Nebraska linebacker LeRoy Etienne.
Linebacker Etienne tackles
for player of the year
By Tim Hartmann
Senior Reporter
Talk of UCLA running back Gaston
Green winning the Heisman Trophy has
been increasing this season, but Ne
braska linebacker LeRoy Etienne said
Green’s visit to Memorial Stadium Sat
urday will not help his chances.
“No doubt about it, he’s a good
player. He’s probably a good Heisman
Trophy candidate, but we won’t let him
increase his votes on that (the Heisman
Trophy) against us,” Etienne said.
The Heisman Trophy is given annual
ly to college football’s player of the
year by the Downtown Athletic Club in
New York. Green established as a can
didate last season when he rushed for
1,405 yards and 17 touchdowns. He
opened this season by rushing for 135
yards and a touchdown against San
Diego State last week.
Etienne also got off to a strong start
last week in Nebraska’s opener against
Utah State. Etienne led all Cornhusker
tacklers with six total tackles, includ
ing three unassisted.
The Utah State game was the first
career start for Etienne, a junior from
New Iberia, La., said he was pleased
with the way he opened the 1987
season.
"It went pretty well," he said. “I was
pretty satisfied with the way I per
formed. I was satisfied with the defense
as a whole. We didn’t g»*t that many
running plays in. I wish we would have
gotten a little more repetition on the
runs. As far as pass drops, I got that
pretty well taken care of."
Stopping the run against the Bruins
will be important, Etienne said, because
that is their strength.
"I’ve seen a lot of film on them,"
Etienne said. "Gaston Green is a good
runner; he likes to cut back. That’s
about the only thing I woriy about is
him cutting back."
UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman, a
transfer from Oklahoma, opened the
season by completing eight of 10
passes for 166 yards. Despite the Aik
man’s impressive numbers, Etienne
said, Nebraska should be able to con
tain the Bruins’ passing game.
"Their passing game is consistent
too, but they mostly focus on their run
ning game,” he said. ‘‘The passing
game is nothing too difficult to handle.”
When the season began, linebacker
coach John Melton said Etienne had all
the tools to be a great linebacker, but it
would just take a while to develop the
mental aspect. Etienne said he now has
that down.
“Most definitely," he said. “I’ve got
everything down now.”
Among Etienne’s "mental jobs” are
calling the defensive plays and making
defensive checks. Etienne said the
plays usually come from a coach on the
sideline, but if there isn’t time he make
the call himself.
Calling plays isn’t difficult, Etienne
said, but it helps keep his intensity up.
"It just keeps my head in the game a
little bit more, keeps me concentrating
a lot,” he said.
Last season Etienne was Nebraska’s
third linebacker, behind seniors Marc
Munford an Kevin Parsons. Despite
coming off the bench, Etienne made 38
tackles during the year, and ended the
season with five unassisted tackles
against Louisiana State in the Sugar
Bowl.
His play last season, which included
a team-high 10 tackles against Oregon,
earned Etienne a second-team spot on
the Football News’ sophomore All
America team.
Etienne came to Nebraska in 1985
after being named to the Parade All
America high school football team and
being named the Louisiana state def
ensive player of the year for the second
year. He was credited with 210 solo
tackles as a senior.
As a freshman Etienne played three
games with the junior varsity team,
making 18 tackles, before being called
up to the varsity.
Now that he is starting with the var
sity, Etienne said, he wants to play his
best.
"My main goal right now is to really
play consistent and to do the best I
possibly can to contribute to the team,
and all the personal goals I have set for
myself will probably fall into place,” he
said.
--——
Injuries bench Huskers
By Nick Hodge
Staff Reporter ____
Nebraska football coach Tom
Osborne said Thursday that ankle
injuries will prevent starting middle
guard Lawrence Pete and right
tackle Lee Jones from playing in
Saturday’s game against UCLA.
Osborne said sophomore Mike
Murray and senior Tim Rother will
replace Pete and Jones.
"Lawrence will be out until
sometime next week, Osborne said.
"It will take a miraculous recovery
for Lee to see any actipn Saturday.”
Osborne said he felt good about
the Huskers' toughest of the season,
and Jones were hurt. He said
sophomore middle guard Kent Wells,
a Lincoln East High School gradu
ate, and redshirt freshman Paul
Brungardt will see action against
the third-ranked Bruins.
Osborne said he expects a physi
cal game from UCLA.
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