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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 1993)
Nebraskan ^PORT'S Wadnasday, Aptll 28,1993 V/l X. 1 Huskers gain high marks for improving By Jeff Singer Senior Reporter_ Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne gave his team passing grades for its spring season — literally. The Comhuskers, who have been known for their prowess running the ball, worked this spring on trying to improve their passing game in lime for the fall season, Osborne said. “We are really working hard to become a belter passing team," Osborne said after his quarterbacks threw for 263 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the annual Red-White game last Saturday at Memorial Sla _ _ m dium. He said a pair of interceptions and occasional sporadic play by the Ne braska quarterbacks showed that work still needed to be done in time for the Huskers’ season opener Sept. 4 against North Texas State. “We have a pretty good idea of what our capabilities are,” Osborne said. *‘Wc’ vc got great speed at our receivers spots, but we’re still not real smooth.” Nebraska first-string quarterback Tommie Frazier, who was named the Big Eight’s Offensive Freshman of the Year last season, has made im provement in his passing accuracy, -44 We have a pretty good Idea of what our capabilities are. We’ve got great speed at our receivers spots, but we’re still not real smooth. — Osborne Nil football coach -99 - according to Osborne. “His throwing has improved,” Osborne said. “The big thing is him moving from a 45 to a 55 percent passer— I think he’s moving in that direction.” With the knee injury suffered by redshirl freshman Ben Rut/ in one of Nebraska’s four Saturday scrimmages, the Huskcrs arc left with only four healthy quarterbackscntcring the fall, including redshirt freshman Malt Turman, who was moved from wingback at the start of the spring season. Osborne said the low number of quarterbacks is a concern. “We’re probably as thin at quarter back as we’ve ever been in terms of depth,” he said. “But the quality is reasonable and hopefully we'll get Ben Riitz back.” * Along with talk of passing more, the Huskers will also be trying to repeat their national rushing title of a year ago. And the player who will have the majority of the responsibility to help get this goal accomplished will be Nebraska I-back and Heisman Tro phy contender Calvin Jones. Jones, who rushed for 1,210 yards last season and earned second-team All-American honors, said if there See FOOTBALL on 8 Nee assistant says coaches not giving up on recruiting Three athletes still considering Huskers By Susie Arth Senior Reporter The Nebraska men’s basketball recruiting team has a long way to go and a short time to gel there. With the May IS deadline looming ahead, the Comhuskers have received only one letter of intent. tBui Assistant Coach Gary Bargen said he thought things were in pretty good shape. 'We’rcall right,”hc said. “We’restill work ing real hard and being real patient” The lone letter of intent has come from Clinton “Mikki” Moore, abnfooi-l 0,200-pound center from South Carolina. To make matters worse, others have unex pectedly abandoned ship. Herb Baker, who originally signed with the Huskers, had a change of heart last week and will now attend Alabama-Birmingham. Bargen said Baker would have been a big addition to the team. “We were disappointed, but we will be able to adjust,” Bargen said. Another unexpected hole opened when Andre Woolridgc announced that he was transferring to Iowa, Bargen said. “When Woolridge decided to leave we started talking about maybe changing our recruiting strategy,” he said. “We’ve become aware of where there might be an available guard.” Bargen said he hoped the Huskers would sign at least two more recruits. Three possibilities still remain strong: • Melvin Brooks of Chowan County Col Softball squad has momentum to take on CU, Revelle says By Derek Samson Staff Reporter Alter snapping a losing streak Sunday, tnc Nebraska softball team is looking to start a streak of a different kind tonight in a double header with Creighton. The Comhuskers broke the school-record 10-game skid with 10-9 and 4-3 wins over Iowa Stale, and Ncbraskacoach Rhonda Rcvcllc said the wins would help her team psychologically for today’s 6 p.m. contests at the Nebraska Softball Complex. “We finally wona high-scoring,close game,” Rcvellc said. “We are playing with a lot of pride. We arc playing to prove something to ourselves.” The one thing Rcvcllc said she knew she would sec from her team against Creighton, as well as in every other game, was a great effort. “When you look at the whole big picture, like a first-year coach and all the injuries, you see thal everything that could happen has,” Rcvcllc said. “Through it all, the one thing they’ve maintained