The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 27

sports THE LINCOLN STAR Friday, 112682 Page 27 witeer happy with Sooners' situation Probable starters NEBRASKA (M) No Name Yr Ht Wt PosWt Ht Yr Name No 80 JaWllliams Sr. 6-5 230 TE 223 6-0 Jr. Fontenette 83 65 Thelss Sr. 6-3 256 LT 255 6-2 Sr. Hubble 67 68 Mandelko Sr.

6-2 255 LG 275 6-3 Jr. Parker 62 50 Rimlnoton Sr. 6-3 290 275 6-3 So. Thomas 73 71 Steinkuhler Jr. 6-4 257 RG 280 6-2 Sr.

Williams 76 70 Kwaplck Sr. 6-3 254 RT 267 6-7 So. Burks 69 29 Brown Sr. 6-0 173 SE 190 6-1 So. Clewls 82 12 GUI Jr.

6-1 183 QB 185 5-10 Sr. Phelps 7 21 Craig Sr. 6-2 220 IB 220 6-3 Fr. Dupree 22 34 Wilkenlng Jr. 6-3 218 FB 202 6-0 Sr.

Wilson 32 27 Frvor Jr. 6-0 W0 WB 200 6-4 So. Sewell 13 NEBRASKA Defense OKLAHOMA 87 Weber So. 6-2 210 LE 230 6-2 Jr. Goodlow 46 93 Gdowskl Sr.

6-3 255 LT 260 6-4 Jr. Bryan 80 74 Merrell Sr. 6-4 260 MG255 6-0 Sr. Blake 90 75 Stuckev So. 6-3 250 RT 253 6-4 Jr.

Slater 68 46 Fellcl Sr. 6-2 205 RE 215 6-2 So. Murphy 39 35 Damkroger Sr. 6-1 230 LB 238 6-2 Jr. Benson 38 45 McWhlrter Sr.

6-2 235 LB 225 6-3 Jr. Shlpp 49 38 Van Norman Sr. 6-1 200 198 6-1 Sr. Stanberry 19 18 Lyday Sr. 5-11 185 CB 194 6-0 Sr.

Songy 16 11 Harris So. 6-0 190 CB 180 6-1 Jr. Case 10 10 Clark So. 6-3 196 183 5-11 Sr. Haworth 6 By Mike Babcock of The Lincoln Star Things couidn't be arty better for Oklahoma at this point in the football season, Sooner head coach Barry Switzer said Thursday afternoon.

His ninth-ranked Oklahoma team plays No. 3-ranked Nebraska on Friday afternoon at Memorial Stadium in a game televised nationally by CBS (Lincoln Channel 10). Kickoff is 1 :45 p.m. How could Switzer believe playing a team like Nebraska is a good situation? Despite a 1-2 start which prompted an Oklahoma City newspaper editorial calling for Switzer's dismissal, Oklahoma goes into its final regular season game with an opportunity to win the Big Eight Conference championship and a trip to the Orange Bowl; that's how. A loss would mean spending New Year's Day in the Fiesta Bowl.

"It couldn't be any better than this," said Switzer. Losses to West1 Virginia (41-27) and Southern Cal (12-0) have no significance now. "Considering where we started, we've had a good year just to get here." Switzer was asked if he thought that "probably has a little bit more overall team speed, and apparently they're healthier than we are." Switzer said cornerback Darrell Songy won't play on Friday, otherwise his Sooners are healthy. Dupree and fullback Stanley Wilson, both of whom were bothered by bronchitis early in the week, "are all right." Nebraska apparently will be without defensive tackle Toby Williams, who suffered a knee sprain in the Iowa State game. Williams will suit up, but "Toby's status is such that he won't play at all," said Osborne.

"We'll miss his quickness." Senior Tom Gdowski is slated to start in place of Williams. Osborne said I-back Mike Rozier will be "probably 80 percent of normal" and "available to play." Rozier has been bothered by an ankle injury. "lie's been limping around some, and that's not a good sign for a running back," said Osborne, who noted that Rozier was considerably less than full speed when he played so well against Missouri but he was hampered then by a Turn to: Huskers, Page 28 er, Osborne saidr "Barry's more flamboyant, more outgoing. "He's more apt to say things like 'This guy (player) is dynamic, he's from outer space or he's E.T.' Switzer has characterized Oklahoma's freshman tailback sensation Marcus Dupree in such ways. "I don't want to get a guy out on a limb too fast, too far," said Osborne.

