season
PLAYERS from page 16
that went 12-1 and finished ranked in
the top three in both major polls:
The two starters lost on offense
were both from the offensive line,
but the “pipeline” should be far from
clogged next fall. Tht line got at
added boost with the return of Jason
Schwab, who missed last season with
a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Sophomore Toniu Fonoti will step
into starting lineup, and the line
should go at least seven deep next
year.
The running backs and receivers
are just as deep. With the starters and
top backups in place at both running
back and fullback, Running Back
Coach Dave Gillespie’s job was to
establish the bottom of the depth
chart.
All played well with I-back Chris
Butler and fullback Judd Davies hav
ing breakout performances in the
spring game. *
Receivers Coach Ron Brown had
the same luxury as Gillespie, but sev
eral receivers missed time because of
injuries.
But if Bobby Newcottibe, Matt
Davison and Tracey Wistrom heal by
fall camp, the Huskers will have ia
dominant aerial arsenal.
But the receivers will only be as
good as the quarterback who throws
to them. With starter Eric Crouch and
backup Jammal Lord sidelined dur
ing the last half of spring with
injures, the lack of depth at the posi
tion became incredibly apparent.
Quarterbacks Joe Chrisman and
Brett Lindstrom were successful this
spring, but it’s doubtful that they will
be able to lead the offense effectively
_
next fall. But Solich was satisfied
with their performances to date.
“We’re only operating with one
quarterback that’s been a true quar
terback for us, and he’s a young play
er,” Solich said. “The other two quar
terbacks just started at the position
this spring. And usually they’re the
trigger for what you’re going to get
done.
“If they don’t operate with some
efficiency, you’re not going to get
anything done.”
The defense will run just as
smoothly. It was hit hard by the loss
of play makers from a year ago, but it
shouldn’t be lacking in leaders to
mold the young defense.
Craig Bohl’s first campaign as
defensive coordinator after taking
over for Charlie McBride should be
aided by the charisma of rush end
Kyle Vanden Bosch and middle line
backer Carlos Polk. If the entire
defense exudes the drive of Vanden
Bosch, the Blackshirts will be as
good as ever.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be the
player that I want to be,” said Vanden
Bosch, after he recorded three sacks
for 28 yards of losses in the Red
White Spring Game. “Fm really my
own worst critic. (In the spring
game) I made a coupte of plays, but I
also made a couple of mistakes that
don’t always show up. I still got a
ways to go.”
With the return’pf a healthy
Erwin Swiney to go with Keyuo
Craver, Joe Walker, DeJuan Groce
and Clint Finley, the defensive sec
ondary makes strides to replace NFL
draftees Mike and Ralph Brown.
Strongside and weakside line
backer positions were open this
^ I don’t think I’ll
ever be the player
that I want to be.”
Kyle Vanden Bosch
NU rush end
spring, and quality players have
moved to the top of the depth chart.
Scott Shanle and Rod Baker will
split time at strongside linebacker,
while Randy Stella and Mark Vedral
will do the same at weakside line
backer.
The defensive line should be an
imposing front four once players
return from injuries. At least five
defensive linemen were held out of
spring practices. Once they return
there will be plenty of talent on the
line.
And the kicking game will be the
same aS last season. That’s because
everyone returns.
With such a well-oiled machine
puttering away at South Stadium, the
only thing standing in the way of
NU’s rise to the top of the polls could
be some dead weight that limits effi
ciency.
But Solich said that will be taken
care of immediately.
“We have some guys that are a lit
tle overweight,” he said. “We’ll need
to get that under control, and we’ll do
that immediately. The guys that need
to lose some pounds are on the offen
sive and defensive line, but we have a
little of that every year at that time.”
Kenya dominates marathon
■ For 10th consecutive year, Kenyans
take Boston Marathon’s top spots.
BOSTON (AP) - First it was the Kenyan men. Now,
even the women are winning the Boston Marathon.
Kenya’s domination in Boston extended to a record
10 consecutive victories Monday, as Elijah Lagat out
kicked Ethiopia’s Gezahenge Abera dnd Kenya’s Moses
Tanui in the closest finish in the race’s 104-year history.
Lagat and Abera were both timed in 2 hours, 47 sec
onds, with Tanui three seconds back.
The women’s ending wasn’t as close, but it was still
the same: a Kenyan wearing the laurel wreath.
Catherine Ndereba, competing in only her third
marathon, pulled away in the final mile and became die
first Kenyan winner, at 2:26:11. Ndereba thwarted die bid
of Ethiopia’s Fatuma Roba to become the first competitor
- male or female - to win the race four consecutive times.
The struggling Roba finished third at 2:26:27, the
same time as runner-up Irina Bogacheva of Kyrgyzstan,
who came from behind and beat her in the final stride.
Like the men, the womens finish was the closest ever
between the top two and among the top three runners.
“I’m not only happy to win, but I’m going to the
Olympics and represent my country,” said Lagat, who
took up running professionally only after his doctor told
him in 1992 he had a heart condition and might die.
With this race being an Olympic qualifier for the
Kenyan men’s Olympic team, Lagat and Tanui earned
places on the squad, joining Kenneth Cheruyiot, winner
of Sunday’s Rotterdam Marathon.
The 33-year-old Lagat said his doctor warned him
that he had a lot of fat around his heaft and urged him to
lose weight. At the time, he weighed 158l/2 pounds. Now,
he weighs 125'/2.
Abera, running on his 22nd birthday, contended the
Kenyans were kicking and pushing him.
Photos by Darren McCollster/Newsmakers
TOP: CATHERINE NDEREBA of Kenya crosses the finish line
in a time of 2:26:11 in the 104* Boston Marathon.
ABOVE: KENYA’S ELUAHLagat crosses the finish line ahead
of Gezahenge Abera of Ethiopia to win the Boston Marathon
in a time of 2:09:47.
KanKin named JN U assistant coach
From Staff Reports '
After hiring his first assistant from
inside the state, Nebraska Men’s
Basketball Coach Barry Collier went
all the way to the deep South for his sec
ond hire.
Reggie Rankin, formerly an admin
istrative assistant at Georgia, was
named the newest Husker assistant
Monday. :
Collier said the new NU assistant
would help the team in all aspects;
including on-the-floor coaching and
recruiting.
Rankin was excited about his new ;;
job. ' *
“This is a great opportunity Coach %
Collier has given me,” he said. “It pro-^
vides me with a fresh start and a new
beginning. Coach Collier is an experi- -
enced and proven head coach, and our"
program is going to get great direction .
and leadership from him. !
“I think it’s just a matter of time
until Nebraskans have a basketball pro
gram they are extremely proud of.”
Rankin spent three years at
Georgia, the first two as a full-time
assistant under Ron Jirsa. Last year,
Rankin handled day-to-day duties,
including video work and practice
scheduling.
The new Husker assistant has been
an assistant coach since 1993 and has
had stints at Ohio, Wyoming, Boston
and Bowling Green in addition to ■
Georgia.
Collier said Rankin’s background
was a major reason for the hire.
“Reggie’s Division I experience has
'helped him develop a strong coaching
background and at the same time has
led to multiple successes in recruiting,”
Collier said.
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