The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 42

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1093 LINCOLN JOURNAL-STAR 4ECZZ3 HUSKERS lit fire under Black Shirts this season and threw for 424 yards against the Huskers last year. This guy embarrassed us last year. You don't let someone come into your house and embarrass you," said McBride. "Last week, we had enough go wrong in the secondary to drop from 13th to 33rd (nationally in defense) in one swoop of a game and we were snake-bit We dropped enough interceptions last week to last a year. "I think this was our best defensive game of the year.

The kids worked hard in practice and had something to prove." Defensive tackle Kevin Ramaek-ers said this performance was important Today, there's not a guy in the locker room without a smile on his face. Last week, it was like we lost," he said. "We didn't do anything different but we were feeling some heat after last week. So we put our ears back and went after it." Alberts agreed. "We fight every day in practice and go to war with our coaches.

It hits our hearts when people talk about our coaches. We took it upon ourselves to work hard in practice this week," he said. "It's called 'rushing the passer and that means completing the play NU's Calvin Jones (44) prepares for contact with Missouri's Jason Oliver in the first quarter. Jones rushed 27 times for 129 yards and two touchdowns. I I 'V McBride BY RYLY JANE HAMBLETON Lincoln Journal-Star It's a good thing the Nebraska band was playing at halftime.

Otherwise, the crowd at Memorial Stadium would have been party to the talk NU defensive coordinator Charlie McBride had with his defense. "I'm not sure what he was saying, but the defense is way down the hall in the training room and we're in the locker room, and I could hear Coach McBride," said Calvin Jones. "It must have worked because our defense was riled up. That got the offense going. Everybody was having a good time." The Nebraska defense was so riled up, the Black Shirts allowed just 33 yards passing in the second half and minus 1 yard rushing.

"Coach McBride didn't want us to feel that giving up seven points is OK," said outside linebacker Trev Alberts. "We needed to give the ball back to the offense. And if we couldn't do that, three-and-out is the next best thing we can do. That will discourage them enough." Three-and-out was the goal and the NU defense achieved it with a vengeance. The first five times Missouri touched the ball in the second half, the Tigers had three plays and then Nebraska for Tigers By CURT McKEEVER Lincoln Journal-Star Missouri football coach Bob Stull accepted defeat matter of factly Saturday afternoon.

"We didn't play very well today for good reason that's because they did," Stull said after his Tigers lost to Nebraska 49-7. Stull's feelings were echoed by plenty of his players. Defensive end Rick Lyle was asked if he thought the loss was a step back for Missouri, which was coming off a 42-9 win against Oklahoma State. "I wouldn't say a step back, more a step aside," he said. "Nebraska seemed like it had something to prove today after last week." Against Kansas State last week, the Cornhuskers allowed a Big Eight Conference-record 489 passing yards in a 45-28 win.

Saturday, they limited Missouri quarterback Jeff Handy to 104 yards and no touchdowns. It was Handy's second-lowest passing total in the 13 games he's started. They just came out and played good defense," said Handy, whose longest completion of the game was a 15-yarder in the fourth quarter. "We knew they were playing a little softer and we were going to take what they gave us. They weren't giving us the deep ball very well" Stull, whose team fell to 2-4-1, also had a simple explanation for that.

The one thing they did was control the line of scrimmage, on both sides," he said. "We couldn't protect the passer, so we couldn't throw the ball" Handy, who threw for 424 yards against Nebraska last season, was sacked just twice Saturday. But he seldom had much free time in the pocket to look for his receivers, especially in the second half, when the Tigers managed to pick up just one first down. "We thought we'd be able to get NUCornhuskers KU-MSSOUai NOTES Starting offensive right guard Brenden Stai and backup center Jon Pedersen suffered broken left legs during Saturday's game and will likely miss the rest of the regular season. Stai, the strongest player on the team, and Pedersen will both undergo "open reduction surgery" on Sunday.

"Losing Stai is a big blow because he's a great player, and he's been playing awfully well. He hurt his leg getting up off a pile, not even a contact deal," Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said. To shore up the guard spot center Ken Mehlin, who has played some guard this year, will go back to sharing time at two positions, and Rob Zatechka, who had shared time at guard and tackle, will stay at guard. Linebackers Troy Branch and Darren Williams, and tight end Gerald Armstrong were held out of the game because of injuries. All through high school, Cles-ter Johnson threw touchdowns passes.

Saturday, he finally caught one. Johnson made a diving catch of a 7-yard pass from Tommie Frazier for Nebraska's first score. The Bellevue West graduate was a Journal-Star Super-Stater and the 1991 prep athlete of the year. He came to NU to play quarterback but switched to defensive back and finally to wingback. scoria mmm mentally, and finishing the play every time in practice." Alberts said the ups and downs of the season had prompted some questions.

