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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 11, 1994)
Sports Tuesday, October 11,1994 Page 7 NU softball beats Mizzou, captures title By Jeff Qri—ch_ _ Staff Reporter The Nebraska softball team used two last inning victories Over Kansas and Missouri to end the fall season with a 15-1 record and the Big Eight Classic fall tournament champion ship Sunday in Independence. Mo. Amy Offenbackcr’s single in the top of the ninth inning scored Rachel Dunham as the ball was misplayed by the Missouri centcrficldcr to give the Cornhuskcrs a 6-5 win over the Tigers. The Huskers led 4-0 until the sixth inning, when Missouri stormed back with four runs to send the game to extra innings. Both teams scored a run in the eigth before Nebraska won in the ninth. Nebraska coach Rhonda Revelle said win ning the Big Eight's fall championship was a big step for the Huskers. “It means we’ve turned a corner,” Revelle said. “It means a tremendous amount. We’ve got a lot of new players, and right now they know they can get the job done.” In Rcvcllc’s first season at Nebraska, the Huskers struggled, posting a final record of 18 23. See CLASSIC on 8 Wildcats coach commends NU, warns his team By Mitch Ihnwan__ Senior Reporter This is not a normal week in Manhattan, Kan. As Kansas State, which is ranked 11 th by the coaches and 16th by the writers, prepares to host second-ranked Nebraska Saturday, excite ment has reached new heights in the town for merly known as the home to the worst college football program in the country. Undefeated Kansas State, which has not lost at home since Oct. 27,1992, will be making its first national network television appearance in almost 12ycars. Saturday’s game will be broad cast regionally on ABC. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:08 a.m. The Wildcats, ranked No. 1 intheNewYork Times Computer poll, are allowing only 111.5 yards per game rushing and 9.3 points per contest. All signs point to a battle, but Wildcat coach Bill Snyder is warning that no time is a good time to face the Comhuskcrs. “I don’t think your chances against Nebraska arc very good in any situation,” Snyder said. " See SNYDER on 8 Scott Bruhn/DN Nebraska I-back Lawrence Phillips leaps over an Oklahoma State defender. Phillips became the 19th Nebraska player to rush for more than 1,000 yards In a season Saturday. In a single bound Phillips is the big gun in NU arsenal lyPwkiwniofl _ Senior Reporter After doctors said a blood clot would end quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Tommie Frazier's season, many Huskcr fans thought a shot at the national championship went down with the quarterback. But Nebraska I-back Lawrence Phillips has shouldered the load, gaining a career high 221 yards in the Cornhuskers’ 32-3 win over Oklahoma State Saturday. Phillips, who after Saturday's perfor mance has been mentioned as a Heisman candidate, said running the ball is going to continue to be Nebraska's strength with or without Frazier. “A lot of people thought that maybe the offense wouldn’t be as explosive,” he said. UI think they thought we’d still be able to run the ball, but not for as many yards without Tommie. We're still able to run the ball well. "We’re taking it all in strides, and we’re doing it offensively and defensively. I guess everybody is stepping up and becoming a team. We feel like we can get it done.” Phillips accounted for 221 of Nebraska's 372 yards rushing Saturday to boost his season total to 1,006. The 6-foot, 200-pound sophomore is the 19th Husker to break the 1,000-yard mark, but Phillips has accomplished it in only six games and is on schedule to be only the second Husker ever to break 2,000 yards in a season — MikeRozicrhad2,148in 1983. Phillips went over 1,000 yards on the fifth play of the fourth quarter with a 13-yard run to the Cowboys’ 32-yard line. Phillips, who is averaging 167.7 yards a game and 7.7 a carry, said he knew before the play that he was close to his first 1,000-yard season as a Husker. “Coach (Frank) Solich called me on the phone and told me I was 19 yards away and that he’d put me in another series to try to go over,” he said. “At the beginning of the season, I didn’t know when or if I’d go over 1,000yards, but I'm pretty happy I got 1,000 yards this early in the season ” But with Nebraska’s injuries at quarter back, Phillips said the other running backs have had to step up their game some. And that'sexactly what Phillips, Clinton Childs and Damon Benning did against the I I DN Graphic Cowboys in what Phillips called the Husk ers' best running game of the season. “The backs — we made a lot of people miss.” he said. “We got a lot of yards after See LAWRENCE on 8 —TV ^ Despite limitations, quarterbackfantasy may come true I tell you, my vast readership, I’ve got dreams, big dreams. I’ve dreamed of turtle surfi ng; I’ve dreamed of knitting a sweater with the world's largest ball of yarn; hey. I’ve even dreamed of wearing my own tennis shoes while bowling. But all these fantasies pale in com parison to my newest dream: I’m the biggin’ quarterback for the Comhuggers. I know, I know; you’re saying, “Beau, you’re probably the worst physical specimen we’ve ever seen, and you don't know a football from a hairball.” You may be right, oh illusoiy crit ics, but I’ve got something going for me that all you naysayers didn’t real ize: I bear a striking resemblance to Ge Gdowski. t’s right, babies, I look exactly like the ex-Hornhonker quarterback. This, of course, is a result of several plastic surgeries, but that doesn’t mean anything. The bottom line is that I look like the G-man, and so who is more quali fied than myself to assume the role of quarterback for the Cornpoppers? Oh, again I hear those nagging criti cisms that just because I can't throw a ball more than five yards and because I have a phobia of being touched by 300-pound men. I cannot be a good field general. Well, to those critics I say urn, well, urn, cr: shut up, you ierks. Hey. I’m fater, 1 mean, fast. I’ve, in fact, been clocked in the 40-yard dash in under 50 seconds, but this time is deceiving because 1 had to stop half way through the sprint because there was this one guy standing right in Beau Finley front of the finish line with some do nuts. And, well, they were jelly-filled and. you know, I REALLY like jelly. I figured if I hadn't stopped run ning. I could definitely cut off 10 or 15 seconds from my time. As far as my throwing ability goes, 1 figure if Tom Osborne can limit the pass routes of the Husker receivers to three or four yards, I can probably complete some passes. That still makes me a more dangerous thrower than Mickey Joseph. Hey, this dream of mine isn’t ex actly out of the blue. I’ve been inter csica in oeing quancroacK ior a long time. In fact, a boyhood friend of mine. Eric Wachter, used to tell me, back when we were kids, that I had the most talent of any kid on the playground. Actually, now that I think about it, Eric said somethi ng more to the effect that if you don’t give me back the football. I'm going to beat your butt. But I understood. That was always his way of paying someone a compli ment. However, there is a problem. If 1 was playing quarterback, then I would have to battle Matt Turman, who is currently the second-string quarter back for the Huckfinnsters. For those of you who missed my first couple columns. I referred jok ingly to Mr. Turman as a “walk-on wussy’’ after he twisted his ankle early in me season. Since I would be teammates with Matt, I take all that stuffback. I really don’t want to get beat up after practice every day. Matt, you’re a tough and talented quarterback and a wonderful human being. I don’t know what I was think ing when I called you a wussy. Beau's Confession: I think it's time I come clean with you, my vast read ership. The real reason 1 want to play quarterback for the Comchuckers is to impress my girlfriend, Melissa. I don’t want her to think I’m just another pretty law dork. I want her to know that I’m a pretty law dork who has no real athletic ability but can run away from fat guys with helmets on. That would be cool. Finley la ■ second year law student and a Dally Nebraskan sports columnist.
