The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, October 06, 1998, Page 7, Image 7
With Colorado’s 27-25 victory at Oklahoma on Saturday, CU became the first visiting team to win five straight games at OU’s Memorial Stadium. ■ Texas’ Ricky Williams became the NCAA Division I career touch down leader with 67 after his five touchdown performance against Iowa State. Indiana’s Anthony Thompson was the NCAA career leader with 65. ■ After Kansas’ 24-21 loss to Texas A&M, the Jayhawks fell to 0-3 in conference for the first time since 1989. ■ Missouri quarterback Corby Jones scored two rushing touch downs to set two Tiger records with 34 career rushing touchdowns and 54 touchdowns produced (34 rushing, 20 passing). Jones is questionable for Saturday’s game against Iowa State because he has a sprained left toe. Four games into the season, Oklahoma has used four quarter backs this year. Out of the four quar terbacks, none has played an entire game-or played in every game. ■ Iowa State quarterback Todd Bandhauer rewrote the Cyclones passing record book in ISU’s loss at Texas. Bandhauer set single game records for touchdowns (five), pass ing attempts (62), completions (30) and passing yards (437). His 35 career touchdown passes are also a new Cyclone record. ■ After a 5-0 start, Texas Tech has trailed its opponent for just 12 min utes and 29 seconds out of a possible 300 minutes this season. M In his first start of the season, Texas A&M quarterback Randy McCown completed only nine of 18 passes for 89 yards in a 24-21 win over Kansas. However, his perfor mance was hampered by four drops and four sacks. - ' v - '• ’ j* k ;:r ■ For the second week in a row, Texas running back Ricky Williams was named Big 12 offensive player of the week. Texas A&M linebacker Dat Nguyen was defensive player of the week, and Nebraska kick returner Joe Walker was the Big 12 specialty player of the week. Two weeks into the Big 12 vol leyball season, there are three teams that remain undefeated in conference play. Nebraska, Texas and Colorado are atop the conference with a 4-0 mark. Texas A&M trails die leaders with a 3-1 record, while Texas Tech and Kansas State remain in con tention for conference honors at 2-2. Notebook compiled by staff writer James Nicas NU’s Walker redeemed with return By David Wilson Senior staff writer From the grass at Arrowhead Stadium, Joe Walker watched Oklahoma State receiver Ethan Howell score the game tying touchdown with just over 12 minutes remaining Saturday Instead of playing it safe, he had gambled. He went for the ball. He lost. Walker Butthesopho more Nebraska rover didn’t go home a loser. Walker got his revenge when the Cowboys punted in their next posses sion. Seventy-three yards later, Walker I— put the Comhuskers ahead for good with the longest punt return of his career. “Great football players don’t get down,” Walker said. “When you make a mistake, you put that behind you. I feel I’m a big player, and that’s what big players do - make big plays.” The score came as no surprise to Nebraska Coach Frank Solich. “He’s really an electrifying player,” Solich said. “He’s a talented athlete. It wasn’t out of the question that he returned one.” In Nebraska’s season opener against Louisiana Tech, Walker returned a kick off 99 yards for a touchdown. Neither big play by Walker came as a shock to NU cornerback Ralph Brown, who laid a key block on OSU safety Trent Alexander during Walker’s run Saturday. “I knew I only had to get him a sec ond,” Brown said of his block. “(Walker) is exciting. That’s why I try to do my job 100 percent, because I know he can take one to the house any time.” As a true freshman in the NU sec ondary last season, Walker had two interceptions, including one for a 71 yard touchdown against Kansas State. The Arlington, Texas, native added his third career interception against Washington two weeks ago. But, as he found out Saturday, going for the interception doesn’t always pay dividends. “Joe