NU receivers value
multiple functions
By Sam McKewon
Senior Reporter
The latest members of the
Nebraska receiving corps suffer
from a severe case of multiple per
sonality disorder.
And that’s just the way they like
it.
Often seen as blocking soldiers
in the Nebraska rushing army, the
wingbacks, split ends and tight
ends, bolstered by a colorful group
of personalities, are looking to
prove their big play ability.
“Every single one of us is our
own person,” senior wingback
Lance Brown said. “We each bring
something different to the table
whether it be blocking or big plays.
Every receiver is really unique and
that makes for great chemistry.”
The receivers have all settled
into roles that make for a definitive
melting pot, said Brown, the vocal
leader of the group. Freshman
Matt Davison is the foot soldier.
Senior Shevin Wiggins is the quiet
one. Senior Kenny Cheatham is the
joker (Cheatham calls himself “the
complainer”). Senior Sheldon
Jackson is the silent leader.
NU Receivers Coach Ron 1
Brown agreed. <
“They’re about as unique of a
group as you're going to find,” '
Brown said. “And they all get i
along, too. There’s a lot of free 1
spirit in those guys, and they’re all
good players.” ’
And when Ron Brown says he i
has good players, Lance Brown i
said, that means the receivers are
doing one thing right: paving holes 1
for the Cornhusker backfield. 1
Last season, the NU receivers '
did its job. Nebraska led the nation 1
in rushing with 392.6 yards per
game, averaging 6.2 yards per 1
good downfield blocking. Brown 1
said. <
"When you get here. Coach !
Brown tells you the one thing you
need to do to get on the field:
block.” said Brown, who had 12 <
catches for 226 yards last season. !
"You've got to be able to intimi- ^
date the other team. :
"With all the different types of
guys we have as receivers, our 1
chemistry is great. It's helped us 1
become great blockers and
receivers.” !
Cheatham, who was tied with 1
the team lead in receptions in 1997 ‘
with 14. said downfield blocking
is the catalyst to the NU offense. '
but that the receivers could change 1
their image some this season with 1
an inexperienced offensive line
and quarterback. '
“I think we could pass the ball a 1
little more this season,” Cheatham (
said, “because we’ve got a lot of 1
Returning receivers
Players listed according to spring depth chart
(statistics from 1997)
Split end Ht. Wt. Yr. Rec. Yards TD
Kenny Cheatham 6-4 210 Sr. 14 191 0
Matt Davison 6-0 180 So. 11 232 1
Billy Haafke 5-11 190 Sr. 1 15 0 l
Craig Fischer 6-0 180 Jr. 0 0 0
Wingback Ht. Wt. Yr. Rec. Yards TD
Lance Brown 5-11 190 Sr. 12 226 0
Shevin Wiggins 5-11 200 Sr. 6 76 0
Sean Applegate 5-9 190 Jr. 1 9 0
John Gibson 5-11 180 So. 2 18 0
Tight end Ht. Wt. Yr. Rec. Yards TD
Sheldon Jackson 6-4 245 Sr. 11 189 2
T.J. DeBates 6-3 250 Jr. 1 7 0
Letterwinners lost: Jeff Lake (SE), Sean Wieting (WB).
Tim Carpenter (TE), Vershan Jackson (TE).
They re about as
unique of a group as
you re going to
findT
Ron Brown
NU receivers coach
/outh this year. We’ve got a lot of
)ig-play guys out there, so we’ll be
iangerous.”
The receivers and tight ends
vere dangerous last year, averag
ng 15.3 yards every time one of
hem touched the ball.
The Nebraska receiving corps
vill become even more dangerous
f sophomore Bobby Newcombe
eturns to wingback, Brown said.
Newcombe, currently locked in a
Jdiuc iui me dialling quaiiciuaLK,
josition, said he wants to become a
vingback permanently if he does
i’t run the offense.
Ron Brown said he has not spo
:en to Newcombe this spring about
vingback, but said he would cer
ainly welcome him back, espe
:iall_v if Newcombe averages 24.7
/ards per reception like he did in
.997.
"Bobby's got the total pack
ige,” Brown said. “He’s a different
> 1 ayer than an Irving Fryar, but
le's like him in that he’s an a 11 -
iround guy.”
Davison said Nebraska will be
me if Newcombe doesn’t return to
vingback.
“If he's at quarterback, that’s
*reat, too,” Davison said. “Either
vay, he’s going to make big plays
it quarterback or at wingback.”
If Newcombe does return,
^ance Brov/n said, he will add to
vhat is already a diverse group of
ilayers.
“We all come from different
lackgrounds and have different
joints of view,” Brown said. “None
jf us are really the same, so Bobby
'its in.”
i _■ .. *■,-■-■ - ■;-.. . , -I
Chris Bendet/DN
CORNHUSKER FIRST BASEMAN Craig Moore takes a pick-off throw from NU starter Matt Schuldt Wednesday.
The Red Raiders were successful on two of three stolen base attempts in the Huskers’ 8-3 win.
Huskers beat No. 25 Tech
WIN from page 10
on the afternoon.
The Huskers scored two runs
on three hits in the second and
added three runs in the third as
eight Huskers batted in the inning.
“We’ve been getting key hits
from guys without Ken Harvey in
the lineup, and they’ve done that
all week long,” NU Head Coach
Dave Van Horn said. “Brian
Johnson is one of those guys. He’s
come through with big hits, and
he's thrown some guys out.”
Batting in the seven spot,
Johnson was 2 for 4 with three
RBIs, and in addition to his sev
enth inning long ball, drove in
first baseman Craig Moore with a
single in the fifth to give NU a 6-3
lead.
Nebraska knocked out Texas
Tech starter Joe Smith (3-2) early
in the inning and began to work on
Red Raider reliever Zach Stewart.
Stewart, one of only seven Red
Raider pitchers in uniform, was
effective and struck out five
Huskers but delivered Johnson a
pitch that he couldn’t resist.
“I’ve been seeing the ball real
ly well lately,” Johnson said of his
fourth home run. “It felt good to
get a hold of one there and help
the team.”
Back on the mound with an 8
3 lead, Schuldt was in search of
his third consecutive complete
game in the eighth inning.
Schuldt pitched nine innings
on April 10 to defeat Texas A&M
and shut down Oklahoma with
145 pitches on Friday.
On Wednesday, though,
Schuldt just ran out of gas against
the Red Raiders.
“I understand why I came out,”
Schuldt said after pitching 142
pitches. “My legs were feeling
like Jell-0.”
Junior southpaw Jay Sirriani
came on in the eighth inning with
two outs and struck out the first
three batters he faced before
allowing senior Tevis Arnold to
slam the door on the Red Raiders.
“My hat’s off to our pitching
staff,” Van Horn said. “They had
to get out some of the best hitters
in the country this week, and they
did their job.”
With their seventh win in their
last eight games, the Huskers are
all alone in seventh place in the
conference behind Oklahoma.
The top six teams according to
winning percentage advance to
the Big 12 Tournament to be
played in Oklahoma City on May
14-16.
Call your mom. Tell everyone
you’re calling your girl.
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