The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 44

4E April 29,1984 Lincoln, Sunday Journal and Star PFL to draft fcomni USFL-decmatleQi telemu; pool. NEW YORK (AP) The National Football holds its annual draft Tuesday, with a lot. -of the suspense and about four dozen of the top prospects already gone. There is no question who will be the first pick wide reciever Irving Fryar of Nebraska has already been signed by the New England Patriots. They acquired the top choice from the Cincinnati Bengals after the Bengals were unwilling to match the U.S.

Football League's bid for Young quarterback Steve Young, who 'signed with the Los Angeles Express for $40 million over 43 years. 'And the Houston Oilers announced this week they will take Fryar's teammate, guard Dean Steinkuhler with the second choice, making it the first time since 1967, when Bubba Smith and Clinton Jones of Michigan State were chosen by Baltimore and Minnesota, that two players the same school have been 1-2 in the draft. Fryar, considered a game-breaker in the James Lofton-John Jefferson mold, might have been the first pick overall in any event But so might have Young, or Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier, who signed with the Pittsburgh Maulers, or mammoth defensive tackle Reggie White, now of the Memphis Showboats. USFL has nabbed first-rounders In fact, according to the assessment of NFL scouting combines, independent sources and professional "draftniks," the USFL has picked tiff about a third of the potential first-round choices; a quarter of the college players expected to make it in the NFL, and about 90 who might have been among the 336 players drafted in Tuesday's 12rounds. That means that when representatives of the 28 teams convene at the Omni Park Hotel at 7 a.m.

CST, each choice will be even more important than it has been in the past "There are 130 guys with 'make it' grades left in the draft right now. Without the USFL there would have been 175," New York Giants Coach Bill Parcells said. "But there are enough good players out there to have a really good draft if you pick them right You just have to pick right because the margin for error is Steinkuhler, a 267-pounder with speed and strength, was considered the second best player in the draft and had been coveted by the lineman-poor Giants, who pick third. New York choice unknown That leaves New York with the choice of trading down and taking a lineman with a later pick or making a choice the most likely would be linebacker Carl Banks of Michigan State or Maryland's Boomer Esiason, the top-rated quarterback prospect Among the other players expected to go high are wide receiver Kenny Jackson of Penn State, who may be taken by the Philadelphia Eagles choosing fourth; linebacker Wilber Marshall of Florida; defensive linemen "Rick Bryan of Oklahoma and Bill Maas of Pitt and defensive backs Mossy Cade of Texas and Don Rogers of UCL A. With Rozier gone, the top-rated running back is Stanford Jennings of Furman, considered a low first-round-high second-round pick.

Draft may be moved to February This may be the last year the NFL draft is held so late. Many coaches and genral managers prefer the late April-early May draft because it allows them to make better evaluations of prospects, but the USFL raids have led to pressure to move it to Feb. 1 That change may come up for discussion at league meetings in June, when the NFL will also conduct a three-round draft of players who have signed with the USFL That draft will include only players in the class of 1984 last year's USFL signees were included in the regular draft and those who weren't drafted are free agents who can sign with any NFL team. The Kansas City Chiefs have the fifth pick of the first round, followed by the San Diego Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, the Colts, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, New-Orleans Saints, Cincinnati (with a choice acquired from the Patriots for the top pick), St Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, the Colts (a pick acquired from Denver in the John Elway deal last year), Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Ramsv Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins and the Bengals again with a pick acquired from New England, which got it from the Los Angeles Raiders as compensation for the'Raiders' signing of Mike Haynes. ers Daum 9s celebration Randy York Mike Babcock know what he's going to do in certain situations." 'Will'Munford? If Knox is lost for next season and Daum moves back to the strongside, sophomore Marc Munford might find himself with an opportunity to start in only his second year.

He challenged Daum on the weak side throughout the spring. "Munford's got all the tools size, good speed and quickness. All he needs is game experience. He could be a re-ally good player. It helped having him push me.

"That brought my intensity up," Daum said. Replacing Knox would require more than physical skills. "He's pretty crazy," said Daum. The absence of Knox "would definitely hurt our team. But in football you've got to be able to overcome things like that With guys like Munford, (Kevin) Parsons and (Chad) Daffer, we've got good depth at linebacker, and everybody on the first-unit defense has worked together.

