Speedy secondary reloads
By Derek Samson
Senior Reporter
The Nebraska secondary lost half
its starters, but the returners say the
defensive backs have made strides
ahead.
After Barron Miles and Kareem
Moss finished their careers with a 24
17 victory over Miami in the Orange
Bowl, junior comerback Michael
Booker said the Comhuskers began
reloading the secondary.
“We gained a lot of good defensive
backs during recruiting,” Booker said.
“We lost a lot of talent, but we added
more depth. We have a lot of guys that
can play.”
SeniorcomerbackTyrone Williams
joined Booker in his evaluation.
“We lost two good players in Barron
and Kareem, but we’ve also picked up
some good players,” Williams said.
“We have the most depth since I’ve
been here. That looks good for the
future here. There is a lot of young
talent.”
Williams again fills the right
comerback spot, while Eric Stokes
will start at left comer. Mike Minter,
who played just two games last season
because of a knee injury, holds down
the rover position, and Tony Veland
should start at free safety.
Defensive coordinator Charlie
McBride said the secondary had all the
right tools.
“All of these kids back there were
winners in high school, and they’re
winners now,” McBride said. “They
know what it takes. We know what
we’re getting from these guys.”
Nebraska should also have more
“The most improvement I’ve seen in our program
over the years has been the secondary. We’ve
always had good players. But we never had the
quality speed and athletic ability that we’re
starting to get now. ”
m
CHARLIE MCBRIDE
Nebraska defensive coordinator
depth than a year ago, with players
such as Booker and Leslie Dennis
expected to contribute.
“My goal is to just contribute as
much as I can,” Booker said. “There’s
a lot of people saying that I have a
chance to play quite a bit. I’m excited
to play, and I’ll do whatever is best for
the team. Ijustwanttobeagoodplayer
when I get my chance.”
McBride said the Huskers had more
than just depth, they had quality depth.
“The most improvement I’ve seen
in our program over the years has been
the secondary,” McBride said. “We’ve
always had good players. But we never
had die quality speed and athletic abil
ity that we’re starting to get now.”
Stokes, a junior from Lincoln East,
was the extent ofNebraska’s depth last
season, bouncing from position to po
sition in the secondary as a reserve.
“With me, I was kind of thrown in
the fire last year, but that will be a big
help,” Stokes said. “It kind of hurt me
in the beginning, but now, as I look
back, that was some valuable experi
ence that I gained.”
Minter started the first two games
last season before tearing his anterior
cruciate ligament in the third quarter
against Texas Tech.
The 5-10, 175-pound junior from
Lawton, Okla., said, after a year of
watching and hitting only teammates,
he was ready for Oklahoma State.
“Me and Tony (Veland) are going
to have to come up and lay die wood on
some people,” Minter said. “I’ve been
thinking about that for a long time.
We’re going to have to come up and
support die run a lot this season. I'm
looking forward to doing that.”
Minter said while the secondary
was loaded with depth and youth, it
was also loaded with experience.
“Everybody coming back has
played in big games and have plenty of
experience,” Minter said. “I think this is
the most experienced players we’ve had
coming back in die secondary in awhile.
“We’ve been against somebig-time
players, and we’ve held them down.
There will be some big-time players
we’ll come against this year, so we’ll
have to be ready to shut them down.”
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Untested line
won’t struggle
filling shoes
By Tony West
Staff Reporter
l Nebraska lost four starters from an
offensive line that led the way for 340
yards rushing per game last season, but
senior center Aaron Graham said it
shouldn’t be a big problem.
“It’s just Nebraska,” Graham said.
“Every year we put up a good offen
sive line, and this year will be no
different. This is a program that will
have a good offensive line year in and
year out.”
Eric Anderson will be a focal point
at offensive tackle this season.
The 6-foot-4 sophomore from Lin
coln Southeast replaces Zach Wiegert,
the 1994 Outland Trophy winner and a
consensus All-American.
However, Anderson said he would
use the pressure of replacing an All
American as motivation instead of let
ting it get to him.
“There’s always pressure coming
in and playing for Nebraska,” Ander
son said. “I have a good opportunity to
prove some of the skeptics wrong, and
it helps motivate me.”
Along with Anderson, Chris
Dishman will line up at the other tackle
spot on the line. Steve Ott and Aaron
Taylor will be the starting guards,
guards.
Although Graham is the only re
turner, he is confident in the replace
ments.
“I don’t necessarily feel any added
pressure,” Graham said. “Naturally
we have some talent, and I will say that
we will be good.”
Anderson played in every game
including the 1995 FedEx Orange Bowl
last season.
Dishman was named a 1995 Street
& Smith’s Preseason Second-Team
All-American, and was selected to the
Sporting News Preseason Second
Team All-Big Eight
Taylor holds me All-Time Husker
position record for performance index
and was named to the 1995 Sporting
News Preseason Second-Team All
Big Eight team.
Although much starting experience
isn’t going to be displayed on die
offensive line this season, the players
feel little difference from a year ago.
“Weworked out harder in preseason,
and I don’t feel there will be a letdown
on the line this season,” Anderson
said.
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