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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 11, 1995)
NU secondary to combine old lessons, upredictability By Trevor Parks Senior Reporter Through 11 games this season, the Nebraska secondary has had a series - oftests. Fiesta 3ut when they RfllJIfl ^ace Florida’s No. DUWI 2 passing offense in tne riesta Bowl, it will be time for their final exam. The Cornhusker defense has given up an average of 216yardspassinga - game, out m racing Florida they will see an offense that averages 360.8 through the air. The most Nebraska has given up this sea son was 290 yards passing to Michi gan State and Arizona State. The Gators also average 534.4 yards a game of total offense, break ing the Southeastern Conference record set by Auburn in 1970. Husker secondary coach George Darlington, who will be coaching in his 231st game at Nebraska, said he had seen very few offenses like Florida in his career. “I haven’t seen things packaged as well together as they’re packaging them together,” Darlington said. “Their playbook isnotliketheWahoo phone directory. It’s like the Omaha phone directory.” That presents a problem for the starting members of the secondary, who said they were ready for the chal lenge. Free safety Tony Veland said slow ing Florida was j ust a matter of putting the things together that Nebraska has learned this season. “It’s going to be pretty much a recollection ofwliat we have learned,” Veland said. “A lot of things that they do is part of each offense we’ve played.” Rover Mike Minter said the same thing. And after suffering from Jon Waller/DN Nebraska cornerback Michael Booker reaches for Iowa State’s Ed Williams during Nebraska’s 73-14 win over Iowa State on Nov. 4. Against Florida in the Fiesta Bowl, Booker will be facing one of the nation’s top receiving corps. tendinitis in his knee all season, the time off since the Oklahoma game has helped heal his knee. “We go over offenses so much they are embedded in our head,” Minter said. “It’s like learning your ABC’s, and it sticks with you forever.” But still the challenge will be diffi cult, Minter said. Florida quarterbacks have thrown for more than 200 yards in 31 straight games and have had at least one touch down pass in the each of the past 48 games. One way Darlington said the Husk ers could slow the offensive attack of the Gators was to mix up defensive schemes from man-to-man defense to zone coverage. “If you don’t mix things up against a great throwing team you will get embarrassed,” Darlington said. “Ifthey can look you into coverages and look you into defenses, they have the weap ons to really make a lot of bad things happen.” Things have been bad for Florida opponents this season in large part because of wide receivers Chris Doering and Ike Hilliard. The two have combined for 32 touchdown re ceptions this year, and are two of five receivers in college football to catch more than 15 touchdowns in 1995. Comerbacks Michael Booker and Tyrone Williams will have to cover Doering and Hilliard for most of the game on Jan. 2. Minter said the cornerbacks needed to cover Doering and Hilliard closer to the line of scrimmage. Williams agreed with Minter and also said it would be important to keep Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel guessing all day. “We’re going to mix it up because Focus «& the Crown After allowing 59 points in the first three games, Nebraska's defense has shut out two opponents and allowed only 17 points in its final three games. Category National Rank Avg. / Game Total Defense 13 294.1 yds. Scoring Defense 4 - 13.6 pts. Rush ink Defense 2 78.4 yds. v Passi ng Defense 15 101.11 rating Nayer Tackles Sacks Interceptions Terrell Parley 62 5 3 Mike Minter 53 0 2 Jamel Williams 47 l 1 Christian Peter 46 2 0 Doug Colman 46 2 \ Grant Wistrom 44 4 0 Tony Veland 38 0 1 Ryan Tcrwilliger 35 0 0 Michael Booker 33 0 3 Jason Peter 30 0 0 Tyrone Wil liams 28 0 i Jared Tomich 27 10 0 Phil Ellis . 27 , 4, ■ ... 1 Aaron Steckelberg/DN Williams Veland we don’t want to become too predict able,” Williams said. “We want to give him a lot of looks to try to read.” Booker said he liked playing against a passing team because he had more chances for an interception. This season, Booker has three in terceptions. The Gators had only 12 passes picked off in 457 attempts. Despite the differing statistics and the second-ranked passing offense of ksbbmbshbe aas ssas • •• ■ * tasassffi&fag M inter Darlington the Gators, Darlington said the Husk ers had success stopping the passing of Florida teams in Nebraska’s past three bowl games. This year, he said, could be the same. “We’ve got the weapons to stop them,” Darlington said. “It’s a matter of execution. It’s a matter of getting things to happen. It’s a matter of forc ing turnovers and getting the offense the ball in good field position.” WE’RE GIVING BIRTH TO BABY NEW YEAR! ' $15 tickets available in advance or take your chances at the door ' Admission to 4 clubs for one price ' Lee Anne Savage and her Dyn-O-Mite Party Band for your listening pleasure 1 Tons of neat-o prizes 1 7 pm until 1 am, the next year ' Champagne toast (butter not included) ' At exactly 12 midnight (duh!!!!), we drop balloons in all 4 clubs (big fun) ' Rooms available at the downtown Hyatt Regency for $89/night. Call 252.1234 to reserve your New Year 's Eve room p>la^<^r<s Dance all nighr long in our Wild, risque singaJong with lop 40 with interactive Break out the black clothes, boxing ring. dueling piano cfudes. games, goofy contests and Alternative music all the time. prizes, too. ' t CALL (602) 252.2502 FOR TICKETS © ©RED SALE the more you purchase, the greater your SAVINGS purchase up to $50.00, discounted 20% $50.01 to $100.00, discounted 25% $100.01 to $150.00, discounted 30% $150.01 to $200.00, discounted 35% over $200.01, discounted 40% Fiesta Bowl items. Sale ends December 15. .. cannot be combined with any other discount •Come on down! UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE City Union East Union University of Nebraska-Lincoln 472-7300