Nettcan SPORTS
Wednesday, October 6,1993 ^ U
William Lauer/DN
Nebraska left cornerback Barron Miles tries to block a field goal attempt by Colorado State kicker David Napier
during the Comhuskers’ 48-13 win.
Going the distance
Versatility offers Miles more on-field opportunities
By Jeff Griesch
Senior Reporter
If football had a position similar to base
ball’s utility infielder, Barron Miles would
be the man for the job on the Nebraska
football team.
Miles, a junior from Roselle, NJ., is in
his first season as a starting comerback for
the Comhuskers.
But Miles does much more for the Husk
ers than just cover opposing receivers.
Miles also can be found returning kick
offs and trying to block kicks on special
teams. He also is the Huskcrs’ third-string
punt returner and a back-up punter.
Last season. Miles played free safety as
well as comerback. And he was a starting
quarterback in high school.
Nebraska secondary coach George
Darlington said Miles’ ability to play many
positions and his speed made him a valuable
asset to the Huskers and a legitimate profes
sional prospect after next year.
“Barron is probably the most versatile
player we have,” Darlington said. “He is
probably the quickest back we have and just
a great athlete, so he’ll definitely get looked
at very seriously a year from now.”
Despite his versatility, Miles has handled
his No. 1 priority — covering opposing
receivers—-as well as anyone in the Husker
secondary, Darlington said.
Miles, who drew UCLA wide receiver
JJ. Stokes in coverage most of the day
against the Bruins, limited him to six catches
for 65 yards and no touchdowns.
“Barron was our player of the game in the
secondary against UCLA,” he said. “He was
very instrumental in limiting JJ. Stokes to
very little yardage. We saw what Stokes
could do last week against San Diego State
so it makes you appreciate even more what
Barron did.”
Against San Diego State on Sept. 30,
Stokes victimized the Aztec secondary for
164 yards on five receptions while scoring
three touchdowns.
Miles, a 5*foot-8,160-pound junior, said
he compensated for his size against taller
receivers.
“Height-wise, it’s not really difficult for
-44
Last year I knew I would
get Into the game, but I
didn’t know when.
—Miles
Nil comerback
-tf —
me,” Miles said. “Most of the receivers are
taller, but I think a smaller guy is harder to
cover than a tall guy. Taller receivers have
longer legs, and you can predict where they’re
going.”
Darlington said Miles had played up to
expectations in the secondary this season
after a solid sophomore year.
Miles said the difference between this
year and last year was the confidence he
gained by earning the starting role.
“Last year I knew I would get into the
game, but I didn’t know when,” Miles said.
“This year I go into the game knowing that
I’m the No. 1 guy.”
Huskers excited
by TV exposure
of ESPN game
By Mitch Sherman
Staff Reporter
This week, the Nebraska football team will
do something it has never done before — play
a nationally televised regular season game on a
Thursday night.
Husker players and coaches said they were
excited to perform in front of nationwide crowd
on ESPN.
“I think it’s beautiful,” outside linebacker
Trev Alberts said. “1 love it. I know when I get
done with practice on Thursday, 1 run home to
sec who’s on the Thursday night game on
ESPN.
“Everybody will be watching us. This is
national TV. No one else will be on, so if you
like football, you’ll be watching our game.
Hopefully we’ll play our best game of the
season on both sides of the ball.”
Oklahoma State may not be as excited as the
Huskers to play on a Thursday. The Cowboys
are coming off a hard fought 27-22 victory over
Texas Christian Saturday, while the Huskers
have had since Sept. 25 to prepare for the game.
“On paper, you’d tH^ik it would be to our
advantage, but it doesn’taftfrays work out that
way,” coach Tom Osborne said.
Nebraska receivers coach Ron Brown said
the televised game should help the Huskers in
other aspects besides just on the field.
“I think it’s good for our program to be on
national TV and be the primetime game—the
only game in town,” Brown said. “The recruit
ing exposure is unparalcllcd.”
Dating back to 1953, the Huskers have played
120 games on television, but the team has never
played on a Thursday night. The game will be
called by announcers Brad Ncssler, Mike
Gottfried and “Dr.” Jerry Punch.
The Huskers, who fell one spot to seventh in
the Associated Press poll this week, hope to
take advantaged the national exposure. .»
Rover Toby Wright said the game will give
the Huskers a chance to make an impression on
the nationwide audience.
