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Nebraska quarterback Steve Taylor relaxes before a workout at Memorial Stadium.
NU to chase elusive national crown
By Chuck Green
Senior Editor
Since the start of the decade, no college
football program has been closer to more
national championships than Nebraska’s.
The Comhuskers have compiled a 72-14
record and have been ranked among the
nation’s postseason top five for four of the
five years.
But at the same time, the national champ
ionship has eluded no other team more often
during the 1980s than Nebraska.
In 1981, Nebraska faced undefeated Clem
son in a title showdown In the Orange Bowl
and lost 22-16. A year Inter, the Buskers
finished 12-1, losing only to Penn State, last
year’s national champion.
In 1983, Nebraska had three of the nation's
leading Beisman Trophy candidates — Irving
Fryar, Turner Gill and Mike Kozier — but
again finished 12-1, losing to Miami 31-30 in
the Orange Bowl.
And the Buskers have been in contention
for the crown the last three years, but come
up short each time.
Nebraska coach Tom Osborne hopes the
Buskers will capture the elusive title.
"We’re looking for an overall improvement
from last year,” Osborne said. "Offensively, I
think we’ll be much more experienced, and
we weren’t that bad last year. On defense, we
have some holes to fill, but I don't see much
of a drop off from last season.”
Osborne’s optimism is based upon the
return of 11 starters — six on offense, five on
defense — and 40 lettermen from last year’s
team that finished third in the Big Eight
with a 10-2 overall record.
Osbome said the brightest spot on offense
will be the starters returning at the skill
positions.
At quarterback, Steve Taylor will again
start the fall as Nebraska’s top prospect.
Taylor, who completed 52 of 124 passes for
808 yards and six touchdowns last season,
will compete with Clete Blakeman for starting
honors. Blakeman, a senior from Norfolk,
completed 19 of 37 passes for 242 yards and
four touchdowns in 1986.
Osbome said that Mickey Joseph, a fresh
man from Marrero, La., will share time with
either Blakeman or third-team quarterback
Gerry Gdowski at the start of fall practice.
Joseph was a Parade Magazine High School
All-America selection and was considered
by several prep football experts as the top
high school quarterback in the nation last
year.
Keith Jones and Tyreese Knox return to
their top spots at I back for 1987. Jones, an
all-Big Eight selection last season, rushed for
830 yards and 14 touchdowns last season,
while Knox, a converted fullback, carried for
439 yards and two touchdowns in 1986.
Sophomores Terry Rodgers and Ken Clark
will also challenge for key roles in the Husker
backfleld, said assistant coach Prank Solich.
Jeff Wheeler, last year's third-team I back,
has left the team to possibly pursue a
baseball career at another school, Solich
said.
The biggest question mark at the skill
positions, Osborne said, is at fullback. Micah
Heibei, who split playing time with Ken
Kaelin last season, will start the fall at the
No. 1 spot, despite an injury to his ankle at
the start of summer.
If Heibei doesn’t recover from his injury,
sophomore Sam Schmidt will be next in line,
Osborne said. Schmidt, a 6-foot, 225 pound
redshirt, started for the 1985 Nebraska
freshman team. Doug Dalton will start fall
practice as the third-team fallback.
At wingback, Dana Brinson, Von Sheppard
and Hendley Hawkins return from last year’s
team. Brinson, who was given the starting nod
when Sheppard was ir\jured midway through
the season, caught 14 passes for 208 yards
and one touchdown and rushed for 296 yards
and two touchdowns on 37 carries in 1986.
Sheppard, who played only five games last
year due to a knee irgury, should return
"fairly soon in the season,” Osborne said.
Before his ir\jury, Sheppard caught three
passes for 61 yards and a touchdown and
rushed for 30 yards on seven carries.
Hawkins, a converted quarterback, finished
the spring at the No. 1 spot, ahead of Brinson
and Jamie Worden.
Rod Smith, the 1986 NCAA punt return
champion, will be back. Smith, a 6-0, 185
pound junior, caught 12 passes for 190 yards
and a touchdown last season.
Sophomore Morgan Gregory will start the
fall at second-team split end, Osborne said.
Gregory, the son of former Nebraska fullback
Unn fluAil/tni itmu a alavt a* A 1 fmulimon
team last year.
Chip Bahe, a 5-9, 160-pound sophomore,
will round out the top-three split ends.
Nebraska's receiving corps will be comple
mented by the return of Tom Banderas and
Todd Millikan, the top Husker tight ends of
1986. Banderas and Millikan combined for
300 yards receiving and six touchdowns last
season.
Keith Neubert, a 6-5,240-pound senior and
former member of the Husker basketball
team, finished the spring as the No. 3 tight
end and will start there in the fall, Osborne
said.
Despite Nebraska’s depth among the re
ceivers, Osborne said not to expect more
passing than usual.
‘‘We’ll just do whatever it takes to win,” he
said. “If we have a lot of close games, we’ll
tend to throw more, but otherwise, it won’t be
much different.
‘‘Last year," Osborne said, “we had about
230 passes called. That’s around 20 a game,
but we only got off 14 or 15 a game. That’s
because the quarterbacks always have an
option to run, so sometimes the low numbers
of passes is misleading.”
Osborne said the biggest concern on offense
is depth on the offensive line.
"We have on returning starter (right guard
John McCormick) and two or three others
with minimal playing experience,” Osborne
said. "Beyond that, we’re going with new
people.”
One of those new people could be Jake
Young, Osborne said.
Young, a 6-4, 250-pound sophomore, will
start the fall at second-team center behind
John Nichols, a 6-2, 265-pounds. Young broke
his leg during spring practice only a week
after moving from guard to center, but should
be "near 100 percent” by the time practice
starts, Osborne said.
Chris O’Gara, another sophomore, is likely
to begin at third-team center, Osborne said.
Besides McCormick, sophomores John
Roschal and R.G. Arneson will challenge for
starting honors at right guard. On the left
side, Andy Keeler and John Nelson will be the
top candidates to replace Stan Parker, who
iirnrluat aH last snrind
At right tackle, Keven Lightner, a 6-2, 286
pound senior, and Corey Bill Hudson, 6-3,270,
will start the fall at the top spots, while Jim
Ernest will also challenge.
The top three left tackles are Bob Sledge,
Bill Bobbora and Derrick Green.
Osborne said the punting and place kicking
dutivis are “wide open” for the fall. Returning
starter John Kroeker will battle linebacker
Dante Wiley for the punting chores, while
Chris Drennan, Gregg Barrios and Dave
Cheloha will share time kicking.
Defensively, Osborne said, Nebraska will
have at least two legitimate All Americ?
candidates in end Broderick Thomas and
tackle Neil Smith. Thomas, a junior, had 58
tackles, 41 unassisted, and four quarterback
sacks in 1986. Smith had 49 tackles and five
sacks last season.
Osborne said tackles Lee Jones and Tim
Rother and ends Jeff Jamrog, John Marco and
Jeff Mills will provide the Husker front line
with depth.
See OSBOR N Eon 34