The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, August 31, 1988, Page 18, Image 17

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    Sports
Osborne wants
ball movement,
pleased with ‘D’
By Mark Derowitsch
Senior Reporter
An untested defensive line has
Nebraska football coach Tom
Osborne worried, but he’s more con
cerned about his offense.
Osborne, speaking at his weekly
press conference at South Stadium,
said the Comhuskcr’s offense must
run the ball better against Utah State
Saturday.
“We only averaged about 4 yards a
rush this week and part of that can be
attributed to A&M’s defense,”
Osborne said “But part of it means we
need to be a little more consistent with
our blocking schemes, better tech
nique football and making betting
decisions.”
The Husker’s averaged 3.4 yards a
See OSBORNE on 21 I
NU defense injures
8 Aggies for LSU i
By Jeff Apel
Senior Reporter
A physical defense that placed
eight Texas A&M players on the
questionable list pleased Nebraska
linebacker LcRoy Etienne.
Etienne said the Nebraska defense
is out to prove itself this season by
“pulling the hurt” on opposing of
fenses. He said the Comhuskers ac
complished that feat during their
season-opening, 23-14 victory
against Texas A&M by placing a
contingent of Aggie players on the
injured reserve list.
The Texas A&M players, who are
described by Coach Jackie Sherrill as
being questionable for the Aggies’
Saturday matchup against Louisiana
State, include starting receiver Rod
Harris, fullback Matt Gurley, safety
Gary Jones, running back Darren
Lewis, linebacker Dana Batiste, de
fensive end Leon Cole, reserve line
backer Basil Jackson and receiver
Steve Lofton.
“Whew!” Etienne said, “I didn’t
know it was that many.”
Etienne said the high number of
injured Texas A&M players proves
the Nebraska defense is for real. He
said the Huskers felt they had “some
thing to prove” because of questions
surrounding their defensive losses.
See ETIENNE on 22
" :':"v - - 111 v-niimi niiTiiTii i ■ in "I 'Ti"iiii~ "iiiii'h- 'i i' —"" ' - — ■■■in r lrr
Hughes, five others redshirt
Mark Derowitsch
Senior Reporter_
Tyrone Hughes saw two ob
stacles in his way, so he decided to
take a one-year detour.
Hughes, a freshman wingback
who has been practicing with the
varsity football team this fall, said
Tuesday that he would redshirt this
season. Hughes said he would
rather sit out and keep his year of
eligibility than play behind junior
Richard Bell and senior Dana Brin
ion.
“I made my decision prior to the
Kickoff Classic," Hughes said.
"I’m looking forward to it and I’m
looking forward to playing a lot the
next few years. Since Dina and
Richard are around, 1 wouldn’t get
a whole lot of chances to play.
When they’re both gone, I should
have a chance to start for three
years."
Others rcdshirting this year are
sophomore I back George Achola,
sophomore quarterbacks Keilhen
McCant and Tom Haase, and
sophomore defensive back Will
Thomas, according to Nebraska
coach Tom Osborne.
Nebraska receivers coach Ron
Brown said freshman tight end
William Washington will also
rcdshirt
Brown said it was unlikely that
Hughes would play this year.
Hughes, from New Orleans,
La., was named the Louisiana of
fensive player-of-the-year follow
ing his senior season at St. Au
gustine High School.
“We would hate to have him
waste a year because Richard,
Dana and Jamie Worden are ahead
of him,” Brown said. “But it’s 99
percent sure he’ll sit out He would
only play if Richard and Dana got
hurt/
Hughes said he has no regrets
about sitting out a year.
“Some people back home are
not too happy about my decision,”
Hughes said. “But it’s a year I’m
looking forward to. After my fam
ily sees me on TV in the future,
they’ll understand why I did it”
Like Hughes, Washington will
sit outa year because of the depth at
tight end, Brown said.
“He’s a big strong kid with high
intelligence,” Brown said. “He
could step in and play but there’s a
lot of competition right now. But
we have a lot of good tight ends
now, so it’s probably for the best.”
Washington, a 6-foot-3 former
all-East Texas selection, caught 15
passes for300yards and four touch
downs at Robert E. Lee High
School in Tyler, Texas. He was a
unanimous all-East Texas pick
both on offense and defense, where
he played outside linebacker,
Achola said there were three
main reasons why he decided to
redshirt.
“Ken Clark, Terry Rodgers, and
Tyreese Knox,” he said. “There’s
quality I-back depth right now and
I’m just looking out for my future.
Nebraska usually only plays three
I-backs and I’m the only one who
hasn’t redshirted. It was a difficult
decision to make.”
