Linebacker optimistic about Husker defense
By Derek Samson
Senior Reporter
With only one game under Nebraska’s belt,
senior linebacker Ed Stewart doesn’t want to
make any predictions yet.
But the three-year starter isn’t about to sell
himself and his teammates short either.
Stewart said that aflcr Nebraska’s olTense
rolled up 468 yards and the Cornhusker defense
allowed only 89 yards in the 31-0 rout of West
Virginia on Sunday, the Blackshirt defense had
something to build on.
“It’s kind of hard to compare it with last
season,” he said. “As far as the first game goes, we
did pretty well considering the team play. I think
we definitely have the opportun i ty to be as good or
better than last season.
“It was definitely positive for us to go in
defensi vcly and do the th i ngs we did. So hopeful 1 y
it can carry over next week against Texas Tech.”
The number that stands out for the defense is
West Virginia’s rushing total ofeight yards on 38
carries, compared to 368 rushing yards for the
Huskcrs.
“The key to the game was that we wanted to
stop the running game, and we were able to do
that,” Stewart said. “We were able to put them in
passing situations, and we were able to pul some
pressure on them in third and long.”
But Stewart, who collected seven tackles in the
Kickoff Classic, said the defense couldn’t be
content with its domination of the Mountaineers.
“Going into the first game, we felt that the first
real test of this defense would be West Virginia,”
he said. “Now, we’re looking at Texas Tech that
way, and we’ll just keep taking it one game at a
See STEWART on 11
Michelle Psulmsn/DN
Nebraska linebacker Ed Stewart prepares for a drill during practice on Tuesday. Stewart is a Butkus Award candidate and
also has been mentioned for All-American honors.
Recruits offset height loss, coach says
By Mitch Sherman
Senior Reporter
Of the five tallest playerson last year’s Nebras
ka men’s basketball team, three arc gone.
But to compensate for the loss of Erie
Piatkowski, Bruce Chubick and Tom Best, the
Comhusker coaching staff recruited two players
taller than any of the three graduates.
Ff-—-1 Centers Leif Nelson, a 6
foot-11 freshman from River
side, Calif., andChris Sallee, a
; 6-fool-11 junior from Phoenix
South Mountain Community
College, lead a pack of new big
Jmen for the defending Big
j Eight tournament champions.
J Last year, Nebraska fin
■ ished the season 20-10. losmv
Nee to Pennsylvania in the first
round of the NCAA tourna
ment.
Other off-season additions include Chester
Surlcs.a6-foot-7swingmanfromSaginaw.Mich.;
Chad Ideus, a6-foot-7 forward from Adams; and
Andy Markowski. a 6-foot-7 forward from Ord.
e b r as k a
Basketball
3°
Men's
“What wc I ike about the new players is we have
some height," Nebraska coach Danny Nee said.
“Wc lost three front-line players in Tom Best,
Bruce Chubick and Eric Piatkowski. These guys
help us in that area.”
Nee said he didn’t know how much the new
comers would be able to contribute this season.
“It’s too early to tell right now," he said. “We
think all the guys coming in arc going to be able
to help at some time. 11 possibly could happen this
year, or it possibly could not.”
But whether or not Sallee can contribute im
mediately may not be up to the coaching staff.
Before playing at South Mountain for two
years, Sallee played at Scottsdale Community
College for one semester. Under NCAA regula
tions, he has only 1 1/2 ycarsofel igibility remain
ing. However, Nee said Nebraska hoped to extend
his eligibility to two years.
“It’s a thing where we knew going in that he
might only have a year and a half of eligibility,”
Nee said. “It’s not something we have dealt with
yet. We arc hoping he’ll get a full two years.”
If Sallee cannot compete until January, Ne
braska will be forced to rely even more heavily on
its group of returning players.
Forward Melvin Brooks returns as the only
senior on a junior-infested team.
Sallee and point guard Tom Wald, who
redshirted last year, join Jaron Boone. Erick
Strickland and Terrance Badgctt to form a formi
dable group of juniors.
“Our older guys know how to win,” Nee said.
“When you add Sallee and Wald, our junior class
is definitely the backbone of our program.”
Regardless of who plays how many minutes.
Nee said, the Huskers’ play at guard still will be
the key to success.
