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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 19, 1994)
Nebraskan Wednesday, January 19,1994 Sports Huskers reel in California’s best By Mitch Sherman - Staff Reporter The Nebraska football team’s new est recruiting class doubled in size Monday, as the Comhuskers received verbal commitments from five high school players. Three products of California head lined the list of new recruits. The Comhuskers have 10 commitments so far this season. Nebraska is allowed to award 25 scholarships this year, but recruiting coordinator Dave Gillespie said it would probably give only 23, and about five scholarships would be saved for players already on campus. The signing period begins Feb. 2. Constantine Dumitrescu, from Moreau High School in Hayward, Calif., is the biggest player to commit to Nebraska so far this year. The 6-foot-5-inch, 310-pound of fensive tackle, who was bom and lived for nine years in Bucharest, Romania, chose the Huskers over California, Iowa and UCLA. “They have a great tradition for academics and for football,” Dumitrescu said. “I liked everything about (the football program). They have a great coach, and it’s a very good opportunity for me.” Dumitrescu was listed as second team All-Alameda County last sea son and was on the Long Beach Press Telegram’s Best of the West list. Nebraska also received a commit ment from defensive back Tray Crayton, who intercepted six passes and made more than 100 tackles last season despite missing three games with a sprained ankle. The6-foot-3-inch, 170-pound High School All-American from El Camino High School in Oceanside, Calif., also started at quarterback and recorded more than 1,700 yards in total of fense. “The academics and the tutoring program were very impressive,” Crayton said. “And everyone knows about the football. “I’m going to do whatever I can to help get them back to a national cham pionship game.” In addition to Crayton and Dumitrescu, the Huskers also received commitments from John Elder, a quar terback from Sioux City (Iowa) West High School; Jay Foreman, a defen sive back and running back from Eden Prairie, Minn.; and Derrick Roy, a tight end from Montclair Academy in Van Nuys, Calif. The 6-foot-3-inch, 180-pound El der, who is regarded by recruiting analysts as the best quarterback in Iowa, completed 91 of 172 passes for 1,481 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Foreman is the son of Chuck Fore man, a former star for the Minnesota Vikings and the Miami Hurricanes. At 6 feet 3 inches and 195 pounds, Jay Foreman ran for more than 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns and inter cepted two passes as a senior. Roy, who may get a chance to contribute at tight end for the Huskers next fall, caught 27 passes for 500 yards and three touchdowns. The 6 foot-4-inch, 223-pound tight end was named a High School All-American by several publications. Roy also was named to the Long Beach Press-Tele gram’s Best of the West list. Track team loses Thomas By Todd Cooper Senior Editor _ Junior All-American long jumper Robert Thomas told the Daily Ne braskan Tuesday that he was leaving Nebraska's track and field team. Thomas, who holds school records in the indoor and outdoor long jump and the indoor triple jump, said he decided to transfer because he was frustrated with the lack of concern given to his academic pursuits by Comhusker coach Gary Pepin. “I think there was a lot oi miscom inunication be tween C oach and 1 about how important academics was to me,” Thomas, a family psychology major, said. “It seems like academics aren’t stressed enough here.” Comhusker track and field coach Gary Pepin said Tuesday night that Thomas' remarks — and his depar ture — were frustrating. “I’m very disappointed that Rob ert is no longer on the team,” Pepin said. “But this wasn’t over any one single issue. It is something that came about as a result of time.” Pepin wouldn’t specify what was behind Thomas’ departure, but said he was shocked by Thomas’ criti cisms. “I have never, ever wanted any thing but good things for him academ ically,” Pepin said. “1 don’t think you would find anybody that didn’t feel like I thought academics are impor tant. I think they are very important. That’s what we stress with our ath letes." Pepin said he hoped Thomas did ‘‘great academically” wherever he went. “I wish nothing but the best for Robert,” he said. Thomas said he might sit out a year and transfer to Arkansas or another Big Eight school. “Robert’s a marvelous talent,” Pepin said. “But whatever Robert decides to do, 1 hope he gets a degree and does something marvelous.” Travis Heying/DN Nebraska’s leading scorer, Eric Piatkowski, heads upcourt during the Huskers’ 92-71 win over Missouri-Kansas City on Saturday. Nee hopes NU focused on Buffs By Derek Samson Senior Reporter Despite beating Colorado by 39 points last Saturday, Nebraska coach Danny Nee said the Comhuskers didn’t have room to relax when the two teams met again Wednesday night. Just 10 days after the Huskers rout ed Colorado 106-67 for their biggest win since March 2, 1900, Nebraska must travel to Boulder, Colo., and take the Buffaloes ’ best shot at re venge. “The first game is one game and it’s completely over with,” Nee said. “The second game has nothing to do with the first. We have to be ready to play. “Obviously, they’re going to be ready to play. It’s a road game and it will