The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 35

WWFMBPH1T.19W SUNDAY JOURNAL-STAB 37D Nebraska fullback Tom Rathman (26) bursts through a big hole in the middle to score the Huskers first touchdown on a 44-yard run late In the first half. usher offensive display reminds Turner of 983 team By Ken Hambleton the line. That helped the running go and the running helped the passing go," he said. "Now, we can think about Oklahoma every day, every minute and get our game in gear for them. The Oklahoma game has been in the back of my mind since the Oklahoma State game and getting the confidence from this game can only help," he said.

Jones said it was just time for the offense to explode. "The kickoff return was one of those deals, where Coach Solich (Frank) had said it was about time for us to break one loose. I said this morning, I felt it was time I got to see if my 40 speed (time in the 40-yard dash) would help. "We all thought it was about time for the offense to explode," he said Bill Lewis are not going to play their last game here without a great job. "It just feels like everything is coming together," Turner said, Jones broke a 98-yard kickoff return for another touchdown and heralded freshman quarterback Steve Taylor capped the scoring with a four-down touchdown run.

Rathman also praised the offensive line, but added the downfield blocking of the receivers made the long plays work. "My first touchdown was made by Blankenship and Tim Roth clearing the hole, then our receivers picking off the defensive backs and I just had to outrun them," he said "It's becoming a common thing to get the long plays because the blocking is so good and seems to be there all the time," he said. The conversions followed a 44-yard run by fullback Tom Rathman, who snapped a. Husker record for yards gained in a season, and finished with a game-high 1S9 yards on just nine carries. Then, McCathom Clayton hit Von Sheppard on a 35-yard scoring pass, and minutes later freshman Keith Jones sprinted 35 yards to set up bis 1-yard touchdown run.

Rathman broke loose for 56 yards to set up a touchdown by Doug DuBose, who finished with 109 yards on 17 rushes. On the first play of the next series, Turner hit Sheppard on a pass over the middle at the Kansas 40 and the St Paul, sophomore outran the defenders to the endzone. "The offensive line decided it was time to move some people around and out of there," Turner said. "Guys like Brian Blankenship and "Every one of those seniors wanted to leave the fans here with a good impression. It was just the ideal game to play in.

It is all due to the right combinations of the blocking, the downfield blocking, the execution by the quarterbacks and our defense playing a great game," he said. "We're peaking at the right time. The running is our strongest point, but look at that passing. We're going deep and I think youll see more of that against Oklahoma. We have the weapons," Rathman said.

Blankenship said that the Huskers had spent a lot of extra time on downfield blocking in preparation for the Kansas game. "It just seemed like we were prepared for everything. The fact we had played against a 4-3 defense last week (Iowa State) made us confident that we could pretty much control things on Remember the "scoring explosion" of 1983. The names should be familiar, too Turner Gill, Mjke Rozier, Irving Fryar, Mark Schellen. "I think we showed a little of that kind of ex-pteslveness today.

It's something we always sftive for and we've been getting closer to it each But today, we showed the weapons from I-bm, fullback, quarterback, wingback, the run pass," Nebraska senior quarterback Him Turner said after NU's 564 victory over Saturday at Memorial Stadium. gven kicker Dale Klein set a record for field a season when he kicked his 13th of the yn a 32-yard effort to tie the game that once wsm Softer that kick, though, it was all extra points fojrthe sophomore from Seward. Huskers, fans offer salute to retiring coach Fischer Mi li, 7 I I I (hi a ,11 rflrt (3f 1 i 'mlLw'r lijuiiit inniiiiiiiii NU's Keith Jones steps back near the goal line to pick up his fumble on a third-quarter kickoff and sets sail on a 98-yard touchdown run. By Ken Hambleton Sure, it was an honor to get a standing ovation from almost 76,000 people before and after Nebraska smashed Kansas 56-6 Saturday afternoon in Memorial It was even more of an honor to be carried off the field on the massive shoulders of center Bill Lewis and guard JohnMcCormick. But to Nebraska offensive line coach Clete Fischer, the greatest honor was winning a football game and seeing the Husker offense rush for 498 yards and throw for 141 more.

