Sports
Tuesday, November 1, 1994 Page 7
i___—
Michelle P«u»m«n/DN
Nebraska’s Terry Connealy celebrates aftsr Dwayns Harris’ sack of Colorado’s Kordell Stewart. The Nebraska
defense he allowed Just 23 points In four Big Eight games.
CU victory hits a high with McBride
By Mitch ShfWMMi
Senior Reporter
If Charlie McBride had his way, every
day would be like Saturday.
McBride, in his 13th year as defensive
coordinator of the Nebraska football team,
said the No. I Comhuskers’ 24-7 victory
over Colorado was one of his most satisfy
ing days as a coach.
The Colorado alumnus watched proudly
as the high-powered Buffalo offense was
shut down for the first time this season.
Although Nebraska had allowed only 16
points to its first three conference oppo
nents, McBride said he didn't expect Colo
rado to follow suit.
“They were scary,” McBride said of the
Buffalo attack, which had been averaging
more than 40 points and 500 yards per game
before Saturday. “They are still scary. We
knew what we were in for.
“When you watch them on film, you
want to shut it off. Every time I watch film,
I’m going, Oh, my goodness.’ It’s pretty
depressing, and then you have got to go out
and play them.”
Not everybody on the Nebraska side
lines saw the Buffs in the same light. Line
backer Troy Dumas, who led the Huskers
with 11 tackles and played a key role in
containing the Colorado option attack, didn’t
have any doubts about Nebraska’s ability.
“I was thinking to myself last week when
I was watching them against Kansas State
that there was no way in the world that
Colorado, with a one-back offense, was
going to come in here and run the ball up
and down the field,” Dumas said. “Our
defense was just too quick for that.”
McBride cited simplicity and organiza
tion as major reasons why the Nebraska
defense had been able to rebound so well
since surrendering 32 points to Wyoming
on Oct. 1.
“We took some criticism, and we knew
we were a better football team than that,”
McBride said. “We kind of panicked a little
bit.”
After free safety Mike Minter went down
with a knee injury in the second half of
Nebraska’s 42-16 win over Texas Tech on
See DEFENSE on 8
NU’sTenopir
asks voters
to be ‘honest’
By Mitch thwman
Senior Reporter
Nebraska offensive line coach Milt Tenopir
said Monday that justice was served this week
end when the Comhuskers returned to the top
of the rankings in the Associated Press poll.
Nebraska narrowly moved ahead of Penn
State — which defeated Ohio State 63-14
Saturday at University Park, Penn. — in the
Associated Press poll after the Huskers’ 24-7
win over Colorado at Memorial Stadium. The
Nittany Lions remained two points ahead of
Nebraska in the USA Today/CNN coaches’
poll.
“If people are honest,” Tenopir told the
Extra Point Club on Monday, “you shouldn’t
lose ground if you continue to win.”
Tenopir criticized voters who dropped Ne
braska in the polls after an idle week on Sept.
4 and after a road win over No. 16 Kansas State
on Oct. 15.
“If everybody is honest and fair, this foot
ball team has done more than any other foot
ball team in the country for this reason: you
lose two quarterbacks and you end up getting
your third quarterback hurt, and you still find
a way to win.
“Now, I think that’s overcoming tremen
dous odds. To hang together and continue
winning says something for the integrity and
resolve that the rest of your football team has.”
A win against a ranked team often times can
set the stage for a flat performance the next
week, Tenopir said, but he didn’t think Ne
braska would lose any intensity against Kansas
this week.
“You always guard a little bit coming off of
an emotional game like we had Saturday.”
He said the Huskers appeared to be a fo
cused team.
“We certainly don’t anticipate those guys
going out there and falling on their faces,” he
said. “They seem like they have a dream, and
we feel that dream is going to be fulfilled if
they continue to prepare as they have for the
rest of the year."
Tenopir praised Nebraska’s offensive line,
which is blocking for a Husker rushing attack
that averages a nation-leading 369.2 per game.
