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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 1998)
■ " 1 1 ■ -- B i ' K K m ' --- ', — s For the second straight week, Iowa State forward Marcus Fizer was named the Big 12 rookie of the week. Fizer scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds in a 75-64 win over Missouri Saturday. Fizer is averaging 14.7 points per gamejtnd leads all Big 12 freshmen in scoring. ■ Coaching milestones are abound as Kansas’ Roy Williams won his 266th game in only his 10th season, the best mark of any coach in NCAA history. The Jayhawks won Saturday in style with a 102-72 trouncing of Texas in Austin, Texas. Oklahoma State Coach Eddie Sutton is also on the verge : of a milestone, needing one more win to reach 600 career victories. Sutton could reach the mark on Wednesday if the Cowboys win at Missouri. ■ Kansas continues to be the only Big 12 team ranked in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Poll. The Jayhawks, 19-2 overall and 3-0 in the Big 12 .CMjtoMM. ranted,third behind North Carolina and Duke. At No. 27, Oklahoma State is the next closest Big 12 team to cracking the top 25. ■ With a 12-point, 12-rebound performance against Colorado Sunday, Nebraska forward Venson Hamilton recorded his league-leading 11th double-dou ble of the season. m I While the North Division of the Big 12 has a prohibitive favorite in Kansas, the South Division championship is up for grabs this season, with Oklahoma and Baylor currently leading with 3-0 records. Oklahoma State, 2-1, is not far behind. ■ “It’s going to be a war all year long, probably,” Texas A&M Coach Tony Barone said. “There’s a lot of good teams down here. I’m just hoping to get a couple of wins.” m Big 12 men’s basketball standings: (through Tuesday) ' Conference Overall Oklahoma 4-0 13-4 Kansas 3-0 19-2 Baylor 3-0 8-5 Oklahoma State 2-1 12-1 Nebraska 2-1 11-5 Texas Tech 1-1 7-5 Iowa State 1-1 8-7 Kansas State 1-2 10-3 Missouri 1-2 8-6 Colorado 0-3 6-7 Texas A&M 0-3 „ 6-7 Texas 0-4 6-9 Big 12 Notebook compiled by seaior reporter Sam McKewoa " % ^ Z ■ ,'y I . - # • • M i \ : ' ,-C [* U. ■ The NCAA rules that Solich must recruit like a head coach. ByMikeKluck Staff Reporter Although he may not yet have a contract or a new office, Frank Solich is officially Nebraska’s head football coach - at least by the NCAA’s defin ition. Solich knew he had the job when 2 5-year Cornhusker Coach . Tom Osborne announced his .... retirement on Dec. 50,lcn 10 and Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Byrne named the 19-year Husker assistant as Osborne’s replacement. Only hours after NU’s 42-17 victo ry over Tennessee in the Orange Bowl, Byrne said Solich was officially Nebraska’s head coach on Jan. 3. But Osborne agreed to remain on staff and help Solich with recruiting until the signing period begins on Feb. 4. Nebraska Senior Associate Athletic Director A1 Papik said an NCAA rule states that the head coach could only make one official visit with a potential recruit between the new year and Feb. 2, while an assistant coach could visit a recruit once a week until Feb. 2. Nebraska officials were trying to determine whether it would be more beneficial for Solich to remain as an assistant coach until Feb. 4, so he could make up to three visits with a recruit Papik said he received word from the NCAA cm Friday that since Solich had die responsibilities of the head coach and was making recruiting deci sions, he will be identified by the NCAA as the head coach. “So, Tom O&ome reverts to assis tant-coach status,” Papik said. But recruiting and NCAA rules are just two ofthe things with which Solich has to concern himself upon taking over as the head coach of the defending national champions. One of the first things Solich has to do, although he said it is not an imme diate concern of his, is to hire a new running backs coach. After the recruiting period, Solich will have to begin preparation for spring football. At quarterback, Frankie London, Bobby Newcombe, Monte Christo, Eric Crouch and Jay Runty are expect ed to compete for the starting position. “Quarterback will be a very strong spot for us,” Solich said. “The problem that exists is that no matter how talent ed they are, they will be very inexperi enced.” The new starter