Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 18

4D Unooln Journal Star Sunday, September 10, 1995 HUSKERS Page design: Karl Vogel When needed, Berringer answers call also rushed four times for 20 yards as the Huskers piled up 666 yards of total offense, establishing an opponent record against the outmanned Spartans. Berringer, of course, is used to playing a relief role for Frazier. Last season, when Frazier was sidelined with a blood clot in his leg, Berringer led the Huskers to a 7-0 record. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Berringer said he now feels completely comfortable at the controls of an offense that Michigan State Coach Nick Saban called "one of the best I've ever seen in college "I'm a senior now, so I cant get nervous anymore," said Berringer, a native of Goodland, Kan. Berringer seemed cool and confident when he entered after Frazier left the game with Nebraska leading 10-7 early in the second quarter.

Frazier, also a senior, limped off with 13 minutes, 25 seconds left before half-time after being tackled on an option play. He finished l-of-2 passing for 8 yards and rushed five times for 30 yards. Frazier said Berringer played well "He might have missed a couple calls here or a couple calls there, but overall he played great," Frazier said. Berringer's highlight was his 51-yard pass to Baul, which gave Nebraska a first-and-goal at Michigan State's 8-yard line. Two plays later, I-back Lawrence Phillips ran 1 yard for a giving the Huskers a 29-10 lead.

BauL who scored on a 76-yard pass from Frazier Aug. 31 against Oklahoma State, this time dove at about the 13-yard line, ending up at the 8. "It was a (isolation) fake, and Reggie faked like he was going to block and just went straight up the field," Berringer said. "I'll have to see it on the films, but I felt like I threw the ball out there pretty well." Coach Tom Osborne, however, said he would like to see his team's passing improve. Berringer, Frazier BY STEVE SIPPLE Lincoti Journal Star EAST LANSING, Mich.

Nebraska backup quarterback Brook Berringer stays alert on the side-fines. Experience tells him he could be summoned at any moment Saturday, Berringer was moned early in the second quarter, when starter Tommie Frazier left the Nebraska-Michigan State football game for good with a thigh bruise. Nebraska prevailed 50-10. "You just have to keep your head In the game and try to get a feel for what's going on (when you are on the sideline)," Berringer said. "You get a different view from the sideline, and we chart every play, so you know what's going on.

I know what the defense is doing before I go out there. But it's just a tough situation going out there cold." ti Berringer, however, eventually heated up. He completed 6 of 11 passes for 106 yards, including a 51-yard bomb to split end Reggie in the third quarter. Berringer and Matt Turman combined to complete 7 of 14 passes for 114 yards with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions. "I didn't think we threw as well as we could or will," Osborne said.

Berringer credited Nebraska's offensive line for helping produce the Huskers' huge yardage totals. "Those guys have a lot of talent, and they're very mobile," he said. "Our of fense is doing great "I think it (the offensive line) has made some improvements, but I dont think they've done anything drastically bad at all They're just going to keep getting better." Berringer said he was wary of a Michigan State comeback until late in the game. "I felt like as well as (Spartan QB Tony) Banks was throwing the football, they could come back at any time," Berringer said. "We just had to keep the pressure on them.

I didn't feel like they really ever gave up at any time until the fourth quarter." Childs likes niUWUlllBTflllllknk.kiIliatW NU's Michael Booker (left) breaks up a pass intended for MSU's Nigea Carter (81 in the first quarter, but is called for pass interference, setting up the Spartans' only touchdown. NU-Michigan State notes Spartans show plenty of fight BY CURT MCKEEVER Lincoln Journal Star NU freshman kicker Kris Brown kicked three field goals, 20, 47 and 22 yards, to boost his season total to 4-for-4. He also kicked four extra points and Waverly sophomore Ted Retzlaff added the final extra point. Brown said he was excited to kick the 47-yarder in the second half "Strangely enough, when we warmed up, we kick from 45 yards and then one long one. The long one I tried today in warmups was from 47 yards, the same hashmark and to the same end zone.

It went just like practice. Up and good. I just didn't want to miss anything today and I wasn't going to. let that happen." Brown kicked seven consecutive extra points against -Oklahoma State after missing his first try. Osborne said he was pleased with the kicking of Brown and punting of Jesse Kosch (who averaged 36 yards on three punts).