He said centers Aaron Graham and Bill
Humphrey did an excellent job containing
Colorado nose tackle Kerry Hicks, an All-Big
Eight selection last season and preseason All
American this year. Graham and Humphrey
have been allowed to substitute at their discre
tion this year, without interference from the
coaches
“A year ago, (Hicks) was a factor,” Tenopir
said. “This year, he was on the ground 70
percent of the time. And I know he’s sore
today.”
NU basketball will start again as underdog in Big 8
This past spring, the Nebraska
men's basketball team stunned every
coach, player and fan in the Big Eight
by winning the conference’s tourna
ment championship.
It was Nebraska’s first Big Eight
basketball championship, but nobody
around the conference seems to re
member.
The Huskers were picked fourth in
the Big Eight preseason poll, receiv
ing no first-place votes and only two
second-place votes.
Only Norm Stewart, whose Mis
souri Tigers won the regular-season
conference crown with a 14-0 record
last season, seemed to give any chance
to Danny Nee and the Huskers in the
1994-95 season.
“Danny's ballclub won the tour
nament last year, so you can make a
case for about anybody,” Stewart said.
Buteven Stewart’s comment could
be translated into a quick, little slap
in the face. That was kind of like
saying, “By golly, if Nebraska can
win a title, then any school that can
afford tops, baggy shorts and shoes
can win the dam thing.”
Kansas was the overwhelming
choice to finish first, collecting 30
first-place votes, while Oklahoma
State earned 11 first-place votes. Iowa
State was picked third with seven
votes for the top spot, and Missouri
earned one vote for No. 1.
The Huskers may not finish first in
a conference loaded with returning
talent, but they will battle for the top
spot.
Nebraska is good enough to finish
at 10-4 or 9-5, but so is everybody
else in the conference except Kansas
State and Colorado.
Nebraska has some question marks
after losing Eric Piatkowski, the best
player in Husker history, and team
leaders Bruce Chubick and Jamar
Johnson.
But they also return a talented,
maturing nucleus and a front court
that could be Nee’s best since he’s
been at Nebraska.
On paper, the Huskers should be at
Jeff
Griesch
least as good as they were last season,
and in meetings, in the locker room
and on the court, Nebraska should be
even better.
Although Piatkowski could domi
nate a game, his fiery temperament
often appeared to clash with coaches
and teammates.
And the “Polish Rifle’s” shoot
first and pass-it-later attitude didn’t
exactly exemplify a team concept.
Tom Best also allowed some off
the-court problems to cloud his per
formance in practice and in games,
creating unnecessary distractions.
Even Chubick, the consummate
team leader, allowed a run in with
police to bother him and his team
mates.
Finally, Erick Strickland couldn’t
decide whether he wanted to play
baseball, basketball or football, and
his divided attention slowed his de
velopment as a basketball player.
Now, Strickland has made a com
mitment to his teammates and should
emerge as a force and a leader.
Jaron Boone said this year’s team
appeared to be the most unified team
he had been on at Nebraska.
“We have had a strong unity and
focus during practice and drills so
far, and 1 think if we can maintain
that throughout the season, then we
are only going to get better.”
Boone is a year older and should
be more comfortable playing both at
the point and at shooting guard, while
Terrance Badgett gives the Huskers a
finisher on the break.
Melvin Brooks has added more
muscle to complement his quick feet
and soft hands, which may make him
the Big Eight’s most improved player.
The additions of 6-foot-l 1-inch
freshman Leif Nelson and 6-10 trans
fer Chris Sallee could allow the Husk
ers to redshirt 6-11 sophomore Mikki
Moore.
Tom Wald, a transfer from
Mankato State, will open some eyes
around the conference with his all
out, lull-speed every play aggres
siveness, while freshmen Chester
Surles, Chad Ideus and Andy
Markowski give Nebraska added size,
quickness and depth.
With more talent and more depth,
Nebraska may be able to surpass the
87.3 points per game it scored last
season.
The Huskers may be pushed aside
right now, but they won’t be push
overs when the season begins.
This year’s Big Eight should be
wide open, and Nebraska’s wide-open
offense may be a perfect fit for an
other title.
Grindi Is ■ senior news-editorial major
and a Dally Nebraskan staff reporter and
columnist.