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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 1992)
Sports Big Eight teams start switch to passing offenses Analyst says move benefits recruiting By Phil Carter Staff Reporter Throwing the football in the Big Eight may be another passing fancy. But with schools such as Colorado and Oklahoma consistently taking to ^hc air, at least one national analyst believes that traditional running teams such as Nebraska may be left out in the cold. “In the past, teams like Oklahoma, Nebraska and Colorado ran ^ic ball because IhcBigEightwaslhaltypcof conference,” said CNN and USA To day football analyst Danny Sheridan. “Now, in order to recruit lop high school quarterbacks, they arc switch ing to a passing attack and a more diversified offense.” A look at the passing statistics in the Big Eight shows that Colorado and Oklahoma arc on lop. The Buffaloes have managed to throw for 316 yards per game, while Oklahoma is second with 261 yards a contest. However, neither team leads the conference in total offense. That spot belongs to Nebraska, which leads both the conference and nation in yards rushing per game with 350. “It docsn ’l mean you have to throw the ball regularly to have a good of fense,” Sheridan said. “You still have to run the ball to win the B ig Eight, but in order to compete nationally, run ning teams like Nebraska need to throw the ball more successfully.” A team must use its running game as a foundation to win in the Big Eight, said Iowa Stale coach Jim Walden. “You need to run the ball to be good,” Walden said. “1 think if you would lake the lop eight out of any conference, you’d be hard-pressed to With only Kansas State's game this Saturday against Utah State remaining, Big Eight schools sre a combined 20-11 against non-conference foes. A year-by-year look at the Big Eight against teams from outside the league: 1982 18-14-1 .561 1983 21-11-1 .632 1984 15-16-1 .484 1985 18-15-0 .545 1986 17-15-0 .531 1987 19-14-0 .571 1988 18-14-1 .561 1989 17-15*0 .531 1990 20-12-1 .621 1991 18-13*1 .578 1992 20-11-0 .645 Scot! Maurer/DN find any belter football conference than the Big Eight.” The two traditional Big Eight pow ers have struggled early. Nebraska’s losing streak to Top 10 teams dates back to 1988and Oklahomahas fallen out of the Associated Press Top 25 with two losses in its last three games. Colorado’s adjustment to the pass this year has beensmoolher than ex pected. The Btiffaloesarc undefeated after five games, but Colorado coach Bill McCartney said the conference was just as lough as it had ever been. “It’s going to be very competi tive,” McCartney said. “Oklahoma’s got tremendous young talent, and Nebraska continues to recruit well. “I think that Kansas could beat any of us, if we’re not careful. They could maybe beat a couple of us.” See BIG EIGHT on 14 ABC or ESPN might televise Nebraska-Colorado matchup - - doubt we’d be interested. But we’ll The Ncbraska-Colorado game have to sec what happens.” scheduled for Oct. 31 likely will be Aresco said the game likely would tclcvisal by ABC or ESPN, one offi- be played at either 2:30 p.m. on ABC cial said. or at 3p.m. on ESPN. Mike Aresco, program manager at ABC has first choice of which ESPN, said the network would be game loairand then ESPN will choose “very interested” in televising the their two games. ESPN also is plan game, which could decide the Big ning a 6:30 p.m. game, but Aresco Eight Championship. said the Ncbraska-Colorado game “It’s certainly one of the big games probably would be played in the aftcr of the day,” Aresco said. “There’s no noon. * ' 1 ■ ■ DN file photo Nebraska junior Nikki Strieker dives for a ball in a match last season. Strieker is the Cornhuskers’ leading setter this year with 385 assists. Strieker fulfills lead role with confidence and ability By Jeff Singer Senior Reporter In mosl ways, Nebraska volley ball seller Nikki Slrickcr isn’t loo similar to Nebraska quarterback Mike Grant. But both arc leaders of nation ally ranked teams competing for Big Eight titles. Strieker, the starling setter on Nebraska’s fifth-ranked volleyball team, is leading the Huskcr offense in its quest to win a nth-consecu tive conference championship. Nebraska assistant volleyball coach Brian Bcgor said Slrickcr and Grant had similar duties in their respective sports. “k’s a bit like Mike Grant,” Bcgor said. “The setting position is absolutely critical and is the coach on the court.” Strieker said just like Grant on the football field, she had to be able to act as a leader to her teammates. “A coach puls the mosl trust in the setter to lead the team,” Slrickcr said. “If I don’t sec myself as a leader, the team won’t go very far.” Strieker said she had to he able to mix in confidence with her lead ership abilities in order to be a successful setter. -44 When I’m scared