But Osborne said the rest of the kicking game, namely coverage, was "We need to be more cohesive, more solid, or it's going to make things more difficult down the road." Lawrence Phillips finished the day with four touchdowns and 206 yards on 22 carries. His four touchdowns were the most in a game since Calvin Jones scored six against Kansas in 1 991 Phillips scored three touchdowns twice last year. Phillips moved up from ninth to sixth on the school's all-time rushing chart, passing Keith Jones, Rick Berns and Roger Craig. Phillips, who was named the Chevrolet Plaver of the game, was Scoring summary NU-MSU EAST LANSING, Mich. Michigan State's football team definitely didn't go down quietly while being pummeled by second-ranked Nebraska Saturday.

"Once we started controlling them they started talking a lot of trash," outside linebacker Jared Tomich said. "A couple of times it was Miami out there a little bit." Tomich was referring to the reputably brash Miami Hurricanes, who have lost a little bit of their swagger since losing to the Cornhuskers in the Orange Bowl Jan. 1 and in this year's season opener toUCLA. The Spartans though hardly a Miami, having had four straight losing seasons spent a lot of time shoving at the end and sometimes after the end of plays. Twice after runs by NU I-back Lawrence Phillips, Michigan State drew dead-ball, personal foul penalties.

Those followed a flagrant acemask penalty, which were preceded by a similar flag and a roughing-the-passer call against Nebraska. "We're out there to play football I don't think we're out there to talk trash and push people around," said Cornhusker senior middle linebacker Ellis. "You've just got to play through it. "I think we did frustrate them a bit. They were trying to intimidate us.

It didn't work." Jfi? NU rover Mike Minter got both perturbed and a chuckle out of the extracurricular activities. Minter, Cwho tied Ellis as Nebraska's leading tackier (seven said he was involved in three incidents at the end of a play. TED KIRKLmcoln Jomal Star A Michigan State tackle Flozell Adams (76) pulls down NU linebacker Jared Tomich (93) by grabbing Tomich's pants. "They were hitting when the play was over. I'm like, 'Hey, the play's over.

Minter said. "It's very hard (to control emotions), but you've got to walkaway." Minter walked off the field with a big smile, thanks to a hit he put on Michigan State quarterback Tony Banks and the reaction that came from it. "He surprised me with his mobility, but on my last play I hit him real good and he didn't like that," Minter said. "He said, 'You all are Talk, of course, is cheap. And so far, the Cornhuskers are showing they can handle the mouthing and carousing that goes with the territory of being the defending national champions.

"It doesn't seem like it's any different on the road or at home," Tomich said of Nebraska's demeanor. "The emotion is always the same." Banks won't BY KEN HAMBLETON Lincoln Journal Star 7-0 10-0 10-7 17-7 20-7 23-7 23-10 29-10 36-10 43-10 50-10 FIRST QUARTER Krii Brown 22 field goal 12:21 Drive: 29 yards in 8 plays. Set up by Octavious McFartin recovery of Derrick Mason fumble on opening kickoff after hit by Jamel Williams. Highlighted by Lawrence Phillips 12, 9. 4 runs.

Lawrence Phillips 2 run 10:09 Drive: 68 yards in 4 plays. Set up by Jared Tomich recovery of Marc RenaurJ fumble. Highlighted by Phillips 37 run and MSU 15 acemask penalty, Tommie Frazier 8 run, Jeff Makovicka 6 run. Conversion: Brown kick. Muhsin Muhammad 16 past from Tony Bank 6:28 Drive: 76 yards in 10 plays.

Highlighted by Brian Echols recovery of Mike Minter muff of punt at NU 44. NU pass interference penalty, Banks 25 pass to Muhammad. Conversion: Chris Gardner kick. SECOND QUARTER Phillips 1 run 10:52 Drive: 41 yards in 4 plays. Set up by Minter interception of Banks pass on sidelines.

Highlighted by Brook Berringer 3 run, Phillips 19, 18 runs. Conversion: Brown kick. Brown 47 field goaf Drive: 51 yards in 9 plays. Highlighted by Clinton Childs 7 run plus MSU 5 facemask penalty, Childs 6, 25. 12 runs, Berringer 4 pass to Brendan Holbein.

Phillips recovery of errant pitch for 9 toss. THIRD QUARTER Brown 20 field goal 10:18 Drive: 44 yards in 9 plays. Set up by Childs 40 kickoff return. HighKghted by Childs 13 run, Makovicka 9 run, Berringer 10 run. Chris Gardner 24 field goal 6 27 Drive: 72 yards 11 plays.