"But it wasnt personnel we've got the players. It's just determination," he said. "Everybody just had to realize what we can do and when you do that your expectations rise." Expectations of some fans may have had an effect on the Nebraska defense. "I had a good feeling before the game. Last night (Friday), I was on a plane coming home from recruiting and I heard a couple of people talking about Nebraska and how they' didn't have it all together," said McBride.

Today, they're probably saying we' won. I talked to the guys about that before the game." And the Nebraska players listened. That motivated Coach McBride and he motivated us," said defensive back John Reece. "He did a really good job of motivating us today. Every time he's done that to us, it's worked.

"We just made tiny, minor adjustments. We just had a little different attitude. Coach McBride chewed us out a little bit and we did not want that to happen again." i A a Jones is no longer hampered by a strained left knee. "We were in a base coverage and everybody else was covered so he (Frazier) just swung it out to the flat. He (Jones) looked pretty good to me," Hall said.

"We didn't tackle him and he was good enough to run away from us." For the Tigers, it was pretty much a huff-and-puff afternoon. OALFOLDAUNCOLM JOURNAL-STAR 5 v. punted. After Missouri picked up its only first down of the second half, the Tigers were forced to punt three plays later. The Nebraska defense held Missouri to zero vards in the third quarter.

Charlie McBride That's just to the kids' credit," said McBride. "They hurt us with the draw-trap, so we put in some stunts to shut that down. We did things to stop their running attack and still give us a chance to rush the passer. "We were fooling around with our linemen too much. I told our inside guys that we have to make something happen.

They had to be more creative with their pass rush. At the end of the first half and in the second half, we got better at that." The defensive players were still stinging from the pelting absorbed from Kansas State's passing game last week. The Big Eight-record 489 yards passing by Chad May were a record for an NU opponent This week could have had a similar result Missouri quarterback Jeff Handy had averaged 220 yards passing per game too much to handle some deep ones on them, some big plays," said offensive guard Mike Bedosky. The second half, we were going to, but the best field position we had was the 35 and you don't want that big sack when you're pinned way back. "We had big plans in the second half but we just never had time or field position." Stull said the Cornhuskers showed a "barrage of looks" with their defensive front four, but didn't think trickery had much to do with Handy getting constant pressure.

"There wasn't anything fancy they were doing," he said. "We just had to try and hold up inside." Missouri, which trailed just 21-7 at halftime, eventually came apart on offense and defense. Nebraska's offensive output of 539 yards was its highest of the season against a Division I-A opponent. "We couldn't stop their running attack, that was our problem," Stull said. The things that hurt us were isolation plays and inside stuff." According to cornerback Jason Oliver, the Tigers' problems on defense weren't due to not knowing what they'd be facing.

There's no secret they're going to run the ball," he said. "We never handled it well and it just sort of snowballed." Nebraska scored on two of its first four possessions to take a 14-7 lead. The Cornhuskers were also driving on their other possessions before turnovers stopped the drives. After marching 79 yards to start the game, NU quarterback Tommie Frazier fumbled at the Missouri 1-yard line and the ball was recovered by Tiger linebacker Darryl Major at the! Frazier threw an interception on Nebraska's third possession, but he came back to engineer a quick, seven-play, 93-yard touchdown drive after the Cornhuskers got the ball with 2:38 put it all together in souri's next drive and, after a punt took over at their 7-yard line with 2:38 left in the half. Seven plays later, Jones scooped up a pass from Frazier at the Missouri 44 and set off down-field.

Jones juked Missouri safety Joe Love at the MU 35 and outsprinted three other would-be tacklers to the end zone to boost the score to 21-7 with 34 seconds left in the half. "I was the third receiver on that play and I was ready to go, I felt so good," said Jones, who missed three games because of a knee injury and admitted he was slowed the last two games. The people up front were dominating the line, and on that play, we gave Missouri too much to handle because I had a lot of open space after I got the ball" Frazier scored on Nebraska's first possession of the second half and Jones scored on NU's third possession. The Cornhuskers tacked on a 25-yard touchdown run by Lawrence Phillips and a 1-yard run by Jeff Makovicka. Meanwhile, the Nebraska defense sent Missouri's offense to the sidelines in three plays and a punt five times in a row before giving up a first down.

"Coach (Charlie) McBride went crazy on us at halftime," Nebraska safety John Reece said. "When he goes off like that it fires everybody up. Nobody can be in the middle of their feelings in a halftime talk like that We knew they would try to soften our middle with the passes underneath and the draws to catch us overpursuing. "And just the opposite of last week, we were ready, didnt make the mistakes and had our best effort of the year." Missouri's longest pass completion was for 15 yards and that came late in the game. The longest run was Freeman's 21-yarder on Missouri's second- I1 GAL FOLOAUNCOLN JOURNAL-STAR Missouri's Darryl Major holds the ball aloft after recovering a fumble early in the first quarter.

