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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 12, 1988)
Sports UCLA’s Ball shreds shadows, Nebraska By Mike Kluck Staff Reporter PASADENA, Calif. — Eric Ball, an explo sive running back who has lived in the shadows of two Heisman Trophy candidates, found life in the twilight has a sunny side Saturday during UCLA’s 41-28 win against Nebraska. Ball, who has toi led in the shadows of UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman and running back Gaston Green throughout his four-year career with the Bruins, shredded the Nebraska defense for 148 yards to lead UCLA past the Com huskers before a Rose Bowl crowd of 84,086. Nebraska defensive coordinator Charlie McBride said he was concerned about Ball entering the nationally televised game because of the senior running back’s physical style of play. He said Ball’s presence concerned him more than Aikman, who passed for 205 yards and three touchdowns while completing 13 of 22 passes. “Really, Aikman wasn’t my biggest con cern,” McBride said. “My biggest concern was Eric Ball. We don’t have a very good defensive line right now. They’re all young kids, they’re not very strong and they haven’t played very much. So I’m more concerned with shutting down the run. We didn’t do it. “We knew they were a better football team and I think that Ball, the physical back that he is, is the difference in their team over last year.” UCLA coach Terry Donahue said the Bruins created a balanced offensive attack in the first half by mixing the running of Ball with Aikman’s passing. Aikman finished with 183 yards passing in the first half, while Ball tallied 75 yards rushing. who broke free from Nebraska linebacker LeRoy Etienne’s grasp on the way to the end zone. McBride said it wasn’t hard to understand why Arbuckle broke free for the touchdown. MmM Mi HIM i M ‘Really, Aikman wasn't my biggest concern. My biggest concern was Eric Ball. We don't have a very good defensive line right now. They're all young kids, they’re not very strong and they haven’t played very much. ’ — McBride “It was important for our offense to be balanced, with Eric and Troy Aikman,” Do nahue said. “We tried to get Eric to run well and then go ahead and utilize Troy Aikman’s tal ents. I thought our offensive line did a nice job of keeping pressure off Troy. We’re quicker than last year’s line, although we are not quite as big.” The Bruins erupted for 28 points during the first quarter. UCLA took the opening kickoff and went on a four-play, 74-yard drive that took 2:21 min utes. The drive was capped by a 57-yard pass from Aikman to tight end Charles Arbuckle, “We just flat missed him and the thing that was discouraging is we had a couple of guys back there in the secondary that couldn’t catch himhe said. “We got some pretty good speed back there so maybe that tells us something.” Aikman said he was surprised to see Ar buckle score on the play. “He should have been tackled for about a 3 yard gain,” Aikman said, “but he made a big play out of it.” Nebraska retaliated by driving to the UCLA 38-yard line on its first possession, but the drive stalled when Nebraska split end Morgan Gre gory dropped a pass from Husker quarterback Steve Taylor. On the third play of UCLA’s second posses sion, Ball then broke up the middle for an apparent 54-yard touchdown run. A Bruin holding penalty nullified the touchdown, but freshman tailback Shawn Wills gave UCLA a 14-0 lead three plays later when he raced 50 yards for the score. UCLA, 2-0, needed only seven plays to increase its lead to 21-0 when Aikman hit Arbuckle with a 3-yard touchdown pass. The drive was set up when Bruin comerback Marcus Turner recovered a fumble by Ne braska wingback Dana Brinson. The Bruins then increased their lead to 28 0 when UCLA senior comcrback Darryl Hen ley took a punt and raced 75 yards for a touch down. Aikman said he was amazed by the number of points the Bruins scored. “Nebraska is a great team,” Aikman said. “It’s rare that a team comes out as strong as we did and scores 28 points in the first quarter. We felt we had something to prove. We are always being told that we can’t hang with the big boys, but we came out and proved we can be physi cal.” The Huskers’ first score came in the second quarter when safety Mark Blazek intercepted an Aikman pass and rambled 75 yards for a touchdown. After Blazek caught the ball, he See BRUINS on 12 1 ■ ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■ ..