Highlighed by Banks 22 pass to Mason, Scott Greene 9 run, Banks 17 pass to Napoleon Outlaw, Banks 21 pass to Luke Phillips 1 run 4.31 Drive: 78 yards in 5 plays. Highlighted by Phmps 3. 16 runs, Berringer 50 pass to Reggie Baul, Makovicka 7 run. Conversion: run failed. Phillips 50 run f.Q Drive: 76 yards in 4 plays.

Highlighted by MSU 15 personal foul penalty, Makovicka 3 run, Phillips 2 run. Conversion: Brown kick. FOURTH QUARTER Ahman Green 57 run 13-24 Drive: 66 yards in 3 plays. Highlighted by Green 9 run. Conversion: Brown kick.

James Sims 80 run 1-23 Drive: 80 yards in 1 play. Conversion: Ted Retzlaff kick. praised by Osborne. "Phillips played well and showed he is very talented," he said. "He's put on 10 pounds and he accelerates better than ever before." After watching Banks throw for 290 yards, Minter predicted the Spartans' signal-caller is headed for bigger paydays.

"He's an NFL-caliber quarterback," Minter said of the senior. "He's got a strong arm and he rolls out pretty wed. He reminds me a lot of Randall Cunningham." NU defensive coordinator Charlie McBride was equally impressed with 1 Banks. "With a quarterback like that, and they only get 10 points, I'm as happy as heck," he said. Outside of a severely bruised thigh suffered by quarterback Tommie Frazier, Nebraska came out of Saturday 's game in good physical shape.

Players listed with minor injuries included offensive tackle Chris Dishman (bruised leg), split end Kenny Cheatham (sprained ankle), defensive tackle Larry Town send (strained knee), tight end Tim Carpenter (bruised thigh) and I-back Lawrence Phillips (sprained ankle). NU I-back James Sims went 80 yards for a touchdown on his only carry of the game in the fourth quarter. It represented the second-longest run ever against Michigan State (North Carolina State's Ted Brown went 81 yards in 1976). Michigan State's Chris Salani had an 83-yard punt, but that was 3 shy of the school record set by Greg Montgomery against Michigan in 1986. Tim Ml Kickoff returns No.

Clinton Childs 2 Punt returns Reggie Baul 2 Michigan State Offense Rushing No. Scott Greene 8 34 Tyrone 3 17 MarcRenaud 7 10 Antwain Patrick 5 ,3 Damien 1 0 Team 2 -6 Tony Banks 8 -13 Passing No. Co. Yds Tony 35 21 290 Receiving No. MiJhsin Muhammad Scott Greene 4 Derrick 4 Luke Bencie '3 Napoleon 2 Nigea Carter 1 OctavisLong 1 Marc Renaud 1 Tony 1 Defense Tackles UT AT 9 2 Robert Shurelds 8 2 Demetrice Martin 6 2 Reggie Gamett 4 4 Jabber Threats 5 9 2 4 Carl 5 0 r40 Echols 4 0 Chris 4 0 Ike Reese 3 1 Travis Reeoa 2 0 Shon Hart 0 2 Tyrone Garland 2 0 Terry Harvey 1 0 AkH Henry 1 0 Raymond HU 1 Special teams Punting NO.

Yds. Chris Salani 344 Kickoff returns NO Derrick Punt returns No. Derrick 1 Yds. 51 Yds. 15 Ave.

i3 5.7 1.4 0.6 0.0 PI 1 Yds. 85 75 55 30 24 11 11 8 1-9 11 10 Ave. 43.0 Yds. 115 Yds. EAST LANSING, Mich.

Tony 1 Banks did not want to hear the speech Michigan State Coach Nick Saban delivered after the Spartans lost to Nebraska. "Nobody wants to hear that speech, but we deserved it," said Banks, MSU senior quarterback. embarrassed for all of us. We lost 50-10 and we've got a lot of things to take care of. i "The fans around here may think this is typical because we haven't had a lot of wins lately, but this was terrible," he said.

Saban, a first-year coach, ripped his team for giving up in the second Half. Nebraska rolled up 374 yards and 30 points including touchdown riins of 50 yards by Lawrence Phillips, 80 yards by James Sims and 57 yards by Ahman Green and a 51-yard pass from Brook Berringer performing BY STEVE SIPPLE Lincoln Journal Star EAST LANSING, Mich. Clinton Childs didn't hesitate when asked whether he thought Nebraska had the best group of running backs in the nation. "By far," Childs said. That goes for both the I-backs and fullbacks, he said.

