Questions surround Big 8’s last hurrah
By Derek Samson
Senior Reporter
Not only will 1995 be the final season for Big
Eight football, but it may be one of the most
interesting seasons in the 38 years of the confer
ence’s existence.
And right now, instead of an exclamation
point being placed at the end of the Big Eight’s
sentence, a row of question marks puncuates the
preseason.
With half of the Big Eight teams led by new
coaches, the season promises many surprises.
Nebraska is the favorite to capture the final
Big Eight title, which would be the 20th the
Comhuskers have either won or shared in the
history of the conference.
The Huskers lost 16 starters from last year’s
national championship team, but return an of
fensive backfield that features two Heisman
Trophy candidates in quarterback Tommie
Frazier and running back Lawrence Phillips.
Nebraska has not lost a Big Eight game since
1992 and hasn’t dropped a conference game at
home since Colorado’s 27-12 victory in Lincoln
on Nov. 3, 1990.
Colorado, which finished No. 3 in the nation
last season, will be under the direction of first
year coach Rick Neuheisel.
The Buffaloes lost 10 starters from last year,
including the trioofquarteibackKordell Stewart,
wide receiver Michael Westbrook and Heisman
Trophy winner, running back Rashaan Salaam.
I
Junior quarterback Koy Detmer, brother of
former Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer of
Brigham Young, will be calling the signals for
Colorado.
Oklahoma is one of the biggest mysteries this
fall. Howard Schnellenberger, former Miami
(Fla.) and Louisville coach, took over after Gary
Gibbs resigned before the Sooners’ finale last
season with the Huskers.
“What I’ve said is that this is an exciting time
to be involved with the University of Oklahoma
Sooner football,” Schnellenbergersaid. “Wheth
er we are good enough to win the Big Eight
championship, only our performance will tell
that. Whether we are good enough to win the
national championship, our performance will
tell that.”
Oklahoma returns 18 starters, including 10
on defense, from last year’s 6-6 squad.
Leading the way for the Sooner defense will
be senior defensive end Cedric Jones and senior
comerback Darrius Johnson. Jones led the Big
Eight last season with 14 sacks, an Oklahoma
single-season record.
Kansas State is coming off of a 9-3 season and
its second straight bowl appearance. The Wild
cats lost only seven starters, but one was quarter
back Chad May.
Taking over quarterback duties will be senior
Matt Miller, a transfer from Texas A&M in
1993. Miller will have some familiar targets in
junior wide receiver Kevin Lockett and senior
Mitch Running. Lockett and Running combined
Preseason Big 8 picks
Eight Daily Npraskan sports staff members
awarded poults on a one to eight scale with
eight pointJfor a top ranking and 1 for an
eighth pipe selection.
ftank^School Total Points
Nebraska 64
2 Colorado 52
3 Oklahoma 50
4 Kansas State 39
5 Kansas 32
6 Missouri 23
7 Oklahoma State 19
8 Iowa State 9
DN graphic
to catch 70 passes last year.
Lockett reached 1,000 career reception yards
faster than anyone in Big Eight history.
Kansas State should benefit from an easy
non-conference schedule featuring Temple, Cin
cinnati, Akron and Northern Illinois, which
combined for 9-34-1 record in 1994.
Kansas coach Glen Mason is returning for his
eighth season in Lawrence, and is looking to
rekindle the fire that sparked an 8-4 season and
an Aloha Bowl victory in 1992.
The Jayhawk offense should give it a chance
to improve on its 6-5 record from last year.
Kansas’ offense returns eight starters.
Running backs June Henley, a junior, and
senior L.T. Levine should lead the offense. The
duo has combined to rush for 3,13 3 yards in their
careers.
Second-year coach Larry Smith returns at
Missouri, which comes off a 3-8-1 record in
1994. The Tigers lost quarterback Jeff Handy,
along with 10 other starters. Missouri also lost its
tailback and fullback to graduation.
Quarterback Tone’ Jones is back at Oklaho
ma State, but coach Bob Simmons, who was an
assistant under Bill McCartney at Colorado,
will have eight returners on defense, including
junior linebacker Jevon Langford.
The Cowboys went 3-6-1 last season, but
were winless in conference play.
Iowa State didn’t win a game in 1994 and
even lost its coach. Dan McCamey takes over for
Jim Walden and will try to improve on the
Cylones 0-10-1 finish a year ago.
The Cyclones return quarterback Todd
Doxzon, a junior from Omaha. But Doxzon is
one of only five starters back on Iowa State’s
offense.
With four new coaches, a returning national
champion and the goal of winning the last Big
Eight conference championship on their minds,
the Big Eight teams should make this one of the
most interesting seasons ever.
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We’ve got a lot in store, town under.
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