The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 17

IHliislcars THE UNCOLN STAR Tuesday, Jan. 2, 1830 PAGE 17 TV cameras never blink, but they sure get fooled a lot The crew did martaze to catch NehnAat me. Tricks and fakes oivs 5 Wr I I.ViJ 2 And thank goodness for persistent camera crews, because NBCs nevertheless wove some excellent shots through that rough stretch and beyond. TBS CAXEKAS repeatedly provided fine replays. They caught what should have been a roughing can out of bounds against FSU following a keg punt return by NITs Tyrone Hughes; NU defender Kenny Walker being held and thrown down on a can FSU Coach Bobby Bowden questioned; sideline and end aone views of fabulous FSU receptions.

The sideline shots were exceDent Bowderii angry reactions to calls, Us appearing to draw a play the dirt, NU Coach Tom Osborne's mQd hand dap following a key FSU receptee that was tipped by a Busker. Jones twrintr husky voice and obvious enjoyment of the telecast helped, but Us referring to every trick play even a tight-end reverse as some type of Yoo6ky" sot only was inaccurate but must have baffled less-rabid viewers. Never did be or Olsen attempt to explain what a "roo-sky" is, (A tammeroosky is a snap to the upbadc to a punt formation: a fumbleroosky ht when the center leaves the ban oa the ground for a Bne-maa to pick op and run with.) ANALYST OLSEN worked in lots of interest-foe wfes bow Florida's Wx had hurt FSU, Just like NUs did at the start of the second half; how impressed his sob was with Osborne and Bowden; how Bowden based Us philosophy oa military leaders Patton and Rommel: "When they were surrounded, they attacked." I appreciated (teen's theory that "scheme" teams like Nebraska that "depend on every man bebig id to fun-speed" have a tougher time coming back from pre-bowl layoffs than "skd" teams nice Florida State that depend on big plays by individuals. But he never fully articulated why NU and FSU fit Us classifications. Nebraska seemed to have its share of big-play threats, too.

cessfu! pass off a fake pent oa the game1! opea-teg series, bat responded so slowly oa If argaa Gregory's touchdown catch for Nebraska that the catch almost didn't get oa the screen. After producers started the TO replay too early hi the play (as the players were Mng up), forcing them to retura to tt later, the camera crew muffed two more plays. The camera followed Florida State quarter, back Peter Tom Wflha Bee be had faked a hand-off, wbfle the upback ran downfleM. THEN FSU KISSED a field goal attempt, but NBC failed to show bow because of an DHimed switch to a different camera, forcing Olsen to say oa the replay, "Let's see if we can see what happened." He couldn't, but muttered ffnnrtWng about pain, then about the FSU kicker getting "i whole lot of dhr instead of the ban and fluffing it to the right I assumed bo NU player deflected the kick; but bo one ever said so. I guess they couldn't ten for sure.

NBC crews a workout By Dswe Poole of TtmlineolnSur Monday's Fiesta Bowl ha the jpooad and NBCs telecast crew wasn't quite fast enough to keep np for a while. But wheal fid gather EawJla.tteerew came tack (albeit not as decisively as Fkrida State) to delrver aa overan winntag effort. Because the preceding Hall of Fame Bowl ran long, NBCs bang-bang pregame coverage was short, sweet and necessarily swift. Unforbmalely for NBC, the whirlwind pact contrmyd after Bcfcoff at the Buskers aad Semi-noies dusted off seemingly every entry to the trkfcpiaybook. ANNOUNCERS CharDe Jones, Merlin Obea aad Jimmy Cefak) had their share of problems with the helter-skelter action, but the startled camera crew especially struggled.

Neat, a switch to jMeBne reporter Cefalo fefl us ough because he wasal ready to report. Not keg after that, we were treated to a post-play view of several players rumps, then several sudden, home video-style Jerks of the camera, in bo particular direction, before producers figured it was time to find a new angle. Finally, the camera crew missed another unsuccessful field goal try at the beginning of the second quarter. Yon couldnT tell whether the kkk was good or not until the replay, which failed to catch the ban to relation to the goal posts but at least showed kicker Richie Andrews' hand dap of frustration, Thank goodness for demonstrattve players. Firstrand-40 recovery did wonders for FSU J)- IS half and us go to with a n-10 lead," he said.

