The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 40

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25. 199? LINCOLN JOURNAL-STAR Frazier doesn't play like freshman in first start at Q. nre nff Calvin Jones 1 and me." he said. 1981 to 1983. "We felt he was prepared and told I know what Mike Grant can do and now, we've seen Tommie take over," he said.

Tommie was a little confused on some calls. He called timeouts when he needed to get something straight and he kept his composure welL "We had some frustrating plays after getting to the 20-yard line and not scoring, but we, and Tommie, handled the pressure welL He settled right in there and that was hard to do because this was a good Missouri defense." Frazier had a touchdown pass to Trumarie Bell batted away at the last second and he had 'two other passes dropped. "The big stat was they had two turnovers (three actually) to zero for us," Osborne said. "And that's good for a freshman quarterback handling the ball as much as he did. "Tommie was very siable there.

A mistake or two, but he played a solid game and made the right decisions most of the time. "It would surprise me if he didnt start next week against Colorado." stopping all the other stuff." Stull said Frazier becomes an integral part of NU's offense when he goes to play-action and option plays. "Half of the time it can go wrong, but he's an excellent athlete and individually he did a good job. He operated their offense without turning the ball over," Stull said. Osborne said Frazier's performance didnt surprise him.

Tommie has enough confidence. He's played in big games, like Jamelle Holieway (former Oklahoma freshman quarterback) did in high school and he stepped right in, too," Osborne said. Frazier was a natural, said quarterback coach Turner Gill and a few Nebraska teammates. "I know what it's like when you're that young, but we felt he could do some things to give us the best chance today," said Gill, who turned down a chance to play varsity football as a freshman before starring for NU from On Frazier's first touchdown, he looked to pass, but saw an opening, bounced off the back of fullback Lance Lewis and scored. On bis second touchdown, he kept around the left end on an option keeper.

His third touchdown was a flying leap from the 3-yard line. Brown said he was surprised by the Missouri defense, but Frazier's play helped overcome the difficulties. "I think a lot of people thought Missouri would be a breeze," he said. "But they were tough and I take my hat off to them. I take my hat of to Tommie, too." Frazier said he had to make sure he didn't try to do too much.

"There are so many things we can do with this offense, I cant be just thinking about myself when I'm in there. Missouri forced us into trying a lot of things on offense, but that's the name of the game adjusting to what the defense allows," he said. NU center Jim Scott said Frazier's ability gives Nebraska two great quarterbacks. "We By Curt McKeever and Ken Hambleton Lincoln Journal-Star COLUMBIA, Mo. Nebraska coach Tom Osborne said he delayed announcing freshman Tommie Frazier as the Cornhusker 'starting quarterback to avoid the hype.

'Tommie had two good weeks of practice. I think he made improvement and deserved a chance to start," Osborne said. Senior Mike Grant was bothered by a sore back, Osborne added. So Frazier scored three touchdowns, hit 9 of 20 passes for 157 yards and rushed for 77 more. He played all but one short series in the second quarter.

Missouri Coach Bob Stull said he was surprised by Frazier getting the start over Mike Grant They've mixed him in a little bit. I cant tell the difference both of them move the ball so well. But he did a good job. You hardly pay attention to the quarterback in their offense because you're so busy nun to reiax ana piay. Gill said audibles (changes at the line) were kept to a minimum and play-calling simplified for Frazier, who was an Ail-American high school quarterback at Bradenton, Fla, a year ago.

"He showed great character and great poise and he'll be good because of his athleticism," Gill said. Teammate Derek Brown, who rushed for 148 yards on a season-high 24 carries, said Frazier's nickname is "The Franchise." "We believe in our quarterbacks, but Tommie surprised me today. I was impressed by the way he took control of the offense and handled the pressure of a close game," Brown said. "Missouri ran an eight-man front and we got off some good screen passes. They tried some other things and we got off some good runs.

