J V
College football great Doak
Walker died Sunday at the age of
71. Walker died in Steamboat
Springs, Colo., due to complica
tions of paralysis. He was para
lyzed in a skiing accident earlier
this year.
Walker had a storied football
career both in college and in the
NFL. He won the Heisman Trophy
while playing for Southern
Methodist in 1948. The award for
the nation’s top running back is
named after Walker.
“(Walker) is someone that ail
of us have seen and looked up to,”
Texas Coach Mack Brown said. “It
is just an awful shame. Society has
really lost a great person.
“All of our thoughts and
prayers at the University of Texas
are with the family.”
Coming into last Saturday’s
game against Alabama
Birmingham, Kansas hadn’t
played in an overtime game. That
changed in a big way with a four
overtime, 39-37 win against UAB.
The game took more than four
hours to complete.
The victory was the Jayhawks’
first road win in two years.
“That was quite an interesting
affair, and we feel very fortunate to
come out on the correct end of that
one,” Kansas Coach Terry Allen
said.
■
Texas’ Ricky Williams was
named the Big 12 offensive player
of the week. Against Rice,
Williams rushed for 318 yards and
six touchdowns. The defensive
player of the week is Nebraska’s
Chad Kelsay.
The special teams honor went
to Kansas’ Harrison Hill. Hill had
an 81 -yard punt return for a touch
down against Alabama
Birmingham.
■
Missouri is coming off of a bye
week after its game against No. 1
Ohio State two weeks ago. Now,
the Tigers are preparing for
Division 1-AA Northwestern (La.)
State.
Tigers Coach Larry Smith said
his team can’t afford any kind of a
letdown because Northwestern
State is undefeated.
“The message to my team is
beware, and be ready to play,”
Smith said. “My biggest job is to
make sure our team is focused for a
good team.” ,, ,
■
For the first time in 22 years,
Texas Tech has started the season
4-0. Tech Coach Spike Dykes said
a big reason why die Red Raiders
are undefeated is running back
Ricky Williams.
In four games, Williams has
run for 770 yards and 8 touch
downs.
“(Williams) has given us a
chance to be successful because he
is a guy who can run the football,”
Dykes said. “He has given us a lift;
there is no question about that.” ,
Big 12 Notebook compiled by .
staff writer Jay Saunders
I
Swiney healthy, effective vs. UW
■ The Husker defensive back
fights through a groin injury and
makes a key fumble recovery by the
goal line to help preserve the lead.
By Shannon Heffelfinger
Senior staff writer
Erwin Swiney awoke Friday morning and dis
covered his prayers had been answered.
After fighting for the past month to heal a nag
ging groin injury, Swiney, a cornerback on the
Nebraska football team, spent Friday free of pain
for the first time all season.
The sudden recovery couldn’t have come at a
better time. Swiney had hoped to be near 100 per
cent healthy for the Comhuskers’ Saturday date
with then-No. 8 Washington. And, playing pain-free
for the second straight day Saturday, Swiney made
the most of the opportunity.
awiney ana linebacker Jay Foreman combined
on a hit to UW running back Willie Hurst that
caused a fumble at on the Husky 3-yard line during
the second quarter. Swiney recovered the loose ball.
“This was the second day I haven’t played in
pain,” said Swiney, who also recorded four tackles.
“I thank God for that I’ve been praying every night
to be able to play pain-free.”
Along with Swiney, three preseason projected
starters - Mike Rucker, Clint Finley and Jason
Wiltz - returned on defense Saturday to give a boost
to the Husker defense. The Blackshirts held UW to
97 yards rushing and 273 yards of total offense.
NU intercepted Washington’s Brock Huard
three times and sacked the quarterback - who holds
16 Husky passing and offensive records - three
times for 17 yards.
“They had a good quarterback and great
receivers, and our secondary did well against
them,” Swiney said. “The pass rush really helped us
out, too. When those guys get to the quarterback, it
gives us a chance in the secondary.”
Individually, Finley, a free safety, recorded two
tackles after missing the first three games with a
knee injury.
Wiltz played for the first time since the
Huskers’ season opener against Louisiana Tech and
broke the single-game record for interceptions
(two) for a defensive tackle. Rucker, who suffers
from an injury similar to Swiney’s, played nearly
three quarters.