"I'm not saying it's wrong. Barry just gets excited, and sometimes it carries over to his players." The level of excitement could be a big factor in Friday's game, which matches teams with comparable talent. Nebraska ranks first in the nation in total offense, scoring offense and rushing offense; Oklahoma is second in the nation in rushing offense. Such impressive statistics emphasize the possibility of an offensive show on Friday. "I hope not," Switzer said.

"Why?" asked a writer. "Because Nebraska scores more points than we do," Switzer replied. "They score more points than anybody. They have more big-play potential." "Apparently, people who have played both of us, give an edge to our offense NU-OU series OU leads 33-26-3 overall 14-12-2 at Memorial Stadium 1981 1980 1979 1979 1978 14 1977 1976 OU20.NU17 1975 1974 1973 1972 OU17.NU14 1971 31 1970 1969 'Orange Bowl and an edge to Oklahoma's defense," said Osborne, who added that last weekend's open date should benefit both defenses because "the best friend a defense has is repetition and recognition." Osborne and Switzer agreed that the defense is the most improved part of Oklahoma's team this season. According to Osborne, Oklahoma Kickoff: 1:45 p.m., Memorial Stadium.

Broadcasts: KLIN, KFOR, KFAB, WOW. Telecast: CBS (KOLN-TV, Channels 10-11; WOWT, Channel 6) 1 :30. handling such pressure when he met the news media prior to Switzer. In response to a question about the differences between himself and Switz meant all the pressure was on Nebraska. "Sure, sure," he said.

"You bet." Nebraska head coach Tom Osborne didn't look like someone incapable of Randy York Sports Columnist PI honors iMU's Rozier KANSAS CITY, Mo. (UPI) Someone else might win the Ileisman Trophy and the All-America laurels might end up in the hands of some of the more publicized running backs. But you'd have a tough time convincing Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne that the best back in the nation doesn't play for his Cornhuskers. Osborne is very partial to his I-back Mike Rozier, whose school-record 1,482 yards this season has established Nebraska as the top rushing attack in the country. Those 1,482 yards are 141 more than the previous Cornhusker single-season best and Rozier still has two game to play the Nov.

26 Big Right championship game against Oklahoma and a Dec. 4 game against Hawaii. Rozier is averaging 7.0 yards per carry and nationally ranks fourth in rushing and second in scoring with his 17 touchdowns. For his efforts this fall, Rozier was named UPI's 1982 Big Kight Player of the Year Thursday, lie was named on 1.1 of the 24 ballots by L'PI's select voting panel of conference media to easily outdistance runnerup Krnest Anderson of Oklahoma Stale. "Mike doesn't have the publicity buildup of llerschel Walker and some of those players," Osborne said, "but look at what he's accomplished against some good football teams.

Look at all that he does. "Mike is a good blocker, a good runner and he proved in the Orange Bowl last year that he's a good passer (25-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Steels). As far as I'm concerned, there isn't a better back in the country." Rozier has topped 100 yards rushing in every game this season but two, back-to-back road games earlier in the year against Penn State and Auburn. He picked up 86 yards against the Nittany Lions and 88 yards against Auburn. But Rozier has been unstoppable since then.

He rushed for 212 against Colorado, 204 against Kansas State, 139 against Missouri, 123 against Kansas, 251 against Oklahoma Slate and 103 against Iowa State. He also rushed for 127 yards against Iowa and 149 against New Mexico State in the opening two games of the season. "We've had some speed guys like Jams Redwine but none who could do it all like Mike," said Nebraska center Dave Rimington. "lie can run around people and also run through them. I'm glad he's on our side.

He makes the offensive line look good even when we're having our troubles." Rozier has now rushed for 2,425 yards in his two-year career, leaving him 390 yards shy of the Nebraska career rushing record held by I.M. Hipp. And Rozier still has his senior season ahead of him in 1983. "Rozier compares with any of the great backs no mailer where you want to look or how far back you want to go," Iowa Slate Coach Donnie Duncan said. Barry's loose again Two years ago, even though his team was a 10-point underdog to Nebraska, Oklahoma's Barry Switzer made a big deal out of the winners of the NU-OU game eating stone crab in Miami and the losers settling for tamales in Kl Taso.

Switzer was so loose about the theme, he crashed the set of "The Bob Devaney Prediction Show" the night before the game and handed Nebraska's athletic director a sack of tacos. It was sort of like a Sun Bowl appetizer. Two weekends ago, after the Sooners blasted Missouri on regional television, Switzer opened his television show, juggling an orange and saying he can't wait to get to Lincoln again. Some would call Switzer's looseness bold, calculated humor. Others would call it sheer gall, bordering on cockiness.

