SPORTS
Nebraskan
W«diMMlay, S*pt«mb«r 8,1993
Huskers’ big
win brought
heavy losses
By Jeff Griesch
Senior Reporter
While the Nebraska football team
walked out of Memorial Stadium with
a 76-14 win over North Texas or
Saturday, the Comhusker losses ma>
outweigh the gains.
First, Tommie Frazier hobbled ofl
the field on the second play of the
game. Then, Calvin Jones went down
on what was most likely his second
to-lastplayofthegame. Finally, Donta
Jones limped off the field.
Jones strained a ligament in his
knee and will miss two to three weeks.
A hush came over the crowd as
Jones remained on the ground for a
few minutes before hobbling off the
field with the help of Nebraska train
ers.
Before the injury, Jones rushed for
124 yards on 16 carries and two touch
downs.
Jones went down on the two-yard
line, one play before Brook Berringer
scored the Huskers’ seventh touch
down of the day to give Nebraska a
49-7 lead.
And it was probably one or two
carries before Jones would have been
taken out, Nebraska coach Tom
Osborne said.
Osborne said he left Jones in to get
the junior I-back plenty of repetitions.
“Our feeling all along has been
that a good back has to have 15,16,17
carries a ballgame,” Osborne said.
“You were probably looking at his
last or next to last carry of the game,
so it is kind of a tragic thing.”
Along with Jones, quarterback
Tommie Frazier was injured on the
first series of the game, and did not
play the rest of the way.
Frazier has a high ankle sprain and
is listed as day-to-day and may be able
to play this Saturday against Texas
Tech.
While Frazier experienced a lot of
See INJURIES on 9
wSamTEerS!
WrtHam Lauef/DN
Up and down
l-back Calvin Jones, above,
chases an errant pitch
during Nebraska’s 76-14
victory over North Texas.
In the third quarter, left, a
Nebraska trainer checks
Jones’ knee. Jones
strained the medial
ligament in his knee while
being tackled by Eagles'
defenders.
Injuries scramble starting lineup
By Derek Samson
Staff Reporter
From the end of spring practice
through the end of fall camp, the
Nebraska football team had the ma
jority of its starters carved in stone.
Now, the Cornhuskers face a bit of
an identity crisis after injuries to start
ing quarterback Tommie Frazier and
I-back Calvin Jones in the opener
Saturday against North Texas.
Nebraska coach Tom Osborne said
in his weekly press conference Tues
day that Frazier, who suffered a
sprained ankle on the first play of the
season, is questionable for Saturday’s
contest with Texas Tech.
“Frazier is still a big question,”
Osborne said. “He’ll try and do a little
(Tuesday) and see how he does.”
Osborne said sophomore Brook
Berringer will start if Frazier is unable
to play and Tony Veland will see a lot
of snaps as Berringer’s back-up.
“Brook Berringer and Tony Veland
did a good job coming in and playing
unexpectantly (against North Texas),”
Osborne said. “Right now if Frazier
can’t play, Berringer will start and
then Veland will be second with (Matt)
Turman third.”
Another big concern comes at I
back, Osborne said, where Heisman
Trophy candidate Jones went down
with a knee injury. '
“Calvin Jones will definitely not
play and it will be touch and go for
next week,” Osborne said. “How long
it will take him to get back, we don’t
know.”
Freshman Damon Benning earned
the start for Saturday. But Osborne
said ne nopes to get a iook at a tot oi
his backs.
“We’ll try to rotate them through a
lot for the first three or fourgames and
see how they do,” Osborne said.
Lawrence Phillips, who sat out
Saturday’s game against North Texas
because of disciplinary reasons, will
back up Benning. Clinton Childs will
be the tnird I-back and JefTMakovicka
will be the fourth 1-back in the game.
Osborne said that the Huskers won ’ t
alter any of the offensive philosophy
for the replacements.
“We’ll run the same plays with
Brook or with Tommie,” he said. “We
won’t change very much.
“Brook’s particular strength is his
throwing, but he can run well. He’s
taller, and that helps him as a passer.
But we’ll stay with pretty much the
same plays as we would if Tommie
-•«
Calvin Jones will
definitely not play
and It will be touch
and go for next week.
— Osborne
Nebraska football coach'
was in there.”
Osborne said he isn't worried about
the possibility of Berringer or Veland
getting nervous during Saturday’s
game.
“They both didn’t show any signs
of distress against North Texas,” he
said. “They both staved pretty clear
headed. We expect them to play well
because that’s why they’re here.”
Volleyball team perfect
after weekend tourney
By Tim Pearson
Senior Reporter
As the competition gets tougher,
sodoes the Nebraska volleyball team.
The Comhuskers took three match
es over the weekend in the Penn State
Invitational at University Park, Pa.
The Huskers raised their season
record to4-0. Nebraska defeated West
Virginia, Pittsburgh and No. 11 Penn
State last Friday and Saturday.
Husker assistant coach Cathy Noth
said the team played well in the invi
tational.
“Our match against Penn State was
the best we’ve played this year,” she
said.
The Huskers survived five games
against the Lady Lions, pulling out a
15-11,9-15,15-4,15-17,15-10win in
a match that lasted three hours and
five minutes.
