Rare eight home games pleasing I BY JOSHUA CAMENZ1ND Keyuo Craver was all for play ing Texas Christian in this year’s Pigskin Classic. In fact, if Craver had his way, Nebraska would be scheduling another home game on a slate that already includes eight con tests at Memorial Stadium for die first time since 1905 and only the fourth time of all-time. “I'm all for it,” Craver said. "I love football, and if we could take another game, I would play that too.” Craver joked NU still may be looking to add another home game after playing only six during last season's 10-2 campaign. The home slate features the likes ofTCU to open the season on Aug. 25, perennial power Notre Dame on Sept. 8, defending national champion Oklahoma on Oct 27 and Big 12 North rival K StateonNov. 10. Only four road contests await to rhaltongp the Huskers. Oamfts at Missouri, Baylor, Kansas and Colorado -all of whom finished with losing records last season - pale in comparison to the mon ster home schedule compiled for those lucky enough to gain admit tance to Memorial Stadium on Saturdays. “There’s no better place to play in the country than Memorial Stadium, so that is going to give us a little bit of an advantage," Craver said But not so fast, said NU Coach Frank Solich. While he is also excited about the prospects of Nebraska's most challenging opponents having to travel to Lincoln, Solich reminded the two teams stQl must take the field and pound it out for the all-important win. “It can certainly help, but that won't be the determining factor of who wins the conference,” Solich said But Solich doesn’t deny over flow crowds of around 78,000 won’t give his teamaboost against the likes of Notre Dame, OU and K-State. NU won 27-24 in an overtime scare when it visited the Irish last season and saw its national title hopes go down the drain with losses to both the Sooners and Wildcats on the road. Those three teams, combined withTCU and Iowa State, finished 52-11 overall and were all ranked among the top 25 when the final polls were released. One has to look no further than a ticket stub to understand the magnitude of the three big matchups. A seat at the Notre Dame, Oklahoma and K-State games will cost $50, as opposed to the $38 charged for the other five contests. In announcing NU’s intent to play in the Pigskin Classic, Athletics Director Bill Byrne was obviously pleased to round out the home slate. "With the addition of Texas Christian University, we believe we hawthe most attractive home football schedule in the country," Byrne said. Byrne's opinion will certainly be debated next season around the country, but Solich said he knows the importance of mar quee games for both his players and die fans. “The media and the fans will pick those games out,” he said. “The atmosphere sometimes gets hyped a little bit, and the players always enjoy that” And that all starts again when the Huskers and the Homed Frogs take the field. Solich, like Craver, said the game will be advanta geous for a young team looking for game experience “We are replacing a number of people on both sides of die ball,” Solkii said. *We want to try to get those guys as much experience as we can.” “The way to do that is to prac tice more, which is what you do when you have a preseason game because you have more practices and then another game” Solich said the fear of injuries is always looming in his mind, but Craver said that will be the farthest thing from his mind on that hot, August afternoon. “Most people who look far the negatives end up finding diem,” Craver said. Deadly 1-2 punch may return with Diedrick CROUCH from page 10 pitch, have not. And as time wore on, attempts at going to the pitch were limited. That, essentially, limited the option game to Crouch keepers most of the time, making the option attack virtually one dimensional. Some speculate that may have been because of I-backs Dan Alexander and Correll Buckhaher's inability to run to the outside or catch pitches, things Phillips and Green did remark ably in the option heyday of the mid-1990s. "That wasn’t necessarily by design,* quarterbacks Coach Tlimer Gill said. "For the last two or three years, maybe there’s been alittte bit more of the quarterback handling the ball, but that’s what the defenses have been giving us, and we've been fairly successful “It depends on the defense. You've only got so much real estate to deed with (on the out side) before you get out of bounds. And with (Crouch's) speed and quickness, we want him to turn up as fast as he can as it presents itself.’ Solich agreed that Crouch's decision mating depended great ly on defensive fronts, and teams that play the Huskers every year have stopped the outside game more effectively. Solich also refused to admit the lack of confidence in Alexander's and Buckhaher's ball handling abilities, despite the feyt the Huskers led the nation in fum bles in 1999. He pointed to the fact NU had a much-improved turnover ratio in2000. But that may have been because the ball was kept in Crouch's hands. Now, with Alexander and Buckhalter gone, NU may get back its outside game, provided having a qualified running back. Enter Dahrran Diedrick, die Huskers' No. 1 running back on the spring charts. His speed and explosiveness have always been heavily anticipated since he arrived from Ontario three years ago. Diedrick said his high-school team didn’t run any option; he hadatough time with it when he arrived at NU. But after three years in the system, he said he believes he’s ready. “I’m very confident now," Diedrick said. Tve just learned to keep focused on the ball - keep my eyes on the ball - not act like I'm going to catch it before I'm going to catch it” “That’s why I came to school here. The running back gets the ball in a lot of different ways, handoffs and option.” Whether Diedrick wiD pan out to be a more effective catcher and outside runner than his predeces sors remains to be seen. Whether Crouch will go more to the out side and pitch will still have plen ty to do with the defensive fronts, too. But Solich said if the opportu nity presented itself, Diedrick cotdd-help bring bade the explo sive outside option game and give Crouch a partner in crime like Frazier and Frost had “We expect he’ll do well," Solich said. “I think he’s die kind of back that can do well in all phases of our offense.’’ “He’s got great feet, and hefc a strong kid, so it’s a good combina tion in that he has the ability to be an inside runner and make the power yards, and he’s got enough speed to get things done on the outside. Our offense should fit him wed’ NU in strong shape at tight end RECEIVERS from page 10 nit earned a reputation for catch ing balls. Although he competed in each game last season, Hassebroek is still looking for his first collegiate reception. The Nebraska coaching staff is also experimenting with kicker Josh Brown at the wideout posi tion. “He has good quickness and good speed, catches the ball well,” Ron Brown said. “He needs expe l rience. He just needs to go out there and play football.” The experience at the tight end position should relieve some pressure on the wideouts. The senior-to-be Wistrom, an All-Big 12 selection last year, returns from 2000 when he was second leading receiver behind Davison. Through the course of the season, Wistrom amassed 19 receptions for 314 yards and five touchdowns. Nebraska also returns two more letter winners at the posi tion in junior-to-be Aaron Golliday and Jon Bowling. Hevor Johnson moved from the position to rush end, and former defensive lineman Phil Peetz has taken on tight end duties. Golliday and Bowling com bined for five catches for 53 yards last season. Despite the uncertainties with the passing attack, the Comhuskers will use this spring to get the basics down and famil iarize themselves with their new roles. “For the most part everybody has been working hard and trying to get die plays down," Wistrom said. IPBKiUNL I "SSUi,.l Recycle your Daily Nebraskan James blanks Bluejays FROM STAFF REPORTS Nebraska (22-9) extended its winning streak to 12 games after its 4-0 win over Creighton (7-14) on Wednesday, riding the over bearing presence of freshman Peaches James on the mound. James, a Papillion-LaVista graduate, threw a complete game shutout, scattering just two hits and striking out seven Bluejays. The win improved James' record to 5-4 and left NU with a head of steam entering conference play. James' shutout is just die lat est of many recent dominating performances by the Nebraska staff. The Huskers have given up only four runs during the 12 game winning streak, including nine shutouts. Nebraska hasn't been scored on in 30 consecutive innings dating back to its 2-1 win Kappa Delta Chilliest!! At Kappa Delta Sorority (16th & ‘R’ St.) Sunday, March 25 4:00-8:00 p.m. $4.00 at door $5.00 day of ALL YOU CAN EAT ♦Orih ♦Chicken Noodle Soup ♦Cinnamon Rolls Featuring: Live Bands -Man Down -8th Wave 1 -ChadKebsy against Florida Atlantic Mac 16. To lead NU offensively, sec ond baseman Leigh Suhr, short stop Amanda Bucholz and right fielder Danelle Arnold each col lected two hits against Creighton’s ace Jenny Hunt. Bucholz also notched two RBIs. The offense, which sputtered at times early in the season, has perked up recently, averaging nearly five runs over the last six games. The improved offensive play is just in time for the lS^ranked Huskers conference opener on Saturday against Missouri (18 15). TOUCING LIVES OF YOUTH Do you like: • Baseball Games • Basketball Games • Challenger Baseball Games • Football games AcademicContest: • Oratorical Contests •NE Academic Decatholon Now forming a service organization on campus. Students & Faculty welcome. Formation meeting March 22,2001 6:30 PM Please RSVP to: 488-6711 Hosted by Lincoln South Optomist Club «ke art, 8 ~ - a> *0 SPECIALS ON: lZ MHjB A) Biolage • Nexxus • Paul Mitchell m a Rusk • Vital Nutrients 4 oX'>s 1-4244 for an appointment. ect supervision of tee ?n^.r.R^!F.p. 5 Blocks South of UNL Campus_ Iff s BEER 22nd & “0”st | ! “22* wlwlumm 477 7516 * \ ! 55 ^ TjqourMon-Sat8am-1am g | Coors Natural I 1 Reg. or Light . oa Light or Ice $ o Att I p Warm 30 pk cans 14h9Sl Warm case cans Oa4Sl 3 | P.B.R. Michelob I All varieties qq All varieties m qq 5 | Warm case cans SjafcS) Warm case bottles 1 4b