That ought to bring it all together. "We knew the defense had to have a good spring, and it did. There's no reason it shouldn't have," Daum said. "And like Coach (Tom) Osborne says, if everybody works hard, we're going to have a heck of a team." According to Daum, such an assessment should be valid even if Knox is missing from the lineup. Even so, Daum would just as soon not find out "We'll have to see how it works out" he said.

Mark Daum planned to "celebrate under control" Saturday night, following the end of spring football practice. His first stop, however, was to be the hospital room of Nebraska teammate Mike Knox, who's played opposite him at linebacker for the last two seasons. Knox had little to celebrate. He left Saturday's annual Red-White Spring Game in the first quarter after suffering a knee injury which could jeopardize his senior season. The extent of the injury and the seriousness of the surgery it will require won't be determined until Sunday morning.

Daum will be there for the diagnosis. 'Knoxie' is a probable pre-season All-American I just hope it's not too serious," he said. "I hope it's not as bad as they say." If the damage can be repaired by arthroscopic surgery, Knox should be ready for the start of fall camp. Daum had his left knee "scoped" following last season's game with Iowa State and "practiced 10 days later. "You've got to look on the bright side.

I'm sure Knoxie would be able to do the same thing if it's just a scope." Could switch If the injury is more serious and there is no bright side, Daum could find himself at strongside linebacker in Nebraska's defensive scheme that's "Sam" in the fall He was "Will," the weakside linebacker, this spring. Huskers He and Knox switched positions after last season. "I wouldn't mind being 'Sam' again," Daum said. "I'd always been a strongside backer until this spring, so I pretty much know what 'Sam' has to do. I'd be happy there." Daum prefers playing on the strong side, even though the "Sam" linebacker usually takes more of a physical beating.

"Sam takes out the blockers so Will can make the tackles. Will's more of a hit man," said Daum. "Sam probably has more quick reads, but in passing situations, he doesn't usually have to run with receivers that are a lot faster than he is." Knowing both sides "helps you out a lot so if I am switched back and play Sam again, I'll know better what my partner is doing. The only thing I'd have to get used to is playing beside a different partner. Mike and I have played linebacker together for two years now.

"You've got to work with your partner for awhile so youll 1 From page1E 2 Different strokes Now that he's taken that giant step between potential and performance, Mark Behning is taking an even greater leap. He's bridging the gap between the team and his own ego. "I've changed in the way I think about football," Behning said. "It was all me before. But being around guys like Mark Traynowicz, Harry Grimminger, Ken Graeber and Rob Stuckey changes you.

You still have personal goals. But they're all related to the team." In other words, Behning believes he has the ability to be All-Big Eight or even beyond. But the 280-pound senior offensive tackle isn't about to say what he thinks. According to Behning, it not only "wouldn't look good it wouldn't be right." Behning makes the statement even after he's been told that Dave Rimington thinks he could be another legitimate candidate for the Outland Award "if more people knew about him." Deep down, Behning might agree with one of his closest friends. But if four uncertain seasons at Nebraska has taught Behning anything, it has taught him pragmatism.

He can now differentiate between delusions of grandeur flnd reality. "I'm not a legitimate All-American candidate. I didn't even make anyone's top two All-Big Eight teams," Behning said. "I'm the strongest offensive lineman we've got but I'm rjot the best offensive lineman we've got. I've got the tools, but I haven't sharpened 'em yet." In light of all that, Behning has decided to quit thinking gbout the individual possibilities that might include being a high 1985 pro draft choice.

The thought is sweet But who wants to risk a sour taste at fie expense of something infinitely more important? "All I care about is the team," Behning said. "On paper, we've got as good an offensive line as we've ever had here, fiut it'll all depend on how hard we work together." There was a time when Behning wouldn't have said that. But fortunately, that was yesterday and yesterday's gone. Almost lost scholarship Behning, you might recall, came to Nebraska from Dentin, Tex. At 6-6 and 250, he was a bona fide "blue-chipper" who (ihose the Huskers over Oklahoma and Texas.

But he came "under a false illusion," Behning said. "I thought I was going to step right in and play. I didn't even think I was going to have to redshirt Was I rudely mistaken. That first spring practice woke me up in a hurry. I saw how far behind I was in everything strength, knowledge, a feel for the offense.