be very difficult.” The Big Eight has been no stranger to upsets in the past. The most recent conference upset came Monday night as Kansas State beat top-ranked Kan sas 68-64 in Lawrence, Kan. Nee warned that the cellar-dwell ing Buffs are just as capable of pulling off an upset as any other Big Eight team. “From top to bottom in the Big Eight, on a given night, there is no team that can ’ t beat another team,” he said. “Colorado at Colorado is going to be a hard game for us. Regardless of what happened in Lincoln, we have to approach the game as the game that we’re playing right now.” However, Nee said he felt more confident on the road with this year’s Nebraska team than he had with Husk er teams of the past. “I’m very comfortable with our team on the road because they play the same,” Nee said. “They play very consistent and they don’t panic. If I had one characteristic to describe our basketball team, it’s that I think we’re mentally tough, and we don’t get shook up real easy.” Nee said the short time between games with Colorado should not con cern the Huskers. “The thing about playing Colo rado and the timing that we do is that we’re going to end up going to seven Big Eight sites and what rotation we go in is irrelevant,” Nee said. “Once in awhile it is going to happen where you play (the same team) in a very short period of time.” If the Huskers are going to stam pede past the Buffaloes again, Ne braska needs to shut down Colorado guard Donnie Boyce, Nee said. Boyce was held to 16 points on a 5 of-22 shooting performance in the first game. “I still feel that the key to the game is Donnie Boyce,” he said. “He’s an excellent player.” Nee said he hoped his team was prepared enough to stay focused on Colorado without looking ahead to next Monday’s match-up with Mis souri in Lincoln. “Our guys are ready to play,” he said. “They’re going to come out with guns blaring. They’re going to come out ready to play, and I think our guys are just anxious to play. They have the mentality to take it one game at a time.” Unfairjudgments upset star players on the sports scene “Why me? Why now? Why?” — Nancy Kerrigan. These words first came from the mouth of Nancy Kerrigan, but these days everybody is asking the same questions. Everybody. Figure skater Nancy Kerrigan’s answer to why she was brutally at tacked after a practice session Jan. 6 may come soon. Shawn Eckardt, a bodyguard of Kerrigan’s main competition, Tonya Harding, has admitted his involve ment in Kerrigan’s attack. Eckardt said that Jeff Gillooly, Harding's ex-husband, financed the attack that took place at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit. Harding won the title and a trip to Lillehammer, Norway, for the W inter Olympics next month. But that trip to Norway may be called off if Harding had any involve ment in the clubbing of Kerrigan, who was a leading contender to win the U.S. title before the attack. * * * “Why me? Why now? Why?” — Tonya Harding. Harding has to be asking herself these questions after hearing reports that she may be kicked off the Olym pic team. U.S. Olympic officials met Sun day, but took no action on whether to allow Harding to skate. The question is why would Harding foolishly be associated with an attack on Kerrigan when it was likely that she would be one of the top two at the U.S. Championships? If she was at all involved in the attack, then she would be facing some heavy consequences. No Olympics. No skating for awhile. No respect. Tim Pearson No gold medal. ♦ * * “Why me? Why now? Why?” — College basketball coaches. Coaches are crying because their request for another scholarship was turned down. The Black Coaches Association wondered why this was happening to them. The defeat of the proposal to raise the scholarship limit from 13 to 14 would prevent a minority player from attending college, they said. Entrance requirements have been toughened too, which also angered many coaches. Coaches like Georgetown’s John Thompson arc upset that 301 scholar ships will be taken away. * * * “Why me? Why now? Why?” — Chicago White Sox manager Gene Lamont. Lamont may have to make his toughest cut ever at the end of March. Michael Jordan, now that he’s con quered the basketball world, appar ently thinks*that baseball is next on the list. Sorry Michael. Stick to golf. ♦ * * “Why me? Why now? Why?” — All CBS football employees. Fox stole the NFL football deal from the tight grip of CBS, which had covered the NFC for what seemed like a millennium. Things have become so desperate that Greg Gumbel and Terry Bradshaw, NFL Today studio hosts, have resorted to doing skits on the David Lettennan show. And the season is not even over yet. You still have one week left guys. * * * “Why roe? Why now? Why?” — Buddy Ryan. The Houston Oilers defensive co ordinator has been through a long season. He’s been through a 12-round fight, but this time, unlike when he punched offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride earlier this season, he was knocked to the mat. Ryan and his touted defense couldn’t withstand Joe Montana and the Chiefs as Kansas City won 28-20. Enough hype about Ryan and his defensive brilliance. He’s out of the playoffs. But watch out for his right uppercut. “Why me? Why now? Why?” Ev erybody’s asking the questions. Let’s hope they find the answers they’re looking for. Pearsoa ti a sophomore aews-editorial major a ad is a Daily Nebraskan senior re porter.