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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 1994)
Net?raskan Wednesday, February 2,1994 Sports NU finishes recruiting battle with a flurry By Mitch Sherman Staff Reporter It’s finally here. After months of grueling road trips, countless phone calls and many late nights, the Nebraska football coaches finally get a rest. Today is letter-of-intent signing day for college football teams across the country. The Cornhuskers, who got com mitments from four top players Mon day, sweetened their class by getting their 20th and possibly final commit ment of the season Tuesday morning. David Reddick, a 5-foot-9-inch, 175-pound tailback from Wilson High School in Camden, N. J., said he would accept a scholarship to play football for the Huskers next fall. Reddick led Wilson High, the same school that produced former Husker Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier, to a 9-1 record. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns, Wilson High assistant coach Bill Smothers said. “He was our go-to guy all year,” Smothers said. “He played here for only one year, and he played so well that he got Nebraska’s attention. That says something right there.” Smothers said Reddick, who chose the Huskers over West Virginia and Maryland, had been timed at 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Reddick was named to the All-South Jersey team by the Camden Courier-Post. - “We run the run-and-shoot, and he was able to pick that up right away,” Smothers said. “He learns things real quick and he is a good pass catcher, too.” Reddick, who is the third tailback to commit to the Huskers in the last two days, may play wingback for Ne braska. The Huskers may be pursuing one more high school athlete. Kenny Cheatham, a 6-foot-5-inch, 185-pound -66— He (Reddick) was our go-to guy all year. He played here for only one year, and he played so well that he got Nebraska’s attention. That says something right there. — Smothers Wilson High assistant football coach -—-__ wide receiver from Phoenix South Mountain High School, is consider ing Nebraska but may sign a track scholarship with another school later this spring. Cheatham, who has been timed at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, won the Arizona 200-meter dash last year. He caught 28 passes for 880 yards last season at South Mountain. He is also considering playing basketball in col lege. freshman hoping to bounce back to action after rehab By Jeff Griesch Senior Editor_ A season-ending injury is a bad break for most athletes, but Kate McEwen is hoping to turn this season’s pain into future gain for herself and the Nebraska women’s basketball team. McEwen, a freshman guard from Topeka, Kan., played in six of Nebraska’s first eight games, but her season ended a few days after Christmas because of a ruptured disk in her lower back. Doctors performed surgery on Dec. 29 to remove the ruptured disk that had wrapped itself around the nerves in McEwen’s back. McEwen said she began experiencing back pains during the summer, and they got worse as the season progressed. “It got to the point where I could sit down for only 10 minutes, and then I would have to get up and move around because my back hurt,” McEwen said. When McEwen began feeling numbness in her legs because of the pressure the ruptured disk put on her spine, she realized surgery was inevitable. “The way I saw it, I was in so much pain it just couldn’t $et any worse,” McEwen said. “The doctors said it would need to be fixed eventually, so we decided to do it right away.” Despite McEwen’s intent to have surgery as soon as possible, she said she was terrified at the thought of having surgery. “I had never had any kind of surgery before in my life, and there are so many nerves in the back that a little mistake could do serious damage,” McEwen said. “I was really scared. I told the doctor I didn’t want him to tell me anything about the surgery beforehand, because I knew it would just frighten me more. So I told him to tell me about it after it was over.” The surgery was a success, and McEwen is concentrating on rehabilitating her back through a regimen that includes stretching, swimming, sit-ups and shooting hoops, along with other light exercises. “It’s just nice to walk without pain and sit without pain,” McEwen said. “It even makes classes more fun, if they can be fun.” Travis Heying/DN Freshman guard Kate McEwen stretches out during her rehabilitation workout on Tuesday. McEwen had surgery on Dec. 29 to replace a ruptured disk in her back. The pain is gone from McEwen’s back, and all that remains is a 3-inch scar and a desire to get back on the basketball court. “Just watching practice makes you want to practice,” McEwcn said. “I feel like I should be able to play again as soon as I can run. But I guess that is too soon, and I could re-injure it. I don’t want to go through the pain of surgery again." McEwen said she would be able to start running again by Feb. 7, but total rehabilitation was from