NU official says Nebraska TV contract doubtful
Bryant shocked by Notre Dame contract
By Jeff Apel
Senior Editor
An official representing the Uni
versity of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletic
Department expressed shock when
he learned that Notre Dame had signed
its own TV contract.
Don Bryant, UNL’s assistant ath
letic director and director of sports
information, said he was “shocked
and surprised” by Notre Dame’s
decision because the Fighting Irish
gave no indication that they were
thinking about pulling out of the
College Football Association TV
contract.
The CFA contract gave ABC and
ESPN the exclusive rights to televise
all home and away games the con
tract covered. The contract, which
Bryant said had been agreed upon but
not signed, covered 64 teams -- in
cluding Notre Dame.
Notre Dame’s new co^'ract calls
for NBC to begin televisiug !1 of its
home games beginning in 1991.
Sources close to the scene in South
Bend, Ind., told the Associated Press
that the Fighting Irish would receive
approximately $2.5 million a game,
or a total of $75 million over Five
years.
Bryant said he doesn’t know what
the ramifications of Notre Dame’s
actions will be.
“Nobody knows anything about it
now,” Bryant said. “Everybody wants
to know: ‘Will they try to cherry
pick?’ ‘Will anybody do this?’ No
body knows.”
Bryant said the UNL Athletic
Department has not been contacted or
seriously thought about negotiating
its own contract. He said a contract
would need approval by UNL Ath
letic Director Bob Devancy and Martin
Masscngale, NU interim president and
UNL chancellor, before it could be
put into effect
UNL Athletic Director Bob Deva
ncy was out of town Tuesday and
could not be reached for comment.
Bryant said he doubts Noire Dame’s
action will send any Big Eight schools
scrambling to negotiate their own
contracts. He said Big Eight schools
have the same TV appeal as Notre
Dame, which is a major-college inde
pendent
“That’s not a knock on the Big
Eight,” Bryant said. “It’s just you
can’t compare a Big Eight school
with Notre Dame in terms of a home
schedule.”
While Big Eight schools feasted
on such teams as Missouri, Kansas,
and Kansas State last season, Notre
Dame played a schedule that included
use, Michigan, Michigan State and
Penn State. The Fighting Irish also
squared off against Colorado in the
1990 Orange Bowl, a game which
they won to claim the No. 2-ranking
in the country.
Bryant-said Notre Dame will not
be affected if no other schools sign
their own contracts. That appears
unlikely, as the Miami Hurricanes
expressed interest in negotiating a
similar deal immediately after learn
ing of the Fighting Irish’s package.
“I assume it will all work out,”
Bryant said. ‘‘Notre Dame can still
go play any CFA team, and they can
invite anyone to play them.”
Nebraska football recruiting class
one of nation’s best, analyst says
By Nick Hytrek
Staff Reporter
Nebraska’s football program is
again among the nation’s elite in the
recruiting category.
Allen Wallace, recruiting analyst
and publisher of SuperPrcp maga
zine, said the 19 recruits who have
given verbal commitments to Nebraska
form a class that ranks among the
lower half of the top-10 classes in the
country. The recruits cannot sign their
letters of intent until Feb. 14.
Wallace said Nebraska’s most
touted recruits arc running back Calvin
Jones, lineman Rob Zatcchka and
defensive back Carl Richardson, all
of whom earned SuperPrcp All
America honors. Those players, he
said, could help Nebraska regain its
place in the postseason top 10 by
making impacts during their fresh
men seasons.
Nebraska’s string of 19 consecu
tive top-10 finishes in The Associ
ated Press or United Press Interna
tional polls was snapped when Flor
ida State defeated the Huskcrs 41-17
in the 1990 Fiesta Bowl.
Wallace said Jones is Nebraska’s
top instate recruit. He said the 6
fool, 198-pound I-back from Omaha
Central High School is a “dominant
player who could have gone any
where he wanted.”
Jones, who chose Nebraska over
Tennessee, Texas and Nevada-Las
Vegas, has excellent size and speed,
but has not met Proposition 42 stan
dards, Wallace said.
