Grant is starting quarterback;
Joseph will see playing time
By Paul Domeier
Senior Reporter
Mike Grant has won the battle to
be Nebraska’s starting quarterback
Saturday in the 1990 season opener
against Baylor.
But the victory isn’t complete.
Comhusker coach Tom Osborne said
Thursday that Mickey Joseph will
play, too.
“We will start Grant and play
Joseph sometime in the second quar
ter,’’ Osborne said.
And that arrangement will con
tinue past the Baylor game, which
will start at 6:30 p.m. in Memorial
Stadium and will be televised by ESPN.
“We’ll play both if we can for at
least the first two, three, four ball
games,” Osborne said.
He said Joseph and Grant, both
juniors, have little separating them
now.
“Mike graded just a shade belter
in consistency,” Osborne said.
The two also were expected to
battle for the starter’s role in 1989,
but Gerry Gdwoski held them off to
be the clear-cut favorite.
No such favorite emerged either
this spring or this fall, and Osborne
said he doesn’t mind.
“It’s better to have two playing
well than one playing well and no
body else,” he said.
The quarterback decision was one
of the developments shown on the
last pre-season depth chart, released
Thursday. The chart had no major
surprises.
Omar Soto and Lance Lewis, who
dropped off the team for about a week
earlier in the fall, arc listed together at
first-string fullback. With Nate Turner
still out at wingback, sophomore
Tyrone Hughes is the starter, followed
by senior Brad Devall. Freshman
Kenny Wilhite is up to No. 3, fol
lowed by converted I-back Lamont
White.
Freshman Derek Brown is the third
I-back listed, behind Leodis Flowers
and Scott Baldwin. At right guard,
Erik Wiegcrt moved ahead of Will
Shields, though both are still listed
together on the first team.
Shields missed practice Thursday
with an injured ankle, and alternate
right tackle Steve Engstrom is out,
too.
Terry Eyman relumed to practice
to help a bit with the offensive line’s
depth, but Osborne said the second
string left tackle was not in good
shape.
“I think he had a rude baptism out
there,” Osborne said.
The Huskers practiced on the grass
outside Memorial Stadium and missed
some of the heat, but will be back on
the artificial turf on the stadium to
day.
Baylor quarterback
injured, coach says
WACO, Texas (AP) - Baylor
Coach Grant Teaff said injured quar
terback Brad Goebel, a three-year
starter, will be replaced by sopho
more Steve Needham, who didn’t letter
last season.
Nebraska’s depth chart
S£ Jon Bostick 6-2 185 Jr.
Mark Dowse 6-0 180 Jr
Dan Pleasant 5-9 175 Jr.
LT Torn Punt 6 8 285 Sr
Terry Eyman 6-6 265 Sr.
Brent Pick 6-5 265 Sr.
LG Jim Wanek 6-1 245 Sr.
Jeff Chaney 6-2 250 Jr.
Jon Pedersen 6-3 238 Fr.
C David Edeal 6-2 260 Sr
Bill Ziegelbaum 6-5 240 Jr.
Terris Chorney 6 1 250 So
RG Will Shields 6 2 260 So.
EricWiegart 6-4 270 Jr.
Chris Zyzda 6-2 255 So.
RT Brian Boerboom 6-7 285 Jr.
Steve Engstrom 6-3 290 Sr
Ray Rietenrath 6-5 290 Jr
TE Chris Garrett 6-3 240 Jr
WiUiam
Washington 6-2 245 So.
Daryl Leise 6 2 230 Jr
OB Mike Grant 6 2 210 Jr
Mickey Joseph 5-11 180 Jr
Tom Haase 6-0 185 Jr
FB Omar Soto 5-11 220 Jr
Lance Lewis 6-0 205 So.
Tim Johnk 5-10 215 Jr.
IB Leodis Flowers 5-11 200 Jr.
Scott Baldwin 6-1 200 So.
Brian Brown 6 6 260 Jr.
WB Tyrone Hughes 5-9 175 So.
Brad Duvali 5-9 180 Sr
Kenny Wilhite 5-10 170 Fr.
