Loftin’s behavior unusual,
says Iowa vice president
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - All
agreed that the extortion and theft
charges against former Iowa football
player Ryan Loftin were unfortunate
-but no one could explain why he put
himself in that situation. *
The charges came two weeks after
Loftin quit the team and then had his
scholarship revoked by first-year
Coach Kirk Ferentz.
Loftin is accused of threatening to
expose NCAA rules violations in the
Iowa program and provide informa
tion on the team to opponents -
including Nebraska - if he didn’t get
his scholarship back
“It’s reasonable to expect that
some people recruited under one
coaching philosophy aren’t going to
want to continue under something
different,” said Ann Rhodes, Iowa’s
vice president for university relations.
“But usually people just leave the
team. They don’t engage in this kind
ofbehavior.”
Loftin faces a charge of extortion,
a felony that carries a maximum sen
tence of five years in prison and a
$7,500 fine, and fifth-degree theft, a
misdemeanor.
According to charges filed by the
Johnson County attorney’s office,
Ferentz received a letter signed by
Loftin threatening to expose NCAA
rules violations and share information
about the team to opponents if his
scholarship was not restored.
The letter also said other disgrun
tled former players would be enlisted
to generate negative publicity about
Ferentz and the football program.
The theft charge alleges Loftin
took notebooks belonging to the ath
letic department. It is punishable by
up to 30 days in jail and a $ 100 fine.
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I tigers lean on defense
By Samuel McKewon
Senior staff writer
Editor’s note: This is the seventh
story in an 11-part series exploring
Nebraska s opposing football teams in
irie
Conference.
There aren’t
too many souls
in Kansas City,
St.-Louis or any
where else in the
Show-Me state
p that expect the
rQSey University of
Missouri football team to replace the
3,438 total yards Corby Jones and
Devin West took with them after grad
uation.
So to nab their third straight win
ning season and bowl invitation, the
Tigers may have to rely on an unlikely
group of players - the defense.
While much of the preseason
focus in Columbia, Mo., has been on
replacing the aforementioned quarter
back-tailback combo, it will be the
Mizzou defenders who’ll likely deter
mine the fate of the team - especially
early. And the defense knows it.
“Our offense is young and talent
ed, but they need time,” said senior
cornerback Carlos Posey. “As a
defense, we have to do what we’ve
been doing to get the offense fired
up.”
Last season, the Tigers gave up an
average of only 18.6 points per game,
good for 22nd in the nation. MU got
•the same ranking for total yards
allowed per game (313.3). More
importantly, the defense made big
plays; it had five touchdowns of its
«
We ’ll lean on the defense; we ’ll depend on
them. The mentality is they will set up the
offense, keep the offense going.”
Larry Smith
Missouri head coach
own in 1998.
There are some holes to plug,
especially in the secondary, but even
Coach Larry Smith sees no other
avenue of leadership.
“We’ll lean on the defense; we’ll
depend on them,” Smith said. “The
mentality is they will set up the
offense, keep the offense going.”
The offense may build itself
around All-American center Rob Riti
as neither Jim Dougherty nor Kirk
Farmer has established himself as the
starter at quarterback, and the tailback
position will likely be done by com
mittee.
The receiving corps is relatively
deep but suffered a serious loss when
starter John Dausman tore the anterior
cruciate ligament in his right knee
Aug. 16. Either way, somebody has to
get those receivers the ball.
Smith said he guesses he’ll play
both quarterbacks in early contests -
maybe name a permanent starter,
maybe not. If that fails, true freshman
Darius Outlaw might get a shot.
Whoever the signal-caller is, Missouri
will likely throw more this season
without a solid option tandem.
The quarterback situation, Smith
said, reflects a larger problem with the
1999 team: inexperience.
“I’d say that this is the most talent
ed, least experienced team we’ve had
in three or four years,” Smith said. “Of
the top 44 players, 22 are redshirt
freshmen or sophomores.”
One sophomore Smith doesn’t
have to worry about is defensive end
Justin Smith, who had 86 tackles and
13 tackles for loss in his freshman
season. He’ll likely be an All-America
candidate this year - and he’s just get
ting warmed up, Larry Smith said.
“Justin’s just scratched the sur
face,” he said. “He’s starting to use his
head and not just rely on his ability.”
Despite the inexperience and a
kicking game that lacks a named start
ing kicker or punter, Smith talked
optimistically about his squad.
In his five-year tenure, he said,
MU has garnered credibility in the
state and has started to keep the best
talent in recruiting season. Posey, Riti
and Smith boast about depth in the
future. There seems to be a rejuvenat
ed attitude among the ranks.