about did me in with a couple of plays on defense,” Solich said. The 67-yard touchdown pass was Oklahoma State’s longest pass play since 1992. It also was the Cowboys’ longest play from scrimmage this year. “The ball was thrown very, very well,” Solich said. “(Walker) was just out of position, and he fell.” Nebraska Secondary Coach George Walking on Daylight Rover Joe Walker’s return numbers in 1998: Punt returns: No. Yds. Avg. TD Long 1998 12 157 13.08 1 73* Career 19 196 10.31 1 73* Kickoff returns: No. Yds. Avg. TD Long 1998 10 266 26.6 1 99* Career 25 655 26.2 1 99* 'Went for touchdown JonFrank/DN Darlington saw things a little differently. “He was beaten like a dog,” Darlington said. “He’s too good of an athlete for that.” But for Walker, that’s football. “Sometimes you gamble, and you lose,” Walker said. “Sometimes you gamble, and you win.” In other news: Nebraska starting quarterback Please see WALKER on 8 Zimmer runs past pressures for Nebraska M-!! ByLisaVonnahme Staff writer Jeannette Zimmer couldn’t handle the pressure. Afterwinning theWashington state -crosscountry €?rngjjJitte&3La£i8iM| In the past, school fresh . man, Zimmer expectations was told by her coaches, meant family and . , friends that everything to she was going ri' me. Pi j u Bat she they don t couldn’t deal mean a lot. expectations. Jeannette sherlaiIedi° 7TMMFR qualify for the DIMMER state meet as a cross country runner sophomore, 1 and she never won the state cross country title again. And so she made a decision - a decision that changed her outlook on running. Please see PRESSURE on 8 iii i mm—■———■■■I—ill. i■—mu i Hu . i i Dawn Dietrich/DN Jeannette Zimmer, a UNL freshman cross country runner, practices Monday afternoon at Oak Lake Park. Zimmer vows not to feel the pressures of her high school career in college. KSU s Snyder says North up for grabs By Christopher Heine Staff writer The Big 12 North Division is so dif ficult this season that it makes Kansas State Coach Bill Snyder more than a lit tle nervous. Snyder said Monday that com peting in this year’s league “is like being a kitty cat in a room full of rocking chairs.” Kansas State (4-0 overall and 1 0 in the Big 12 Snyder Conference), along with its con ference peers, has reason tobe worried. The North currently has four of its six teams ranked in college football’s Top 25. Two of those teams, Nebraska and Kansas State, make up two of the nation’s top five spots. Because of die stiff competition, finishing the season without a loss should prove to be a difficult task for any of the six clubs. No. 2 Nebraska (5-0 and 1-0) has already experienced some Big 12 but terflies. Last Saturday night, Oklahoma State was less than a yard, maybe even an extra minute, away from upsetting the Comhuskers. A penetrating tackle by Huskerrush end Mike Rucker in the Cowboy back field preserved the victory as time expired Husker Coach Frank Solich isn’t surprised by how any of the Big 12 teams are performing; even traditional conference cellar-dweller Iowa State (2 3 and 0-2). V JonFrank/DN “I thought it would be a strong con ference coming in,” Solich said last week. “I’m real pleased with what Iowa State has gotten done.” Solich said Iowa State’s 27-9 victory Please see NORTH cm 8 A Big 12 report card Rising Comment Week grade* Nebraska Whew! Got out-yarded but survived to beat Oklahoma St. B Kansas St Now they play Colorado. Will it be qtose? NA Texas Tech Squeaked by Baylor 31 -29. It’D do. B GqIothIo ^^W^ia^s|w»^a^instIowaSt. ^ B Oklahoma St - Theyranoflukes. Defertseas good as any in Big 12. B- j| Stable i < m & % * Missouri Ought to be ashamed for beating iWljftfMMMS c Oklahoma They’re starting to call for John Blake'S head in NShnan. " C- p Iowa St Twenty Cyclones couldn't have stopped FOcfcyWW&mS.. *1 C Baylor Baylor’s barely losing. But they’re stfit losing. ’ ' C Kansas Almost beat A&M. Almost doesn't count. C Falling None — we were merciful. t^ - • ‘Grades not given for teams who haven’t played.