PK Gregg Sartos 5-8 170 Sr.
__I
<jOU3 Travis Hill 6-2 225 So
David White 6-2 225 So
Dan Svehla 6-0 230 Sr
LT Joe Sims 6-3 280 Sr.
Le Andre Anderson 6-4 260 Sr
Paul Brungardt 6-7 260 Sr.
MG Pat Engelbert 6-2 250 Jr
Greg Koettner 6-3 280 Jr.
Mike Jefferson 6-2 280 Fr.
RT Kenny Walker 6-4 240 Sr
Le Andre Anderson 6-4 260 Sr
Brian Brown 6-6 260 Jr
ROLB Mike Croel 6 3 225 Sr
Dan Svehla 6-0 230 Sr
RickWendland 6-1 215 Sr
SLB MikePetko 6-2 230 Jr
Brian Mohnsen 6-3 240 Jr
Troy Branch 6-2 220 Fr
WLB Pat Tyrance 6-2 240 Sr
Mike Anderson 6-1 230 Fr
PaulWightman 6-1 220 So
LC8 Bruce Pickens 5-11 190 Sr
Jon Crippen 5 10 170 Sr
Robert Hicks 5-10 185 Sr
RCB Tahaun Lewis 5-11 170 Sr
Tyrone Legette 5-1 180 Jr.
Eric Anderson 5-8 175 Jr
SS Reggie Cooper 6-3 210 Sr.
Curtis Cotton 6-1 210 Jr.
Brian Pottard 5-10 190 So
FS Tyrone Byrd 5-11 165 So
Steve Carmer 6-1 206 So.
Will Thomas 6-0 175 Jr
P MtkeStigge 6-1 185 So
Pettit’s explosive team holds promise of bright season
At Nebraska, the cliche is, ‘Wait ‘til next
year.’
Well, that lime is here, and it definitely
could be the year ... for the volleyball team.
It won’t be duck soup, but after losing
NCAA title matches in 1986 and 1989, this
Darran
Fowler
1990 team has as good a chance as anyone to
win it all Dec. 15, in College Park, Md., the site
of the NCAA Final Four.
And why not?
Val Novak is back. The ubiquitous first
team All-American setter has textbook-style
footwork and range to cover the floor and feed
her teammates. The senior’s ability to get to the
bad pass, then make the fingertip assist with
marksman-like accuracy, had her leading the
nation last year with 13.74 set assists per game.
Noticing improvement in Novak’s game
this season, Nebraska coach Terry Pettit says,
will take a trained eye. Players and coaches
will see the difference and statistics will reflect
it, but few spectators will have a clue.
The Kruser, as Pettit sometimes calls her,
is back. She is the Comhuskers’ other first
team All-American from last year’s team that
finished 29-4 in 1989.
Janet Kruse at outside hitter was cool under
the gun as a sophomore in 1989. When things
were tight, the pressure on., a momentum shift
needed, Novak could go to Kruse to find the
weak spot and, as Pettit would say, terminate.
Cris Hall is back. Periodical back pains
early in the year kept the 6-foot-2 Kansas state
high and long jump champion from following
Kruse and Novak up the All-American ladder.
Late in the season, when the pain was less, or
more precisely when she was immune to it,
Hall was nearly unstoppable. With her combi
nation of height and leaping prowess, the jun
ior could thunder spikes over the block of help
less defenders.
Eileen Shannon, the freshman sensation of
last year, is back. Expected to slowly progress
and be a strong backup, she instead was thrown
to the front lines and fought like a veteran.
When teammate Linda Barsness blew out her
knee in the second match of the year, Shannon
made the transition from prep star to big-time
volleyball seem anti-climactic. She went on to
lead the team in kills with 479 and made the
Final Four All-Tournament Team.
And that’s just a sample. Pettit could field a
“B” team and still store several victories.
Nebraska lost 1989 seniors Virginia Stahr
and Carla Baker who both played the middle
blocker position. No problem, except in find
ing someone to replace the leadership values
they provided. Thai’s the key. If that role is
filled, holy cow. Watch out. The Huskers also
need lo avoid ballooned heads. Even the best
teams can be beaten.
