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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 5, 1994)
Defensive line enters spring with thin ranks By Derek Samson Senior Reporter Nose tackle Terry Conncaly, who will be a senior in the fall, was the only starling defen sive linemen with game experience heading into spring ball. As if that wasn’t enough, Conncaly had shoulder surgeryon Jan. 4 and is missing spring practices this season. Connealy I hal leaves Nebraska with no returning starters on the defen se ’ s i nlcr ior I i nc a nd jus t two linemen with limited game experience. So is it sweating lime for the defensive line? No, it’s time to shine, junior nose tackle Christian Peter said. “We lost three of our top four guys (on the line), and we have to fill in,” Pclcrsaid. “A lot of us young guys can step up and fill in. That’s what we need to have, and it starts with -M We lost three of our top four guys, and we have to fill in. A lot of us young guys can step up and fill in. —Christian Peter junior nose tackle the way we practice this spring.” Peter said the younger defensive linemen could have used Connealy’s leadership this spring. The Huskers lost five pass rushers — Kevin Ramackcrs, Trcv Alberts, Bruce Moore, Billy Wade and David Noonan — to gradua tion. “That hurls us a lot not to have Terry in there,” Peter said. “Terry is our leader. We all look up to him, and we really wish he could be in here during spring practice.” Conncaly said he would like to be playing as well. “I was on the verge of being able to practice in the spring, but we didn’t want to risk any thing,” Conncaly said. “I’d sure like to be out there, but there’s the possibility of hurting it (the shoulder) worse. It’s a lot better for me to be out in the spring than in the fall.” The newcomers know what needs to be done, Peter said, and are putting in the time now to be ready in the fall. “We’re working really hard as a unit,” he said. “We want to get some good depth and really come together as a unit. The young guys can step it up, and we’ll be ready for the fall when it comes.” Conncaly said spring practices were impor tant only for the younger linemen trying to play their way into a vacant position. “Spring ball is real important for everybody, especially with the newdefenses that get thrown in,” Connealy said. “It is very important for the players with a little less experience to get in there in the spring and show the coaches what they can do. But everybody needs to improve during this time.” For Connealy, that makes having to watch spring practices especially difficult. “It’s pretty hard just sitting there and watch ing,” he said. “You want to get in the action, but you just can’t. I’m really looking forward to getting back, and I think I’m pretty close to it. It will be nice to get back going again.” Jason Pcstcrficld enters the spring as the starting defensive tackle, while Dwayne Harris was listed as the first-string left outside line backer. Donta Jones, who started eight games last season on the left side, lines up this spring at the starting right outside linebacker position. Peter said he had seen a notable difference in the way the defensive line had been practicing this spring compared to last year. Gymnasts peaking at right time, Allen says By Mitch Sherman Staff Reporter Nebraska men’s gymnastics coach Francis Allen finally thinks his team is ready for the national meet. And it’s just in time. After a season full ol average scores and numerous injuries, Allen said, the Huskcrsarc back into the swing of things and ready for the postseason. Nebraska posted its fifth highest score in team history at the Big Eight r Championships on March 25. Allen said the 2X7.775 points would be difficult to im prove on, but the Huskers could equal the perfor mance. “We’re cruis ing,” Allen said. “We’re getting Allen neaitnier, and tnc guys lcx)k the best they have all year.” The key to Nebraska’s success, he said, may 1 ic in the routines of seniors Sumner Dari ing and Che Bowers. Both have been bothered by nagging inju ries all year. “Sumner Dari ing and Che Bowers arc going to scare some people if they are healthy,” Allen said. “Those two guys arc top gymnasts, and if they are close to full strength, you never know where I might use them.” The Huskers will compete in the West Regional at the Air Force Acad emy in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Saturday at 7 p.m. The No. 1 Huskers will face Okla homa, UCLA, Stanford, California Bcrkeley and New Mexico. Allen said he expected Nebraska and Oklahoma to advance to the national meet, but the third team was a toss-up. “UCLA and Stanford arcboth right there,” he said. “I really can’t say one team has an edge.” He said Nebraska would be espe c ia I ly ^not i va ted to go ag ai ns t S t an ford. The Cardinals have beaten out the Huskers for the national title each of the last two years. The Plan... Make Registration Easier Did We Succeed? We want to hear about your NRoll experience! Stop by our booth in the Nebraska Union or East Campus Union to fili out a questionnaire! April 6 & 7 10 am - 2 pm All questionnaires will go into drawing Winner registers first next semester! Northwestern Summer Session '9 i Make a splash. \l Northwestern s Summer Session > on' 11 h;i\e access lo Chicago and its headies. parks, imiseinns. Icstiuils. shopping. baseball, music, and lood. We have lakelronl campuses in Chicago and Cxanston (tlicVre about .W minutes apart) where \ou can earn credit in courses that last Ironi one to nine weeks. Come to Summer Session at North western and make ;i splash. Now. t»ct a 25-percent discount on e\er\ class \ou take alter \otir first class at Northwestern's Summer Session. It's a smart mo\c. lor more information, please call 1-800-1 l\l)S Nt . Call 1-800-FINDS NU (in Illinois, call 708-491 5250), or fax (708-491-3660) or mail this coupon to Summer Session ’94, 2115 North Campus Drive, Suite 162, Evanston, Illinois 60208-2650, for your free copy of the Summer Session ’94 catalog (available in March). Send the catalog to O my home O my school. Name School Address (lily Slate Zip Home Address City Slate Zip Northwestern is an equal opportunity educator ami employer Student tickets now available From Staff Reports Nebraska football season tick ets for full-time UNL students went on sale Monday. Students may pick up season tickctapplicationsat the Memo rial Stadium ticket office, the administration building (room 110)andthc East Campus Union information desk. Students must turn in the applications along with a check, cash or money order for $73 for students and $ 146 for spouses to the Memorial Stadium ticket office between 8a.m. and 5 p.m. today through Friday to enter the spring lottery. Gillespie Continued from Page 7 get into the coaching, and then when the new (NCAA) regulations came in. it heightened the chance of leaving.” Gillespie said his long history with Nebraska made the decision to leave even more difficult. Gillespie played l-back for the Huskcrs, earned letters from 1974 through 1976 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1977. He was a graduate assistant for Nebraska, was a head football coach at Lincoln High School and Hastings High School, and eventually returned to UNL to become a graduate assistant to the recruiting coordinator in 1985. “Nebraska is a great place, and you just don’t lake any opportunity that comes along,” he said. Osborne said Nebraska was look ing for someone who would solely prcrer recruiting and administrative duties and hoped to find a replacc l ment “fairly soon.” “We’re really looking for someone prunarilyon an administrative track," he said. “We want someone that’s been around the ballpark in recruit ing. Fifty percent of it will be admin^ istrativc.” Erstad Continued from Page 7 and I never really got a chance to see my pitch.” All of the ofT-speed pitches have kept Erstad off balance, he said, and he still hasn’t become completely com fortable at the plate. Other players might enjoy being this uncomfortable. Along with his .351 batting average, Erstad leads the Huskcrs with 8 home runs and 29 RBI and is second on the team in stolen bases with six. He also had a 20-game hitting streak earlier this season. “The key for me is just to stay patient and disciplined and lay off the breaking stuff,” Erstad said. “It shouldn’t be too tough for me because once I get used to seeing a lot of ofT speed stuff i t will be easier to let i l go.” Huskcr coach John Sanders agreed. “It will help him because if you get a chance to sec a lot of looks you can learn from the experience,” Sanders said. “He will adjust, and it will make him a more disciplined hitter.”