Durham works way into lineup
By Shannon Heffelfinger
Staff Reporter
When Cliffton Durham decided
last summer to work harder than he
ever had, not even he could have pre
f dieted the re
wards.
A junior
| on the Nebraska
baseball team,
| Durham spent
much of his first
two seasons bat
tling mediocrity,
hitting just .167 at
DHitan the plate‘ After
starting six games
as a freshman, Durham saw action in
only 15 contests for the Comhuskers
last season.
Frustrated but determined,
Durham vowed that things would be
different in 1997. So far, they have
been.
The third baseman spent every day
last summer working to improve his
game. Durham endured hot, humid
afternoons to work with NU Coach
John Sanders and Assistant Coach
Mike Anderson on his defense, field
ing ground ball after ground ball.
Durham also spent hours hitting
off a tee to become a more effective
switch hitter.
Eight months later, the frustrations
are gone, and the rewards are obvi
ous. After improving his average to
.300, Durham has found a spot in
Nebraska’s starting infield, playing in
27 of the Huskers’ 28 games this sea
son.
“He is the classic case of a young
man who works hard without being
asked,” Sanders said. “You want a
whole team of Cliff Durhams —
people who work hard and are totally
dedicated. He is a coach’s dream.”
Durham came to Nebraska as an
athlete and grew into a baseball player,
Sanders said. As a freshman, Durham
filled in well as a backup shortstop but
hit just .065, with two hits in 31 at
bats.
But Sanders never gave up on
Durham, who, at 5 foot 7 and 145
pounds, is anything but the stereotypi
cal baseball player. Durham’s speed
impressed Sanders, who used the St.
Louis product as an effective pinch
runner last season.
“His greatest asset is his
athleticism,” Sanders said. “His ath
letic index has always been outstand
ing. It was just a matter of matching
it with a great performance.”
Another factor in Durham’s break
through season is the great strides he
made from the left side of the plate,
further using his quickness.
“I just recently learned how to
switch hit,” Durham said. “John
u—
He is the classic
case of a young man
who works hard
without being
asked. ”
John Sanders
NU baseball coach
worked with me everyday this sum
mer, throwing pitches to me all day
on my left side. I see more pitches now.
I can get into a rhythm and feel more
comfortable at the plate.”
But Durham’s role isn’t driving in
runs. In fact, Sanders said, Durham
sacrifices personal statistics while bat
ting between team-hitting leaders
Francis Collins and Todd Sears.
“He’s perfect for the two-hole and
he understands what we need from
him,” Sanders said. “If we ask him to
take pitches, he will. If we want him
to bunt, he’ll bunt. He’s a catalyst type
of guy. When he gets on, good things
can happen. He’s the total and con
summate team player.”
Taylor’s struggles
easier with support
By Gregg Madsen
Staff Reporter
Behind the 6-foot-1, 300-pound
frame of Nebraska offensive guard
Aaron Thylor, there lies a silent, less
noticeable
strength — his
wife, Brandi.
They’ve
been married
since June 9,
1994, and despite
the difficulties of
being a husband,
student and Divi
sion I football
player, they’ve
stuck together through it all.
But throughout the nearly three
year marriage, his wife has been the
strength behind Taylor’s muscle.
“She’s hung in there, and it’s been
great,” Taylor said. “If it wasn’t for
her, I don’t think I’d be where I am
right now. She’s kind of been my third
leg.”
She was behind him last season
when he was moved from his left
guard position to center, a difficult
switch for Taylor.
Now, with only a year left in his
career at NU, Thylor has switched back
to offensive guard — his more natu
ral position — and is poised to lead
the Comhusker offensive line and
maintain the solid relationship with
his wife.
It s pretty tough on her, Taylor
said. “But she’s a great gal. She’s a
trooper. I mean, I’m up here until 7 or
8 at night and I know that’s tough on
her because she gets off work at 5, and
then I’m not there to really do any
thing until I get home.”
Since Nebraska’s 41-21 victory
over Virginia Tech in the FedEx Or
ange Bowl, Ihylor has spent his time
running, lifting weights, memorizing
plays and cutting steaks.
Yes, cutting steaks.
The senior-to-be from Wichita
Falls, Texas, has been spending his
free time back home at McWhorter’s
Meat Market, owned by Brandi’s fa
ther.
“Every time I go back there for
U
She’s kind of been
my third leg.”
Aaron Taylor
NU left guard
spring break or Christmas break, that’s
where I go,” Taylor said. “I go up and
work and he leaves. That’s my break.”
Taylor said he plans to operate the
market full time if professional foot
ball doesn’t work out after he gradu
ates next May.
“It’ll be a good time,” he said. “It’s
been there a little more than 30 years;
he’s always said he’d give it to his first
son-in-law, so I’m really grateful.”
Taylor said his wife is eager to
move back home and live closer to her
family.
“I don’t blame her at all,” he said.
“She doesn’t go to school right now,
and she’s just ready to move back and
get started with a family and all that
good stuff.”
Now that spring football is here,
Tay lor has changed his focus from ten
derizing meat to pulverizing defensive
linemen for the Husker offensive line.
He’s also embracing the role of the
leader on the NU line. Thylor and fel
low senior Eric Anderson have six
years of starting experience between
them, and Taylor said he’s trying hard
to pass all he’s learned on to the
younger linemen.
“I think our goals right now are
just to work well as a unit and get bet
ter as spring ball carries on,” Taylor
said. “We want to end it on a good
note and carry that on through sum
mer workouts and then starting out in
two-a-days.”
Taylor said he has adjusted well
after switching back from center to
guard.
“I like both positions,” he said.
“Maybe if I had a little more experi
ence at center that would be better, but
they’re both fun. They’ve both got
their pluses and minuses, but which
ever one I’m at is going to be fine.”
Huskers may
move indoors
By Jay Saunders
Staff Reporter
Considering the Nebraska
women’s tennis team has two home
duals_this weekend, NU Coach
Scott Jacobson is not the least bit
surprised Lincoln has turned into
a winter wonderland.
The Comhuskers (13-5 overall
and 3-4 in the Big 12 Conference)
have not played a home dual out
side — all seven meets have been
indoors—this season, and the pos
sibility of playing Baylor and Mis
souri this weekend outdoors is not
good.
If this weekend’s duals are not
outside, they will be played at the
Woods Tennis Center. NU plays
host to the Bears on Saturday at 10
a.m. and plays Missouri at 10 a.m.
Jacobson said the Huskers’ goal
all season has been to finish in the
top half of the conference. This
weekend’s matches will play a key
role in whether or not NU can ac
complish its goal.
“We have our work cut out for
us,” Jacobson said. “We recognize
we have to play hard every time out,
but we are not intimidated in any
way, shape or form.”
Nebraska has put itself in a po
sition to control its own destiny. A
7-2 win last weekend against Texas
Tech not only pushed its conference
record to 3-4, but it showed the
depth the team has developed over
the season.
Freshman Gina Pelazini
stepped in against the Red Raiders
for No. 5 singles player Lara Botts,
who missed last weekend’s action
because of an illness. Jacobson said
the depth and health of the team
has been good all season long.
“It has never really been one
player,” Jacobson said. “Annie
(Yang) has contributed in a big way
aid (Adriana) Dulic and Botts have
been instrumental to our program.”
The Huskcrs are also using this
weekend to prepare for two big
matchups at Oklahoma and Okla
homa State next weekend.
“Every weekend is another big
challenge,” Jacobson said.
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