Nothing very long, but good enough. "And Tommie's running today took pres- NU, Missouri sidelights NU gets mixed reviews for upcoming CU game Notes viously, we think we have good receivers Missouri offensive coordina IlplllIM time in his four seasons at Missouri): "We played hard, just not quite good enough to make the plays we needed to. The last two years we were beat by 50 points by this group, and I told them I'm not sure how much better Nebraska is, but they're good. We're getting closer. By halftime (of previous NU-MU games) you might as well just grab a hot dog and go home.

It's been ugly." MU offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter (after a reporter asked about the Tigers' running game. MU was held to a season-low 50 yards): "We're a passing team and I'm a little bit tired of apologizing for that fact because we're a damn good passing team. If you can do both, you're going to be better off, but look at Nebraska. Nebraska is probably the best running team in the country and their passing game stinks. It's hard to do both.

If it was easy, everybody would doit" MU wide receiver Mike Jadlot (on the result): "It's kind of bittersweet You go out there and you have a good game, you're so close, but yet still so far." NU outside linebacker Travis Hill suffered an injured calf muscle during warmups but managed to play almost the whole game. "It was hurting bad, but we got it taped up and I played as much as I could," he said. Hill led Nebraska with 10 tackles. "We played well considering that they got us to stop blitzing and kept throwing those 1-2-3 passes that we couldn't get to. But we got the turnovers and that made the difference.

At the end, we got the big plays and got past all the pressure with the win. "Mentally and physically, this was a four-quarter game and that will be better for us against Colorado next week than if we had it easy," he said. Derek Brown's 148 yards was his third game of more than 100 yards rushing and 12th of his career. His 25 carries were the most for an NU player this season. Missouri's 50 yards rushing tied the season low allowed by Nebraska.

Missouri's 24 points were the most scored against Nebraska by a Tiger team since the 1978 squad beat the Comhuskers 35-31. IW, TL. 'If 1 By Curt McKeever Lincoln Journal-Star COLUMBIA, Mo. The reviews of Nebraska's pass coverage against Missouri were mixed in the Tiger locker room following Saturday's 34-24 Cornhusker victory. In the game, Missouri quarterback Jeff Handy threw for 424 yards the most ever produced against a Nebraska team.

Now, pass-happy Colorado, with quarterbacks Kordell Stewart and Koy Detmer, is coming to Lincoln on Saturday in what will go a long way in deciding the Big Eight Conference champion. "Colorado may look at our film and try to do what we did, but Nebraska adjusted very well towards the end and was doing a good job," Handy maintained. "Nebraska's a good enough team. They can adjust They'll be fine." The Comhuskers used a lot of man-to-man pass coverage against Missouri's spread formations, and the Tigers usually came out with the better result as Handy completed 29 of 44 attempts the most against NU this season. "We always say against one-on-one coverage it comes down to our receivers against their corners and ob tor Dirk Koetter said.

Does that mean the Comhuskers will have to use a lot less one-on-one coverages and mix things up more against Colorado? "I don't know," Koetter said. "That's their package. That's Nebraska defense, and they're good at it" But "Colorado's got good receivers, too," he added. According to Tiger wide receiver Mike Jadlot however, Nebraska wont need to adjust when they play host to the Buffaloes. "Nebraska is just a bunch of athletes, they're just going to do the best they can on everything," he said.

"It's not going to be a fluke thing to beat them, you're just going to have to soundly try and beat them. They're not known for making errors." And, as Missouri Coach Bob Stull alluded to, the Comhuskers have also been quick at fixing mistakes. "What probably will encourage Colorado is the amount of yards we got that'll probably make them grin a little bit" Stull said. "But I think they're very, very even teams with different types of attacks." l-Back update No. Yds.

