Daily Nebraskan
Page 17
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Monday, August 29, 1C33
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KlCKOIi
Hy Laurie Moses
The countdown continues toward tonight's Kick
off Classic football game. Not only is it a countdown
for the Penn State and Nebraska football teams, but
for Katz Communications the company broad
casting t he game.
What is Katz Communications? Terri Heed, direc
tor of press and publications, said it is a go-between
for advertisers and television or radio. Instead of a
national advertiser selling ads directly to a station,
t hey sell it to Katz, which then sells to the individual
stations.
"Our sports division is totally unrelated. We are an
independent sports syndicate, and we bid on the
television rights to games," Reed said.
After getting rights to a game, Katz sells the
broadcast to individual stations. Tonight's broad
cast, featuring announcers Curt Gowdy, Lee Corso
and Dave Diles, will be the largest syndicated sports
broadcast in history according to Reed. Locally, it
will be carried on KMTV (Channel 3).
"We have had a very strong response (from sta
tions)," Reed said. "One hundred forty stations are
network affiliates . . . there are 165 stations overall."
Ninety-nine of the top 100 markets in the country
Faterno confident
of team's chances
By Jeff Browne
If the conversation preceding last year's Ne-braska-Penn
State matchup is any clue, Nittany
Lion Coach Joe Paterno may feel more confident
about his team's chances in tonight's Kickoff Classic
than the "experts" who have made the Cornhuskers
up to a seven-point favorite.
Last year at this time, Paterno was touting the
Huskers as possibly one of the greatest college foot
ball teams of all times. Penn State proceeded to
whip Nebraska at University Park, Pa., 27-24.
Now, Paterno seems to be just as confident about
his own team's potential, but he is saving the super
latives when he talks about the Huskers.
"They've had some changes on defense," he said
about Nebraska, "and the only real feel I have is from
watching the films of their spring game."
He said Nebraska's backfield, heralded in these
parts as worthy of a name similar to Notre Dame's
"Four Horsemen" of the mid-1920s, reminds
him of the unit that brought Penn State a national
championship last year.
"Nebraska's backs are as good a group as we've
played against," Paterno said, but he steered clear of
any comparisons to all-time great teams.
"I think we're pretty good," Paterno said about his
team. "We're starting to get into the groove, now, of
being a group."
Junior Doug Strang will be the starting quarter
back. He beat out Dan Lonergan for the job.
, Paterno thought the two had been nearly even in
practices.
"Both kids have had steady improvement," he
said. "Both have had good practices. The squad is
very comfortable with either one."
Paterno said he is not willing to use both quarter
backs equally or alternately in the game.
"One is going to have to do it," he said, calling
himself a "one-quarterback coach."
The only area of his team about which Paterno is
worried is his offensive line. It has two returning
starters, and no sophomores or freshmen among its
starters. He said he is fretting about its depth, espe
cially in the August heat.
"I'm not sure our backup people are ready," he
said, "but we'll play as many people as we have to
play to sustain good performance.
"Last year, we had the same (depth) problem with
the offensive line," Paterno said, "but we had every
body healthy."
Injuries have aslowed some of Penn State's offen
sive line starters in practice, but all are expected to
start tonight.
The rest of the Penn State offense, according to
Nebraska Coach Tom Osbornwe, is quick and tal
ented. Continued on Fae 18
are carrying the game, Reed said. Providence, R.I., is
the only exception.
"A lot of little towns have picked up the game.
We're pretty proud of that," Reed said. "It shows the
stations want this kind of programming. At one time
stations were dependent on networks, but not any
more. The networks will change what they do."
One station that has bought the rights to the game
is Omaha's KMTV.
"We have not accepted any of their sports in the
past. We are planning on picking up more in the
future," Jay Maxey, national sales manager at KMTV,
said.
To get the broadcasting rights, Katz had to outbid
the ABC and CBS networks and other syndicates.
"We are essentially a network ourselves," Reed
said "Being a syndicate can work to our advantage
or disadvantage, We are only 18 months old, and it's
certainly working so far," he said.
Getting ready for the game requires a lot of work,
she said. Katz had to hire a producer and director
and announcer.
"We have a top-notch producer and director
working for us," Reed said. "Curt Gowdy will be the
play-by-play announcer. "He's great, just a real pro
at it. He likes this sort of stuff and is excited about
it."
Media attention has been very big. The New York,
Boston, and Chicago papers have all talked to Reed.
Why all this attention?
"College football (in the east) is Penn State.
They're defending national champions. We have the
Ivy League, but they aren't as well-known," she said.
With the defending national champions meeting
the pre-season number one pick, what will Katz do
for an encore?
"We are going to broadcast a lot of basketball,"
Reed said. "We have contracts with the Pacific Coast
Athletic Association and the Big Eight. We are also
doing the Liberty Bowl. Curt Gowdy will do the play-by-play
there too."
"We have done enough (broadcasts) to do it effi
ciently," she said. "The networks are probably not
pleased. I'd say they're playing second fiddle to us
right now."
The broadcast will begin at 7:30 with a pre-game
show. Diles visits each school and interviews players
on each team.
"There's a lot of fanfare and a lot of fun," Reed said.
"The meadowlands Sports Complex is one of the
best stadiums to broadcast from. Things should go
really well."
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Photo courtesy of Big Eight Information
Photo courtesy of Penn State Sports Information
Two of the major forces in tonight's Kickoff Classic: On the left, Nebraska quarterback Turner Gill.
On the right, Penn State hero (monster in the Nebraska system), junior Harry Hamilton. Game
coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. on KMTV.
Huskers to test tough Lion defense
By Scott Ahlstrand and Greg Loder
Today's Kickoff Classic, featuring the Nebraska
Cornhuskers and the Penn State Nittany Lions, pits
an irresistable force against an immovable object.
The Nittany Lions, ranked No. 4 in the Associated
Press and United Press International polls, return
four Ail-American candidates on defense. Line
backer Scott Radecic, safety Mark Robinson, tackle
Greg Gattuso, and hero back Harry Hamilton have
all been mentioned as possible All-Americans.
The Cornhuskers, on the other hand, are ranked
No. 1 by both polls on the basis of their offense.
Nebraska has three legitimate Heisman trophy can
didates in a backfield that has generated its share of
national publicity. The three are quarterback Turner
Gill, running back Mike Rozier, and wingback Irving
Fryar.
Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne is quick and talented,
his high powered offense should be able to match up
with the Nittany Lion defense if they play with some
consistency,
"We definitely have big play capabilities, but we've
got to be more consistent," Osborne said. "We've
been making one or two big plays in practice, but we
havent been able to string together 15 or 16 good
plays in a row. If we're going to be successful against
Penn State, we're going to have to be able to put
together some long drives."
The Huskers' hopes rely heavily on seniors Gill,
Rozier, and Fryar. The trio, along with senior full
back Mark Scheilen, make up Nebraska's explosive
backfield.
For Fryar and Rozier, the game will be a coming
home of sorts, as they played their high school foot
ball in New Jersey,
'This game means a lot to both of us," Fryar said.
"Mike and I really want to play good in front of our
friends and family." ,
Gill was asked about his stardom at a press con
ference at Giants Stadium Sunday,
"WVre a team-oriented team," Gill told some of the
more than 200 writers expected for the game. "If
you have a good team, the individual goals will
come."
Gill spent much of the conference discussing his
decision to play football rather than sign with the
New York Yankees, who drafted him this spring. He
was optimistic about the Penn State rematch.
"I have confidence in our offensive line," Gill said.
"It's a little inexperienced, but we have the talent
and size there.
Continued on Pass 22