to be out there, then I shouldn’t be on the court. ” —Strieker Nebraska setter -ft - “Setting is all mental — confi dence is very important for a set ter,” Strieker said. “When I’m scared to be out there, then I shouldn’t be on the court.” This year’s statistics have shown the 5-fool-10 Strieker hasn’t been scared often. She leads the team with 385 assists and has helped the Huskers to a 10-2 overall record and a 4-0 mark in Big Eight play. She earned second-team All-Big Eight honors last year while help ing Nebraska to a 27-5 record and mf an undefeated conference mark in 1991. Despite her accomplishments last season, Strieker has been chal lenged for the starling setting posi tion this season by sophomore Christy Johnson. Strieker said although she’s been pushed by Johnson, she’s happy to have competition for the starting role. “I’m glad Christy’s here,” Strieker said. “Our strengths are very different and we’re both mak ing each other better.” Johnson said Strieker’s presence has helped the younger setter be come a better player. “I think she makes me belter because she’s a great setter,” John son said. “She’s a hard worker and she ball-handles well.” Begor said he was pleased with both of the Nebraska setters’ play this season. “I think both her and Christy are among the best five or six setters in the country,” Begor said. “We’re very happy with both of their play.” Conference winner will need rushing attack u s ottcn been said in wartime situations that “they who control the skies control the war.” This is true in military battles, drive-by shootings and college foot ball. But there is one exception. The Big Eight conference has been trying for years to get away from its traditional running prowess to estab lish a passing game. But here’s a little hint to all those Big Eight coaches who arc attempting to establish an air attack: Th^y who win the ground war winahe confer-1 ence. True, to contend for a national itle, a team must be able to pass the >all as weil as be able to run it. To compete for a national championship, t has to win the conference first. And he only way to win the Big Eight is vith a dominant rushing attack. The major reason for the Big Eight’s dependence on the run is the weather; it’s a lot easier to rush the ball in a blizzard than to try to throw 50-yard bombs. This explains why Colorado and Oklahoma have little chance of win ning the conference. Nebraska, which has the nation’s lop rushing team at 350 yards per game, will be more apt to run the ball in the upcoming horrible Midwest weather compared with the Buffa loes’ miserable 129.4 rushing yards , per-game average, which ranks 80th in the Country. When it comes to bowl games, Colorado and Oklahoma will be bet ter prepared for their opponents be cause of expertise in the passing game, but the problem is the Comhuskers will be running on the turf of the Orange Bowl while the Buffaloes and Jeff ^ingei^ Sooncrs arc airing the ball out else where. If Colorado and Oklahoma con tinue to let passing games dictate their offenses, both schools will wind up short of going the Orange Bowl. Iowa Slate football coach Jim Walden, whose team went to the run dominated wishbone attack this year, said the key to survival in the Big Eight is running the ball. “You’ve got to run the ball any where to be good,” said Walden, who after a 21 -32-2 record in five years at ihc helm of the Cyclones, decided to run. “When we struggle it’s the days you don’t get 150 yards rushing.” The Big Eight’s new effort of pass ing in conference play, or lack of it, couldn’t be better displayed than in last week ’ s Colorado- M issouri game. Inacold night highlighted by freez ing rain in Columbia, Mo., the Buf falo passing game was able to accu mulate a total of zero touchdowns in a big 6-0 Colorado win. A run-oriented offense probably would have had six points by the game’s opening kickoff, but a pass dominated offense in traditional Big Eight weather barely gave the Buffa loes a victory. Walden said Colorado’s lack of production against the Tigers sym bolized the conference’s traditional need for strong rushing teams. - “If we have to watch any more of those 6-0 games like we watched Thursday night, it’ll set us all back 100 years,” Walden said. During the game at Faurot Field, ESPN panned the Colorado sideline and showed a disgruntled Buffalo Coach Bill McCartney watching his team net a mere 123 yards on the ground. This is the same team that aver aged 290 yards rushing per game over the last three seasons, and conse quently won or shared the conference title in each of those three years. If you looked closely at McCartney as the freezing rain poured down on him, you could almost read his lips saying, “I wish I had my wishbone back. . Singer is a senior news-editorial and po litical science m^jor and a Daily Nebraskan sports senior reporter.