The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 27

1 Sept. 26, 1992 Lincoln, Sunday Journal and Star' 5D Ridder auestionk J. penalty on kickoff S. li told the ref be didn't 'M jvt I PHOTO Br PAT LITTLE. CENTER DAILY TIMES ii 1 1 HI TD? State's Kirk Bowman cradles the ball in his stomach for the winning touchdown an penalty told Rldder: "You didn't have to do that" "He was blocking me," responded Ridder.

It didn't help. The damage had been done. "I dont know. I Just dont know," muttered a still emotional Ridder outside the team bus. "It's not for me to say (if the penalty should have been caUod)." George Dailington, Rid-der's defensive end coach, said "our people In the press-box thought it (the penalty) was uncalled for.

Well have to look at the film and make a decision. The kickoff didn't look like it was going to make it (to the end zone), then it started floating. Our people were juiced up to keep them inside the 20 and we thought Dave was just warding off a block." The call was unfortunate, maybe even pivotal. But, according to Darlington, it was only dne of "15 or 20 that could have turned the game the other way." The Husker defense, which gave up 30 first downs and 505 yards total offense, suffered physically as well as emotionally. Starting defensive ends Tony Felici and Wade Praeuner each had neck bruises, limitirrg both their playing time and their effectiveness.

Comerbaek Allen Lyday suffered similarly with a bruised calf. Penn State used a double-wing formation to attack Nebraska on the flanks. The Huskers had trouble getting support and the combination of an outside running attack with a strong passing game proved deadly. The last straw was Todd Blackledge's two-yard touchdown pass lo tight end Kirk Bowman in the last four seconds. Because Blackledge faked an isolation play, NU linebackers Steve Damkroger and Mike Knox were farced to respect the run.

Corner-back Neil Harris, whose interception paved the way to Nebraska's last scoring drive, also couldn't get to the right zone coverage in the back of the end zone. I 'I i 1 'J 1 laF jfc By Randy York Staff Sport Writer STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -It was only one of 175 plays, but Dave Rldder couldnt help shaking his head. Nebraska's jurJor defensive end was the guilty party in a personal foul called against the Huskers on their final kickoff here Saturday. The penalty meant Perm Stale had to cover 65 yards instead of 80 on its last-minute touchdown drive.

The penalty was as controversial as it was momentum-changing. "I just went downfield, filling my lane and he (Penn State sophomore Brad Saar) was in the lane," Ridder said. "The guy was blocking me and just kept blocking me, so I threw him down." The referee who called the Penn State running back comerbaek Allen Lyday. catch the ban," Damkfoger said of Bowman. "Bijf, hat be says goes.

Back in-' Lincoln, tt might have gone the other way. But we were playing on their home turf Damkroger, Nebraska's leading tackier with six solos and three assists, credited Blackledge and blamed Huskers' overall execution, trying to stop him. "I think Frank Seurer (of Kansas) is a little bit better thrower (than Blackledge), but it's hard to compare. They're two different teams," Damkroger were really well prepared. The coaches told us what they'd run.

We just screwed up ourselves. We couldn't contain 'em." "It's not the line, or the linebackers or the defensive backs. It's a little bit of everybody's fault," Knox said. "I thought I saw the ball hit the ground on that last touchdown, but it's still six points. We've just got to work a lot more on defense." Harris said "I could see right down through the middle of his (Bowman's) body.

I thought he trapped the ball. But we all should have been closer to where they said he caught it. Blackledge is a good quarterback. He's got my respect." He also has Darlington's respect. "That last drive of theirs reminded me, of the Cotton Bowl," 'he said.

"It was tough, but we've got to make sure we pull together and not let one game destroy us." Defensive tackles Toby Williams and Rob Stuckey agreed. "This kind of game can help you in the long run," Williams said. "Even though you lose, you can learn a lot of tlungs playing against a ball club like that." Stuckey, making his first Husker start for the injured Doug Herrmann, said it was "a pressure-packed game. We responded in a lot of tough situations. We never gave up.

We fought our hearts out till the last second." from the grasp of Husker Husker quarterback Turner Gill pushes over the Lee Ashley (37) watch. as Nittany Lions Dave Paffenroth (33) and Walker rtAiWd i i ii TD or no Penn Statistics Nebraska Offense Rushing No. Yds. Ave. Rozler 19 86 4.5 GUI 12 52 4.3 Crolg 7 27 3.9 Wilkenlng 8 23 2.9 Frvar 45 45.0 Smith 1 0 0.0 Punting No.

Yds. Ave. Campbell. .....3 116 38.7 Passing No. lo.

Co. Yds PI 34 16 239 1 Receiving No. Yds. 112 ............3 60 Gill Pass gcw .2 28 ....1 18 ....1 11 ....1 8 ....1 2 Rozler Kickoff Returns No. Yds.