three to six months. Realistically, she said she hoped she would be strong enough to start playing again early in the spring. Since McEwen only played in six games for the Huskers this season, she was still eligible for a medical redshirt, which will leave her with four years of eligibility. McEwen said the extra year of experience would definitely help her down the road. “I’ve already learned the system, and now I know what Coach Beck expects from me,” McEwen said. “I’ve also learned so much more about the game of basketball. We just played in high school, but to be successful at this level you have to learn the game.” “Truthfully, I think the redshirt helped me more than anything because I learned practice routines,” McEwen said. “I got a taste of what college competition is like, which should make a big difference for me next year.” Nebraska s nice guy is exception to rule in rise to top I hey say nice guys finish last. But if you take a stroll into Tim Neumannfs office, you’ll find at least one exception to that rule. Neumann has transformed Nebras ka wrestling into a national power during his nine years as Comhusker coach. A glance behind Neumann’s desk in his small office in the middle of the Bob Devanev Sports Center detects a multitude of plaques hanging on the back wall. Reminders of the good times and the great wrestlers Neumann has had at Nebraska. He’s proud of the 20 All-Ameri cans he’s coached, but he’s even more proud that in eight years, all the stu dent-athletes who have finished their el igibility under him at Nebraska have graduated. Every one — 100 percent. Then there’s the man behind the desk — the man behind it all — Tim Neumann. Neumann cares about his wres tlers, and he wants to get the best out of all of them. But Neumann is no pushover. He’ll get on his wrestlers. He stands up for what he believes, and he expresses his feelings freely. He rescued the Nebraska wrestling program from the bottom of the pit after an 8-14 season in 1984-85. Since the depths of the 1984-85 season, the Nebraska wrestling pro gram has risen to earn respect and praise. In the process, Neumann has become the most winning coach in school history, compiling a 112-44-4 mark. Nebraska has climbed to No. 5 in the nation, but Neumann hasn’t for gotten anybody during the Huskers’ ascension to the elite in college wres tling. Fame and recognition haven’t fazed him. He’s still the same old Tim Neumann who has time for every body. He especially makes time for his su ters. t was evident Sunday when his Husker team made the two-hour trip to Norfolk to wrestle Oklahoma in front of a packed house at the Norfolk High School gymnasium. Tim Pearson “We havepocketsof support around the state," Neumann said. “They’ve been great supporters, so we wanted to give them a treat." The Husker faithful received a big treat in Norfolk, as the Huskers topped the Sooners 25-20. But finishing on top is something Neumann expects from his team. Last year’s Husker team came clos er to doing that than any team in school history. His senior-dominated squad fin ished third at the NCAA Champion ships last year, won the Big Eight title and defeated powers Iowa, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Neumann also coached his second NCAA champion at Nebraska, Tony Purler, who won the crown at 126 pounds. One picture on Neumann’s wall shows an overjoyed Purler jumping into assistant coach Brad Penrith’s and Neumann’s arms. The picture, which appeared in Sports Illustrated the week after the NCAA meet, is framed with the head ing: “Iowa may have won the title, but you got the picture.” Perhaps it’s ironic that Purler, a transfer from Oklahoma State, was Nebraska’s lone national champion last year. Purler had been an arch rival of Neumann’s Nebraska team, but he helped bring the Huskers close to a national title. Neumann has thrived on getting quality transfers and recruits during his nine-year tenure. He’s had six consecutive Top 10 recruiting classes, and this year is no different. He is counting heavily on transfers Scott Gonyo from Drake and Steve Baer from Minnesota to help the Husk ers contend for a title again. Throw two returning AU-Ameri cans and six talented freshman start ers into the mix, and Neumann thinks he has the recipe for a winner. Most coaches around the nation figured this would be a rebuilding year for the Huskers, after Nebraska lost eight starting seniors from last year. But Neumann knew better. He knew his team was young, but he also knew it was as talented as any group he had seen. And he knows this group will be around for a while. Twenty-five of the 32 wrestlers on the roster are fresh men and sophomores. So when you walk into his office, he’ll offer you a seat and sit down for a friendly talk. But he’ll also talk to you truthfully, even bluntly. When Neumann tells you to watch out for his team, believe him. Tim Neumann is a man of his word, and in his book, nice guys finish first. Pearioa U a lopbomore aews-editorial major and a Daily Nebraikaa tealor report er aad columalit.