"Especially in the way we did it i. to have us first-and-40 backed up and then give up a first down and let us put it tat the end zone" But Willis and the Seminotes almost seemed as comfortable in long-yardage situations as they did with third-and-L "We've got such a balanced attack we tend not to get an out of whack when yon have a (long-yardage) situation like that," Carter said. "We have Peter Tom back there and have players that catch the ban very wel "They stop us twice down on then goal one most teams woubTve dropped their confidence. But we just said we know what this offense can do and we've got to go back out there and convert Then bam, bam, we started hitting it like there was no tomorrow." FLORIDA STATE offensive guard Nick Ekonomon was caned for an three of the holding penalties on the final tag drive of the first halt Carter was asked if that was intentional, considering the kind of afternoon Willis and his receivers were having. "No, it was, 'Do it once more you're going to get he said.

"I mean, you know what the situation's for and you get tired of tt It takes a littls maturity to stop that "We Just had to convince him that if you donl stop it somebody's going to get hurt He stopped because I think he got scared." By Curt McKeever of 77m LJncotn Star TEMPE, Artx Florida State's destiny against Nebraska in Monday's Fiesta Bowl was decided late in the first hall. At least that's how most Seminole players felt after their 41-17 victory. Leading 14-10, FSU got the ban at its 49-yard line with 3:02 left before half-time. After picking np a first down at the Nebraska SL Florida State was caned for three straight holding penalties, giving it a Brst-down-and-40 situation at its 35. SIX PLAYS LATER, the Semmoles were in the Husker end zone and led a-10.

"We were first-and-tt and we converted to a first down. Anytime you do that you're going to break their backs," said tailback Dexter Carter, who caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Peter Tom Willis to cap the drive. "I mean, we had 40 yards to go for a first down and we did it "They're a great team. They never give up, but you could see them having a little doubt Anytime a team can convert a first down like that, after you were busting them up, hey, it's natural to have a little doubt" wmis, who threw a bowkecord five toKhdown passes, agreed. TM SURE IT was disheartening for Nebraska to be leading most of the first 7 sS i 1 TMKMiAJRatnMr From the sideline, Florida State nose guard Haggins celebrate a second-quarter score by his offensive) teammates.

FromPeoel Byrd knows the best when he loses to it v. (, v- i A a "751 Babcock quarterback Peter Tom Wfflis' 422 yards of passing, a Fiesta Bowl record Miami might have had a similar advantage a year ago, when tt defeated Nebraska in equally impressive fashion 23-3 in the Orange Bowl though the Hurricanes depended largely on a talented defense for their success. With Florida State tt was offense, which like Miami's, was based on the forward pass. That's an advantage in preparing for a bowl game, Bowden said. Putting a running game back together after a layoff is more difficult than reassembling a passing attack, which is the reason all-star games usually feature passing.

And the advantage is compounded for warm-weather teams, Bowden sail Florida State and Miami would have a difficult time "making a living throwing the ban like we do" week in and week out in the Midwest "I wouldnt swap our type of attack for anything." Conversely, run-oriented teams like Nebraska would have a difficult time being successful if they were playing in the South. "So the bowls are probably to our advantage," said Bowden. Florida State also might have had an edge on Nebraska in speed and quickness, as Miami did a year ago. Speed is a characteristic of Southern teams, while Midwestern teams typically "have bigger, stronger boys," Bowden said "We probably had a little more quickness than Nebraska," be said. The problem in trying to match speed and quickness with size and strength is nothing new.

Nebraska confronted tt in the mid-1960s, after losing back-toback bowls to smaller, but faster, Alabama teams. The second of those losses, by 34-7 in the 1967 Orange BowL caused Coach Bob Devaney to re-evaluate his recruiting priorities, something Nebraska did again in the early 1980s. The Cornhuskers are placing more and more emphasis on speed They've also adjusted their defensive schemes to better cope with passing teams like Florida State, even though that wasnt apparent Monday. Nebraska lost only twice this season, both times to teams on a mission Colorado was playing with the emotion it drew from the death of Qiarterback Sal Aunese. Florida State played with the emotion that went with trying to show the nation tt deserved consideration as national rhampion.

Miami had the same mission in the Orange Bowl a year ago. There were those who claimed the Hurricanes were the best in the nation when they heat Nebraska a year ago. And with good reason. Likewise, there wfll be those who argue that Florida State should be No. 1 this season, despite losing its first two games.

