Columnist
picks NU
Kermit the Frog—that loud
mouthed, croaking amphibian
—should quit bellyachin’ about
how it ain’t easy being green.
It ain’t any picnic forecast
ing football games, either. Es
pecially when it's Nebraska and
Oklahoma.
But it’ll be easier this year.
That’s because Oklahoma has
been unusually predictable this
year. Never have the Sooners
been so consistently . . . uh,
adequate.
If “adequate” seems an inap
propriate label to pin on a lum
bering giant that has won 31
straight conference games,
consider the Sooners repeated
mediocrity.
They squeaked past Colo
rado, were out-yarded by Mis
souri and were just plain lucky
to beat Oklahoma State.
Why the lack of luster? Okla
homa is minus its usual dose of
big names to make big plays.
On defense, the Sooners
tackle well and pursue like any
pack of rabid canines. But stats
show the Sooners to be less
than-stingy — especially
against the pass.
Offensively, Oklahoma has
firepower. The 'bone's backs
are fast and strong. And they run
behind the finest kitchen appli
ances this side of the Nebraska
Furniture Mail
The Sooners will Find a weak
spot, then attack it repeatedly.
Barry Switzer is the Sam
Donaldson of coaching, finding
a fault and exploiting it merci
less!)’.
Nebraska's weak link is the
defensive interior It's soft (Mr.
Whipple confused it with
Charmin the other day).
Oklahoma, like Colorado,
will send its fullback up the gut.
Guys like Lawrence Pete, Wil
lie Griffin, Kent Wells and Paul
Brungardt will have had finer
hours.
Linebacker play could be
key. Remember that LeRoy
Etienne doesn't do ads for Saran
Wrap, Etienne hits like a semi
rollin' down 1-29, but often fails
to wrap up his prey.
Mic rest of me ucicnsc
solid. The secondary is tough
and the outside backers are
mobile enough to throw a
wrench in the bone.
Past years saw Nebraska
defensive coaches preaching
the gospel of bending without
brewing. . Early this year, that
philosophy was scrapped.
The defense was breaking—
as brittle as an old bitty’s bones.
Hut Nebraska’s defense has
ahwniraprwewjw.
Ncbmska’s offense ts under
rated. Perhaps we’ve been
spoiled by tfc#Jho«t& of the 1983
scoring explosion.
1-back Ken Clark is peaking.
At times, Ids offensive line has
been as sharp as a lump of luke
warm Parfcay. But they’ve
shown signs of brilliance, too.
You can bet Bob Sledge and
friends will pack their game
faces for Norman.
But this is a game that hinges
on variables. One variable is the
forward pass. With Charles
Thompson, Oklahoma is one
dmemioml
—.-- -- - ii
NU recruiter: Talent is OU magic
By Mark Derowitsch
Senior Reporter
The only magic the Oklahoma
football team has is talent, Nebraska
on-campus recruiter Dave Gillespie
said.
Gillespie, speaking Monday at the
Extra Point Luncheon at Dillard’s
Department Store, said all the talk
about “Sooner Magic” is just that —
talk.
“There’s been a lot of talk about
Sooner Magic,” Gillespie said. “I
don’t think there’s any magic in
volved in Oklahoma games. It has to
do with players.”
Gillespie said nothing matters
except the players when Nebraska
meets Oklahoma. The two teams will
play for the Big Eight championship
and an Orange Bowl berth Saturday at
2:40 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in
Norman, Okla.
“Throw out the home field, throw
out the comparative scores, throw out
i 1 -—
the motivation and the injuries,”
Gillespie said. “When you have two
highly-motivated teams on the field,
you’ll see a great football game.
Usually, when those types of teams
play, whoever has the best talent
wins.”
Gillespie said adifferentemphasis
is usually placed on the Oklahoma
Nebraska game. He said the reason
for it is because the two teams play for
the Big Eight championship almost
every year.
“In general, people lose perspec
tive of what football is all about when
this game comes up,” Gillespie said.
“The best football team will win this
football game.”
If Nebraska, 10-1 overall and 6 0
in the Big Eight, defeats the Sooners,
the Comhuskers will win the Big
Eight title for the first time since
1983. Gillespie said that’s what the
team have been shooting for all sea
son.
“We’re in the position we want to
be in,” Gillespie said. “At the begin
ning of the year, we wanted to be in a
position to win the Big Eight champi
onship.”
But Gillespie said the game’s out
come won’t have any impact on the
1989 recruiting class.
“They don’t remember who won
the past games,” Gillespie said.
“They just remember that Nebraska
and Oklahoma have been involved in
some great games in the past.”
As of right now, the Huskers are
having a great year recruiting,
Gillespie said. He said a lot of the
nation’s best high school players have
included Nebraska on the lists of
schools that they are considering.
“We’re among the top five schools
of more great players than we’ve ever
been before,” Gillespie said. “Of
course, there’s a lot of work until
signing date to make sure we get some
of these players.”
NOTES:
• Former Nebraska reserve quar
terback Clete Blakeman was named
the 1988 winner of the Bobby Rey
nolds Memorial Scholarship at the
Extra Point Luncheon.
Blakeman, who is a freshman at
the UNL College of Law, is the sec
ond recipient of the award. Former
Husker split end Robb Schnitzler of
Battle Creek won the first scholarship
in 1987.
The scholarship was established
by the family and friends of Reynolds,
a former Nebraska All-America per
former in 1950. It is awarded to a male
athlete who has lettered and who is a
student enrolled or accepted for en
rollment to graduate college at Ne
braska.