“Everybody was able to refocus
for the Penn State match,” Noth said.
“Everybody contributed. No-one stuck
out Allison Weston didn’t stick out,
and neither did Nikki Strieker.
“It was a complete team effort
against Penn State. We clearly
outplayed Penn State at every posi
tion.”
Weston, Nebraska’s middle
See SWEEP on 10
Match stats
M— ■-■_ -M -M-A — |Af MHI-»-l —
nGDf3SICd 0616311 If* VirfJIfllil
15-11,15-5,15-0
NeorasKa defeats nnsDurgn
15-6,15-10,11-15,15-9
BLOCKS:
ASSISTS:
KKXS:
15-11,9-15,15-4,15-17,15-10
11 JenMcFadden I
§9 Nikki Strieker !
28 Allison Weston j
PERCENTAGE: .778 Jen McFadden
DN graphic
With Frazier injured,
replacements seized day
By Jeff Griesch
Sorior Reporter
While Tommie Frazier was nurs
ing a sore ankle on the sideline in
Nebraska’s 76-14 win over North
Texas on Saturday, Brook Berringer
and Tony Veland seized their oppor
tunity to shine on the field.
Berringer took over the Nebraska
offense after Frazier sprained his an
kle on the opening series and led the
offense to its highest point total since
an 84 point performance in 1983 at
Minnesota.
Berringer, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound
sophomore fromGoodland, Kan., was
a perfect 7-for-7 passing for 124 yards
ami a touchdown. He also added two
touchdowns on the ground.
“I thought I played pretty well,”
Berrigner said. “I went out and showed
what I could do.”
Berringer said that he expected to
(;o into the game with the Huskers
eading 35-0 or 35-7 rather than on the
first drive. •
“The way it happened, 1 was kind
of surprised at first, but I really dicin’ t
have time to be nervous,” Berringer
said. “I just put my helmet on and
went into the game. I was ready.”
While Berringer said that he ac
cepts the role of backup but said he
See QBS on 9
HuskerJans not to worry about a victory over Red Raiders
well, tne Big Red iootbaii season
is underway, and despite a less-than
spcctacular victory over those poor
guys from North Texas, Nebraska fans
nave plenty to talk about.
Nd>raska scored the most points
since its 84-point outburst against
Minnesota in the Metrodome in 1983.
And news at the tip of every Busk
er fan’s tongue are the injuries to
Tommie Frazier, Calvin Jones and
Donta Jones.
While the average Husker fans were
looking for some answers in the game
against North Texas, they were left
with a lot more questions.
Like:
“Will Tommie Frazier be back for
this week’s game?”
“Will Donta Jones play this week?”
And maybe the biggest question
on the mindof“AverageHusker Fan.”
win uaivin dc Dack lor UULA7
Well, even if Frazier, and the
Joneses aren't back for Texas Tech,
most average Husker fans agree that
Nebraska will waltz past the Red Raid
ers anyway.
And as long as all three are back for
the Bruins, everything will be hunky
dory in HuskerLand.
But, wait a minute, Average Husk
er Fan.
I realize that all eyes are looking
towards the Sept. 18 matchup in the
Rose Bowl as a measuring stick for
how good this group of Huskers really
is.
But aren’t you, Average Husker
Fan, looking past this week?
“Ah, it's only Texas Tech. It’s not
like its Texas A&M or anything.’’
But let’s pause together, Average
Husker Fan, and take time to look at
Jeff
Griesch
the opponent we’re looking past —
Texas Tech.
While it is true that the Red Raid
ers are not the Aggies of A&M, Texas
Tech will be traveling to Lincoln with
a better offense than tne Aggies would
have brought to Memorial Stadium.
Last season, Tech finished tied for
second in the Southwest Conference,
right behind the Aggies, and lost a
heartbreaker to A&M, 19-17, in Col
lege Station, Texas.
The Red Raiders averaged more
than 420 yards in total offense and are
returning starters on ofTense, includ
ing quarterback Robert Hall, split end
Lloyd Hill, and I-back Byron “Bam"
Morris.
Last year, Hall had 1,645 yards
through the air — most of them to
Hill, who had 1,261 receiving yards
and is considered one of the top re
ceivers in the country.
Morris rushed for 69 more yards on
the season (1,279) than Calvin Jones
did last year.
For evidence, look no farther than
the Red Raiders’ 55-point explosion
last week against Pacific. Tech rolled
up 587 yards in total offense.
“So their offense is pretty good,
but their defense can’t be that great if
they were only 5-6 last season."
Good point. Average Husker Fan.
The Red Raiders stunk last year on
the defensive side of the bail. In fact,
Tech ranked 9Sth nationally in total
defense and allowed more than 30
points per game.
“See, I told you we could forget
about these yahoos.”
Not so fast. Average Husker Fan.
Tech has installed a new defense
similar to Washington's, and accord
ing to Tom Osborne, they have better
team speed that last season.
If you need evidence of an im
proved defense, Average HuskerFan,
look at Tech’s game witn Pacific again.
Tech allowed the Tigers only sev
en points and 229 yards in total of
fense.
Along with these impressive Red
Raiders’ statistics, Tech also has some
intangibles that improve its chances
See GRIESCH on 10