Proposition 42 requires all schol
arship athletes to meet certain aca
demic requirements before they can
play or receive financial assistance.
Wallace said Zatcchka also has
good size. The 6-6, 275-pound line
man is one of the best in the country.
Richardson, who originally had
committed to Miami, announced
Monday that he would be a Husker.
Wallace said Richardson (5-1,185) is
the only prospective recruit who could
make a solid varsity contribution next
season.
Wallace said the rest of Nebraska’s
recruiting class isn’t as talented as
those three players, but includes sev
eral players who were ranked as the
best at their positions in their home
states.
The top recruit with that honor,
Wallace said, is Todd Gragnano, who
was listed as the best prep quarter
back in California. He said Gragnano
reminds him of San Francisco 49ers
quarterback Joe Montana.
“At times, it doesn’t look like he
belongs on the field,’’ Wallace said.
“But he keeps making the plays.’’
Wallace said Gragnano has great
instincts and has the ability to turn
mistakes into first downs.
Nebraska also has a verbal com
mitment from Matt Jones, who is
ranked as the best quarterback in
Indiana. Wallace excluded Jones, a
Super Prep All-Midwest selection, from
his elite list because he was com
pletely ignored by Notre Dame.
Nebraska’s final recruit listed as
the best position player in his state is
Donta Jones, a 6-4, 215-pound line
backer from Pomfret, Md. Wallace
said Jones will be a great player be
cause of his speed and strength.
Wallace said Nebraska also has
commitments from several players
who arc solid and will contribute in a
few years. One such player is Corey
Dixon, a 5-10, 175-pound wingback
from Dallas.
Dixon was a SuperPrep All - South
west selection whom Wallace called
one of Nebraska’s best recruits. He
said speed is Dixon’s greatest asset.
Dixon was the 1988 Texas state
champion in the 400-meter dash.
Wallace said defensive back Ced
ric Collins is another outstanding
athlete. The 6-foot, 180-pound player
from Slidell, La., was a SuperPrep
All-Southwest performer.
Collins, who intercepted 21 passes
during his prep career, is p quick
player who is versatile enough to be
an effective special teams contribu
tor, Wallace said.
But Collins may not meet Proposi
tion 42 requirements, Wallace said.
Nebraska signed two “solid” re
cruits from California: linebacker Brian
Havens and lineman Brenden Slai.
Havens wasGragnano’s teammate
at Los Alamitos, and Stai (6-4,260) is
from Anaheim. Both players were
SuperPrep All-Far West selections
and were recruited by Southern Cal
and UCLA.
Wallace said fellow lineman Joel
Gesky from Chicago is not a great
prospect but has potential. Gesky (6
4,270) was a SuperPrep All-Midwest
selection. He was named the most
valuable player in his conference, and
has a 400-pound bench press.
Wallace said defensive back Ed
Stewart of Chicago also is not a great
prospect. Stewart, a 6-1, 195-poun
der, earned All-Conference honors
this year.
One prospect Wallace said he thinks
has more potential than Stewart and
Gesky is 6-5,235-pound lineman Terry
Connealy of Hyannis.
“He’s not as good as Rob Zal
echka,” Wallace said. “But he is an
excellenteight-man football player. ’ ’
Wallace also liked Zach Wiegert,
a 6-4, 256-pound lineman from Fre
mont Bergan. Wiegert’s brother Erik
is a reserve offensive lineman at
Nebraska.
Wallace said Zach Wiegert has
potential.
“He will only be 17 years old as a
freshman,” Wallace said, * ‘so he will
gain some weight.”
Wiegert could play offense or
defense, but probably will wind up on
offense because of his lack of foot
speed, Wallace said.
Jon Pedersen, a 6-3, 238-pound
lineman from Grand Island, has great
Andy Manhart/Dally Ntbraakan
quickness bul needs lo put on weight,
Wallace said, as does Jay Spearman,
a 6-4, 205-pound tight end.