Achola, a sophomore from
Omaha Creighton Prq), led the
freshman team in rushing last year
with 506 yards. He set a freshman
team record with 93 rushing at
tempts.
“I’ve played competitive foot
ball since eighth grade and I’m
going to hurt inside this year,”
Achola said. “But I’m going to look
at it like putting money in the bank.
I’m just going to draw on this later
when it’s worth more."
1988 College Football Poll See related story on Page 21
Mreet ana smitn
1 .Honda Slate
2.Southcm Cal
3. Texas A&M
4. Clemson
5. UCLA
6.South Carolina
7. Auburn
8. Miami
9-Oklahoma
10 Nebraska
1 l.Iowa
12. Alabama
13 Michigan State
14. Texas
15. Pam State
16. Michigan
17. Notre Dame
18. LSU
19. Washington
20. Pittsburgh
few's
1 .Florida State
2 Southern Cal
3.0klahoma
4. Cleimon
5. UCLA
('.Alabama
7.Texas A&M
8.South Carolina
9. Michigan State
10. Nebraska
I i.ivncnigan
12. Washington
13. Miami
14. Iowa
15i.SU
16. Notrc Dame
17. Auburn
1 S.Tamessee
19. Syracuse
20. West Virginia
Husker ill.
I .Honda Stale
2. Miami
3.Southern Cal
4. LSU
5. UCLA
6,Oklahoma
7.Nebraska
S.Texas A&M
9. Aubum
10. CIemson
I l.unio Mute
12. Michigan
13.Oklahoma Suie
14. Notre Dame
15. Arkansas
16. Penn Suite
17. Washington
18. Texas
19. Georgia
20 Alabama
/union s
1 Honda Suit
2. Nebraska
3. Oklahoma
4. Georgia
5. Michigan
6. Clemson
7.Southen Cal
8. Te*as A&M
9. Tennessee
10. West Virginia
1 (.Michigan Stale
12. LSU
13. UCLA
• 14. Alabama
15.1'exas
16. Iowa
17. Miami
18. Penn Statcl
19.Oklahoma State
20.Aubum
rumuaii lsigrsi
1 .Honda Stale
2. Nebraska
3. Miami
4.Oklahoma
5.Soulhem Cal
6.Iowa
7. Texas A&M
8. Clem son
9. UCLA
10. Aubum
11 .Georgia
12.Arkansas
13.South Carolina
14.Syracuse
15. Nolre Dame
16. Texas
17. Alabama
8.Notre Dame
19.1ndiana
2fl-P»tuburgh
lalfioj s
1 .Honda Stale
2.0klahoma
3.Texai A&M
4 .Nebraska
5.Clemson
6.Southern Cal
7. Teime*see
8. Miami
9. Aubum
10. UCLA
11. Michigan Slate
12. Notic Dame
13. LSU
M.Nebraksa
15.UTEP
16.Iowa
17.Georgia
lS.Texas
19.Syracuse
20.Alabama
I 3j1
1. Michigan
2. Honda Slate
3. Clemson
4 Nebraska
3.Auburn
6,Oklahonia
7.West Virginia
8.Southern Cal
9.Georgia
10.Iowa
11 Washington
12. AlaKama
13. UCLA
14. Georgia
13.Tennessee
16. Texas
17. Mnuni
18 Penn State
19. ()hio State
20. Teimessee
rootmui Action
1 .Florida State
2.Oklahoma
3.South Carolina
4. Clemson
5. Nolrc Dame
6. Tenneuee
7.Southern Cal
8.Iowa
QPitliburgh
10. Michigan
11. Texas
12. LSU
13. Miami
14. Michigan State
15.South Carolina
16.West Virginia
17.Indiana
18.Texas A&M
19 .Alabama
20. Virginia
Don Helnrclrs
1 .Honda Stale
2. Nebraska
3. Clem&on
4. Auburn
5. Notre Dame
6. UCLA
7. Te*at A&M
8.Oklahoma
9 Southern Cal
lO.Miarm
11.Iowa
12. Michigan Slate
13. Texas
14. Georgia
15. Tennessee
16. Boston College
17. West Virginia
18. Alabama
19. Brigham Younj
20. Penn Suie
( onsensus
I .Honda State
2Oklahoma
3 .Clem ton
4.Southern Cal
5. Ncbraska
6. Te*as A&M
7. UCLA
8. Miami
9. Auburn
10. Michigan
11. Iowa
12. Notre Dame
13. Tenneaaee
14. Michigan Stale
15.South Carolina
16. LSU
17. Georgia
18. Alabama
[ 19.Texaa
20. Weal Virginia