"Any of us can play any of us can start anywhere else in the country," Childs said. Childs, a 6-foot, 215-pound senior from Omaha North, can speak for both positions because he plays both positions. Saturday against Michigan State, Childs was pressed into I-back duty because No. 2 I-back Damon Ben-ning sat out the game with a hamstring injury. Childs responded by rushing eight times for 83 yards.

His fellow running backs also ran wild against Michigan State in the Huskers' 50-10 victory. I-back Lawrence Phillips, a leading Heisman Trophy candidate, led the way, finishing with 206 yards on 22 carries. He rushed for four touchdowns. True freshman I-back Ahman Green, listed fifth on the depth chart rushed four times for 74 yards, including a 57-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. James Sims, NU's fourth-string I-back, ran for an 80-yard touchdown, his only carry.

When it was all over, Nebraska had gained 552 yards rushing, the most the Spartans have ever allowed. Ohio State held the previous mark with 463 rushing yards in 1976. Childs was particularly pleased to be a part of Nebraska's overwhelm- CHILDS double duty ing ground attack. He sat out the Huskers' victory Aug. 31 at Oklahoma State while serving a one-game suspension for missing a practice.

His unexcused absence was related to the death of his grandmother, Mary Carter of Omaha. "I'm just trying to bounce back," said Childs, who last season was Nebraska's third-leading rusher and second-leading kickoff returner. "In your senior year, you just want to go out the best way you can. I wanted everyone to know I was back." Childs spent the week practicing at I-back because of Benning's injury. But Childs also is listed as the fourth-string fullback after making the move to that position during spring practices.

Childs said he is not sure which position he will play the rest of the season. "Maybe I will take snaps at both," he said. "Whichever one I play, I know both of them well. I felt good at I-back today, and some good things happened out there, but who's to say good things wouldn't have happened today at fullback." Childs also had success as a kick-off return man. He opened the second half by returning the kickoff 40 yards to the Michigan State 46.

The return led to true freshman Kris Brown's 20-yard field goal, which gave NU a 23-7 lead. Childs said he thought for a moment he might break the kickoff return for a TD. But he said he was tripped up and then tackled as he tried to regain his balance. "I'm pretty sure 111 break one before the season is over," Childs said. Childs said Nebraska's depth in the backfield makes each running back compete hard in practice for playing time.

The depth also keeps the players' legs fresh. "Lawrence (Phillips) was doing a Seat job today. He was breaking lg runs, which was wearing him out," Childs said. "The offensive line was doing a great job opening; up huge holes." r-J' i Individual statistics HuskersEven without Frazier, Big Red forget hits of to Reggie Baul to set up another touchdown. "I have never ever seen big plays that were given up that did not look to me from the sidelines that a lot of effort was being given," Saban said.

"To put it bluntly, I felt our players quit And if they quit, they won't not here. I don't know who we're going to play or what we're going to play with, but I'm not going to play with people that won't give effort, that won't try as hard as they can try, won't play with toughness and won't play responsible football and do what they're supposed to do." Banks explained that there were some good signs. His 290 yards passing and some big Spartan plays that led to a touchdown and a field goal But he reminded, "We didn't have enough big plays to counter their big plays. Maybe we got discouraged because they had so many big plays, but that's no excuse. "And even with some 300 yards of Phillips went by so fast, I didn't have to stay long on the blocks." The Husker running game was so effective that handing off might have been the entire playbook for the second half, if had gotten Berringer injured.

Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said he checked with Frazier during the third quarter to see if he could return should Berringer get hurt. Frazier said, "He asked me if I could just hand off if Brook got hurt and I said I could, if he really needed me. Handing off seemed to be a pretty good of fense today. Nebraska ran the ball 58 times, losing ground just twice until late in the game. Senior center Graham said the offense improved from its first game 10 days ago.

when Nebraska rolled up a 64-21 victory and 671 yards of offense against Oklahoma State. "We exhibited what running the ball is all about," he said. "We ran and our defense stopped their ma That seems like a good formula to me when the score is 50-10." At times, Michigan State seemed to move at will through the air, as Banks hit Muhsin Muhammad on a 16-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Banks connected with Scott Greene on a 56-yard pass, Derrick Mason on a 22-yarder, Muhammad on a 32-yarder and Luke Bencie on a 21-yarder. In contrast, the Spartan offense managed just 45 yards rushing on 34 carries.

Michigan State yneezed more than three yards only to times NU defense offense, what's 10 points? That's not much of a consolation," he said. Banks said he had never faced tougher, more physical pressure before. "I took more shots than I've ever taken in a game," he said. "I hope I don't get that again. They took a lot of shots at me and I feel it.