Although Rucker played at “about 90 percent,”
he said both he and Swiney were relieved to play -
even with osteitis pubitis, an inflammation of the
bones that form the hips.
“There were some things we wanted to clear up,
and we did what we needed to do to get that accom
plished,” Rucker said.
“The best thing that could have happened for
me was to get out there and have some fun, and
that’s what I did.”
For Swiney, there was no other choice. -
“It’s a hard injury to deal with because it comes,
and goes,” Swiriey said! “But this was bur fourth,
game -1 knew that I would have to do what I could
to play 100 percent.”
Matt Miller/DN
NEBRASKA DEFENSIVE BACK Erwin Swiney lines up against Troy Edwards in Nebraska’s 56-27 win over
Louisiana Tech. Swiney, who had been fighting a groin injury, recovered a key fumble Saturday
against Washington in a 55-7 victory.
NU impresses Big 12 foes with win
Missouri’s Smith calls victory over Huskies ‘domination’
By James Nicas
Staff writer
Three games into the season, many
people wondered if Nebraska was
going to be able to measure up to its
usual standards.
But after the
Cornhuskers’
fourth game, a
55-7 victory over
Washington on
Saturday, there is
little doubt
aroiindtheBig 12
Conference that
stiH near
top of the
' national scene.
■ “I thought it was total domination,”
Missouri Coach Larry Smith said.
“When the opponent struggles on
offense, arid their option game goes
inside and outside, there is little chance
for the opponent to win.”
The Huskers’ victory over the
Huskies was the 45th straight victory
at Memorial Stadium forNU. The last
loss at home for Nebraska was a 36
1 J I •• I « • > I c I i » I » > . . < L.■ i.
21 loss to Washington on Sept. 21,
1991.
Smith said teams need to play an
almost perfect game to beat Nebraska
at home.
“When you go into their stadium,
they play with such confidence at home
you can be 14 to 21 points behind alter
a couple of mistakes,” Smith said. “You
have to play with a lot of poise and not
make avoid costly mistakes to have a
chance.”
The No. 2 Huskers had been
maligned recently for their perfor
mance on both offense and defense.
Despite many injuries on both sides of
the ball, there were still questions about
Nebraska. r ;
' Those questions were answered
quickly against Washington. NU scored
on five of its fust six possessions, the
Huskers also showed their quick-play
potential with three touchdown drives,,
under a minute.
Defensively, NU forced six
turnovers, had three quarterback sacks
and spent most of the day pressuring
Husky quarterbacks.
Iowa State Coach Dan McCamey
said any questions people might have
j *•« * - - - ' - *
had about Nebraska were answered
Saturday. ^ ,
“It was scary. I’ve been there and
done that,” said McCamey, whose team
lost at Memorial Stadium 77-14 last
year. “Washington has a great program
and tradition, and Nebraska still domi
nated in every way possible.”
I ' -
Kansas Coach Terry Allen also was
impressed with Nebraska’s perfor
mance and said he never expected
Nebraska to have a drop-off from previ
ous seasons.
“It didn’t surprise me. Nebraska
will be the champ until someone
knocks them off.”
Big 12 report canl
Rising Comment Week grade*
Nebraska One word: flawless. The Big 12’s best performance Ms season. A+
Kansas St Michael Bishop had474yards of total offense. He’s in the race , A
fortheHeisman* ^ -• - > ".**■
Texas Tech Still uncreated. Can't ask lor much more than that < B+
1 Texas Ricky WiHiams is back with a vengeance. Texas needed a win B
over Rice. ^ ^ - >
Texas A&M The Aggies pushed aside distractions and beat North Texas 28-9V B
Stable ?•-* •• • -v • •• *''v-"
«- v ?.• , C cf‘,
Oklahoma Sooners have tofind aRoffense soon. ): NA
Iowa St Couldn’t hold on against Texas Tech, next up is Texas. C
Colorado Narrow win over Baylor isn't pretty, but it's a win. Buffs are banged C
up right now.
Baylor Bears hung in vs. CU, but still lost The Bears are tougher than C
some expected.
Kansas KU escaped with a39-3740T win over UAB. C
Missouri Have pushover NorOiwestem State this week. NA
. Oklahoma St With two weeks to prepare for Nebraska, OSU's got a chance. NA
A small one.
: • _ • -
‘Grades not given for teams who haven’t played.
*—„-—-• - — Jon Prank/DN