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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 1995)
COVERING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA SINCE 1901 VOL. 94 NO. 80 inside T Ihursday Sports Stanford players react to Scott Frost transfer, page 9 Arts & Entertainment Former UNL student becomes radio's "buffalo gal," page 12 January 12, 1995 Nelson’s crime package tough on violence Former crime bill revamped, more aggressive By J. Christopher Haln Senior Reporter Gov. Ben Nelson released his crime package Wednesday, citing the need to safeguard the citizens of Ne braska and hoping to pick up where legislation left off last year. “We believe this is an aggressive agenda to deal with criminal justice, and one that will have broad appeal and broad support,” Nelson said. Nelson said the package expanded on a juvenile crime bill passed last year by the Legislature. State sena tors failed to pass a set of the governor’s adult crime proposals in the 1994 session. Joining Nelson in his announce ment at the Capitol were 10 law en forcement leaders from across the state and Sen. John Lindsay of Omaha, who is chairman of the Legislature’s Judiciary committee. Lindsay intro duced a major part of the governor’s package Wednesday as LB 371. Lindsay said the bill helped ad dress public concern about the in creasing violence associated with crimes. This year’s package targets crime in six ways: — Parole Board: It would make it more accountable, including giving the governor authority to veto Parole Board decisions and strengthen the requirements for parole eligibility. — Juvenile justice initiatives: It would provide additional funding for juvenile justice programs and pun ishment of adults of juveniles who commit capital crimes. — Prison system initiatives: It would create a boot camp for nonvio lent young-adult offenders and fund ing for an additional 37 correctional officers. — Capital punishment: It would create a constitutional amendment to give the governor sole control over pardons in capital cases and require the Nebraska Supreme Court to ex pedite its decisions on capital-offense — Violent and dangerous offend ers: It would initiate a “three strikes and you’re in” policy, which wouldn’t allow repeat criminals the opportu nity for probation or parole. It also would increase penalties targeting drug dealers, auto thieves and crimi nals who use firearms. —Funding for law-enforcement equipment. Nelson said a key aspect of the package was its agenda on violent crime. “The violent and most dangerous criminals are going to serve for a longer time,” he said. Nelson also said his package didn’t include plans for any additional pris ons at the present time. Many of the proposals from last year’s failed bill have been modified and included in this year’s legisla tion. Football forecast calls for Frost Nebraska native hopes Husker fans warm up to him By Mitch Sherman_ • > Senior Reporter Wednesday was a long day for Scott Frost. Stanford’s sophomore standout, who started two games at quarterback for the Cardinal last season, will officially become a Comhusker today. After a draining day of airplane and bus travel, Frost told the Daily Nebraskan Wednesday afternoon at Lincoln Munici pal Airport that he was happy to be back in his home state. The 6-foot-4,210-pound native ofWood River, left Palo Alto, Calif., Wednesday morning. His flight out of Denver, sched uled to arrive in Lincoln at 12:54 p.m., was diverted to Omaha because of fog. After arriving in Omaha around 2 p.m., Frost and other passengers were brought to Lincoln by bus about 5 p.m. His parents, who traveled from his hometown near Grand Island, met him at the airport. Frost said he intended to start classes at UNL today, but also had Nebraska football on his mind. “I have some skills that I hope will be useful in their offense,” said Frost, wearing his white and red, No. 5 Stanford letter jacket as he waited for his family to meet him near the baggage claim area. “I don’t know how it will go, but obviously they have better athletes than anywhere in the country. “All I can expect is to come in and give it my best and see how it goes.” After Steve Stenstrom went down with a broken fmger in Stanford’s game against Washington on Nov. 5, Frost became the Cardinal’s top quarterback. The Cardinal finished the season 3-7-1. Frost threw for464 yards, completing 33 of 77 passes for two touchdowns and five interceptions. He also ran for 193 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries. “It was a complex decision that I made in the last few days,” Frost said of his decision to transfer to Nebraska. “I got a (scholar ship) release faxed to Nebraska a little over a week ago.” Frost said part of the reason he became unhappy with the situation at Stanford cen tered around the Nov. 28 resignation of Coach Bill Walsh. “That had a little bit to do with it,” he said. “I went out to Stanford when I was a senior in high school to learn a pro offense and try to do a lot of things. “I am just anxious to maybe get a chance to play on a winning team. Nebraska has a See FROST on 11 Jeff Haller/DN Scott Frost, who loft Stanford for Nebraska, arrives In Lincoln Wednesday afternoon. Frost, who played quarterback and defensive back at Stanford, said he would start classes today at UNL Osborne gets last laugh as Frost opts for Huskers instead It was a battle of legends. In one comer there was Tom Osborne, who has created a football dynasty at Nebraska. In the other comer was Bill Walsh, the man who led the San Francisco 49ers to greatness. And the fight was for Scott Frost, a much-ballyhooed quarterback out of Wood River, a Class C-l school. Frost was the most publicized high school quarterback coming out of Nebraska in years. He was a Parade All-American, and he passed for 2,142 yards and 21 touch downs his senior season. He ran for 1,585 yards and 33 touchdowns. Nebraska didn't exactly need a quarterback with Tommie Frazier, Brook Tim Pearson Berringer and Ben Rutz all in the mix. But Osborne obviously didn’t want to let this in-state prospect get away. And Walsh, who has coached Joe Montana, wanted Frost to help rebuild his Stanford program. Walsh knew quarterbacks, and he wanted Frost to know that he would be Stanford’s quarterback of the future. Walsh even used an accidental visit by Montana to his house to woo Frost. He admitted that die future Hall of Fame quarterback was at his house. Montana had come to Walsh’s house to discuss his future in football. But problems came up when Frost and Mike Mitchell, a running back from Phoenix, arrived early. So Montana just talked with Walsh and die two recruits for about a half hour. No violations, though. If the meeting was a pure accident, there was no violation. And guess who won out in the Scott Frost derby? Stanford and Walsh. “Scott considered Nebraska,” said Larry Scott, his father, “but he felt that if he wanted to throw die ball, he’d better go to Stanford.” The loser: Osborne and Nebraska. But there was no major loss for the Huskers. Nebraska was set at quarterback. Until this year, that is. Frazier went down with blood clots. Rutz transferred. Jon Elder transferred. Berringer had a collapsed lung. All of a sudden, Nebraska needed a quarterback. All of a sudden, the losses of in-state See PEARSON on 10