Cory Schlesingcr, a 6-1,200-pound
fullback from Columbus and the last
of Nebraska’s committed recruits, is
capable of playing several positions,
Wallace said.
b&U R 41
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P-Player Ht. Wt. H.S.
i ■ ■ ■ i i i ■ rnri
NEBRASKA HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS
I
DL-Terry Connealy 6-5 235 Hyannis
RB- Calvin Jones 6-0 198 Omaha Central
L- Jon Pederson 6-3 238 Grand Island
FB-Cory Schlesinger 6-1 200 Columbus
TE- Jay Spearman 6-4 205 Sutton
L- Zach Weiegert 6-4 256 Fremont Be^gan
L- Rob Zatechka 6-6 275 Lincoln East 1
■ ■■■■■■■■a*
OUT-OF-STATE PLAYERS
CB-Sedric Collins 6-0 180 Slidell, La.
WB- Corey Dixon 6-4 260 Dallas
L- Joel Gesky 6-1 195 Chicago
QB-Todd Gragnano 6-1 185 Los Alamitos, Calif.
LB- Brian Havens 6-3 220 Los Alamitos, Calif.
L- Bill Humphrey 6-2 230 Libertyville, 111.
LB-Donta Jones 6-4 215 Pomfret, Md.
QB-Matt Jones 6-1 187 Michigan City, Ind.
DB- Carl Richardson 6-1 185 Dallas
L- Brenden Stai 6-4 260 Anaheim, Cal
DB- Ed Stewart 6-1 195 Chicago
' I I I I I I I I I I I
JUNIOR COLLEGE TRANSFERS
WB-Kenny White 5-10 170 Dodge City, Kan.
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Nee
Continued from Page 7
This coach must recruit young men
who arc talented on the court and in
the classroom. This coach will have
to be an ambassador for the state, sell
the fact that the Big Eight is the best
conference and show the players that
Lincoln has one of the best basketball
facilities in the country.
Most of all, this coach must care
for his players long after their playing
days are over.
That is what the Nebraska pro
gram needs to gel the superstars of
tomorrow into Lincoln. So where do
we find a young Dean Smith, Bobby
Knight or John Thompson?
We already have.
Mil haven is a senior History major and a
Daily Nebraskan sports columnist and
writer.
Ignite
Continued from Page 7
Ncc said lhai lineup is temporary
because Nebraska will eventually
reinsert 7-2 center Rich King back
into a starting role. King has started
17 of Nebraska’s 19 games, and leads
the Huskers in scoring with an aver
age of 16.6 points per game.
Nee said he was nappy with King’s
•-m— ^ ^
performance against Kansas State.
King came off the bench to score 11
points and grab 10 rebounds .
‘‘I think he’s doing a nice job,”
Nee said. “We need him to do the
things he’s capable of doing offen
sively and defensively.”
Colorado coach Tom Miller said
he needs his team to do the things it is
capable of doing offensively and
defensively. He said the Buffaloes,
now 9-11 and 1-6, didn’t do that dur
mg successive losses to No. 1 -ranked
Missouri and No. 2-rankcd Kansas.
Miller said his team is in good
shape emotionally even though it
dropped the Missouri and Kansas
contests by 60 points.
‘‘I felt like we were on the Bataan
death march,” he said. (The Bataan
death march occurred in World War
II when a group of Japanese soldiers
marched their captives through South
east Asia.)
iin brlMT i
■ "^pana--j
I Two NU rowers sain top-10 finishes
Two members of the Nebraska
rowing team recorded top-10 fin
ishes during the Rocky Mountain
Oyster Sprints Saturday in Denver.
Nebraska’s Ron Vokoun finished
seventh in the men’s lightweight
portion of the 2,500-meter indoor
5 competition with a time of 9:02.4
minutes. Vokoun is a junior engi
neering major from Kearney.
The Comhuskcrs ’other top per
former was Charles Richardson, a
freshman from Newport who fin
ished fifth in the heavyweight divi
sion with a lime of 8:56. Richardson
had advanced to the finals by fin
ishing second in his heat with a
8:44.6 clocking.
Nebraska’s next competition is
Saturday, when the Huskers travel
toUwrence, Kan., to compete in
the Kansas Indoor Invitational.