Ave. TO Calvin Jones 73 651 8.9 6 Derek Brown 105 627 6.0 4 Quotes Schedule McBride happy with TP NU defensive tackle John Parreila (on Missouri's three-step drop and throw that made it hard to assemble a pass rash): "Our first job was to stop the run and we did that I suppose it'd be nice to have an 80-0 win, but this is a good test for us because Colorado does the same thing with their passing game." Parreila, who recovered a fumble when Hill hit Handy at the end of the game, said he was surprised Handy didnt lose the ball more often. "We hit him five or six times. We hit him and hit him and he kept getting up." MU Coach Bob Stull (on playing Nebraska to the wire for the first (Times subject to change) Sept 8 Nebraska 49, Utah 22 Sept 12 Nebraska 48, Middle Tennessee State7 Sept 19 Washington 29, Nebraska 14 Sept 26 Nebraska 45, Arizona Stale 24 Oct 10 Nebraska 55, Oklahoma State 0 Oct 24 Nebraska 34, Missouri 24 Oct 31 Colorado at Nebraska. 3 p.m.

(Homecoming) Nov. 7 Kansas at Nebraska, 1 p.m. Nov. 14 Nebraska at Iowa State. 1 p.m.

Nov. 27 Nebraska at Oklahoma, 12:30 Dec Nebraska Kansas State," Tokyo, 9 p.m. (kickoff is noon Dec. 6 in Japan) IW III. Ul'iii wilillu.iiiilli I 2 a I second.

But the Tigers went 80 yards on five plays to score a touchdown the third time they had the ball. The big gains were on passes, of 34 and 31 yards, setting the tone for the remainder of the afternoon. Until freshman quarterback Tommie Frazier dived into the end zone with 2:09 remaining in the fourth quarter, the game's outcome was in doubt Nebraska was favored against Missouri, which has won only once this season. The game was regarded as little more than a tuneup for the Big Eight showdown against Colorado in Lincoln next Saturday afternoon. Instead, it raised questions about Nebraska's pass defense, which will be tested again by Colorado.

McBride didn't deny that But there was a positive side to Saturday's game, beyond the victory, he said. "I don't think we played great by any stretch of the imagination," said McBride. "But the kids stayed with it Either you go in the tank or rise to the occasion. They rose to the occasion. That's the bottom line." I tifs i mm jlllllllllB By Mike Babcock Lincoln Journal-Star COLUMBIA, Mo.

Charlie McBride didn't look like a coach whose defense had just allowed 424 passing yards. Nebraska's veteran defensive coordinator was smiling after the Corn-buskers' 34-24 victory against Missouri on Saturday afternoon. Missouri's Jeff Handy completed 29-OM4 passes for the 424 yards and two touchdowns. The game was "good for his stats," McBride said. "But he got an 'L' (loss), and we got the 'W (win).

The win was the big thing. Sure, the yardage matters. You'd like to have a shutout. But in this day and age, it's not going to happea" in Saturday's game, it appeared Nebraska's defense might have an opportunity for a second consecutive shutout. The Comhuskers defeated Oklahoma State 55-0 two weeks ago.

Missouri went three downs and punt on its first offensive series and managed only one first down on its 1 fiiilJllyia RANDY HAMPTOMOJNCOLN JOURNAL-STAR Missouri wide receiver Victor Bailey makes the catch despite the defense of Nebraska's Tyrone Byrd and Steve Carmer. Bailey broke away from the defenders to complete a 39-yard scoring play as the Tigers cut the lead to 24-21 midway through the third quarter. Bailey finished with eight catches for 1 59 yards. Km NU- From page 1E TED KIRKUNCOLN JOURNAL-STAR Nebraska l-back Calvin Jones goes over the top for a 1-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Scoring summary Time left How scored NU-MU was ready to do what was expected of him.

"I missed some calls and made a few mistakes, but I'd give myself an he said. "I prepared for this and I was ready. A little nervous at the start, but I got to feeling comfortable in there. We were there as a team and I happened to be quarterback. That's alL" Frazier's performance was good enough for the expected close battle, Osborne said.

