The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 36

haw. Kill I HUNKERS OCTOBER g. 1 9B8 SUNDAY JOURNAL-STA TED KIRK SUNDAY JOURNAL-STAft 1, I bM I ZJ i 1 J' Shaun Moscrip shows his Nebraska spirit. We were embarrassing ourselves 9 NU's Bell ROBERT BECKERSUNDAY JOURNAL-STAR Nebraska's Mike Croel (88) blocks the punt of UNLV's Tony Rhynes (15) (above), and Cartler Walker (27) scoops up the football (below) and races 34 yards for a touchdown with 1 0:56 remaining in the first half. Block Itl ft JCS fcf JW No matter who was By Mike Babcock Richard Bell did his part ile were a little flat," the Nebraska wifigtiack said after Saturday's victory over evada-Las Vegas.

Bell was referring, in particular, to a first half in which the Cornhuskers managed only 20 points, seven of which were attributable to the defense. To put it bluntly, "we were embarrassing ourselves," said BelL Early in the second quarter, soon after a blocked punt produced Nebraska's second touchdown, Bell returned a punt 29 yards to the UNLV 33-yard line to set-up another touchdown. The kick was short, Bell said. That's why he got to return it Bell is the "personal protector" the up-back on the punt return team. Dana Brinson is the deep back, and "I'm not supposed to do anything (field the ball) until I hear Dana call my name," he said.

In this case, Bell wasn't going to let the ball hit the ground. "I figured I'd at least catch if he said. As he caught it he saw an opening and almost broke the return for a touchdown. "I had one guy to beat" said BelL Four plays later, it didn't matter as Tejiy Rodgers ran 20 yards to score. That seemed to break the Cornhuskers out of their lethargy, some.

Still, the victory was less than satisfying, as far as Bell was concerned If you added two or three (Nebraska) -turnovers There was no need Crnd. a sonhnmore outside lineback- er, quickly got to his feet and "ran (to (Walker) so that riven credit for the touchdown, "it was seven points for the defense, said Walker, That's the bottom line. We've got nine points now," Walker said. The defense produced a safety in last week's Arizona State game. When the defense scores, "it's a good way of picking up the team," said Walk- er, who was mobbed by his defensive teammates, the first of them outside linebacker Broderick Thomas.

Croel and linebackers Jon Marco and Chris Caliendo were quick to join in the celebration in the end zone. "I think it picked us up," Walker said. "But I don't really know." Unlike most punters Nebraska has faced this season, Rhynes took three steps rather than two before kicking, That gave him and Croel a little more time to get to Rhynes, said Walker. i 'n for Bell to complete that thought "I dont think we've played four quarters of football yet" he said. The Cornhuskers have had problems getting untracked this season, and Saturday's game was no different "We've got to come out and establish -ourselves," Bell said.

"I dont want to get to where we have to rely on the fourth quarter. One of these games we're going to be in trouble if we wait" That was dramatically illustrated in the Cornhuskers' 41-28 loss at UCLA. The Bruins jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter, "something we hadn't encountered before," said BelL Nebraska opens its Big Eight Conference schedule against Kansas next Saturday afternoon in Lawrence. The winless Jayhawks may not be a lot better than UNLV, but "well need to play better against Kansas," said BelL Not only is the game on the road, but the atmosphere will be different "The Big Eight's tougher," Bell said. "We've got to establish something." Saturday's effort was unacceptable, according to tight end Todd Millikan.

"It's hard to get up for a team like Nevada-Las Vegas," he said. "But if there had been some turnovers, they could've made it close. Coach (Tom) Osborne told us at half-time we played probably the worst first half he'd seen in a while. "I've been around here for five years. I'd say that, too." said UNLV quarterback Charles Price, who went to the same high school (Houston Yates) as NU outside linebacker Broderick Thomas, was afraid to play after awhile.

"He told Brod one time, 'don't hurt He talked to Brod like they were friends. But he wasn't my friend and Brod didn't let up on him either. "We were just a little laid back and it was a struggle to keep our heads in the game," he said. "Kansas next week will be rough in that way. But I remember when they beat Oklahoma, and Oklahoma was No.

1 at the time. They can beat us if we're not in that game completely." 1 Osborne, whose career coaching -record is 151-35-2, moved into second place in the list of winningest active coaches. He trails Oklahoma's Barry Switzer, who is 151-27-4. Quarterback Steve Taylor, who rushed 11 times for 67 yards and passed 6-10-0 for 56 yards, now owns all of the Nebraska career rushing records for quarterbacks. He moved into sixth place Cornhusker notes, quotes "The coaches were saying he (Rhynes) was taking quite a bit of time tosetnunseuupruroeisaia Even so, the Cornhuskers' rush on the Dlay wasn't any different than usuaL "Tne end guys are always going ior the block," said Croel, who blocked a punt against Utah State a year ago.

CroeL who was coming from the left, made a move like he was going outside, then cut inside past the blocker. "Then I put my arms out ana jusi hoped for the best" he said. "The ball hit me in me miaaie 01 me cnesu Walker caught me oau on -a tucxy bounce, right into my arms" and ran, tin-. touched, into the end zone. "I out-rair about four or five guys." If the Rebels' up-back hadn't cut off Walker initially, he might have blocked the punt instead of CroeL In that case, Croel, who played wing; back in high school, might have known me thrill of scoring a touchdown.