Tiger teammate Javan Lenhardt (6) and Nebraska l-back Calvin Jones (44) exchange words. RANDY HAMPTONLINCOLN JOURNAL-STAR Nebraska is now 130-5 when rushing for 300 or more yards in a game since Osborne became head coach. Nebraska is 14-0 when Calvin Jones has rushed for more than 100 yards. Wide receiver Kenny Holly caught five passes to replace former Tiger and current Philadelphia Eagle Victor Bailey as Missouri's all-time reception leader. Holly, a senior, now has 130 catches.

Back-up Missouri cornerback Clayton Baker had to be placed on a backboard and carted off the field after being hit on a punt coverage play with 37 seconds left in the third quarter. Baker was knocked unconscious, and trainers strapped him to the board as a precautionary measure for a possible head or neck injury. He later became alert and was diagnosed as having suffered a concussion. Baker was scheduled to fly back to Columbia on the team charter. JOKES Calvin Jones Rushing statistics Ait Vd Avg TO 4 North Texas 16 124 7.8 2 1 1 Texas Tech INJURED.

DID NOT PLAY 18 at UCLA INJURED, DID NOT PLAY 25 Colorado St. 0 0 0 7 at Oklahoma St. 21 136 6 5 1 16 Kansas St. 29 138 4.8 2 0 23 Missouri 27 129 4 8 2 Total 93 S27 S.7 7 Missouri Offense Rushing No. Yds.

Ave. Joe Freeman 6 53 6 6 Jeff Jones 4 10 25 Rahsetnu Jenkins 1 8 80 Bryan Murray 1 6 60 Ryan Lyons 4 5 13 Antwan Johnson 2 2 10 Tiger Boyd 1 2 20 Brian Sallee 3 -7 Jeff Handy 2 .11 Passing No. Co. Yds PI Jeff 23 15 104 0 Roc6ivinQ No. Yds.

Mikejadtot 3 35 Kenny Holiy 5 32 Antwan Johnson 3 19 Brian Sallee 1 13 A OlotWe 2 Joe Freeman. 1 .3 Punting NO. Yds. Av. Kyle Pooler.

9 344 362 Punt return No. Yd. Jason Oliver 1 -6 Kickoff return No. Yd. Rahsetnu Jenkin 2 29 Interception return No.

Yd. Kevin Mcintosh Defense Tackles UT Andre Whit DerylMaior Travis McDonald 3 Rick Lyle 3 Steve Marm 0 Demon 3 Jason Oner 2 Jevan Lenhardl 2 Jerome MurSann 2 Owe WS 1 John Safley 1 Bo Adams. 1 Rick Nckola 1 Montana Waoqoner 1 Kevm 1 Jeff Jones 1 George Hunt 0 Mirray 0 Oeylon BaMr Bryan Murray 0 Gsg Smth 0 Cedne Johnson AT TT 17 7 13 7 10 MU-NU How scored Tim left SECOND QUARTER 0-7 Clester Johnson 7 pats from Tommie Frazier 14:24 Drive: 70 yards in 13 plays. Highlighted by Calvin Jones 8. 10, 7 runs.

Frazier 6 pass to Abdul Muhammad, Frazier 9 run, Frazier 10 pass to Mark Gilman. Conversion: Byron Bennett kick. 7-7 Jeff Jones 1 run 10:33 Drive: 68 yards In 6 plays. Set up by Kevin Mcintosh Interception of Frazier pass. Highlighted by Jeff Handy 13 pass to Mike Jadlot, Joe Freeman 10, 10, 21 runs.Handy 13 pass to Brian Sallee.

Conversion: Kyle Pooler kick. 7-14 C. Jones 4 run 6:52 Drive: 54 yards In 8 plays. Highlighted by Damon Benning 9 run, C. Jones 9, 16 runs.

Cory Schiestnger 8 run. Conversion: Bennett kick. 7-21 C. Jones 55 pass from Frazier 0:34 Drive: 93 yards in 7 plays. Highlighted by Frazier 14 pass to Corey Dixon, Frazier 17 run.

Conversion: Bennett kick. THIRD QUARTER 7-28 Frazier 37 run 12:41 Drive: 45 yards In 3 plays. Set up by Pooler 19 punt. Highlighted by C. Jones run, Schlesinger 3 run.

Conversion: Bennett kick. 7-3S C. Jones 1 run 2:53 Drive: 36 yards In 12 plays. Highlighted by C. Jones 10, 9, 8 runs.

