. -I—■ ByLisaVonnahme Staff Reporter Jamie Rogers described fellow teammate Steve Friesen as the “father figure” of the Nebraska men’s golf team. Friesen is considered a father fig ure because of the responsible and professional manner in which he approaches golf, Rogers said. A junior from Lincoln, Friesen is the Comhuskers’ No. 2 player this season and has helped the men’s golf v team to one of its best starts in school history. Along with the team, Friesen’s play has improved from last season because die Comhuskers’ focus has shifted from individual performance to team performance, Friesen said. “For me, I feel a lot more team emphasis this year,” Friesen said. “One major reason for this is that our team is better than it has been in the past” Friesen struggled at the begin ning of the 1997 fall season, posting a 230 series that tied him for 79* at the Falcon/Cross Creek Invitational. The previous two years he placed eighth and 22nd at the same tourna ment. But by the end of the fall season, Friesen had redeemed himself. He it “If one person on the team is struggling, somebody else tries to help out” Steve Friesen NU golfer finished in the top 10 at three tourna ments and was ranked 93rd in the nation at the end of the fall season. “If one person on the team is struggling, somebody else tries to help out,” Friesen said. “We all work pretty well together.” Friesen continued to play between the fall and spring seasons by taking a trip to Florida over Christmas break. ‘T think that trip really helped me just because I was able to go out and play when I couldn’t here,” Friesen said. That continued play during the offseason has helped Friesen concen trate more on golf, which has helped him in the spring season. Friesen is second on the team with a 74.41 stroke average. Junior Jamie Rogers, the No. 1 player for the 34th-ranked Huskers, has noticed the improvement, too. “His game keeps getting better,” Rogers said. “Steve has a quiet, sort of business approach to the game. He’s very serious about playing.” While concentration is very important in the sport of golf, Friesen said, he thinks his level of concentra tion may be what has hurt him. This season, Friesen has been able to play consistently, especially in his opening round, but has fallen short in his final rounds, he said. Earlier this month, Friesen finished the Arkansas State Indian Classic with a 69-79-80 series. “It’s mentally tiring to concen trate for 10 or 11 hours on a golf course,” Friesen said. “I think I need to focus on my shot when I’m within 20 feet of the ball, but other than that, I have to just talk about whatever with my playing partners.” NU Coach Larry RomjUe said Friesen does two tilings that benefit the team - he can shoot low rounds and he produces scores that the team usually needs. “Friesen is the type of depend able and consistent player any coach wants on a team.” Three compete for quarterback position RACE from page 9 that’s what we’d like to do.” Which two players that might be is still a question to Gill and the quarter backs. In fact, London said the entire quarterback race has been, at times, frustrating. “It’s like walking around in a city you don’t know,” London said “You’re doing your job, and you’re still not sure what the coaches are thinking ” Newcombe said Gill is thinking plenty about the decision, but it’s hard to tell who might be ahead If not named the starting quarter ■. back, Newcombe said this will be the last time he tries out for die job. “I figure it will have been my second go at it, so I’d like to playwingbackif I don’t get it,” Newcombe said. Gill said that regardless of who is named the starter, he’s confident that any of the three could fill the role. “Somebody^ going to be sad after Until rninn flwgneffettits Players listed according to eprlng depth chart (statistics from 1997) Quarterback Ht WL Yr. Passing Yards Carries Yards ' . 6-0 180 Jr. 1022 8M ? i 42- 'm m Bo^Newcombe 6-0 195 So. 1/1 U| 16^ 156 Jay Runty 6^ ' 195 Sa 0^- 2 8 I *-■»- ftnnH pgnnt Lsnsrwmners wen ocou r-rost. uua uiuig la vvci, vjui a