"It was a feeling I cant explain," Walker said, not meaning to rub it in. Davis ..................2 28 Brightman 2 23 McCardell 2 7 Nelson 7 B.Jackson 2 ,4. Punting No. Yds. Rhynes 9 403 44.8 Team 1 0 0 Punt returns No.

Yds. McCardell 3 11 Kickoff returns No. Yds. B.Jackson 5 122 Defense Tackles UT AT TT, Relnhoehl 8 4 12 7 .1 3 "8 4 4 "8 4 1 Christian 4 1 1 Foster 4 1 5 3 1 "4 A. Miller 3 1 '4 3 1 4" Robinson 4 0 -4 K.

Williams. 0 3 3 Harris 3 0 3 Fouther 2 1 3 Estes 1 1 2 Phillips 2 0 2 Hemmans 2 0 2 L. Thomas 2 0 2 Folk 1 0 Welch 1 0 .1 Clarke 1 0 1 Coleman 0 Harper 1 0 Walker. 1 0 Roberts 1 0 ill Crozler 1, 0 -1 rw F.y dI Among the former Cornhuskers at 2, and Dave Humm (right), a color Nebraska Offense Rushing No. Yds.

Ave. Clark 14 79 5.6 Taylor 11 7 6.1 Carpenter 5 59 11.8 Knox 8 57 7.1 Rodgers 11 50 4.6 Flowers 3 37 12.3 Dunlap 1 24 24.0 Joseph 1 22 22.0 Gdowskl 1 19 19.0 Lewis 3 16 5.3 Devall 1 9 9.0 Coleman .......2 5 2.5 Brinson 1 2 2.0 Baldwin 1 2 2.0 Worden 1 0 0 Bell 1 -4 Passing No. Co. Yds PI Taylor ..............10 6 56 0 Receiving No. Yds.

Brinson 3 28 .....2 21 Turner 1 7 Punting No. Yds. Ave. Kroeker 4 155 38.8 Punt returns No. Yds.

Brinson 4 54 Bell 3 41 Walker 0 34 1 13 Croel 1 8 Kickoff returns No. Yds. Brinson 1 25 Rodgers .....1 15 on the career pass-completions list (153) and is just two yards from passing Tom Sorley and sixth place on NU's career passing-yards list 1 Nebraska played 98 players Saturday. Six played split end and six others played right cornerback. 1 Former Cornhusker quarterback Dave Humm, who does color commentary on UNLV telecasts, watched Satur- day's game from the Nebraska sideline.

The Rebels were more emotional than they've been all season, according to Humm. "This was their Orange BowL" he said. "They had nothing to lose." Despite some early sluggishness, Humm was impressed with Nebraska. "I really like this team," he said. Senior tight end Todd Millikan was honored by his hometown, of Shenandoah, Iowa, at Saturday's game.

"I was pretty pumped," he sail "I was actually more nervous for this game than any other game this year. I dont know why." TED KIRK SUNDAY JOURNAL-STAR ROBERT BECKERSUNDAY JOURNAL-STAR IAN OOREMUS SUNDAY JOURNAL-STAR Saturday's game were John O'Leary (left) of Omaha with son, commentator for the UNLV television network. Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said he used tackle Bob Sledge early in the game because the offense was sputtering. "Bob hadn't practiced all week (shoulder injury), and the trainers said we could try him a series or two. We were- hot moving the ball well at the time." Guard John Nelson, who missed practices this week because of a shoulder injury, also played.

Center Jeff Anderson, who snaps on all of Nebraska's punts and field goals, suffered a broken hand, forcing me Cornhuskers to move Jake Young back to center. Young, who started at center, played some backup at tackle Saturday. Reserve offensive guard Jim Wanek suffered a mild concussion on the opening kickoff. It Tackle Tom Punt said he was so nervous about his first starting assignment for the Cornhuskers that he was shaking before the game. "I thought I icSd DK once I got over my nerves," he sfdd.

if Defensive tackle Willie Griffin Tri .1 i Frnri nri. I it- Statistics Defense Tackles UT AT Griffin 3 1 2 Thomas 2 1 Hagge 1 2 Caliendo 3 0 B. Miller 2 1 Hicks 3 0 Cooper 2 1 Mills 1 1 Jobman 2 0 Ty ranee 2 0 Sanders 2 0 Marco 1 1 Buchanan 2 0 Carmer 1 0 Sims 1 0 Monarrez 1 0 Wells 1 0 1 0 Anderson 1 0 Blazek 1 0 C. 1 0 UNLV Offense Rushing No. Yds.

T.Jackson 5 28 Brightman 7 27 Howell 3 14 Sims 2 7 Toomer 1 2 Price :..5 -20 Passing No. Co. Yds Price 37 14 120 Sims 2 0 0 Receiving No. T.Jackson ...5 TT Ave. 5.6 3.9 4.7 3.5 2.0 PI 0 0 Yds.

51 NU wingback Dana Brinson (33) is tackled after a 2-yard gain by UNLV's Ron Banks..