Pettit has 6-2 sophomore bomber Stephanie
Thaler to fill the middle, and he can shift Hall
over to make room for Barsness at outside
hitler. If injuries weaken the outside hitter
position, Hall can move over and Pettit can
plop in another 6-2 player, junior Sara Hesch —
if she’s healthy, and bingo, the lineup is still as
powerful and explosive as ever.
There arc role players and additional depth
in sophomore Debbie Brand, serving specialist
Becky Bolli and settcr/outsidc hitter Valerie
Vermculcn.
Two freshmen in-slate recruits - Laura Luther
and Nikki Strieker - were regarded among the
nation’s best out of high school.
Ah, what a year it could be. With that much
talent Nebraska could cash income December.
If they don’t, ‘Wait ‘til next year.’
Fowler is a senior news-editorial major and Daily
Nebraskan Sports Editor.
NU middle guard says he is ready for starting role
By Chris Hopfensperger
Senior Reporter
There has been a big change on the
Comhusker defensive line.
The departure of last year’s starter
at middle guard, 5-fool-10,240-pound
Mike Murray has left the starting role
to 6-2, 250-pound junior Pat Engle
berk
Murray who was known around
the Big Eight for his diminutive size
was also known for his tenacity on the
field.
“Mike was so dam strong,” Engle
bat said. “He threw some guys around
because he was so strong. Hopefully I
can fill his shoes a little bik
“He was really powerful and quick
off the ball. I just hope I can do some
of'the things Mike did.”
Englebert said he is ready for the
job.
“I’m definitely ready to go. 1 got a
lot of playing lime behind Mike,”
Englebert said.4 4 Now he is gone, so I
kind of have to step in and take the
role.
“I’m really anxious to get started
again, get in the regular season flow.”
The junior from Columbus will
get his first start Saturday as the Huskers
open their season against Baylor at
Memorial Stadium.
“He’s one of those guys who will
be overlooked a lot,” Huskcr coach
Tom Osborne said. “But he’s a great
player. We’re very excited about him.”
Last year, as a backup, Englcbcrt
made a name for himself on the pass
rush with 10quarterback hurries, just
two behind team leader Kenny Walker.
He ended the season with two sacks,
17 total tackles and an interception,
but insists his game still has a long
way tc go.
“I’ve made some improvements,
but I still have a long way to go,”
Englcbcrt said. “As you get older
things start to get easier for you, things
start clicking a little better.
“ Hopefully this year I’ll get a little
better than last year and my senior
year I’ll get even better.”
An honorable-mention Lee Jeans
Academic All-Big Eight and GTE/
CoSIDA Academic All-District se
lection folowing last season, Englc
bert is a civil engineering major car
rying a 3.453 grade point average.
Being a good student is also an
asset on the field, Englcbcrt said.
“My biggest strength is probably
knowledge of the defense,” he said.
“I know pretty much the reads with
my experience and I can pick up the
blocking schemes pretty well now
that I have seen it a lot.”
Englebert insists that the long hours
of practice are the enjoyable part of
his day.
“You’ve really got to discipline
yourself to study quite a bit,” he said.
“It’s a big change from studying real
hard all morning. You get to come
over here and relieve some of the
tension. You come here and let it all
out
“It’s the fun part of the day.”
In high school, Englebert was a
-<t
You’ve really got to
discipline yourself to
study quite a bit... You
get to come over here
and relieve some of the
tension... It’s the fun
part of the day.
Englebert
Nil middle guard
—-1 f
two-time Class B All-State selection
at Columbus Scolus High School,
where he also handled place kicking
duties as team captain and MVP.
Englebert said he knows his weak
nesses, but is optimistic about the
season.
“I’ve got to improve on my pass
rushing, but it’s early in the season,”
he said. “I have a lot of things to
learn. I’d like to get off the ball a little
better, but I think this should be a
pretty good season.”
Dally Nebraskan File Photo
Middle guard Pat Englebert will be starting for the first time Saturday. Coach Tom Osborne
said: “He’s one of those guys who will be overlooked a lot.”