Whatever it is, it isn't Tom Osborne's style. Nebraska's head coach has a keen sense of humor, but publicity stunts are never part of the act. Switzer has cooled this year's psychological approach. Except for a declaration that freshmen don't play at Nebraska, good-old Barry has been no more inflammatory than a wet match. lie's poured more praise on the Huskers than Hay-den Fry and Joe Paterno combined.

If you bought the propaganda, you probably think Oklahoma will be lucky to fly out of Lincoln with a seven-point loss. Silly fans. If Washington State (a team that didn't score a point against Colorado) can knock Washington out of the Rose Bowl, Oklahoma can knock Nebraska out of the Orange Bowl and the Sooners can do it quicker than you can say Marcus Dupree. From another world Barry Switzer said it: "Marcus Dupree came in here ith K.T. He's from another world." It's a great quote and perhaps a well-timed hint.

If Dupree is from another world, who can tackle him? Surely not a maligned, no-name Nebraska defense. Sorry, Oklahoma. These Black Shirts may not be great, but they're still hard to intimidate. They even have some humor of their own. "Switzer can't wait to play Nebraska.

Well, I can't wait to play Oklahoma," saiddefensive end Tony Felici. "I've never played anybody from outer space. I wonder how it feels to tackle somebody like that." See, Nebraska isn't as antiseptic as you think. "The Oklahoma Sooners are known as entertainers. They go out there to put a show on," Felici said.

"I guess we're more disciplined. We go out there to get a Job done." Cornerback Allen Lyday said the Sooners "play up to the fans and play up to the press. I guess we're more business-like. We just want to play up to our potential. We don't talk much because the less you say, the less you have to take back.

"You can put some money down on this, though," Lyday said. "We've got 28 seniors on this team. This is our last game against Oklahoma and our last time in Memorial Stadium. This is going to be the most physical game you've seen out of us in five years." Likes Sooners' style Steve Damkroger, the captain of the Black Shirts, does not want his team to become over-emotional. "Oklahoma isn't going to lay down and let us beat 'em just because it's the last home game for 28 seniors," he said.

"They're going to try and embarrass us more than ever." Damkroger is one who likes the Sooners' style. "They're a lot looser than we are," he they win, it's super. If they lose, that's the way it goes. That's the way it should be go out, give your best and have fun. If that isn't good enough, it isn't good enough.

There's really no reason to tighten up." Osborne preached the same sermon to his team Wednesday. He told his players they didn't have to beat Oklahoma. All he asked was for them to play their best. Oklahoma, meanwhile, is looser than ever, according to writers who cover the Sooners. Switzer is approaching the Nebraska game as everything to gain and nothing to lose It the cherry on top of a sundae the Sooners never thought they'd be served.

SVitzer, a coach many wanted to ride out of town two months ago, is now in position to take the Fiesta Bowl as a consolation prize and he's using the same old motivational cues. Before Tuesday's practice, Switzer asked defensive back Scott Case if he wanted to eat stone crab in Miami or lace in Arizona "He acted like he was joking," Case said. "But I think he was pretty serious." Humberto Ramirei' Lincoln bhu Nebraska junior I-back Mike Rozier breaks loose for a touchdown against Oklahoma State. NU guard Johnson anxious for cage opener Proboble starters DENVER (2-1) Caruso (-5) Wilson (6 3) Longcomp (6 8) Wilson (5-10) NEBRASKA (0-0) Renfro (6-4) L. Johnson (6-6) Hoppen (6-11) H.Johnson (6-1) Fedro (6-3) Wilhoms (6-2) Tipolf: 7:35 p.m.

Bob Devoney Sports team. Players already are beginning to accept roles, he said. Terry Smith, who shares time at center with freshmen Dave Hoppen, is working as hard as ever. Lenard Johnson can play either center or forward without losing lus effectiveness. Claude Renfro can handle both power forward and small forward, and Greg Downing can move from guard to forward.

According to Johnson, the team is beginning to draw together, although that can't really happen until the Cornhuskers go on the road. "It takes a time of traveling together, being on the road with people booing ou" Nebraska plays its first road game on Monday against Montana, in Missoula. The Cornhuskers will "definitely be a lot quicker" this season, said Johnson, who averaged 93 points per game last season, tops among the returning players. "But the biggest change will be know ing that as long as we do what we're supposed to do, we can score each lime down the court, no matter who's guarding us. We're going to have more power on Huskercage notes Iba told Monday's press luncheon that even though Denver University tallest player Is three inches shorter than Hoppen, the Pioneers "will do an excellent job" of defensing him.

