Matt Miller/DN
BYRON HANSPARD, Tfexas Tech’s junior tailback, leads the nation with a 217.7 yards-per-game
rushing average.
FOOTBALL from page 9
But playing against a versatile
backfield will present NU with a
number of challenges.
Besides trying to contain
Hanspard—who has not rushed for
fewer than 194 yards since the sea
son opener—Nebraska must con
trol Texas Tech quarterback Zebbie
Lethridge. He has thrown for 771
yards and seven touchdowns this
season. Lethridge has also run for
197 yards in six games.
“Those guys are both capable
runners, and you just can’t key on
one,” Husker rush end Grant
Wistrom said. “You’ve got to re
spect both of their runners.
“If we can shut down their run
ning game, we’ve really accom
plished something.”
Lethridge made his collegiate
debut as a freshman against the
Huskers in NU’s 42-16 win at Texas
Tech two years ago. That game
marks the last time die Red Raiders
lost at Jones Stadium. Since then,
Texas Tech has won 11-straight
home games.
“He’s a much more confident
guy, and he knows the offense a lot
better,” NU Defensive Coordinator
Charlie McBride said. “His running
ability is that of a tailback.”
Many things need to fall into
place for NU if it wants to win a
third-straight national champion
ship, Benning said, something the
Huskers need not think about before
the sixth week of the season.
“We’re definitely not thinking
about winning the national champi
onship right now,” Benning said.
“We are a lot more focused on im
mediate goals. And the main one
right now is trying to get a W on
Saturday.” .
— .... _ Lobfcoek, Texas
Starters
Poe. No. Hmm Ht WL Yr. Poo. No. Noao HL Wt Yr.
LT 77 Adam
RT 70 Eric Anderson 64 305 Jr. RT 67 LynnScherter 64 285 Sr.
QB 7 Scott Frost 6-3 215 Jr. QB 8 Zebbie Uthridge 64 192 Jr.
PK 35 Kris Brown 5-10 205 So. PK 97 Jarel Greaser 64 180 So.
Poe. No. Name HL WL Yr. Poo. Now Name HL WL Yr.
Sr.
6-6 249 Jr.
6-1 251 Jr.
64 196 Jr.
5-11 190 So.
Linebacker aims to stop run
Red Raiders rival the
Blackshirts in run
defense.
By David Wilson
StaffReporter
Though Nebraska ranks sixth in the
nation in scoring offense, averaging
41.6 points per game, Texas Tech
strongside linebacker Robert Johnson
said the Red Raiders are ready for the
Comhusker offense.
“It’s been a really intense week,”
Johnson said. “Everybody is fired up.
It’s probably one of the most impor
tant games we’ve played in a long
time.”
Johnson, who leads the 4-2 Red
Raiders with 63 tackles this season,
said Texas Tech must stop the run first
in order to defeat the 4-1 Comhuskers
Saturday.
Nebraska is averaging 324.4 yards
on the ground this season, which ranks
third in the nation.
“Right now, the key to stopping
Nebraska is stopping the run,” Johnson
said. “Our guys need to step it up a
notch. Ahman Green is a strong run
ner and their quarterback is really fast.”
Against Kansas last week, Texas
Tech had two fourth-quarter intercep
tions and a safety, which sparked a 30
17 come-from-behind victory.
The Raiders held Kansas running
back June Hailey to just 43 yards on
22 rushing attempts and held the
Jayhawk offense to just 61 yards on the
ground.
“The Kansas game gave us a lot of
confidence,” Johnson said. “We know
we can go out and {day with the best.”
Johnson, a 5-foot-ll, 194-pound
senior, is a three-year Tech starter.
“I’m more mature this year,” he
said. “I’m approaching the game with
a lot of balance as far as emotions go.”
Last season, Johnson finished
fourth on the team with 65 tackles,
while accounting for eight turnovers.
And though the matchup Saturday
in Lubbock will pit two of the top run
ning backs in the nation, Johnson said,
both team's passing games could be
just as important.
“It’s going to be a hard-fought game
between comers and wide receivers,”
he said. “That is going to be one of the
most important keys ofthe game. Ibis
is a game when you should expect the
unexpected.” v
After losing two of their first three
games, the Raiders have won their last
three,'totaling 133 points. .
“We have a lot of confidence in our
offense,” Johnson said. “They have
come a long way from the start of the
season.”
Texas Tech, which finished 9-3 last
season, is looking to keep improving
this year, Johnson said.
“As a team, this will be a great win,”
Johnson said. “We hope to put every
thing together so this can be another
stepping stone. Then we can go from
there.”
Dykes says Tfech
is ready for NU
By Mike Kluck
Senior Reporter
Texas Tech has come to the ban
quet table of the Big 12 Conference and
filled its plate. Now, the Red Raiders
will find out if they
feast or famine.
A win Satur
day against fifth
ranked Nebraska
could cure their
hunger.
However, for
Texas Tech to en
joy the sweet taste
of victory, Coach
Spike Dykes said
the Red Raiders will have to play their
best game of the year.
“We have to go out and play a near
perfect ballgame,” Dykes said. “Then
we have to have some dang good for
tune and have Nebraska not play one
of their better games.”
But Dykes said the Raiders aren’t
prepared to back down from the two
time defending national champions.
“Anytime you step in a ring with a
heavyweight, you have to be ready to
take some knocks,” Dykes said. “If you
are a tme competitor, it’s a lot of fun
to play against a great team like Ne
braska. We see this as a great privilege
to go out and play.”
The Raiders have taken their
knocks this season, losing to Kansas
State 21 -14 to open the season and then
15-12 to Georgia.
Since the Georgia game, Texas
Tech has won three straight, including
a 58-20 victory over Utah State and a
45-24 win against Baylor.
Last Saturday, the Raiders beat
Kansas 30-17 in Lawrence, Kan.
Dykes said he was pleased to see his
team experience some success away
from Jones Stadium.
The last time the Raiders lost at
home was Sept. 8,1994, to Nebraska,
42-16 on a Thursday night. Part of the
reason for the home winning streak,
Dykes said, is because of Tech’s fans.
They will be a major factor if the
Raiders upset Nebraska Saturday,
Dykes said. Jones Stadium, which seats
50,500, is sold out for the game.
“They’re (Nebraska) used to
crowds,” Dykes said. “But I’m not sure
if they are used to hostile crowds. If
we have a live crowd in our comer, I
expect that to be a big, big benefit.”
But if the Nebraska offense scores
early, Dykes said, the crowd may not
become a factor. The possibility exists,
Dykes said, for his team to be blown
out.
“Scott Frost is a great quarterback,”
Dykes said. “He is as strong as a bull
and runs the ball hard. You can’t take
all of them away when they line up with
their offensive power.”
KU, CU set
for rematch
By Jay Saunders
StaffReporter
There has been a sense of revenge
in Boulder this week.
A year ago, the Colorado football
team was 5-0 heading into a game with
Kansas.
The Jay hawks upset CU 40-24,
leaving lOth-ranked Colorado hungry
for Saturday’s 11:30 ajn. rematch in
Lawrence, Kan.
“We had a couple of tight games,
and last year out in Boulder, we found
a way to win,” Kansas Coach Glen
Mason said.
Colorado Coach Rick Neuheisel
said his team is certainly aware of last
year’s loss.
“There is no question that it was a
setback,” Neuheisel said. “We know
we can’t go in there without emotion
and focus.”
Football
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