Conversion: Bennett kick. FOURTH QUARTER 7-42 Lawrence Phillips 25 run 14:14 Drive 59 yards 5 plays. Highlighted by Brook Berringer 17 pass to C. John, sdh. Bernnger 1 2 run on scramble.

Conversion: Bennett kick. 7-49 Jeff Makovicka 1 run 7:31 Drive: 54 yards in 9 plays. Highlighted by Clinton Chads 10, 8. 8 runs, Makovicka 15.5 runs. Conversion: Bennett kick.

left in the first half. I-back Calvin Jones covered the final 55 yards when he caught a short pass from Frazier, faked out a defender and outran three more to the end zone. "It was just a last-ditch effort thing at the end of the half that was able to work out for them," Lyle said, "It's frustrating not to be able to make the play." The play left Missouri defensive coordinator Skip Hall feeling like rout of Missouri; Colorado is up next it mmui STATISTICS Nebraska Offense Rushing Mo. Yds. Ave.

Calvin Jones 27 129 4 8 Tommie Frazier 11 61 7 4 Clinton Childs 4 29 7 3 Lawrence Phillips 2 27 13 5 Jeff Makovicka 6 25 4 2 Damon Benning 7 21 30 Cory Schlesinger 4 15 38 Brook Berringer 1 12 12 0 Scott Davenport 1 1 1.0 Passing No. Co. Yds PI Tommie Frazier. 13 8 143 1 BenRutz 2 2 36 0 Brook 2 2 20 0 Receiving No. Yds.

Calvin 1 55 TrumaneBetl 2 36 Clester Johnson 2 24 Abdul Muhammad 2 21 Aaron Davis 1 18 Brendan Holbein 1 16 Corey Dixon 2 17 MarkGilman 1 10 Punting NO. Yds. Avs. Byron Bennett 2 64 42.0 Punt return No. Yds.

Corey Dixon 2 13 Kareem Moss 2 13 Kckoff return No. Yds Oamon Benning 1 40 Defense Tackle IT AT TT Trev Albert 4 3,7 John Reece 3 14 6d Stewart 2 2 4 Barron Miles 2 2 4 Mike Anderson 13 4 DougCoiman 0 4 4 Enc Stokes 12 3 David Noonen 2 0 2 Toby Wright 2 0 2 Bruce Moor 112 DwayneHem 112 Kevin Ramaeker 112 ErrxeBewr 112 JerfOtsen 1 1 2 By Wade 0 12 Lorezno Bnnkiey. 0 2 2 Kareem 10 1 Tyrone Wam. 10 1 Alkf iiiiniimnwailiM 1 Jeff Makovicka 10 1 Joel 10 1 Jwred i kumen Oil PK 0 1 1 1 1 Christian Peer 0 11 Austin Wertt 0 11 Jon He 0 1 1 Continued from page IE the main source of his problems. "He's one of the better ones I've ever gone against" Handy said.

"I felt pressure all day." The same Nebraska offense that struggled at times this season rolled up 539 yards and scored seven touchdowns even after losing a fumble at the Missouri 4-yard line and an interception in Tiger territory. The only setback for the Huskers was that starting offensive guard Brenden Stai and backup center Jon Pedersen suffered broken legs. This was the highest intensity we've had on defense since the' big games last year," said Alberts, who had two sacks and seven tackles. Offensive tackle Lance Lundberg added: "Before the game, there wasnt a lot of screaming and yelling, just a sense of purpose. This was our seventh game.

Things should start to look a lot smoother." Nebraska looked almost mechanical in its first drive, which ended with Frazier losing the fumble deep in Missouri territory. On their next possession, the Cornhuskers drove 70 yards and scored on a 7-yard pass from Frazier to.Clester Johnson to end a 13-play drive. Missouri, 24-1 overall and 1-2 in the Big Eight answered with a 68-yard scoring, drive that Joe Freeman sparked with runs of 10, 10 and 21 yards. Freeman, who had rushed for just 156 yards in six games this year, had 55 yards in the first half on trap plays and counters, plays that had hurt Nebraska earlier this season. 1 was afraid of a Kansas State syndrome, going back and forth," said Osborne.

But Nebraska removed those fears by taking the lead after a 40-yard kickof return by Damon Benning and a 54-yard scoring drive that Calvin Jones finished with a dazzling 4-yard run. The Cornhuskers stopped Mis- 4 Husker quarterback Tommie Frazier (15) tries to escape the grasp of MU's Damon Simon late in the first quarter. quarter scoring drive. Of Missouri's 28 you read and hear a tot'of negative rushing plays, 16 were for three yards things." or less. Later, he added, "Of course, youVe 1 think it was necessary for the got to do a lot of positive things to get confidence of the players," said Ai- rid of the negative feelings.

I think we tiring as a player when can find a few of those today." 0.