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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 1998)
HMy Kansas State place-kicker Martin Gramatica kicked a 65-yard field goal on the last play of the first half against Indiana State. It was an NCAA record for the longest field goal without a tee. The feat helped Gramatica earn the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week award. “We thought if he had lined up at 68 or 69 (yards) it would have gone through,” Kansas State Coach Bill Snyder said. “I am certainly proud of Martin Gramatica. It was a special moment for him.” The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week is Missouri’s Devin West. West rushed for a school-record 319 yards against Kansas. The defensive player of the week is Iowa State’s Reggie Hayward. ■ There seems to be an increase in penalties being called in games this season. Against Oregon State on Saturday, Baylor set a single-game record for penalties called. Oklahoma State Coach Bob Simmons said he doesn’t have an explanation for the number of flags on the field this season. “There are penalties that are going to get called no matter what you do,” Simmons said. “I think offi cials are looking for certain things that teams are doing.” ■ Kansas Coach Terry Allen wishes the referees in his teams’ games against Oklahoma State and Missouri were following the penalty trend. Allen has sent tapes of ques tionable calls to the conference office from both games. In the fourth quarter against Missouri, a Tiger defensive back pushed down a KU receiver in the end zone and made an interception. Allen said his team is disappointed with the apparent no-call. “I am not a whiner by any means, but I just want an explanation,” Allen said. “There were about 10 angles of it that showed exactly what hap pened.” ■ Missouri opened the season with wins against Bowling Green and arch-rival Kansas. This week the Tigers continue their non-conference schedule on the road against No. 1 Ohio State. Originally, the Tigers were sched uled to also play Clemson and Washington, but those two games were changed. MU Coach Larry Smith said he is glad to not see all three of those teams on his schedule. “I like to have three teams that aren’t of that caliber,” Smith said. “Any coach will tell you they want to play teams that they have a shot of winning. We have a veteran team this year, and we will be ready to play.” ■ Nebraska moved to No. 3 this week in The Associated Press Poll after Florida State’s shocking 24-7 loss to North Carolina State Saturday. Kansas State did not move up in the polls, as UCLA jumped to fourth while the Wildcats stayed No. 5 in the nation. Notebook compiled by staff writer Jay Saunders. Offensive line maturing quickly Scott McClurg/DN THE NEBRASKA OFFENSIVE LINE is still adjusting to a new set of starters and defenses making a conscious effort to stop the run. The Huskers are aver aging 259.7 yards per game rushing this season, which ranks 10th nationally. David Wilson Senior staff writer This is one in a series of stories this week taking an in-depth look the Nebraska football team. Josh Heskew didn’t know he broke Nebraska’s single-game pancake block record until two days after he knocked down 23 California players. He wasn’t keeping track in his head. He never does. “You know you knock people down, but you really don’t know how many,” Heskew said. The key, he said, is always playing aggressive - a strategy Heskew, one of four senior offensive lineman, has passed on to the younger lineman. Now, with three games under their belts, Heskew said, it’s the little things that the Comhusker linemen need to DN Grade D work on. “Maybe a step here, or a step there, or getting up on a back or something like that,” said Heskew, a 6-foot-3,290 pound center. “It’s not that we’re not doing that - just sometimes, we need to get up on them quicker.” And though NU’s blocking might not have always look pretty Saturday in the 24-3 win over California, Nebraska Offensive Line Coach Milt Tenopir said, the effort was there. “Sometimes it appears like we’re not getting the job done, but there’s only so many guys that can block,” Tenopir said. “They gambled, and they won on a few occasions.” California recorded three sacks against Nebraska, while the Huskers ran for 254 yards. For the season, the relatively inexperienced NU offensive line has paved the way for an average of 259.7 yards per game. “We’ve gotten a lot better,” Tenopir said. “We’re better technicians. The kids are understanding a little more what it takes to play at a high level. Ali you can ask of die kids is to give great effort. I think that they've progressed quite well.” Two