"They'll have a lot of people around him," said Iba. "We'll see if he can catch the ball, pass it, and get shots off without running over people. "Right now, every team he plays will help him." Hoppen will start "unless something drastic happens." Downing is still recovering from an onkle inlury, and "he's not playing like the Greg Downing you've seen," Iba said. According to Iba, "right now the one player who does the most for our basketball team is Claude Renfro. Because of the effort he gives, he gets the rest of them playing." The NU Rebounders are sponsoring a bus to the Cornhuskers' game with CrHghton in Omaha on Dec.

4. Cost of the ride and ticket is $10, and reservations can be made by calling Nancy Williams in the basketball office (472-2265). the south end of Memorial Stadium, with ticket windows at the Sports Center opening at 6 pm. Came lime can't come soon enough for Johnson, who is scheduled to start at guard alongside F.rie Williams, a redshirt last season. The Cornhuskers have been practicing seven days a week since Oct.

15, and Johnson is suffering from a case of pre season practice burnout. After practice on Wednesday, his feet hurt, one of them so much that Johnson limped slightly. Wednesday's practice, the last significant one before the opener, was frustrating for everyone. On several occasions, NU head coach Moe Iba had to encourage his players to hustle. "It was one of those days," said Johnson.

"There was a lot of standing around. It gets like that; you just want to play a game." For Johnson, the problem is not so much physical as it is mental. "I don't really get tired. It's more of a motivational thing." he said Johnson is optimistic about this Nebraska Center. Broodcosts: KFAB, KFOR, KLIN.

Handy Johnson will be among those who don't show up at Memorial Stadium for Friday afternoon's Nebraska-Oklahoma football game. He'll be pulling for the Cornhuskers, even though he isn't "a big football fan. I do have school spirit," Johnson said. "So I hope we win." Kven if he wanted to go to Friday's game, he couldn't. Johnson, an NU varsity basketball player, has something more important about which to worry specifically, the Nebraska basketball team's season opener against Denver University on Friday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Tip-off is 7 35 p.m. Tickets can be purchased Friday from i a to noon at the Nebraska ticket office at Giants tame Lions; Dallas crushes Cleveland apart from Joe Danelo. Danelo's second field goal tied the game at "Our defense played well enough for us to win," Detroit Coach Monte Clark said after his team dropped to 2 2 with its second post -strike defeat. "We gave them every opportunity to score IX'troit stil had a chance to tie in the last five minutes but an inter ception on the lyard line by New York cornerback Terr) Jackson sent the crowd of M.348 into a derisive chant of "Strike, Strike, Strike!" and home for their holiday dinners. From nm reports There's an old proverb that goes, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." Lawrence Taylor isnt about to be fooled, twice.

He proved that Thursday when he intercepted a pass at the lyard line and ran f7 yards for a touchdown, enabling the previously win less New York Giants to take a 1M victory over the Detroit Lions. The New York Giants' linebacker got burned for a touchdown earlier this season when a Green Bay running back went wide and beat him tear gual kite. The same situa tion arose in the second h- df Thursday, but this time Taylor as ready. "When Detroit lined up for the play," said Taylor, who didn't start because of a sore knee. "I recognized hat they were doing.

"Before the strike, Green Bay had run the identical play against me and beat me for a touchdown," he said. "This time I knew I had to force the back as far outside as 1 could so that I could move in for the interception." "I think Taylor was looking for that play." said Detroit quarterback Gary Danielson, who relieved starter Eric Hippie in the second half and threw three interceptions, two of which were turned into scores "I have to wait and see hether the back goes inside or outside before I throw the ball "Taylor forced him (King) to the outside and the ball would have been caught if it wasn't for a white jersey (Taylor's) Green Bay ran the same play for a touchdown. Sometimes teams learn from their mistakes" Fxldie Murray kicked field goals of 48 and 44 yards for all of the scoring Detroit, now 2 2, could muster New York got tMnl-quarter field goals of 34 and 40 yards just 1 38 At Irving, Texas, two touchdown passes by Danny White, two scoring runs by Tony Dorsett and a defense that eventually drove Cleveland quarterback Brian Sipe to the sidelines teamed to bring the Dallas Cowboys a 31 14 whipping of the slow -starting Browns Dallas scored on five straight possessions, the first two of thoe scores set up by interceptions from safety Michael Downs and middle linebacker Bob Breumg. to bettents record to 31 with five games re maining in the strtke-aHered sea-Turn to NFL, Page 29 I Sports on TV Fridoy Feo'Doll CfLfcilfcWrtt. 5o (J) Pittsu-t Pww Stow.

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