Clockwise from top: Nebraska’s Cartier Walker enjoys a sideline
fan. Gerry Gdowski congratulates Gregg Barrios after Barrios
connected on a 48-yard field goal. Nebraska’s Ken Clark breaks
free. A Buffalo, N.Y. fan cheers on his team. A Nebraska cheer
leader motivates the crowd.
Clark stakes claim
By Mark Derow itsch
Senior Reporter
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. —
One of the biggest questions the
Nebraska football team faced after
Keith Jones used up his eligibility
last year was who would replace
him as the Comhuskers’ starting 1
back.
Ken Clark answered that ques
tion Saturday night.
For starters, Clark rushed for a
team-high 80 yards in his first col
legiate start in a 23-14 win against
Texas A&M in the Kickoff Clas
sic. He also scored the Comhuskers
first touchdown of the game, a 1
yard run in the third quarter.
But Clark said he wasn’t totally
satisfied with his effort.
“I could have played a lot bet
ter,” he said. “I had opening-game
jitters really bad and I was real
nervous about the game. But I just
told myself that I had to pick it up
or I would be on the bench.’’
(’lark said he wants to c ut down
on his number of fumbles, (’lark
lost a pitch at the Texas A&M 11
yard line, which was recovered by
linebacker Joe Johnson with 1:12
left in the second quarter.
“We were kind of slipping in the
lirst half, but we came out of the
skid in the second,” said Clark,
whose 25-yard run in the third
quarter set up a 20-yard touchdown
pass by Nebraska quarterback
Steve Taylor to tight end Todd
Millikan.
Clark, a junior from Omaha
....-..■■■■
Bryan, said al that point, the Husk
ers were wearing down the Texas
A&M defense.
“A&M had a quick defense,
Clark said.'M didn’t expect them to
come out that fast. We were a little
hyped but we toned it down in the
second half and we started to w ear
them down.”
Nebraska running backs coach
Frank Solich said the Huskers
conditioning started to show late in
the game. As a team the Huskers
rushed for 235 yards for the game,
including 148 in the second hall.
“We were able to start establishing
drives and we started to keep their
defense on the field longer,’ he
said. “We felt we were in great
shape and we were ready lor this
game.”
Solich said Clark's rise to the
lop can be credited to his hard work
during the off season.
“He had a real great fall and we
expect him to play well,” Solicit
said. ‘ We lecl he can he a real line
l-back.”
Last year, ('lark rushed tor >44
yards, fifth best on the team, and he
scored five touchdowns. His best
game was against ()klahoma Suite
when he gained a career-high 8'
yards on nine carries.
He said his first start was against
a good defense.
“We ran into a little jam in the
first half,” Clark said. “They had a
complicated defense and we were
just feeling them out.”
But Clark wasn’t the only I
back to establish himself in the
sixth annual Kickoff Classic.
Sophomore Terry Rodgers
rushed for b.5 yards on 10 carries,
including a 2H-yard scamper in the
fourth quarter.
Rixlgers, who redshirted last
season alter after suffering a leg
injury, said he’s not ready to end
his comeback.
As a freshman, Rodgers rushed
for 135 yards for a 5 yards per carry
average. Healsoavcragcd 10 yards
per punt return.
"I’m just playing the games one
by one," Rodgers said. “I’m not
concerned about having a big game
0r not. Tomorrow’s a new day and
Saturday we have to play another
panic I just want to play.’’
f lark said he and Rodgers give
•he lluskers two dependable I
backs.
I erry got in there and mixed it
uPa little," Clark said. “He played
r ally well but if he didn’t, I would
have got j chance to play more.”
Solkh ''.iill it ux)k the first half
01 'he game for Clark and Rodgers
!o get going.
•hey pressure us by blil/ing
V.ai•>• Solich said. “But steadily,
IScnarul I erry started to relax more
an‘l started to perform well. They
r'm aggressively and they both
n'ade big plays when we needed
•'em. I’m pleased with both of
them.”
R‘xlgcrs agreed.
• I ike to think we wore them out
cy having them chase us,” he said.
We went in there and got the job
J?°ne. U was all a matter of timing
for us.”
Photos by
Doug Carroll
