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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 1997)
- Young quarterbacks back up Frost By David Wilson Senior Reporter Nebraska Football Coach Tom Osborne and quarterbacks coach Turner Gill agree that senior quar terback Scott Frost should be an improved signal caller this season. However, unlike last season, the Cornhuskers have a deep bench to relieve Frost if he doesn’t live up to expectations. “I think we have a lot of depth,” Frost said. “I wouldn’t want to be the coaches and try to decide who’s going to be the backup. Hopefully, I’ll be the starter going in, and hope fully it will stay that way. I expect it to. Right now - I’m not a coach - but they have a lot of talent there.” Behind Frost, sophomore Frankie London and junior Monte Christo will battle for time. Freshmen Eric Crouch and Bobby Newcombe could also fit into the picture before the season is over. Crouch, a 6-foot, 190-pounder out of Millard North High School, rushed for 1,960 yards as a junior and passed for 785, leading the state’s largest class in total offense. Despite being hampered by an ankle injury last season, Crouch threw for 600 yards and ran for 1,300. Newcombe rushed for 663 yards and passed for 510 as a senior at Highland High School, in Albuquerque, N.M. As a junior, the 6-foot, 190-pounder ran for nearly 1,400 yards and passed for 477. The two freshmen have done well in fall camp and could see play ing time this season, Gill said. “The one thing about it is they both have a chance,” Gill said. “They’ve shown that they can learn our offense, and they have the phys ical tools to be able to run and throw. But mentally, they have to try and learn the whole thing in three weeks. That’s really difficult. But they’ve shown that they do have some ability, both physically and mentally, to learn our offense.” London, who played in four games last season, said he hopes to play more this year. Though he did not attempt a pass last season, he rushed three times for 6 yards. “Right now, I’m in a situation where I’m still kind of fighting for a position,” London said. “Backup is not a definite. I’m just making sure that if I am the backup, that I secure that position. It’s not a difficult task being the backup. I’d say a harder task is just going out day to day and just making sure each play means something to you, and that you do it right and get it done right.” Since last fall, London said he has studied new plays and audibles and will enter this season with more confidence on the field. The 6-foot, 180-pounder also said he put on a few pounds, which will help him this season. “I’d just like to secure the back up spot, and if something happens in the season, then be ready to go step out on the field and get the job done,” London said. “Right now I just pray that nothing happens to Scott, but if the time comes, then I’ll look forward to getting out there and getting my turn to take some snaps.” As a redshirt in 1995, London said, he learned a lot about his posi tion from former NU quarterbacks Tommie Frazier and Brook Berringer. Knowing what it takes to learn the system, London said, he does not feel pressured by Crouch and Newcombe. “I try not to make it a factor,” London said. “Just like when I was a freshman, I had to learn. They come in, and they have to learn. I don’t feel any immediate threats. They’re not a threat to me; I’m just a threat to myself. I have to get the job done and get it done right. Otherwise, they could be the backup or they could be second team or third team.” By the end of the season, Frost said, he expects the freshmen to wmviiu iui nine. “It will probably take them awhile for them to get there,” Frost said, “but by the end of the year I expect them to be challenging for the backup spot - not saying they’re going to win it, but it’s going to be tough.” Frost, the Big 12 newcomer of the year last season, completed 52 percent of his passes for 1,440 yards. Osborne said he expects those numbers to improve. “Scott should be in a lot better shape than last year,” Osborne said. “In many ways he was like a fresh man. He showed a lot of maturity. He has excellent speed, and he’s a good thrower.” Gill also said he expects Frost to improve his passing game and has helped Frost with his throwing motion. Frost recorded the lowest interception percentage in school history last season and currently ranks 16th on the Huskers’ all-time passing-yardage chart. Scholarship quarterback Jeff Perino, who would have been a red shirt sophomore, left the team after spring practice, and Christo, a walk on slowed by injuries in 1994 and 1995, entered fall camp at No. 3. ( DO YOU NEED TO GET ] I ON-LINE OR CONNECTED TO I 1 THE OUTSIDE WORLD? I I Sign-Up for Tel3phone and Internet Service at our I I booth in the Nebraska Union I I Pate_City Union_East Union I I August 21 Morning Afternoon I I August 22 Afternoon Morning 1 I August 25 Morning Afternoon 1 y August 26 Afternoon Morning ^yAugust 27 Morning Afternoon Or Visit the Telecommunication Service Window at 211 Nebraska Hall ^ THE FACTS ABOUT LECTURE NOTES Who Takes The Notes? Tops students take notes in your classes and provide them in typed format. Notes are accurate, complete, and easy to understand. How Will They Help Me? Even good students can take bad notes. Lecture notes are a great supplement to your own notes. You can sit back and enjoy the lecture and not have to worry about missing an important point. Lecture notes also serve as an important study guide when preparing for the big test. How are the notes sold? •Semester Packs •Test Packs •Daily Notes •Notes available for next day pick up! Do Professors Approve? Grade A Notes gets faculty approval on all lecture note classes. Professors are given editing rights on notes taken in their class to ensure the information is accurate. The professor may also request a copy of the notes be put on reserve at the library. Where Do I Sign up? Notes are conveniently sold at Grade A Notes, lower level of Nebraska Bookstore-1300 Q Street Then 1300 Q Street • (402) 477-7400 Lower Level Nebraska Bookstore Lecture Notes • Copies • Resumes • Fax Service • Course Packets Nebraska Preview Offensive Newcomer Quarterbacks Name Ht Wt. Yr. Pass Yds. Rush Yds. TDs Seo« Frost 6-3 220 Sr. 1440 488 8 Monte Christo 6-0 200 Jr. 0 35 0 Frentte tendon 60 180 So. 0 6 0 'Statistics am from the 1996season Business as usual for NU linebackers _RELOAD from page 31 freshman Carlos Polk, a former USA Today All-American in high school. “This team has a lot more depth than anybody realizes,” said sopho more Mike linebacker Ben Buettenback, listed at second string behind Foreman. “We’re all working hard in practice.” Possibly the most beneficial thing for the linebackers is that the first two games of the season are against Akron and Central Florida, neither considered to be one of the top 50 teams in the nation. This may help the newcomers get their feet wet before the Sept. 20 showdown at preseason No. 4 Washington. “You don’t always want to play a great team right away,” Buettenback said, “This way, wejcnow what we’ve got before we play them.” Foreman agrees. “We’re not going to overlook Akron or Central Florida, but they will be a good preparation for Washington,” he said. “Akron prob ably thinks they have a good running attack, and Central Florida has a Heisman candidate (quarterback Dante Culpepper), so they’ll want to pass the ball.” Overall, Foreman sees the line backer corps and the defense as one the best in the Big 12. “We’ll be as good if not better than everyone in the Big 12, hope fully in the nation,” he said. “We just have to keep practicing and we’ll be all right.”