"Today, Florida State probably Is (the best)," said Bowden. "But over a 12-game haul, tt (such an argument) alnt going to hold up." "They were pretty lucky on a couple of plays," Byrd sail "They made four or five catches they shouldn't have made." That doesn't explain the other 20 or 21 catches, though. Sometimes, the Cornhuskers had receivers covered, only to have Willis complete the pass anyway. Nebraska sacked Willis once. Middle guard Mike Murray got to him for an '8-yard loss early in the second quarter, on a series that ended with Byrd deflecting a pass intended for Ronald Lewis in the end zone on a fourth-and-1 from the ComhuskerSO.

Even though the Cornhuskers could sack Willis only once, "our defensive line did a pretty good job of getting pressure," Byrd said. "You can't really blame anybody. "I wish everybody had played better mentally. But we gave it everything we had." Nebraska's defense rose to the occasion three times in the first quarter, staging a goal-line stand once. But the Seminoles "kind of exploded on us in the second quarter," Byrd said.

Then in the second half, "they played superb and blew us out You kind of think, Is this ever going to endf It did, of course. And there wasn't much for Byrd to say except: "Florida State is the best team in the country, in my opinion. I'd give Florida State my vote (as No. 1)." ByMIkeBaboock of Tht Lincoln Star TEMPE, Artx Florida State earned Tyrone BynTs respect in the Fiesta Bowl game Monday. And Nebraska's redshirted freshman safety made no attempt to hide it "They're the best team we've played," Byrd said after the fifth-ranked Semi-noles won their 10th game in a row, 41-17 over Nebraska.

"They were by far better than Colorado," be said. Colorado handed the Cornhuskers their other loss of the season, 27-ZL It's understandable that Byrd would say what be did, given the fact that Florida State quarterback Peter Tom Willis shattered Fiesta Bowl records for passing yards and touchdown passes against Nebraska's secondary. Byrd said he knew Willis was good, "but I didn't think be could get the ban there with that accuracy." Willis completed 25 of 40 passes without being intercepted. Florida State had some outstanding receivers, who made "superb catches," said Byrd. "But you can have the best receivers in the world and without a good quarterback, it won't work." And Wans was very good.

The Seminotes combined the throws of Willis, the skill of their receivers and some luck to frustrate Nebraska's defense all afternoon. TrtKkkUncokiMar Seminole Coach Bobby Bowden complains on the three straight second-quarter holding calls. That's not entirely true. The Seminoles ought to get Nebraska's vote Once again, the Cornhuskers New Year's hangover was a day or two late. And they could blame tt an on Florida State, pure and simple.

Seminole notes, quotes Wide receiver Terry Anthony on the Seminoles offensive attack: "We felt as long as we executed and the hue gave P.T. (quarterback Peter Tom Willis) time to pass we'd pick them apart. We know with P.T. he's goirg to put the ban where no one can get it but us. If he does that, we cant be stopped I think if you look back at the films you wouldn't think that we'd do this against Nebraska, but we just kept on executing and everything fen into place." Cornerback Leroy Butler on FSlTs defense: "They did a reverse, a throwback to the quarterback, and we stuffed a lot of those type of things.

It just had them wondering what can they do against this defense? They cant throw, they cant run. We just tried to pound them into submission." On Nebraska using a pass play out of a punting formation early-in the game: "It shows that tbeyH do anything to win. They knew they had to take a chance, and they might have been intimidated to the point that they thought they just couldnt punt, punt, punt keep giving us the ban. They just knew they had to make some big plays. I think we made more and that was the difference in the game." Willis on the performance of the referees, a crew from the Southeastern Conference "I just cant see how we got that many holding penalties (six) in one game.

I think that's more than the whole year. And tt wasnt just holding penalties. There was a fumble they missed and there were a couple of pass interferences in the end zone. And they were being jerks to us. We couldnt ask them anything.

Referees shouldnt be that big a part of (he game. I asked one of them, guess we cant get in the SECT He wasnt too happy with that comment" On Nebraska's pass rush: "Nebraska was getting it right as I was throwing it I dont mind getting hit as long as I have time to throw tt." -Wmis' 422-yard passing effort was -the fourth-best in Florida State history. Bffl Cappleman set the record of 508 in 1969. -Florida State is 2-0 in Fiesta Bowls (both against Nebraska) and is 7-0-1 in its last eight bowl appearances since losing to Oklahoma 18-17 in the 1981 Orange Bowl The Fiesta Bowl attendance of 73353 was the second-highest in the game's 11-year history. Individus! Statistics Cbmhusker notes, quotes Nebraska Rushing Offense 1 0 Hagge 1 0 Florida State Offense Rushing Interception returns No.

