Mike Meek
Osborne turns 60
but d: imt plan
on slowing down
Sure, there may be a little more
gray in his reddish hair, and the
lines in Tom Osborne’s face are
more defined and weathered with
age.
Even his regimen of jogging
three miles a day has had to change
to using a treadmill and a station
ary bike because of a worn-out right
knee.
But there aren’t many other out
ward appearances that indicate
Osborne turns 60 years old on Sun
day.
In fact, when it comes to coach
ing football, Osborne still shows the
fire, zeal and youthfulness to com
pete with Colorado’s spunky coach
Rick Neuheisel. Neuheisel, who
just turned 36, is the youngest
coach in the Big 12 Conference and
represents the youth of the country
in the coaching ranks.
Osborne, a devoted vegetarian
and Christian, said he still works
out 45 minutes every day and gets
by on six hours of sleep a night.
He has just finished a recruit
ing season, which has seen him log
more than 30,000 miles, spend
countless nights in hotels and visit
more than 40 homes just to sign 22
players to play for NU. And be
cause of the numerous early com
mitments the Huskers received,
Osborne’s travel schedule was
light.
Still there’s no rest for the man
who’s been a Nebraska football
coach for more than half his life.
Osborne joined the staff in 1962 as
a graduate assistant and became
NU’s head man when Bob Devaney
stepped down after the 1972 sea
son.
I sure didnt think I would be
coaching at age 60 or even 50,”
Osborne said. “There are a lot of
pitfalls along the way that some
times you don’t survive.”
In April, the Huskers begin
spring football practice, and next
fall, Osborne begins his 25th sea
son as Nebraska’s leader. If it’s a
normal season, which has meant at
least nine wins every year under
Osborne, the Hastings native will
pick up his 250th career victory.
Although Osborne credits win
ning for his ability to continue
coaching, victories have never
meant as much to him as watching
his players be successful — on the
field, in the classroom and in their
personal lives.
It’s caring that has rewarded
him in many ways. It’s a pride that
has tarnished his reputation.
Osborne said he is very proud
of the accomplishments of Phila
delphia wide receiver Irving Fryar,
a former Husker who had a brush
with the law but turned his life
around and this-season was named
the Eagles’ man of the year.
Please see KLUCK on 10
I ' •
Husker track and
field teams vie for first
ever Big 12 titles.
By Vince D’Adamo
Staff Reporter
The Big 12 Conference’s first in
door track and field championship vis
its the Bob Devaney Sports Center
track this weekend, but both the Ne
braska men’s and women’s team are
looking for a familiar result.
For years, NU dominated the Big
Eight Conference indoor meet and it
is now looking to carry its legacy over
into the Big 12.
The meet begins today at 9 a.m.
with men’s and women’s multi-event
competition. The running preliminar
ies began at noon with the field events
starting at 2 p.m.
Action continues Saturday at 11
a.m. with the field
events. The
ning finals begin
at 1 p.m.
T h
Cornhuske
women’s team -
who will have
athletes compet
ing — is aiming
for its 18th straight
indoor conference
title. NU won all
17 Big Eight indoor
those under Coach
The Husker men’s team — who
will compete with 25 athletes — is
biding for its fourth straight indoor
league title. NU is also seeking its fifth
‘ I.-'***/- <_ . V'
straight conference crown overall af
ter sweeping the indoor and outdoor
titles in 1995 and 1996.
Pepin said the competition makes
this weekend resemble a national
championship type of meet.
“It should be, a .really marvelous
meet,” Pepin said. “The results will
show that it’s one of the top three con
ferences in the United States. If you
win an event in this meet you’ll prob
ably be in the national meet.”
Both Husker teams have a good
opportunity to win, Pepin said.
On the men’s side, Pepin said, Iowa
State and Oklahoma figure to push NU
the hardest. For the women, Pepin
pointed to Texas and Colorado as the
Huskers’ stiffest challenges.
A constant strength for Nebraska
this season has been die field events.
The women’s team is led by NCAA
a
It should he a really
marvelous meet ”
GABYfipiN
NU track and field coach
shot put record-holder Tressa Thomp
son and defending NCAA indoor
champion long jumper Angee Henry.
In last week’s Nebraska-Iowa Ath
letic Conference Invitational, Thomp
son smashed the collegiate shot put
record with a heave of 60-feet, 7 3/4
inches.
High jumper Shane Lavy, shot
Please see TRACK on 11
Holloway holds key
for No. 7 Cyclones
-.-:—
By Mitch Sherman
Senior Reporter
—
quietly holds the
key to ISU’s recent
domination of the
Iowa State
Coach Tim Floyd,
6-0 against Ne
braska in three
years at ISU, re
cruited four of his
starters as transfers
two years ago. The odd man out, Jacy
Holloway, lives to play NU.
At 12:45 p.m. Saturday at the
Hilton Coliseum in Ames, the Husk
ers face Holloway, a 6-foot point guard
— and his four fellow senior running
mates — for the final time in regular
season play. Losers of 12 straight con
ference road games, Nebraska (14-12
overall and 5-8 in the‘Big 12 Confer
ence) desperately needs a victory, but
a win over these Cyclones never comes
easily.
“You’ve got to come out and al
most play perfect against a team like
Iowa State,” NU point guard Tyronn
Lue said. “They’re just a well-disci
Please see CYCLONES on 11
Nebraska vaults
into Masters Classic
By Ghegg Madsen
Staff Reporter
Four of the nation’s top 25
women’s gymnastics teams will be
in action at noon on Sunday when
Nebraska plays host to the Master’s
Classic at die Bob Devaney Sports
Center. ,
Arizona State, Eastern Michi
gan and California round out the
competition > against the
Cornhuskers.
Nebraska Coach Dan Kendig
said the Classic is one of the tough
est meets of the year.
“It’s going to be a great meet,”