Blakeman, who was a back-up to
Steve Taylor in 1987 and 1986,
scored seven touchdowns and passed
for another seven during his Husker
career.
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Oklahoma
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Colorado
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Kansas St
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John Bruce/Dally Nebraskan
Osborne says Huskers
healthy for Sooners game
By Nick Hodge
Staff Reporter
Barring any serious injuries this
week in practice, the Nebraska Corn
huskers appear healthy for their game
against Oklahoma, Husker coach
Tom Osborne said.
The only Nebraska player to sit out
Monday’s sweat clothes and helmet
workout at Memorial Stadium was
running back Ken Clark, Osborne
said. Clark has been bothered by an
ankle injury throughout much of the
season but should be available Satur
day, Osborne said.
“It’s kind of Ken’s normal Mon
day deal,” Osborne said. “I think his
ankle’s a little sore and I also think he
had a charlie horse. I hope he isn’t too
bad.”
Clark, a 5-foot-9 200-pound jun
ior from Omaha, gamed 165 yards on
28 attempts and scored the game’s
only touchdown in the Huskers’ 7-0
win against Colorado Saturday at
Memorial Stadium. He has rushed for
a team-leading 1,330 yards and 12
touchdowns heading into Nebraska’s
clash with the Sooners at Norman,
Okla.
Osborne said he expects Clark to
return to practice today or Wednes
day.
Osborne said he’s pleased by the
relatively few number of injuries to
the Huskers this year. Except for seri
ous injuries to fullback Sam Schmidt
and I-back Terry Rodgers, Nebraska
has escaped serious injuries this year,
Osborne said.
•Schmidt, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound
junior from Wood River, has not
played since he suffered a severe
ankle injury in the Huskers’ 41-28
loss to UCL A Sept. 10. Schmidt had
picked up 38 yards on nine carries and
scored a touchdown before his injury.
Rodgers, a 5-foot-7, 170-pound
sophomore from National City,
Calif., suffered a season-ending knee
injury during an Oct. 3 practice. In
five games, Rodgers had run the ball
43 times for 259 yards and three
touchdowns in a backup role.
'The last two or
three weeks have
been pretty good
for us. They have
been pretty physi
cal ballgames.’
— Osborne
Osborne said the Huskcr injury
situation pleases him because Ne
braska has had three games in a row
that could have resulted in serious
injuries.
“The last two or three weeks have
been pretty good for us,” he said.
“They have been pretty physical ball
games. The Colorado game was,
Missouri was very physical and Iowa
State was under pretty bad playing
conditions. We’re pleased we’re in as
good a shape as we are.”
Nebraska defeated Missouri 26-18
in Lincoln Oct. 29. Snow and 40 mph
wind gusts greeted Nebraska at
Ames, Iowa when the Huskers beat
Iowa State 51-16 Nov. 5.
Doug Carroll/Dally Nebraskan
Nebraska guard Clifford Scales (23) plays defense during a
recent practice at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Scaies’
jersey number is the same as his favorite National Basketball
Association player — Chicago Bulls’ guard Michael Jordan.
Scales awaits season
By Nick Hodge
Staff Reporter
There’snosubstitute forexperi
cncc. Just ask Nebraska basketball
player Clifford Scales.
Scales, a sophomore guard for
coach Danny Nee’s Comhuskers,
said he’s anxious to get into the
thick of the Huskers’ schedule
because he feels more relaxed and
comfortable in a Husker uniform
than he felt last season.
“I have that first year of experi
ence under my belt and I feel real
good about myself,” Scales said.
Scales opened the 1988-89 sea
son last Thursday by scoring 10
points, grabbing a rebound and
dishing out five assists in 23 min
utes during Nebraska’s 104-102
loss to Athletes in Action at the
Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Scales was the lone Husker to
See EXPERIENCE on 10
Pettit says defeating KU is imperative
By Jeff ApeS
Senior Reporter
Two seniors will make what could
be their final home appearances to
night when the Nebraska volleyball
team faces Kansas at the NU Coli
seum. ,
Nebraska volleyball coach Terry
Pettit said the match is important
because it might be the last time sen
ior setter Lori Endicoif. and outside
hitter Angie Millikin play before a
home crowd. The Kansas match is the
last regular-season, home match on
Nebraska’s schedule, but the Com
huskers may gain an additional match
at the NIJ Coliseum if regional com
petition is staged in Lincoln.
Pettit said it is important that a
good crowd attend the match so it can
show its appreciation for the accom
plishments of Endicott and Millikin.
Endicott is a pre-season All-America
selection who is described by Pettit as
the top collegiate setter in the coun
try. Millikin is a four-year letter win
ner who has been the leader of the
“Mad Dogs*’ — a name given to the
Husker reserves.
The match, which features free
admission for all University of Ne
braska-Lincoln students who present
their I.D.’s, begins at 7:30 p.m.
“It will be an important match for
us," Pettit said. “It will be the seniors
last match, so I’m sure it will be very
imDortantfor them.”
Millikin said she can’t believe her
Nebraska volleyball career—one she
said went by too fast — is coming to
a close.
“WHdnJ Was a freshman, I thought
there was no way I could get through
four years,” Millikin said. “Now I
can’t believe it’s almost over. It’s
kind of sad.”
Millikin said Nebraska is expect
ing a tough match from Kansas. She
said Karen Dahlgren-Schonewisc, a
former Nebraska All-America who is
the Jayhawks’ assistant coach, cre
ates immediate concerns because oi
her competitive philosophy.
“With Karen’s coaching philoso
phy, she’s not going to let them lav
down,” MiMikin said. MI don’t thint
it’s going to be that way.”
