Bears
Sophomore QB, defense
propel Huskers to 45-0
pasting of California
By Samuel McKewon
Senior staff writer
If someone would have told Nebraska quarter
back Bobby Newcombe that his team’s leading rusher
would have exactly 29 yards by the end of its 45-0 dis
mantling of California...
“I would have said you were full of it,” Newcombe
said. '
But the scant 114 total rushing yards mattered lit
tle as Newcombe’s quarterback partner, Eric Crouch,
bad enough fireworks for one quarter to propel No. 5
Nebraska to an easy win - a win that defied football
logic - in front the largest crowd to ever watch a game
at Memorial Stadium. .
In an 11-minute, 37-second span in the second
quarter, Crouch electrified the 77,617 fans in red with
a rushing, passing and receiving touchdown, turning
a 7-0 Husker lead into a 28-0 cushion by half-time,
thus demoralizing a Cal team that controlled much of
he first quarter.
Crouch’s final touchdown of the quarter, a 60
yrard,Mjaifrn:eak” pas^ from Newcombe, put a record
stamp on thesophomore’s performance and made
bim the first player since Johnny kodgers in 1973 to
score in three different ways offensively.
“I didn't expect for this to happen,” said Crouch,
who had a hand in 183 of NU’s 208 first-half yards.
‘'But anytime I can get on die field and make a play or
take advantage of every opportunity I’m given, I’ve
Please see CROUCH on 13
Lane Hickenbottom/DN
ABOVE: NEBRASKA FREE SAFETY CUnt Finley tackles Cal
running back LaShaun Ward during Saturday* game at
Msawrial Stadium. The Blackshirts continued dominat
ing their opponents, not allowing an offensive scere for
Ulv 9vimHIO WualJflH Wwwri
Mike Warren/DN
FM LEFT: NEBRASKA QUARTERBACK Erie Crouch runs
through the arm tackle of Cal outside linebacker, Sekou
Sanylka, for a S-yard gain off left tackle. Crouch was
gang tackled by three Cal defenders ts bring him down.
Mike Warren/DN
FRESHMAN LEFT rash end Chris Kslsay drags down Cal
fullback Saleem Muhammad after a 5-yard run in the
third quarter.
j Missed opportunities doom Cal
I By Darren Ivy
Senior staff writer
One more block on a Nebraska
linebacker or one less blown cover
age in the secondary and California
Coach Tom Holmoe thought
Saturday’s 45-0 loss to Nebraska
could have been a much different ball
game.
Eliminating little mistakes - two
missed field goals, three turnovers,
14 penalties and several other mental
and physical breakdowns - were what
Holmoe stressed to his team after the
loss.
“It’s amazing how little things
make all die difference in die world,”
Holmoe said. “The little things add
up very quickly against Nebraska.
When you come in here, you have to
play flawless. We didn’t.”
One example of a little thing
becoming a big thing was a screen
Scoring summary 7» «7 Ts? '
California 0 0 0 0 0
Team Cttr. Scoring piny Plays-yards Score
NU Cal
NU 2 E. Crouch 1ydrun (J. Brown Kick) 9-80 14 0
NU 2 £ CrQueh OO yd pass from B. Newcombe (J.Btown kick) 1 - 60 28 0
NU 3 £ Crouch 4 yd tun (J. Brown kick) 1-4 38 0
If imn II i trmr/nXT
pass to running back Joe Igber on
Cal’s second series, Holmoe said.
Igber looked liked he had a wide open
path to the end zone and then all of i
sudden, NU middle linebacker Carlos
Polk came out of nowhere to make a
touchdown-saving tackle.
“One of our linemen was sup
posed to cut block Polk, but he
thought (the play) was over,” Holmoe
said. “You just can’t take anything for
MUUi junnsi/i/iT
•¥■
granted against a team like this. If he
would have done what he was
^assigned to do, it would have been a
touchdown.”
That play, along with a missed 35
yard field goal by Ignacio Brache on
the next play, took some wind out of
the Bears, Holmoe said.
“I think we should have had a
I
Please see CAL on 13