has been their fight. “It would have been real easy for them to throw in the towel.” Creighton holdsa l-1 series lead inis spring, with the last two wins coining in Omaha. Rcvcllc said an off-thc-ficld controversy involving the two schools’ baseball programs had turned up the heal on the softball rivalry as well. “1 think the whole Creighton and Nebraska controversy this spring hasn’t affected us di rectly, but ildcflnitcly has intensified it,”Rcvcllc said. Rcvcllc said Creighton fans were vocal dur ing the two games the Huskers lost to CU in Omaha. She said she hoped Husker fans would repay the favor. Another important factor for Rcvcllc is how her 13-22 Huskers finish oil the season and build for next year. **\1/ knl uia knuA «»ll iiaa# icgc in noon Carolina win mane ms decision - Micneiie rauimarvun . early next week after he finishes final exams, Nebraska’s Cody Dusenberry pitches In a game last weekend against Iowa unbuild a foundmiorTfonhc fuiurc Rcvelle See RECRUITING on 8 State. The Comhuskers will play Creighton in a doubleheader tonight at 6. said. Cornhusker players left door open for cold NFL draft Ever heard of Rudy Harris? Oh, crane on. The running back from Clcmson was the 91 si pick in this year’s draft. How about Roosevelt Potts? Surely, you’ve heard of him. The Northeast Louisiana running back was the no. 49 pick. And, by all means, you’ve hcardof Natrone Means, the 41st pick from North Carolina. No? Okay. Then, have you ever heard of De rek Brown? Evidently not many olhers have. The former Husker I-back was the 109th player chosen Sunday. Yep, that’s right: Brown, who left Nebraska early for the fame and for tune of the NFL, was drafted behind Roosevelt, Rudy and Natrone. Throw in Garrison Hcarst, Jerome Bettis and Robert Smith — among olhers — and Brown was the 12tn running back chosen this year. To bool. Brown wasn’t even the first running back chosen by the Saints, who took Lorenzo Neal of Fresno Stale — Lorenzo who? — before Brown. And so the cold winds of the NFL draft cut through another Comhusker. The draft has never been particu larly kind to Nebraska stars. Although the Comhuskers have had 13 first-team All-Americans since 1984, only three of those—Broderick Thomas, Danny Noonan and Neil Smith—have been chosen in the first round. No Huskers were selected in the first round this year although John Parrella (No. SS to the Buffalo Bills), Will Shields (No. 74 to the Kansas City Chiefs), Tyrone Hughes (No. 137 to New Orleans) and Lance Lewis (No. 184 to Indianapolis) fared fairly well. But even though six Huskers were drafted this year — the most players since 1983 — the draft wa$.|jarticu • i Todd Cooper larly cruel lo Brown and outside line backer Travis Hill. Or, belter yet, they were cruel lo themselves. Brown had no business beckoning the pros a year early. Although he was the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year, the oft-injured Brown never proved that he could take a pounding. He never proved that he was one of the best running backs in the nation. And besides that, Brown didn’t even prove that he was the best player on his team. That, in the least, should be a prerequisite before you leave school early for the pros. * And the draft sent a pro memo lo Hill: Denial isn’tjustariverin Egypt, Travis. Sure, it was a cruel twist of fate when Hill twisted his left knee in the Orange Bowl. The senior was prob ably on his way to a long pro career and certainly a first roundpick before that fateful injury in the second half of his final collegiate game. But the travis-ly of this situation wasn’t that Hill got hurt. It was the way he handled it. After Nebraska head trainer George Sullivan said that an MRI showed that Hill suffered a tom anterior cruciate liga ment, Hill chose to ignore th,, news. And the draft chose to ignore him for six rounds. Nebraska outside linebackers coach Tony Samuel told the Omaha World-Herald that MRIs by pro scouts showed that Hill only had a first degree tear. A third-degree tear requires sur gery. A tear is a tear is a tear. But Hill clearly didn’t want to have to tear up any pro checks by admitting that he tore his ACL. Instead of listening to coaches and trainers and participating in Nebraska’s highly successful knee rehabilitation program. Hill went home. And more importantly, his health would have been guaranteed. I n - stead, Cleveland Browns officials, who took a risk and took Hill as the 180th pick of the draft, have said that Hill might have to sit out the 1993 season. That will give Hill much needed lime to heal his injured left wheel. And while he’s at it, he can sit and watch the linebacker the Browns chose in front of him: Rich McKenzie of Penn State. Oh, come on. Surely you’ve heard of him. Cooper Is a Junior news-editor 1*1 rn^Jor, the Defly Nebraskan wire editor and a sports columnist