Yds. Butler 1 23 Grant 1 19 Field goals No. Yds. 1 39 1 37 No. Yds.

Ave. Kickoff returns No. Yds. Flowers 4 64 Hughes 1 62 Kurtz 1 11 Gorrett 1 12 FleW oals No, Yds. Drwinon 1 39 .16 Clark.

Flowers. .4 .12 Gdowskl. Carpenter. 86 5.4 25 64 21 1.8 6 2.0 3 0.8 2 2.0 2 2 4 Rodsers. 3 4 1 1 Hughes.

Defense Tackles 4 Joseph. UT AT TT Washington 1 TAT Pickens. Croei 3 2 5 Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said NUs fake punt pass thrown by punter Mike Stigge to Mark Dowse for a 41-yard gain early in the game was a planned play. "We practiced that play because they usually came with 10 people on the punt rush," Osborne said. "If they had come with 11, as they often do, Dowse would have been an alone." Nebraska scored its first touchdown after the play.

-Although the Fiesta Bowl field was painted green because of the Tack of grass, and there was simply dirt on most of the middle of the field, none of the Cornhuskers complained about the surface. donl think anyone slipped because -of the lack of grass," NU quarterback Gerry Cdowski said. -When asked if he felt Florida State was the best team in the country, Cdowski said, "Anybody would have a hard time finding a better team." -For the first time since 1968, Nebraska finished the season without a victory over a Top 20 team. The Cornhuskers lost to then-No. 2 Colorado and fell to No.

5 Florida State. Nebraska AH-America center Jake Young was named winner of the bowl's Art Bodine Sportsmanship Award NUs Steve Forch won the award in 1988. -Nebraska is in the Fiesta Bowl losing to Arizona State 17-14 in 1975, to Michigan 27-23 in 1988 and to Florida State 31-28 in 1988 and 41-17 in 1990. Nebraska is 8-9 in bowl games under Coach Tom Osborne. -Florida State's Peter Tom Willis was named offensive player of the game and Odefl Haggins was named defensive player of the game.

FSU has a 4-2 record against Nebraska. NU wingback and receiver Tyrone Hughes, who had a 62-yard kickoff return to set up Nebraska's field goal, said he followed Leodis Flowers and raced up the field. "Leodis was leading the way, and when I got some open field I let loose. I cant believe the kicker got me on the angle," he said. Byrd 5 0 5 9 9 A Passing No.

Co. Yds PI Gdowskl 33 13 154 2 Joseph. 2 1 12 0 StlB 1 1 41 0 Receiving 2 1 3 Sanders Murray No. Yds. Ave.

D.Carter 13 72 5.5 Lee 2 4 3.0 Bennett. 3 3 1.0 4 3 0.S Willis 1 -a 1 -4 Passing No. Co. Yds PI Willis JO 25 422 0 0 0 0 Receiving No. Yds.

Lewis 5 106 T.Anthony 6 6S Dawsev 4 66 S. Baker 2 49 D. Carter 3 47 Bennett 1 30 R. Johnson 3 27 l6) 1 9 Punting No. Yds.

Ave. Wlmberly 3 107 35.7 Kickoff returns No. Yds. Dawsev 3 59 9 fl 9 Reece No. Yds.

Cooper Defense Tockles UT AT TT Carruthers 31 1 -12 Dodge 0 t8 Buckley 6 04 Dinklns 0 3 Hoggins. 4 1 Ostoszewskl 4 1 I Haves 3 14. 4 0 4 Wyche 4 0 4 Pagans. 3 0 3 3 0 3 Bassett 1 0 1 1 0 1 Chaney 1 0 10 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 Mason! 0 1 ArNOSSa. 1 0 1 Stallwortti 0 i Thompson 0 1 1 Gregory.

67 46 Bell Leggette Callendo 2 0 2 2 0 2 wwmww 2 0 2 Dowse. Wells BostickM, 41 27 15 6 5 Garrett 2 0 2 1 0 1 White Anderson Carpenter 1 0 Carpenter Hugbes 1 0 1 Drsnnan Punting i 0 i Englebert Gelken Lewis. No. Yds. Ave.

Stigge :3 '103 34.3 Punt returns No. Yds. Mills Tyrance i 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 i.