perfor
mance." He said the Blackshirts have
7
improved the past two weeks, but they
still have to get better.
"We're going to .have to improve in
order to win the Big Eight championship
or even have a chance at it," he said.
The Cornhuskers will have to be well
prepared again this week when they play
at Kansas, Osborne said. He said the
Jayhawks can be a dangerous team be
cause they can move the ball well.
"They have, potentially, a very explo
sive football team,' Osborne said, pointing
out that KU has many of the players
back that led KU to a 9-3 halftime lead
against the Huskers last year before NU
came back for a 31-15 win.
The Jayhawks have been plagued by
injuries on defense, especially the line,
but some of those players may be back
this week, he said.
"If they get some of those defensive
linemen back, they could be very strong,"
Osborne said.
. - : ... , .. -
V '' -Situ-t c?.if& $
Staff Photo by Dava Bent'
Missouri quarterback Brad Perry (5) tries to yell tn audible to his teammates over the roar of the Memorial Stad
ium crowd of 76,406 Saturday. Nebraska defeated Missouri 23-19 to advance to 6-1 for the season and 3-0 in
Big Eight play. The Cornhuskers play at Kansas this Saturday.
Praise for Blackshirts long overdue
Plenty has been written and said about the officiating
at Penn State and the alleged "cheap shot" that Missouri
tackle Randy Jostes gave Turner Gill in Saturday's game.
Let's talk about something positive for a change. Defense.
Before the 1982 Nebraska football season opened
against Iowa Sept. 11, Coach Tom Osborne was uncertain
how well the young, untested Blackshirts would perform.
.f Cindy Gardner
Gone after the 1981 season were defensive standouts like
end Jimmy Williams and four starters from the secondary.
Hie 1982 defense edition was full of question marks.
After the Huskers' 42-7 win against Iowa, Osborne said
the defensive performance was the most pleasing part of
the victory.
In later weeks, however, the Blackshirts faced criticism,
mostly from the fans and mostly for pass defense.
Osborne continued to defend his defense, saying that
while there were some problems, the players were
performing well and grading high
Even though not all the wrinkles have been worked out
yet, the defense certainly deserves much of the praise for
Saturday's 23-19 win against Big Eight rival Missouri.
All the talk about cheap shots and the well-deserved
praise given to second string quarterback Bruce Mathison
and gutsy I-back Mike Rozier over shadowed what was
perhaps the best Blackshirt performance of the season.
The Huskers kept the Tigers out of Nebraska territory
for the first period of play, and while Mizzou was able to
move the ball at times, the Blackshirts came up with the
big play and held their ground when it counted most.
"I think if we could have kept Missouri from scoring
on the last drive last week, then I would have termed it a
real outstanding defensive performance," Osborne told
the Extra Point Club Monday. "We put some heat on our
defense with a few turnovers and they responded pretty
well."
The defense's biggest plays Saturday came while de
fending the pass. Three times Husker linemen cracked
through the Missouri offensive protection to sack
quarterback Brad Perry. Twice the Huskers came up with
the interception - three times if you count one that was
later fumbled away.
Linebacker Brent Evans, who finished second in tackles
with 107 last season, came up with what he called his
biggest moment ever at Nebraska when he intercepted a
Perry pass to set up what proved to be the game-winning
touchdown.
Evans said Saturday's defensive stand may restore some
of the public's confidence in the Blackshirts.
"I think the defense has had a lot of confidence. I just
think other people haven't had it (confidence) in us,"
Evans said. "Maybe it's allowed the defense to maybe get
a little bit closer and have a total feeling that we really
contributed to the victory which I think it needed as a
whole."
Nebraska defensive tackle Toby Williams added that
what really matters is the confidence the Blackshirts have
in themselves.
"I think the most important thing probably is that the
defense have confidence in itself. I think we have all year
and it's increased for every game," Williams said after Sat
urday's win. "There've been some low points and some
high points. Right now, I'd say we're playing real well and
realistically expect to get better."
So, maybe it's rime to quit talking about cheap shots
(Gill is out of the hospital and expected to play Saturday
against Kansas) and listen to Missouri Coach Warren
Powers who said Nebraska fans have underrated the Black
shirts. "Nebraska's got a good defense. People worry about
stats too much. Worry about the points that people score
on you and not the stats and youH be better off"
Lettermen strengthen
swimming, diving team
By Jack Denker
Thirteen returning lettermen are on hand to lead the
Nebraska men's swimming and diving team as it prepares
to begin the 1982-83 season and defend its three straight
Big Eight championships.
"I feel we're a stronger team than last year in terms
of returning athletes and good team depth in all events,"
Coach Cal Bentz said. "As a group this is not only the
best talent we've ever had, but they're a serious-minded
group of athletes and also more dedicated."
When talking about standout individuals, one has to
mention all-American Cliff Looschen. Last year, in his
freshman season, Looschen was a conference champion
in three events (50-yard freestyle and the 100- and 200
yard backstrokes), was a member of all three national
qualifying relays and broke numerous school records.
He also was recognized as the outstanding swimmer in
the Big Eight meet and placed ninth nationally in the
100-yard breaststroke, making him an all-American.
Dedication important
"At all levels 'of competition one depends on dedi
cation and working to achieve goals, Bentz said. "If
Cliff continues his work habits and if he stays on track
toward his goals, then I don't know what his limits
are. But that same thing holds true for everyone."
Bentz was quick to point out that the Huskers have
other capable swimmers in addition to Looschen who
will give the team depth.
Lettermen Matt Rye, Earl Welliver, Kevin Weires and
Rick Gilbertson, plus captains Jim Korff and Bill Booth
were singled out by the coach as strong swimmers.
Combine them with a talented group of incoming
transfers and freshmen - including California junior
college state champions Keith Moore and Bob Snodgrass,
Nebraska high school state champion Brian Brejnik and
Tim Brenner, an Oklahoma state high school champion -and
the Huskers should prove to be quite a competitive
swim team.
Nebraska diving coach Jeff Huber said he thinks his
group of divers could be a very strong part of the overall
team this season because of the return of co-captains Dave
Goodwin and Reynaldo Castro, along with the signing
of Texas state champion Eric Ognibene.
Huskers strong in relays
Another one of the strengths on the Husker team this
year should be its relays, where at least three swimmers
return to pace all three record-setting, conference cham
pion relay squads.
Looschen, Rye, Welliver and Weires return on the
medley relay team and Looschen, Weires and Welliver
are back on the 800-yard freestyle relay. Looschen,
Korff and Weires will lead the 400-yard freestyle relay.
All these men qualified for nationals last year.
The team has listed another Big Eight championship,
an undefeated dual meet record and finishing high at the
national meet as its goals for the new season.
Other than Nebraska, Bentz said that based on media
information he has received, Kansas appears to be the
team to beat in the Big Eight race because of several
returning seniors.
"We're really looking forward to a great year," Bentz
said. "We're moving onward and upwards.
The Huskers first taste of competition for 1982 will
be their annual intrasquad meet Friday at 4 pjn. in the
Bob Devaney Sports Center pool.
The regular season begins for the Huskers the fol
lowing weekend when they will be the hosts of the VS.
Swimming Meet at the sports center.