Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 28, 2000)
Hochstein paces offense LINE from page 16 _ At 16, Hochstein said he watched those three play into Husker histbry. Entering into his senior year at NU, Hochstein is forging his place, too. Last year, Hochstein earned All-Big 12 honors and could emerge as one of the nation’s top linemen this year. But going from a High School All-American at Hartington Cedar Catholic to possibly a collegiate All American is astounding to Hochstein. Just getting his chance to wear a red jersey on fall Saturdays is remarkable, Hochstein said. “I don’t think anyone ever expects when they grow up that they’ll play at Nebraska,” Hochstein said, “or even start there. I was very fortunate to live my dream - to be playing here for two years. And now, being a senior, it feels great. It’s an honor.” Hochstein is just one of the giant cogs in this year’s high-power pipeline that could be NU’s most dominant since the 1994-1995 national championship seasqns’ offensive lines. Pounding the ball down the defenses’ throats were those teams’ trademarks, as was the long counter traps and sweeps where I-back Lawrence Phillips gained so many yards. With four of five starters hav ing starting experience, that type of football is feasible again this year. Coach Frank Solich saw some of that in Saturday’s scrimmage, when he labeled the offensive line’s play “aggressive.” “Some of the things we think we can do is run a power offense with the style of lineman that we have,” Solich said. “We did that a little bit in the scrimmage. We ran some here and there, and when they did it, they did it well.” Last year’s starters, All-Big 12 Center Dominic Raiola, Dave Volk and Jason Schwab all return. Schwab gained a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA after he sat out last year with a knee injury. Volk started all 13 games at right tackle in Schwab’s place and moved to left tackle this spring. Sophomore Toniu Fonoti is listed atop the spring depth chart at left guard with junior Jon Rutherford. Neither have started a game at NU but both saw considerable action as backups last year. Solich said Fonoti will be the starter this fall, and it is his job to lose. But even though he is just a soph omore, Fonoti is still well-seasoned, Solich said. “Even though he is young,” Solich said, “we don’t consider him young because he does have a year under his belt.” But that said, Hochstein said there isn’t just one lineman that the opponents should be extra af f. They should be extra afraid a of them. “They should fear the whole offensive line,” Hochstein said. “Our line’s pretty deep this year. I think we stand out more as a group than we do as individuals. “In the Tennessee game, we showed everyone what this line can do, and we’re still pretty deep this year.” In last year’s Fiesta Bowl, NU ran at will over Tennessee’s defense with its power game, amassing 321 rush ing yards in its 31-21 victory. Tech hopes passing game clicks TECH from page 16 Tech went through weekly makeovers, with great wins over Texas A&M and Colorado on certain weeks, and a 58-7 flogging from Texas the next. Leach was unavailable for com ment, but starting defensive tackle Kris Kocurek said it’s a whole new ball game at Tech, which plays Nebraska on Oct. 14 in Lubbock, Texas, next season. “Whenever you get a new coach, there’s excitement - and especially after seeing what Coach Leach did at Oklahoma last year,” Kocurek said. “They’re definitely putting the ballfup a lot more on offense.” Sophomore Kliff Kingsbury is the man who will be called on to deliver the ball on target from the quarterback position. He shared time with Rob Peters last season and started the sea son finale of last season, completing nine of 17 passes for 259 yards in a 38 28 win over Oklahoma. Leach also has a potential Heisman running back he never had at Oklahoma or when he directed Couch at UK. Junior Ricky Williams will be back on the field after a season-ending knee injury early last season against Arizona State. Williams, who rushed for 1,582 yards (fourth highest in the country) in his 1998 season, will sit out spring ball. Come fall, Motsakis said Williams will get fewer carries, but touch the ball just as much. “If he gets the ball on a shovel pass or a screen,” Motsakis said, “it’s just as good for us.” Outside of Williams, the Red Raiders return four starters on offense, 4 and six on the defensive side of the ball. “The offense is going to be tough to stop, and this defense is going to be good, too,” Kocurek said. “We’ve been so close to winning the south division before, but this year it’s definitely one of the main goals of this team.” NU softball copes with injuries SOFTBALL from page 16 doubleheader against