young players who both Tenopir and Heskew said have stepped up this season are redshirt freshman Dominic Raiola and sophomore Russ Hochstein. Both Raiola, who plays behind Heskew, and Hochstein, a right guard, saw playing time Saturday. “They’re young, and they didn’t have much game experience before this year, but they’re getting more and more confident,” Heskew said. “They’re just so aggressive coming off the ball, it works great for us.” They have also aided line depth. “We can get people in and out of the ball game and have fresh legs,” Heskew said. i But depth, he said, hasn’t been a problem this season. Tenopir wasn’t so sure Saturday vs. California. “We got tired in a couple spots there,” Tenopir said. “That probably affected us as the game wore on, but that’s my fault.” Either way, Heskew said, the offen sive line will be ready when No. 9 Washington travels to Lincoln Sept. 26. “It was a big game last year too,” Heskew said. “I think it was a bigger game than what it is this year. But if we go in with the same approach that we had last year, that we’re confident in our ability to get the job done, I think every thing will be great” Win over Iowa a boost for Cyclones By James Nicas Staff writer Two days after coaching Iowa State to one of the school’s biggest victories in years, Dan McCamey still can’t help but relive his victory over Iowa. The Iowa State fans won’t let him stop. “My phone hasn’t stopped ringing,” McCamey said. “The victory has brought a lot of attention to our pro gram.” The Cyclones’ 27-9 upset over the Hawkeyes was their first win over Iowa since a 17-9 victory in 1982. It was the biggest win in McCamey’s four seasons at Iowa State and the biggest win for the Cyclones since they beat No. 18 Kansas State 27-23 in 1993. Even though the Hawkeyes came into the game as a 28-point favorite, it was the Cyclones who dominated the game. ISU led 27-3 after their first drive in the third quarter, and junior running back Darren Davis ran through the IU defense gaining 244 yards on 37 carries. After the Cyclones’ 38-28 loss to Texas Christian a week earlier, McCamey said he could sense a differ ent attitude among his players during the week of practice before Iowa. “The players were angry they lost to TCU and they practiced really well so that wouldn’t happen again,” McCamey said. “I was surprised by the score, but not that we played some real good foot ball” As with any intrastate rivalry, beat ing Iowa can have many other benefits besides just a notch in die win column. The impact on recruiting for upcoming seasons may also be a great reward for the Cyclones. “The people who are close to us in the state know we have tried to do things the right way,” McCamey said. “It has been hard to get top Iowa kids to come to Iowa State, and we hope this victory will help recruiting in the future.” The buzz over the victory was not only in Iowa. Big 12 Conference coach es took note of the upset. Kansas Coach Terry Allen was pleased to see McCarney have a big win. “Dan is a good friend, and I am real Big 12 report card Rtttag Comment Week grade' Iowa State A complete domlirw&on of fowa earns &e Cyclones A • the week’s best grade. Nebraska Now this te the defense tans have been waiting for. B+ Chad Kelsey was afcwprkfvs. Cat. Texas Tech The Rad Raiders have a defense. Last week’s opponent B+ UTEP, almost beat ranked Oreaon. Texas A&M Stopped Troy Edwards. The Aggies deserve an award for that B+ Colorado Colorado survived a Fresno State team with a goal fine stand. B StiH not bad. Missouri Devin West looked fantastic in win aver Kansas. B Now, No. 1 Ohio State. Kansas St As bad as N. Illinois Is, Martin Grammatics did kick a B SUM. «**»«**■* Texas Texas has a tall task next week against Kansas State. C UCLA pounded them. Oklahoma Sooner Magic in 10-9 win over TCU. Next up: California. C Failing Baylor The Bears lose to Oregon State. It’s the beginning of a long season. C Kansas Is Kansas even trying to stop the run? Missouri’s Devin West C had 319 yards. Oklahoma St Tulsa ran out in front of OSU and never looked back. D Not a good day for Bob Simmons. 'Grades not given for teams who haven’t played. JON FRANK/DN ly happy and tickled for them to beat Iowa,” Allen said. Entering 1998, some felt McCamey’s job was in jeopardy. Iowa State compiled a 6-28 record under McCamey before Saturday’s victory. With the win over Iowa, McCarney’s job status now is not in question, and he said there is proof that the program is heading in the right direction. “All the tittle things we have worked on over the last three years have finally come into fruition,” McCamey said. “We came into a great atmosphere and pulled out a great victory.”