■ - ... inu gets closer to baseball lights By Steve Sipple Senior Kdilor Nebraska’s baseball team moved one step closer to night baseball Thursday when the University of Ncbraska-Lincoln Central Planning Committee approved plans for lights to be installed at Buck Bellzcr Field. The 12-mcmbcr committee ac cepted a UNL athletic department proposal that would make the Com huskers thebth Big Eight team to have lights at its home field. Chancellor Martin Masscngalc still must give final approval for the project. He is expected to make his decision early this week, said Robert Furgason, UNL’s vice chancellor for academic affairs. “I assume he will find the project acceptable,” Furgason said. Masscngalc couldn’t be reached for comment Furgason said the committee’s vote wasn’t unanimous. A few mem bers voted against the project, he said. Furgason, the chairman of the committee, said he voted in favor of the project. But he and other commit tee members expressed concern about the “visual impact” the light standards would have on the area surrounding the field. He said that placing galvanized steel light posts around the field would have an adverse effect on the surroundings. “I’m in favor of (the project), but with reservations,” Furgason said. “I support the fact that we should have lights, but we need to take every measure to reduce the visual impact. ’ Coaling the steel posts would be one way to reduce the effect on the area, he said. Nebraska baseball coach John Sanders said athletic department plans call for eight light standards to be built around the field. Two light posts, he said, would be placed around the seating structure behind home plate. One would be installed down each foul line, and four more would surround the out field, he said. Sanders said he is optimistic Mas sengale will grant final approval. “It’s a project that has some merit and there’s several people who have shown interest in the project through donations,” he said. “It’s a project that will have a positive impact on the program.” Decision doesn’t leave NU’s Frese out in cold By Lori Griffin Staff Reporter Nebraska left fielder Jancllc Frese had to make a tough decision when she chose to become a Com husker, but it has paid off. Frese said she has no regrets about making the 1,400-mile trip from her home in La Palma, Calif., to Lincoln even though she chose to play collegiate softball for a team she didn’t know much about. “I was attracted by the people,” Frese said. “I fell a real sense of welcome when I came here. I also felt that I could make a name for myself and I think I have been pretty good at it.” Frese said she didn’t know where Nebraska was when former coach Wayne Daigle recruited her. She said she learned all about the stale and Nebraska’s strong soft ball tradition during her recruiting trip. “I learned that Nebraska was a top quality, highly reputable uni versity,” she said. “I saw the soft ball team play and I learned about its success during my visit. I learned that Nebraska was almost always a top contender tor post season play.” Frese said she w'as originally recruited as a catcher by Texas A&M, Cal-Bcrkeley, Oregon State, Indiana and Nebraska. She said she narrowed her choices to “ Texas A&M, Cal-Bcrkley and Nebraska before making her final decision. Nebraska softball coach Ron Wolforth said Frese has made a smooth transition from being a catcher to the outfield. ‘‘Janellc has a strong defensive arm in the outfield,” Wolforth said. ‘‘She has one of the top 10 defen sive arms in the outfield in the country.” Wolforth said Frese has learned to use her arm to her and Nebraska’s advantage. “Janellc has learned how to use her arm effectively,” Wolforth said. “She has learned to keep the ball down and hit the right bases instead of throwing behind the runners.” Frese said she hasn’t been dis appointed with thechangesshe had to make at Nebraska. “At first it was kind of a disap pointmcnt because I was recruited as a catcher, “ Frese said. “When I came to Nebraska I thought I could be starting as a catcher and con tinue at that role. “But the change did not bother me. I’m just happy that I’m playing and that I’m a central factor in the success of the team. That’s what I want to be. “Wherever my team wants me that’s where I’ll play.” Frese said the change was made easier because she suffered from shin splints and Catapartmoth Syndrome. She said the disease, which is also known as Mary Decker Disease, is caused by fluid that gets trapped in the legs. 7 was attracted by the people. I felt a real sense of wel come when I came here.' —Frese In addition to improving as an outfielder, Frese has become a better hitter, Wohlforth said. He expects Frese to hit .260or .265 this season after recording a .225 bat ting average last season. “The way that Janclle has pro gressed, she just might have a possibility of reaching these big goals,” Wolforth said. Frese said her biggest goal en tering her senior season is to win the Big Eight championship for the 4th-consccutivc year. ‘‘My goal since my freshman year has been to win the Big Eight title and so far we have done it,” she said. ‘‘My other goal for the team would be that we all do well in both academics and on the playing field. I would like us to carry the reputa tion of being good athletes as well as good students. “I would like to portray a posi tive and inviting image for future athletes.” Frese said she hopes to make a return trip to the Women’s College World Series, which will be held in San Jose,Calif. She said San Jose is an eight-hour drive from La Palma. The Huskers finished tied for 5th in See FRESE on 12 Doug Carroll/Dai!y Nebraskan Nebraska softball player Janelle Frese works on her pow erful throwing arm during practice Friday.