Rozler 1 21 Frvar 0 13 Craig 1 7 Defense Linemen UTAT TT 4 2 6 Williams 3 2 5 4 0 4 Merrell 3 0 3 Praeuner 2 J. 0 2 Weber 2 0 2 Linebackers Darrrkroser ...6 3 9 VariUof man 5 1 6 1 1 2 Penn State Offense Rushing No. Yds. Ave. 13 78 6.0 Williams 10 65 6.5 Nichols 7 32 4.6 Coles 4 20 5.0 5 8 1.6 Muabrd 2 7 3.5 Punting rtT-.

No. Yds. Ave. 75 37.5 Passing No. Co.

Yds PI BkrcfcledgeOT 23, 295 1 Pass Receiving No. Yds. Gamtv 5 75 Jockson 5 73 McCloskev 4 68 Warner 3 47 Bowman 2 16 Nichols 1 16 Williams 3 0 Punt Returns No; Yds. Baugh 1 9 Kickoff Returns No. Yds.

Baugh 3 54 Defense Linemen UT HI net Moules Horrls Gattuso Opfar Ashley Linebackers Pffenroth 6 1 9 Puz 1 1 2 Kellev 5 Radeclc 6 4 Bocks' Robinson 9 I 10 Blondl 4 '2, Hamilton 2 4 6 Fruehan 1 Call-in 1 3 1 4 i i 2 Burke 1 0 1 Clark 5 3 8 jj 2rJ i "A cH Ijwi pile for the go-ahead score first quarter pass as NU's a.i.,. nip I- 1 i Curt Warner pulls away Nittany Lion Gregg Garrity (19) leaps to grab a moves in to stop him. Steve Damkroger (35) radio show to provide fans a chat with Osborne Randy York is there something you've always wanted to know about Tom Osborne, or his Nebraska football earn, but were afraid SO, beginning Thursday, Oct. 2, and continuing through of aeason, you'll get your chance. KFOB win ptoneer radio eopcept la Nebraska, serving as the flagship statkm for five, on hour $aH-in show CaQed Talk to Tom Osborne." The show, scheduled for 7 to I p.m.

on Thursdays, win blanket the state's major markets. Eleven other stations win carry ft KOIL in Omaha, KRCI in Grand Island, KOD In North Platte. KOLT tn Scottsttuft, KHAS ta Kastings. KCFW ia Kearaey, KUUB hS Fremont, KRVN in Lexington, KWBE in Beatrice, KSID in Sidney and KCSB in Chadron. 'We've always wanted to provide a forarn where fans can talk directly te the head coach.

Now we have fL" said Roger Larson, KFOS'i vice president and general manager. ijrsoa uii Chuck Stevens win moderate the program. The ttatioa wil screen the questions and provide toll free umbers for otd-ef-town callers. Tolerate tough questions Naturally, Osborne has mixed feelings about doing the mat. I'm willing to try and see how it goes Fans soon will discover that Osborne wil talk about anything from strategy to strikes.

Nebraska's 10-year head coach admits "I'm Like a lot of old timers. I feel like players ought to play and coaches ought to coach." Embellishing his reputation as a man with a scientific mind, Osborne did not arrive at his conclusion without some statistical analysis. "I just can't see how a strike is going to be worthwhile to the FL players." he said. "The average player only lasts four years in the pros. If this thing continues and they miss a whole year, that's like a doctor going on strike and losing 10 years of his earning power." Has some sympathy, too Osborne does not align himself with the NFL owners.

"I have some sympathy with the players," be said. "They make less money than baseball and basketball players. I just think there's a better way to handle the problem than a strike during the season" Osborne believes when salaries get into the $100 000 range, there's an income tax problem. There's reaQy not that much difference between earning 1100,000 and $130,000," he said. "I dont think there's any question that money corrupts -not just athletes, but everybody.

I dont begrudge players more money, but It can distort values." When Osborne played pro football, the average salary was around $8,000. The top players were making about twice that much They were ridiculously small amounts, which would be worth about four times as much today," Osborne said. "But the majority of the players were playing because they loved the game. There was more loyalty toward teams." To Osborne, loyalty is a key word. "Owners are asking the fans to be loyal by paying $14 to $20 a ticket and, tn turn, are seeing very little loyalty from the players.

After awhile, everybody starts to question the credibility of the game." That credibility is one reasoa why Osborne prefers college football over the pro ranks. The players not only make more money than the coaches, but are often considered more important to the franchise. The coaches dont have the final say," Osborne said. "Everything is tied to the profit-toss statement. Winning to everything.

The college level la dose enough to that I dont think I'd enjoy taking one step up on that ladder." caU ta show, especially when his Thursdays already in with a 7 a m. breakfast, followed by a taping of bis TV show in Omaha. "Right now, Thursdays are about the only night of the week where I relax much," Osborne said. "But it's only an hour and I can see some value in the program. I dont mind answering questions, at tong as they're in good faith Sometimes, though, people are more interested tn making state-merits than asking qoestiona" Obviously, this show wtD be okay when you win and a tittle tough when you lose," Osborne said "But I dont mind tough questions.

I really have no qualms about this kind of for.