Wednesday, August 21, 1935
Daily Nebraskan
Page 57
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Osborne's
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By Mike Reilley
Senior Reporter
National championship.
Those two words have eluded Nebraska
football coach Tom Osborne since he
inherited the coaching job from Bob Devaney in
1973.
In those 12 years, Osborne has coached the
Cornhuskers to nine top 10 finishes in the Asso
ciated Press poll. Nebraska has won the Big
Eight title outright three times and tied with
Oklahoma three times under Osborne's tutelage.
Still, the national title has slipped though the
Huskers' grasp every year.
The 1985 edition of the Cornhusker football
team represents Osborne's 13th quest for the
coveted crown.
The Huskers open their schedule against Flor
ida State Sept. 7 with the lowest total of return
ing starters since 1964.
Only four starters return from last year's Sugar
Bowl championship team: fullback Tom Rath-
Mark DavisDaily Nebraskan
How does Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne (below) speil relief? In 1935 he might be spelling It D-U-D-O-S-E
is In l-back Doug DuBose (above). Nebraska will open its season in a nationally televised game with Florida State
Sept. 7.
1
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"Tim Roth (offensive tackle) started a few
games and Dennis Watkins played a fair amount
so you could probably run that total (of returning
starters) up to eight," Osborne said. "Still, I
think even if you go as high as eight, which is
stretching it to a point, you're looking at the
least experienced team in the conference."
Kansas has the most returning starters in the
'Most people are picking Oklahoma to
vin and a lot are picking us to finish
second. I hope they're not right.'
Coach Tom Osborne
man, tight end Todd Frain, defensive left tackle
Chris Spachman and linebacker Marc Munford.
That total, though, is not a true assessment of
the Husker's returning talent, Osborne said.
"I think the four starters is misleading,"
Osborne, said. "Those four starters were just the
ones from the Sugar Bowl."
Besides Rathman, the Huskers return four
other players who saw a lot of playing time last
year. Travis Turner split time with Craig Sund
berg at quarterback and Doug DuBose led the
Big Eight in rushing with 1,040 and scored eight
touchdowns while he shared the No. 1 1-back slot
with Jeff Smith. Osborne said he considers
Turner "experienced" and that DuBose is "just
like a starter.
Big Eight with 18. Missouri has the second low
est total in the conference with 10, leaving
Nebraska as the only school in the conference
that doesn't return starters in double figures.
"There's no question that experience is a
problem for us," Osborne said.
Osborne said he expects a "balanced" team
both offensively and defensively this fall.
"I think we can have a good defense if the
defensive ends and the secondary comes through,"
Osborne said. 'We have a good defensive line
and our linebackers ought to be strong.
"Offensively, we have a pretty good backfield.
I just hope our line comes through for us. Except
for Roth we have nobody there with any playing
time.
"The overall talent level is right up there with
some of our better teams, but the strength of the
schedule early and the experience is against
us."
The part of the schedule Osborne was refer
ring to is the nationally-televised clash with
Florida State Sept. 7 and a game against Big Ten
power Illinois two weeks later. Both games will
be played at Memorial Stadium.
The Seminoles return 12 players from last
year's 9-2-1 squad. Their offense, which returns
six starters, averaged 451 yards and 35.3 points a
game last season, a fact that has Osborne
concerned.
"We've seen a lot of film on Florida State,"
Osbome said. "They were a great offensive foot
ball team last year and defensively they have a
lot of people back."
Illinois is on probation until the end of the year.
Its quarterback, Jack Trudeau, is being hailed as
an Ail-American candidate.
"Those first two games will both be difficult,"
Osborne said. "They both have more players
back than we do. They're both good football
teams and we're really going to have to work to
win."
Oregon and New Mexico, also home games for
the Huskers, will round out the non-conference
season.
Nebraska opens its Big Eight schedule October
12 at Oklahoma State. The Cowboys were third in
the conference last year and defeated South
Carolina 21-14 in the Gator Bowl. They return 13
starters, six offensive and seven defensive, includ
ing two-time All-American defensive tackle Leslie
O'Neal.
Mark DavisDaily Nebraskan
Nebraska will see a new look at Faurot Field
when it plays at Missouri the following week. Not
only have the Tigers replaced their natural grass
field with an artificial surface in the offseason,
but also have a new coch in Woody Widenhofer.
Widenhofer replaced Warren Powers in December
and signed 21 in-state athletes to scholarships.
The Huskers then host Colorado before travel
ing to Kansas State. Both teams return 16
players.
A pair of home games are next on the sche
dule. Iowa State comes to Lincoln Nov. 9 and
Kansas arrives the following week.
The Cyclones, who finished last in the confer
ence in 1984, return 13 starters. Kansas finished
fourth in the Big Eight last year.
Nebraska wraps up the Big Eight schedule at
Oklahoma, which the Huskers finished in a tie
for first in the conference with last year. Okla
homa returns, 14 starters, including All-American
middle guard Tony Casillas and sophomore Brian
Bosworth, the Big Eight Defensive Newcomer of
the Year last year.
Osborne said he hopes the Huskers can prove
the preseason polls wrong and win the confer
ence title outright this year.
"Most people are picking Oklahoma to win
and a lot are picking us to finish second. I hope
they're not right. I hope we have a chance at
being first."
Kansas and Missouri also have a "good chance"
at finishing high in the conference, Osborne
said.
"Kansas ought to be pretty good and Missouri
always has good athletes," he said.