"This offense caters to skill and my job is to use the freedoms I have to get the ball to those people," he said. "Nebraska took away a lot of those freedoms." Banks said Nebraska's defense against the Michigan State running game was pivotal. "We had to run more and run better," he said. MSU gained 45 yards on 34 carries. "We couldn't do it against them.

I don't know what we had running, but it seemed like I'd hand the ball off and the play was over pretty soon after that. "We don't plan that. We don't plan to lose," he said. runs over MSU and lost ground 13 times. Banks was sacked three times for 16 yards in losses.

"We picked our spots for blitzes and made some good plays," Nebraska defensive coordinator Charlie McBride said. "But that guy at quarterback is a pro prospect and they have good receivers and they caused a lot of problems. We had a few errors in coverage and we tried to adjust. "Well need this kind of experience against that kind of thrower and against a team with great catches, too," he said. "But overall, 10 points isn't that bad.

Well get better." Veland said the defense tried to increase pressure on Banks throughout the game. "The name of the game is pressure because that guy was making big play after big play. And we didn't play as well as we needed." Still, there was nothing that diminished Osborne's belief in his team. This is a good road team. The chemistry is good, the play is good.

I'd take them anywhere. I'm not saying they'd always win, but they are not going to be intimidated by anybody, anywhere." Osborne said Michigan State offered what he expected. 'I don't think Michigan State is a bad football team. They will probably win five, six, seven games. Their offensive line is not bad and they have a good quarterback and good backs.

I dont think they'll win the Big Ten, but I think they'll be good." Nebraska Offense Rushing No. Yds. Lawrence PhiHips 22 206 9 4 Clinton Childs 8 83 10.4 James 1 80 80 0 Ahman Green 4 74 185 Jeff Makovicka 9 38 4 2 Tommie Frazier 5 30 6.0 Brook Berringer 4 20 5 0 Joel Makovicka 2 9 4.5 Brian Schuster 2 7 3 5 Matt Turman 1 5 5.0 Passing No. Co. Yds PI Brook 11 6 106 0 Tommie 2 1 8 0 Matt 10 0 0 Receiving No.

Yds. Mark Oilman 2 13 Brendan 2 10 Reggie Baul 1 51 JonVedral 1 s30 Clinton Childs 1 10 Defense Tackles UT AT TT Mike Minter 6 17 PWEIlis 6 17 Ryan 5 1,6 Michael Booker 4 15 Christian Peter 4 0 4 Jason Peter 2 2 4, Tyrone ....2 2 4 Tony Velsnd. 314 Terrell Farley 3 0 3 ChadKeisay 3 0 3 Aaron Pemand. 3 0 3 Grant 2 1 3 Jon Hesse 2 13 Jamet 1 1 2 Jay Foreman 1 1 2 Jared Tomich 1 1 2 Doug Colman 112 ErlcWarfield 1 12 Octavious McFartin 0 11 Mike FuHman 1 0 1 Larry 1 0 1 Brian Schuster 1 0 1 AdamTreu 0 1 1 Scott Sattsman, 1 0 1 Interception returns No. Yds.

Mike Minter 1 0 Special teams Punting No. Yds. Ave. Jesse Kosch a 108 36.0 Continued from Page 1B hardly anybody after he took the snap from center, sprung off a block by center Aaron Graham and blew past the Michigan State defense on a Sip-yard TD run in the third quarter. '4 "We know a little trickery to go with all that normal stuff," Phillips said.

"We caught them in a blitz that play and the line caught them all." Nebraska caught Michigan State in other ways, too. 1 Berringer, who started in Fra-zler's place most of last season, picked up the pace and handed off to Phillips three times in a row for runs oi 19, 18 and 1 yard to give Nebraska 17-7 lead with 10:52 left in the first half. On. the next drive, Berringer handed off to Childs four times for 50 yards and hit a short pass to set up Brown's 47-yard field goal with 3:36 left in the half. Nebraska ran nine plays in a row to set up a 20-yard field goal by Brown to open the second half, then Berringer hit Reggie Baul on a 51-yard pass to the MSU 8-yard line to set up Phillips' 1-yard touchdown run to boost the score to 29-10 with 4:29 left in the third quarter.

Just over three minutes later, Phillips, standing next to Berringer in the shotgun formation, scored on the direct snap from center. "We practiced that play all spring and all fall and finally got the payoff," said Graham. "Actually, it worked very well considering I ended up with two guys to blVck. But.