will have to take a Tommie Frazier-type approach, step ping onto the field with immediate confidence. “Bobby Newcombe wants to play quarterback, and we will have Bobby play quarterback this spring,” Solich said. “Bobby was a tremendous quar terback in high school. Ws want him to also give the quarterback spot a try. “Therefc a lot of talent there, aid at some point in time a decision may have to be made to get that talent on the field in other places than the quarterback spot, similar to what we did with Bobby this year. Who knows how that will play out? Who knows who will be the starter?” As recruiting season nears end, NU shines BySamMcKewon Senior Reporter With 22 shopping days left before signing day, the Nebraska football team has already assembled a class of at least 20 recruits fen: the 1998 season. Thougjh high school athletes can not sign letters of intent until Feb. 4, one player, miming back Dahrran Diedrick from Scarborough, Ontario, was expected to enroll in classes this week. Diedrick will participate with the Huskers in winter conditioning and spring practice. The 6-foot-1,210-pounder rushed for 1,386 yards in a Canadian summer league and chose NU over Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State. Nebraska has also received com mitments from several other high-pro file athletes around the nation. Frank Strong, from Stockton, Calif., is one of four running backs to commit to NUThe 6-foot-2, 190-pounder rushed for 1,460 yards and 14 touch downs as a senior at Franklin High. Franklin Coach Tom Veraer said Strong was recruited heavily by Washington, Southern California, UCLA and Penn State before choosing Nebraska. “We have players go to Division I schools every year from Franklin, and Frank’s the best player we’ve had in my 27 years here,” Verner said, “file’s a great, great football player” Another high school running back that will likely look for a home in the Nebraska backfield next fall is Keyuo Craver, from Harieton, Texas. A 6-foot, 190-pounds; Craver rushed for 3,054 yards and 50 touchdowns last fell and averaged more than250yards ps game. He may also compete in the triple jump for the NU track team. “Keyuols a great athlete who runs a lot like Barry Sanders in open field,” Harieton Coach Sim Willis said. “He had a lot of games where he would have 10 carries and get about 200 yards.” Please see RECRUITS on 8 Lane Hickenbottom/DN TROY PIATKOWSKI ttrugglot to got rid of tho boll Sunday at J— m ■ -B-M ■- JHV|aa —-■—*- m oa Iain UulOraOu S mailOR nllgllOS wolollOo Wiling HOMaMUTO Of mCL win. Turnovers still plague NU men By Sam McKewon Senior Reporter Some say, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” But the Nebraska men’s basketball team is running out of chances to become stronger because of its turnover prob lem. “If we continue to turn the ball over so much, we’re going to get beat,” Nee said after an 87-72 victory over Colorado Sunday. Nebraska (11-5 and 2-1 in the Big 12 Conference) com mitted 24 turnovers against the tsuitaioes, tying a season mgn. NU also had 24 turnovers in an 85-68 loss to Tulsa Dec.l. The numbers don’t lie about the problems the Huskers are having taking care of the basketball. ■ Overall, the Huskers are averaging 18.4 turnovers per game through 16 contests, while NU’s opponents are averaging 16.3 per game. ■ The Huskers are 8-0 when they commit fewer than 20 turnovers and 3-5 when they commits 20 or more. ■ NU’s assist leader, point Please see SLOPPY on 8 -U_; Seniors fail in 4th bid to beat CU, KU on road By Mike Kluck Staff Reporter Over the past three years, the Nebraska women’s basketball team has experienced many successes - a berth in the NCAA Tournament in 1995, a school-record 10-0 start last season and a second-place finish in the Preseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament this year. But when seniors Anna DeForge, Jami Kubik, Emily Thompson, Amy Gusso and J J. Jurgens finish their eli gibility, they will have never experi enced the success of winning at either Colorado or Kansas. The Comhuskers lost to Colorado 84 76 Wednesday, and to Kansas 83-74 ' Saturday, in their only trips to Boulder and Lawrence this season. The last time NU ; wonateitherplace was m 1988, and the Huskers have never beaten both teams in die same season.