Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 24, 1990)
Al Schaben/6aiiy hiebraskan N U chews up, spits out Gophers By Paul Domeier Senior Reporter i innesotagot caught in the , / gears of a football ma I / chine Saturday. The %/ Nebraska Comhuskers yf became Robotcam, and Robotcam ground up the Golden Gophers 56-0 in Memorial Sta dium. “You can feel it from the beginning of the game that everything’s going smoothly,’’ said quarterback Mickey Joseph, a key lu bricant in Nebraska’s success. A finely tuned Rolls-Royce never ran this smoothly. Led by 100-yard rushers Derek Brown and George Achola, the Huskers scored on six of their eight first-half posses sions. Nebraska stalled once on an intercep tion, once because time ran out in the half. Nebraska, with firsl-and-goal at the 4-yard line, could easily have punched in a seventh touchdown, but Husker coach Tom Osborne, with the luxury to be merciful, called three rushes to run out the clock. At halfumc, Nebraska led 42-0 and in yards of total offense had out-gained Min nesota 379-66. “We had it in hand so completely, so early,” Osborne said. The second half was little different. The Nebraska coaches inserted 104 players into the machine. The offense added two more touchdowns and went into cruise control. The defense completed its second shutout, not only keeping Minnesota from scoring but keeping the Gophers from crossing their 45-yard line. “We played a little better than I thought we would,” Osborne said. That’s almost a given. Few coaches an ticipate near perfection. Bui Osborne said he was afraid ihc 3-0 Huskers would be rusty with the two-week layoff since Nebraska beat Northern Illinois 60-14. He said he also was afraid at the opening kickoff. Nebraska was receiving, but would have to go into a 25 mph wind. Brown fielded the kick in the end /.one and ran it back to the Minnesota 46, but a clip at the Nebraska 23 pushed the ball halfway to the goal line, at the 11. The Huskers had horrid field position heading into that wind, which had gusts of up to 35 mph. Osborne had no reason to worry. Ne braska’s machine within a machine, the offensive line, look over. Picking apart and pushing around Minnesota’s front six, the line gave room for a 13-play drive, every play a run. Joseph ducked under one defender and made a perfect option pitch to Brown for a seven-yard touchdown run ending the drive. Brown, starting at I-back for the injured Lcodis Flowers and Scott Baldwin, finished with 120 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Fourth-string 1-back Achola had 123 yards on 16 carries, including one pitch for 45 yards. Nebraska had nine carries of 10 or more yards in the first two quarters. ‘‘1 was pleased with the way wc came off the ball -- the first half particularly,” Osborne said. Joseph, making his second start, com pleted 7 of 11 passes despite the wind for 117 yards and three touchdowns. Osborne complimented Joseph on his use of au diblcs, saying the junior from Marrero, La., made check calls about half the time. Minnesota gave Joseph plenty of oppor tunities to audible with its hit-or-miss de fense, cramming six defenders tight against Nebraska’s line. Occasionally the Gophers stymied or strung out a play, but more often than not the Huskers found holes and ended up in the Minnesota secondary. With that efficient running game Ne braska ran 92 plays and held the ball for 37 minutes, Minnesota quarterbacks Marquei Fleetwood and Scott Schaffncr took only 50 snaps. When the Gophers did have the ball their offense was out of order. Nebraska’s de fense, with three down linemen averaging 257 pounds, refused to retreat from a Min nesota line that averages 284 pounds. Nebraska defensive coordinator Charlie McBride said he jumped-started the Husk ers emotionally with the Minnesota size. * ‘The biggest thing that their size did was to rally everyone on the defensive line,” McBride said. Nebraska recorded four sacks and pushed the Gophers back 53 yards in tackles for losses. Middle guard Pat Engelbert, 6-foot 2 and 250 pounds, led with two tackles for losses shooting through the gaps next to Gopher center Chris Thome, 6-5 and 283. “Pat Engelbert had a really good day and 1 felt that their center was the best football player they had,” McBride said. The Nebraska defense was so dominat ing, holding Minnesota to 106 yards, that McBride said he pulled back on Nebraska’s planned blitzes. “Everything we did was as basic as you can get,” he said. Like blow the Gophers off the line of scrimmage. Like hold Fleetwood and Scliaff ner to five completions in 19 attempts for 63 yards. “I just think they were snake-bit,” McBride said. The Nebraska machine ran awfully well, so well that even the head mechanic was surprised. “I didn’t think the margin would be anywhere near what it was,” Osborne said. 7 m Clockwise from top: Nebraska l-back George Achola is stopped short of the end zone by y Minnesota’s Sean Lumpkin late in the second quarter. Minnesota’s Derek Fisher grabs Mickey Joseph’s facemask during the Cornhuskers’ first posses sion. L Nebraska’s Lorenzo Brinkley eludes the tackle of Minnesota’s Russ Heath. Minnesota’s Frank Jackson knocks the ball from Nebraska’s Keithen McCant during the second quarter. Nebraska fullback Lance Lewis (26) avoids Minnesota's Frank Jackson, left, in the second quarter. NU’s Chris Zyzda blocks Minnesota de fenders Lumpkin (26) and Frank Jackson. Al Schib«i!^^RS»9m Shaun Sartin/Daily Nebraskan Al 8ch»b»n/D»lly N*br>«kan