"Missouri's 1-6 record does not show how good they are," he said. "We played well enough to win. "Against Colorado (Saturday in Lincoln), we're going to have to play better." "Colorado?" Frazier asked. "We just got done with this one." later, Calvin Jones leaped over the middle of the line to give Nebraska a 21-14 lead. Before the end of the half, Frazier cooly cruised the Cornhusker offense to the Tiger 9-yard line, where Byron Bennett tacked on a 26-yard field goaL Both teams missed field goals before Handy hit Bailey to cut the score to three points.

"Everybody counted this as a win and was looking to Colorado, but we players knew we'd get Missouri's best shot" Jones said. The one thing we were leary of was Tommie's composure when the game was on the line. "He did as good a job as any quarterback I've seen. I think it lifted the whole team to see him take Frazier, who had thrown 15 passes and run 14 times this season, said he The game took on a frenzied appearance from the start Nebraska opened the scoring on a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Frazier keeping on an option run to his left The Comhuskers scored again on a 7-yard Frazier run to the right. He hit wingback Vincent Hawkins on a 43-yard pass and Calvin Jones on an 18-yard screen pass to ignite the 81-yard drive.

Missouri countered quickly. Handy hit Victor Bailey on a 31-yard pass to the NU 1, and Mark Jackson scored. Minutes later, Handy hit AJ. Ofodile on a 13-yard touchdown pass, after completing a 41-yarder to Ronell KayhilL Nebraska cornerback Kenny Wil-hite intercepted a Handy pass on Missouri's next possession and returned it 49 yards to the Missouri 20. Six plays FIRST QUARTER Tommie Frazier 3 run 5:32 Drive: 76 yards In 12 plays.

Highlighted by Calvin Jones 4, 7 runs, Derek Brown 8. 9 runs, Frazier 22 pass to D. Brown, Frazier 9 run. Conversion: Byron Bennett kick. Frazier 7 run 0:21 rvtun- ri unrria in fi nlav Mnhlinhtfid bv Frazier 18 Dass to C.

Jones. Lance Lewis 9 run, Frazier 43 pass to Vincent Hawkins. Conversion: DAnnAM I'M KJOl If TO LI IWf SECOND QUARTER Mark Jackson 1 run 14:25 Drive: 80 yards In 5 plays. Highlighted by Jeff Handy 34 pass to Mike Jadlot, Jackson 9 run, Handy 31 pass to Victor Bailey. Conversion: A.J.

Ofodile 13 pass from Handy 11:19 ririwa. C1 uoirle In A niaua MinhlinhtoH hu Hflrvtu 7 nflSS to KennV 49. It was only the second time in the game that Nebraska got in the way of Handy's 29-of-44 passing performance. "We pressed with a man-to-man, and we didnt do it" Osborne said. "We went to a zone, and it worked a little better." After Reece's interception, Frazier collected the NU offense, and 11 plays later, after third-down conversions at the Missouri 22-and 4-yard lines, he slipped for a 2-yard loss.

He tried to hit Derek Brown on a pass, but Missouri Jerome Madison batted the ball away. Facing fourth down from the 5, Frazier, a high school Ail-American from Bradenton, Fla, took off around the right end, hesitated to look for a receiver, then flew into the end zone from the 3-yard line "I could see the end zone, and all I wanted to do was try the best I could to get there," said Frazier, who was told he was starting in place of Mike Grant on Wednesday. "I didnt know they were going after my feet. I just jumped, and that was it." Missouri's Rick Lyle and Jason Oliver dove madly for Frazier but couldn't cover the high-flying freshman. "Really a good call," Missouri Caoch Bob Stull said.

"But he made a hell of a play, too. He just jumped. You cant react It was a great play." Osborne said he chose to run the play rather than kick a field goal because of the narrow six-point lead and Missouri's passing success. "He jumped into the end zone on our first touchdown, and the defense went crazy," NU outside linebacker Travis Hill said. "He did it again, and we felt good.

When he did it the last time, at the end of the game, we were so fired up, it was nuts." Individual statistics Holly, Handy 41 pass to Ronell Kayfiill. Conversion: Jacke kick. C. Jones 1 run 4:49 Drive: 20 yards In 6 plays. Set up by Kenny Withlte 49 return of inter-rentari Hnndu naa.