“It’s the only game being played on Thurs
day,” Wright said. “I don’t know what episodes
are on Thursday but most likely cvcrbody will
be tuned in. If you really want to make your
mark as a team, you look for dates 1 ike this. You
take advantage of it.”
NOTES:
•Cornerback Karccm Moss sprained his
ankle dur i ng T uesday n igh t ’ s prac ticc, Osborne
said. Osborne said Moss was questionable for
Thursday night’s game.
•Quarterback Tommie Frazier said he lelt
like he was fully recovered from the ankle
sprain he suffered against North Texas.
“I don’t feel limited,” Frazier said. “I’m
moving like I was at the beginning of the
season.”
Atlanta s tomahawk choppers won t be denied a third time
At least one of the unfortunate
streaks in baseball will end with the
World Scries, because for the third
straight season, the mighty warriors
from the south, the Atlanta Braves,
won the National League West.
But another sad streak will contin
ue next season.
Barry Bonds has been the premiere'
player in baseball for three years. He
has individual honors and two divi
sion titles to show for it, but the Braves
have kept him from winning a world
championship or even the National
League Pennant.
I feel sorry for Bonds. But while he
has played the part of the bridesmaid,
so have the Braves.
Remember 1991: The race was
decided in the final scries with the
Dodgers, and the unlikely hero was
Sid Bream. Bonds and the Pirates fell
victim to the then-new “Tomahawk
Chop," and the Braves moved on to
the World Series.
The Series with the Twins was
arguably the greatest World Scries
ever played, but Kirby Puckett’s dra
matic homerun in Game Six proved
too much for the “Chop” to over
come. .
Remember 1992: Atlanta held off
a charge in San Diego led by Fred
McGriff and Gary Sheffield. Once
again, Bonds was silent in the play
offs, and the Pirates were cut one
series short by the “Chop” again.
In the World Series, Ed Sprague
took Puckett’s place in providing the
big blow to the Braves’ hopes for a
world championship. For the second
straight year, the Braves went back to
Atlanta empty-handed.
During the offseason, talk swirled
of Bonds joining his old nemesis in
Atlanta. But he journeyed to San Fran
cisco instead, hoping that he could
beat the Braves before the playoffs
even started.
The Braves opted for more pitch
ing and acquired Cy Young Award
winner Greg Maddux. What had been
the best starting rotation in baseball
became one of the best rotations in
baseball history. The season appeared
to be a mere formality for the Braves
Jeff
Griesch
to capture a third-straight title.
The Giants were supposed to be a
curious sideshow, not a serious con
tender. But Bonds was determined to
spoil the Braves’ quest for a ring and
carried the Giants to a 10-game lead
until September.
On Sunday, Sid Bream sat on the
bench while McGriff, the “Crime
Dog,” helped the Braves end Bonds’
season for the third straight time.
Bonds will have to wait at least one
more year to end the Braves’ hex on
him.
But the Braves still have a chance
to put an end to their disappointment
caused by American League teams in
the World Series. *>
First, the Braves must get by the
Phillies, which will be no small order.
But with Terry Pendleton in search of
the title that has eluded him, with the
arms of Tom Glavinc, Maddux, John
Smoltz and Steve Avery, and the bats
of Ron Gant, David Justice and
MeGriff, the Braves will win their
third straight National League Pen
nant.
To add to the plot, the Toronto
Blue Jays will win the American
League crown to give the Braves a
chance for some sweet revenge.
The Braves arc too good of a team
to go to three straight Series and not
come away with one title.
And Terry Pendleton has meant
too much to Atlanta to not get at least
one World Scries ring.
Pendleton has been the leader of
the Braves for three seasons, making
big play after big play in crunch time.
This Braves’ team, or one that
closely resembles it, will be around
for a long time. So, the organization
doesn’t tecl any sense of urgency to
win a championship now.
The Braves are too
good of a team to
go to three straight
Series and not
come away with
one title.
But Pendleton is not getting any
younger. He needs his World Series
ring soon. The Twins prevented him
from the title twice, once as a Cardi
nal in 1987 and as a Brave in 1992.
Pendleton won’t let the Blue Jays
beat him twice.
Pendleton and the Braves will fi
nally capture the World Scries title
this year. Then we can turn our atten
tion to rooting for Barry Bonds to
spoil the Braves’ season in 1994.
Grletch It a Junior newt-edltniial major
and Dally Nebratkan senior reporter.