Griffin’s pal bums the Huskers
By Mike Kluck
Staff Reporter
PASADENA Calif. — Willie
Griffin was disappointed Saturday
night after Nebraska dropped a 41 -
28 decision to UCLA, but still was
able to work up a smile.
Griffin, a senior defensive
tackle from Monrovia, Calif., was
able to smile because a friend of his
had played well.
Griffin’s friend is UCLA left
comcrback Darryl Henley. Henley
returned a 75-yard punt fora touch
down to help the Bruins build a 28
0 lead in the first quarter. In addi
tion, Henley recorded five unas
sisted tackles and broke up one
pass.
The senior from Duarte, Calif.,
said he grew up with Griffin and
has known him since he was seven
years-old. Henley said he didn’t
get to talk toGriffin after the game,
ut saw him on the field.
“He’s big! He’s gotten huge,”
Henley said.
Henley grew up in Duarte,
Calif., but said the borderline to
Monrovia is so close that he, Grif
fin, and USC comerback Chris
Hale lived around the block from
each other.
Henley said a decision when he
was eight-years old kept him from
playing football with Griffin.
“In Duarte, they didn’t have an
eight-year-old team and I had just
turned eight,” he said. “I had the
option to play in Arcadia, Monro
via, or anywhere I wanted to play,”
Henley said. “They (Griffin and
Hale) wanted me to play for them,
but I said, ‘no I am going to play for
Arcadia.’ So, we kind of missed
each other there. I wish I could
have played with them.”
Griffin said he and Henley had a
chance to play together in another
sport.
“We played on the same little
league baseball team,” Griffin
said. “I’m happy for him.”
Griffin said that although he
doesn’t keep in touch with Henley
much any more, he is still friends
with him. He said he saw Henley
when he played last year in Ne
braska and has seen him a few
times when he’s been in California.
Henley said his punt return was
one of his most memorable mo
ments during his four-year career
at UCLA.
“I liked the one last week, but
you can’t ask for anything more
against a team like Nebraska,”
Henley said. Henley returned a
punt in UCLA’s opening game
against San Diego Stale on Sept. 3
— a 59-6 win.
Griffin said he wasn’t surprised
by Henley’s performance, but was
surprised by Bruin quarterback
Troy Aikman’s play.
“Aikman’s a good quarterback,
he surprised me,” Griffin said.
“Everytime we play aguy who’s up
for the Heisman Trophy, we stick it
to him. He stuck it to us this time.”
Griffin said he is happy for
Henley, but as far as Nebraska
goes, he knows the Huskers will
have to work hard this week to
recover.
u
Husker fans party on the coast
By Mike Kluck
Suff Reporter
PASADENA, Calif., — In
Pasadena Saturday, Nebraska fans
lived it up at a country barbecue
before trying to live down
Nebraska’s 41-28 loss to UCLA.
Approximately 3,000 Nebraska
fans living in California, and
people who made the trip from
Nebraska to California to sec the
game, attended a country barbecue
at a golf course near the Rose Bowl.
The barbecue was sponsored by
the Californians for Nebraska
(CFN) — a Nebraska athletic de
partment support group — and
featured a speech by Nebraska
Athletic Director Bob Dcvancy. It
was held under a tent set up on the
golf course. Hay bales and baskets
of fruit were spread throughout. A
Dixieland band was also playing
different Nebraska fight songs and
jazz numbers.
Loren Zimmerman, who is
originally from Axtell and now
lives in West Covina, Calif., or
ganized the barbecue. Zimmerman
graduated from the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln in 1955 and was
a student manager for the Com
huskcrs during his freshman and
sophomore years.
“This is nice,” Zimmerman
said. “I’m so satisfied. It’s bigger
than I ever imagined.”
Zimmerman said the event is
fun because it gives former Ne
braskans both a chance to sec
people they haven’t seen and to
find out what is happening in
Nebraska.
The CFN group has been bene
ficial in helping different Nebraska
programs such as the alumni asso
ciation, the Nebraska F oundation
and the athletic department, Zim
merman said.
“We have contributed to every
organized sport at the University,
Zimmerman said. “Football is cer
tainly the strong hold which holds
us together.” _ .
Devaney said the CFN is the
largest Nebraska alumni associa
tion. He said CFN previously sent
information to Nebraska on diner
ent recruits, but now just show a
lo. of en.hosiasm "NCAAnfe
prohibit the group from sending
information on recruits, he said.
Zimmerman said that while
CFN is a strong supporter of Ne
braska athletics, it also has another
mission.
“We also want to be hospitable
to fellow Nebraskans who move
out here,” Zimmerman said. “If
someone from Nebraska moves
out here and is looking for where to
stay in West Covina, I try to help
them out. I am like a ‘big brother’
to them."
Nebraskans had a choice be
tween the coun try barbcc ue and the
many tailgate parties that took
place near the Rose Bowl.
One of the parties was “The
Nebraska Bad Bash.’’ The party
consisted predominantly of people
from Kearney who now live in
California. Organizer Pam Ball of
Burbank, Calif., said the members
had one goal in mind.
“We are here to party! ” she said.
Lori Clements, who was also at
the “Bad Bash’’, said the party was
like a big family reunion of Ne
braskans.
“People in California love us
because we’re good," she said.
Clockwise from left: Doug Metz of Long Beach, Calif., and Pam Ball of Burbank drop
their pants at a pre-game tailgate party; Nebraska’s Terry Rodgers goes airborne
in the first half against the Bruins; UCLA coach Terry Donahue celebrates his 100th
victory as Bruin coach.
Photos by Butch Ireland
Layout by Steve Sipple