Hinhlinhted bv Frazier 8 run. 8 run after fumbled Missouri Offense Rusting Interception returns No. Yds. Wilhrte 1 49 Reece 0 7-0 14-0 14-7 14-14 21-14 24-14 24-21 27-21 27-24 34-24 Yds. Ave.

23 2.3 9 1.8 0 00 -1 -03 9 No. Kayhi 5 Schtet 1 3 Handy 3 Defense Tackles lT AT TT 10 HI Byrd Alberts D. White. rassmg No. Co.

Yds PI Handy 44 29 424 2 Receiving 3 4 4 1 2 Jackson 1 17 Defense Tackles UT AT TT Madison 7 6 13 Oliver 6 3 9 Benson 4 5 9 Major 1 7 8 McDonald 2 5 7 Ringgenberg 15 6 Mcintosh 4 15 WiKins 3 2 5 Hunt 2 3 5 Martin 2 3 5 Lyle 1 4 5 A. White 1 4 5 0 4 4 0 4 4 0 3 3 112 Brooks 0 2 2 Totta 2 2 NO. TOT Beier 159 Nebraska Offense Rushing No. Yds. Ave.

D. Brown. 25 148 5 9 Frazier 14 77 5.5 C. Jones. .17 74 4.4 Lewis 7 28 4 0 Hawkins 1 8 8.0 Passing No.

Co. Yds PI Frazier 20 9 157 0 Receiving No. Yds. D. Brown 4 53 Hawkins 2 52 C.

Jones 2 42 1 10 Punting No. Yds. Ave. 4 175 43.8 Punt returns No. Yds.

Hughes 2 0 Kickoff returns No. Yds. Hughes 3 58 snap. Conversion: Bennett kick. Bennett 26 field goal 0:00 Drive: 75 yards in 8 plays.

Highlighted by C. Jones 13, 9 runs, Frazier 9 pass to Hawkins, Frazier 24 pass to C. Jones, Frazier 20 pass to D. Brown. THIRD QUARTER Bailey 39 pass from Handy 7:17 Drive: 77 yards In 6 plays.

Highlighted by Jackson 8, 7 runs, Handy 15 pass to Holly, KayhiH 7 run. Conversion: Jacke kick. FOURTH QUARTER Bennett 26 field goal 14:58 Drive: 73 yards in 1 6 plays. Highlighted by D. Brown 6, 3, 5, 6, 1 1 6, 8 runs, C.

Jones 5 run, Frazier 4 run, Frazier 12 pass to O. Brown. Jacke 25 field goal 10:13 Drive: 75 yards In 15 plays. Highlighted by Handy 15 pass to Holly, Handy 7 run, Handy 28 pass to Jadlot. Handy 10 pass to Freeman, NU pass Interference penalty.

Frazier 5 run 2:09 Drive: 49 yards In 12 plays. Set up by John Reece Interception of Handy pass. Highlighted by D. Brown 3, 4, 10 runs. Frazier 11 run.

Frazier 1 0 pass to BeB, Lewis 5 run. Conversion: Bennett kick. 8 7 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 Bailey 8 Holly 7 Jadlot 5 Kayhi 4 Freeman 2 Gardner 2 Ofodile 1 Carmer. 2 Stewart 0 Branch 2 Wright 3 Reece 2 Wilhrte 2 D.Jones 0 70 90 64 14 14 13 Punting No. Yds.

Ave. Pooler 3 126 42.0 Punt returns No. Yds. Holy 4 21 Kickoff returns No. Yds.

Madteon 1 21 Parreila 1 ConrteaJy 0 Mites 1 Ellis 0 ScNesinger 1 Gray 0 Lewis 1 Armstrong 0 Graham 0 Adams 1 0 1 0 Cole 1 0 Lehhardt 0 1 Martin 0 1.