The Missouri media guide pro
claims, “It’s a great time to be a
Tiger!” and despite all the losses on
offense, Riti still thinks the team can
pull out a winning season.
“We’re used to winning,” Riti said.
“Winning becomes perpetual, win
ning becomes easier. We have the
desire to get there again.”
NU looks to start new streak
By Brandon Schulte
Staffwriter
Nebraska Coach Terry Pettit said
there’s no question the Cornhusker
volleyball team would rather be prac
ticing today.
But sandwiched in between the
State Farm Classic and the Florida
SunTrust tournament for NU is a
home match tonight against Drake at 7
p.m. in the Coliseum.
Looking to rebound from its first
ever 0-2 start, Nebraska will attempt
to start a new home winning streak
after having its 65-game winning
streak broken in the building last
weekend.
NU doesn’t appear worried about
a third straight loss to start the season.
“I know nothing about Drake
except that their setter is Heather Harr
(graduate of Lincoln Southeast),” NU
66
I know nothing about Drake... our match
focus is going to be on Nebraska.”
5 Terry Pettit
NU volleyball coach
Coach Terry Pettit said. “Our match
focus is going to be on Nebraska.”
The Huskers will focus on their
complicated 6-2 attack that they used
last weekend to take advantage of the
squad’s depth. f
Freshman setter Lindsay
Wischmeier, perhaps the least-herald
ed member of NU’s recruiting class,
will play a big role in the Huskers’
success this year. She had 61 assists
in the State Farm Classic - with many
of them being to All-American
Nancy Meendering, who pounded out
54 kills in the two games.
Coming off a 13-14 season,
Drake (0-0) will counter with Harr
and middle blocker Kim Bahr.
Bahr led the Bulldogs with 3.77
kills-per-game last year.
After facing two top-eight teams,
Wischmeier isn’t overly concerned
with Drake - or anyone else for that
matter.
“If I can survive Penn State and
Pacific in my first two games,”
Wischmeier said. “From here on out,
it’s going to be a lot easier.”
4th-string QB to transfer to UNO
Fromptaff reports
Nebraska’s fotirth-string quarter
back, Jay Runty, has decided to trans
fer to Nebraska-Omaha for the 1999
2000 campaign.
Runty, the son of former NU quar
terback Steve Runty, played in four
games last season, rushing three times
for 59 yards, including a long of 28
yards against Iowa State.
“I expected that would be the
case,” Cornhusker Coach Frank
Solich said Tuesday. “We wish him
well. It was tough on him to be listed
fourth.”
Runty had been battling for the
No. £ slot with fifth-year senior Jeff
Perino, who is recovering from three
knee surgeries. Perino was vying for
the No. 2 quarterback slot for a short
time during the spring of 1997 with
Matt Turman behind starter Scott
Frost
Division-II UNO confirmed
Runty’s choice on Tuesday via fax.
The Mavericks had been going
through a quarterback controversy try
ing to replace All American Ed
Thompson. Curtis Miller will start for
UNO this weekend against defending
national champion Northwest
Missouri State.
In other news, Solich confirmed
Tuesday that freshman wingback Josh
Davis will not make the trip Saturday
to Iowa because of team disciplinary
guidelines.
Davis pleaded guilty to felony bur
glary and misdemeanor theft charges
after being accused of taking a Sony
PlayStation from a Loveland, Colo.,
home and selling it to a local pawn
shop. He was placed on probation and
could have the charge dismissed if he
completes probation.
The son of former Nebraska I
backTony Davis, Josh will likely play
this season at wingback, and could
also possibly return punts. Originally,
Davis was recruited as a running back.
Solich also said Tuesday that
freshmen Toniu Fonoti and John
Garrison will most likely play
Saturday against the Hawkeyes.
Fonoti is the No. 2 left guard behind
James Sherman, while Garrison will
hold duties as the long snapper in punt
and field-goal situations.
Ojher freshmen will make the trip,
Solich said, but he could not guarantee
any playing time for those players.
Josh Brown and DeJuan Groce,
both redshirt freshmen, should see
time Saturday, Solich said, assuming
Brown recovers fully from a groin
injury that had plagued him through
most of fall camp. Groce, the No. 2 left
cornerback, joins starters Ralph
Brown and Keyou Craver to form a
nucleus Solich likes very much. I;
“We have three comerbacks who
we feel very good about right now,”
Solich said.
Redshirt freshman Chris Kelsay
will also be in the rush end rotation.
Right now, Kelsay is listed No. 2
behind Aaron Wills at left rush end.