“Tom Wald can help out withthclossofJamar
Johnson,” he said. “The strength of our team isour
perimeter play. There is a lot of versatility there.”
After two exhibition games in early Novem
ber, the Huskers will open the season in the San
Juan Shootout in Bavamon. Puerto Rim
//M4
Bas
Player
Terrance Badgett
Jaron Boone
Melvin Brooks
Jason Glock
Chad Ideus
Andy Markowski
Mikki Moore
Leif Nelson
Chris Sallee
Lee Steinbrook
Erick Strickland
Chester Surles
Tom Wald
Pos. Ht. Yr.
F 6-6 Jr.
G 6-7 Jr.
C 6-8 Sr.
G 6-5 Jr.
F 6-7 Fr.
F 6-7 Fr.
C 6-11 So.
C 6-11 Fr.
C 6-11 Jr.
G 6-2 Jr.
G 6-4 Jr.
F 6-7 Fr.
G 6-0 Jr.
DN graphic
Volleyball team to face strong competition in toumev
«y Miicn ^nerman
Senior Reporter
For only the second time in the last
10years, the Nebraska volleyball team
will open its season away from the NU
Coliseum.
The second- and
fifth-ranked
Comhuskcrs take to
the court Friday
night in West
Lafayette, Ind., fac
ing Oregon Stale at
5:30 p.m. in the
Mortar Board
Pettit
Nebraska will go
up against No. 20
Kentucky at 10 a.m. Saturday before
playing tournament host Purdue at 8
p.m. that night.
Nebraska coach Terry Pettit said the
road games should not pose a problem
for Nebraska.
“It would be nice to open at home.”
he said. “We normally do, but there are
pluses and minuses. On the road, there
arc less distractions. They can go out
and play hard.”
Pettit said the tournament field was
strong despite showcasing only two
ranked teams.
“We will be playing against good
competition,” Pettit said. “Putduc runs
a very classy tournament. They arc
traditionally a strong volleyball power.
Everything will be done right. We will
go there and play three good matches.”
Pettit said Kentucky, which finished
last season with a 29-4 record after
losing in the second round of the NCAA
tournament, has the potential to field a
good team.
“Kentucky was a top 10 team last
year,” he said. “They may have lost
some people last year, but we lost some
people last year and after about the third
week, we were in the top five.”
He said Oregon State and Purdue
should also provide the Huskers with
some good competition this weekend.
“Purdue has three great young play
ers,” he said. “Oregon Stale was over
.500 in the Pac-10 last year, and some
people think that is the toughest volley
‘/here is not a player on the team who returned
from last year who isn t a better player mentally
than they were last year. ”
TERRY PETTIT
NU volleyball coach
ball conference in the country. I think
all the teams in this tournament have
the potential to be NCAA teams.”
Led by five returning starters and
junior setter Christy Johnson—whom
Pettit considers a returning starter —
Nebraska could go a long way on expe
rience alone this year, Pettit said. After
startingoff 11 -Oa year ago. theHuskers
lost to Notre Dame on Sept. 25 in South
Bend,Ind.
They finished the season 25-6. Pettit
said that this year he was looking for
i
more consistency throughout the whole
year.
“This team is capable of playing
longer and belter when things aren’t
going their way,” he said. “Anybody
can play good when everything is going
your way. Experienced players learn
how toplay when thingsaren’t perfect.”
Butnc said the Huskers had plenty of
lalcnt, loo.
“I think it’s going to be a very good
earn,” he said. “We have a lot of lead
ership from a lot of different areas. Our
*
Purdue Premier
West Lafayette, Ind.
Nebraska wIN play Oregon State
Friday at 8:30 pjn., ““
Saturday at 10 a.m., Mat
8 p.m. Saturday. fcx
Nebraska
S Christy Johnson 5-8 Jr.
OH Billie Winsett 5-11 Jr.
OH Kelly Aspegren 5-11 Sr.
OH Maria Hedbeck 5-10 So.
MB Allison Weston 6-0 Jr.
MB Jen McFadden 6-2 So.
ON graphic
leadership comes from people day in
and day out working hard. We have a
core group of players who arc doing it.
“There is not a player on the team
who returned from last year who isn’t a
better player mentally than they were
last year.”