Fischer, who has coached at Nebraska for 26 years and played with the Huskers for four years in the late 1940s, announced his retirement Saturday, effective at the end of the season. Responsible for the offensive line and the kickers, plus recruiting in-state high school players, Fischer is one of the most successful coaches in the country. "The fact the kids who came here worked hard and were a pleasure to work with made my job the best I could find. It's the only job I ever had," he said. A top recruiter Fischer was responsible for recruiting three Outland Trophy winners (Dave Rimington, Larry Jacobsen and Dean Steinkuhler), one Heisman Trophy winner (Johnny Rodgers), two Lombard! Award winners (Steinkuhler and Rimington) and a long list of Ail-Americans.

"The program that Bob Devaney built and Tom (Osborne) has continued and improved is the best in the country," Fischer said "We have one of the few freshman football programs around and we have the best, most supportive administration you can find Bob (Devaney) always seemed to come up with the money, equipment or whatever we needed and Tom (Osborne) is the same way. "Ill miss it," Fischer said. "Coaching is the only thing I've ever done. Twenty-, six years here, 12 years of coaching high school football and playing here for four years before that" Clete Fischer was the first of a long line of members of the Fischer family tq play for Nebraska. His younger brothers Rex, Pat and Kenny, as well as sons Pat, Tim and Dan, all played at Nebraska.

And his daughter Kerry played on the NU softball team. Kenny Fischer, the long-time football 'coach at Grand Island, was one of many family members at Saturday's game. Along with Husker assistant coaches in the press box, he watched as Clete ran onto the field alone to the ovation of the crowd before the game. "It was a moving experience," Kenny Fischer said "I had no idea he was leav-big coaching until he told me this morn- tag. He's been so happy here.

He's always been a Nebraskan and he's always been happy to be a part of the program here at Nebraska. Was a tough coach "He was also the toughest coach I Kansas quotes Coach Mike Gottfried: "When you're throwing and throwing all the time you're in trouble. We'd like to get a mix (of the pass and run) but right now we're unable to. Quarterback Mike Norseth: "It was a long afternoon there's no doubt about that Nebraska is one of the best defensive teams we've played but it's hard to say that they're the best We've played a lot of good teams. On throwing for just 77 yards: "They did a good job.

They were dropping seven or eight guys back and anytime you do that you should have good coverage. On the Nebraska-Oklahoma game: "'I think it will come down to whoever plays the best in the fourth quarter." Offensive tackle Byran Howard: "I think they pretty much showed us today why I think they're going to be number one. They're well disciplined and they read better than any defensive line I've seen. Them and Oklahoma were the most physical teams by far. Nebaska assistant coach Clete Fischer, who will retire at the end of this season, watches Saturday's action from the sideline.

ber the two national championship teams and Nebraska's first bowl team under Devaney. "That first bowl after all those down years, in New York- at the Gotham Bowl was something ITl-; never forget It must have been 30-below zero and the wind was blowing and had the only fans in the stands. But was the start of something when we that game. "I think this season, before It's over, win be something well all enjoy for long time, too," be said. Osborne said that NU freshman Coach Dan Young would take Fischer's place.

ever had," said Kenny, who played for Clete for two years at St Edward High School Nebraska guard Brian Blankenship, who walked into the lockerroom with his arm around Clete Fischer's shoulders after the game, said he was proud to play his last game at home for his of tensive line coach. "It means a lot to me, knowing that I'm going out with him," said Blankenship, a senior. "We all wanted to have a great game for him and I think we did the job today." Fischer said he will always remem Staff photos by Robert Becker Harald Dreimanis Dave Fahleson Gail Folda Ted Kirk NU's Robb SchnlUltr looks upfield on his 37-yard punt return in thg-first quarter..