Creighton. The All-American has been on the bench while junior Jaime Fuente plays in her place. It’s the first time in Lizama’s NU career that she has missed significant time because of injury. She sat out one game her sophomore season with a concussion. She called sitting out “awful” and is shooting for a quick recovery. “I saw the doctor and he said the least it would take was two weeks, the most six weeks,” Lizama said. “I want to get back out there and play.” For Suhr, the injury has lingered for some time sinde her days* at Papillion-La Vista High School. Suhr re-injured the hip during the Capital Classic in Sacramento, Calif., on March 12. Suhr said she was “itching” to get back and wanted to play this week vs. the Rams (8-14). Nebraska trainers will hold her out until at least this weekend’s series at Texas Tech. Until then, freshman Amanda Buchholtz will fill the spot. “Last year the same thing hap pened, except I was only out for a week,” Suhr said. “It’s a little bit dif ferent this time because we need to take more precautions.” Both players said they looked for ward to returning to the NU lineup. Lizama, the captain of the Huskers, said she still is trying to fulfill her role of being a leader even if it means not being out on the field. “It’s not so much watching some one else at my position,” Lizama said. “It’s so much being out there with the girls and competing out there with them.” Revelle said she has no predic tions of when she expects Suhr and Lizama to be back in the lineup. The main concern is the possibil ity of either of the two re-injuring themselves if they are rushed back into the lineup, Revelle said. “I’m hoping they’ll be back as soon as they can,” Revelle said. “At this point of time I have been given no time lines. So I have no idea.” Van Horn says Bison are mystery to him From staff reports Nebraska Baseball Coach Dave Van Horn has no idea what to expect in today’s game against North Dakota State. He said he knows that the Bison are 8-1 against Division II competi tion. Outside of that, he said, they’re an enigma. “We’re supposed to get a scout ing report (Tuesday) morning,” he said. “Hopefully that will give some idea of what they bring to die field.” Van Horn said the lack of knowl edge about NDSU doesn’t worry him. He said the Nebraska players need to focus on themselves and not their opponents. “We need to go out and play hard and win,” he said. “We need to get, self-motivated and ready to play regardless who the competition is.” North Dakota State contacted Nebraska last year about playing a game, and Van Horn said he accepted because it would give the. Comhuskers a chance to play a mid week game. Since the Bison are a Division II team, Van Horn said a lot of inexperi enced Huskers will get playing time. “This gives us a chance to get some guys who haven’t played or started much some game action,” he said. “We don’t have a deep bench, and hopefully we can develop some backup players in games like this one:” | In other news: -j-- Shane Komine, Nebraska’s ace pitcher, was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Pitcher of the Week after he struck out 13 Texas Tech batters in an .11*0 shutout on Friday. da i 1y n e b.co m Required reading for anyone who knows a kid. If there’s a child you care about, anywhere in your life, then you should care about our public schools. For a free booklet that contains w ays you can help improve education in America, call 1-800-96-PROMISE. Roods. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Rescues at sea. International peacekeeping missions. Whenever there’s a need, the National Guard and Reserve responds. But only with the unselfish support of thousands of employers like you. THANKS FOR MAMNG US YOUR BUSINESS. J NEW BULBS NEW BULBS NEW BULBS NEW BULBS NEW BULBS NEW BULBS NEW BULBS NEW BULBS NEW BULBS HEY UNC there’s another UllrabroA ifl town & lf*S of |The Sun Tannery] March URfobrota Super Special Buy 1 ntrabfOM tan at regular price ($28} & receive a 2nd at 1/2 price tor STrodttonol tans far Sleoch) On Soutt KMH & In 1101 Arapahoe 423-6022 NEW BULBS NEW BULBS NEW BULBS NEW BULBS NEW BULBS Join the Husker Football Recruiters NEW BULBS NEW BULBS NEW BULBS NlW BULBS Students, help the Husker Football team and coaches recruit student-athletes. Call Teri at 472-5963 by April 7th for details and to set up an interview. Copyworks YOUR CAMPUS SOURCE FOR • High Speed, High Quality Copies • Manuals, Booklets • Color Copies • Resumes, Cover Letters, References • Binding, Laminating • Graphic Design/Custom Printing • Self Sen/e IBM, Macintosh, Internet • Print from Disk: Color & Black/White • Passport Photos • Free Pickup & Delivery Copyworks* 1320 Q St., Lincoln (next to Nebraska Bookstore) YES WE CAN!