You name it, I didn't have it." Bphning worked on the scout team both as a redshirt and true sophomore. It bruised his ego and threatened a case ofjaranoia. "At first, I thought I was getting cheated," Behning said. "Then I heard a rumor they were cutting me, so I went to Gdach Osborne and asked him if my scholarship was in jeopardy" Behning remembers Osborne's reply being something like: "No, not at this point." According to Behning, it didn't take a Phi Beta Kappa to read between the lines. The scholarship was still his.

But it wouldn't be there if he continued to mark time while others ahead. In the midst of his third uneventful season, Behning made commitment. "I could either be bitter and sit around for two more years, collecting splinters. Or I could go to work and play," he said. "I thought it was about time I played." Last year, that time finally arrived when John Sherlock ws injured "I guess everybody comes along at his own speed," Ben-ipg said.

"Traynowicz and Grimminger came on earlier. It tpik them two years and it took me 3 years. They were thpre mature." They were more team-oriented. until Jeff Taylor hit Jim Holscher with an eight-yard pass with 5:19 remaining in the fourth quarter. DuBose said being on the Whites didn't affect his incentive.

"I think we've got a Big Eight championship caliber team and I want to be a part of it," he said. "We're a lot closer this year. We're all pulling for each other." Red 35, While 13 White 0 0 7 13 Red 13 8 14 0 35 First quorter Red Craig Sundberg 3 run (Scott Livingston kick), 3:02 White Doug DuBose 41 (kick failed), 5:19 Red Scott Porter 1 run (Livingston kick), 10:07 Second quarter Red Travis Turner 3 run (Todd Frain pass from Turner), 13:76 Third quarter Red Turner 22 run (Livingston kick), 6:11 Red Porter 5 run (Livingston kick), 14:55 Fourth quarter White Jim Holscher pass from Jeff Taylor (Todd Tenoplr kick), 9:41 White Red First downs 17 26 Rushes-yards 49-244 65-328 Passing yards 37 133 Sacks bv-vords 5-29 7-59 Return vords 43 26 Passes 6-11-0 14-2W) Punts Fumbles lost 4-2 3-1 Penalties 4-24 7-49 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING White, DuBose 9-99, Hoskins 7-25, Kelley 2-16. Red, JSmlth 16-136, Miles 12-113, Turner 6-32. PASSING White, Turner 2-5-0, 17; Taylor 3-4-0, 19; Blakeman 1-1-0, 1, Clayton 0-1-0, 0.

Red, Sundberg 6-7-0, 75; Turner 5-8-0, 54; Hawkins 1- AUinar 2-3-0. (-2). RECEIVING White, Kranti 1-18, Schnitzler 1-17, Holscher 1-6. Red, Heimer 3-45, Miles 2-27, Swonson 2- 26. jT if was a determined 22-yard sprint for the Reds in the third quarter.

"Sundberg played well when he was in there and Travis had a good day," Osborne said. "Right now, they're head and shoulders above the others in terms of being ready to play. The third quarterback is still up for grabs." Osborne said Turner, a walk-on from Scottsbluff, deserves a scholarship. "He's earned it. We'll have to free one up," Osborne said.

"I'm ready," Turner said. "Everybody's going to be out to get us this year. We may not score every two or three plays like last year, but I don't see any reason why we can't get back to Miami. We've got a great line and awesome running backs. We'll get in the end zone and that's the bottom line." That and an improved defense.

Even though Osborne was a little upset that the Turner-led second offense scored against the top defense on its first opportunity, he wasn't infuriated. "The defense was limited. It couldn't blitz. But you don't expect the first defense to let that happen," said Osborne, who was more concerned about a knee injury to Mike Knox than an 80-yard touchdown drive against the Black Shirts. "It looks like a bad injury," Osborne said.

"That's part of football the bad part We're going to be better on defense. How much better, I don't know. If Knox has a cruciate injury, it'll take six months and we'll miss his leadership, stability and experience. We're also missing some big-play people on offense and I was mildly disappointed in the kicking game today." The game didn't start like a cheap imitation of The Scoring Explosion. It looked like the real thing.

Three drives and three touchdowns boom, boom, just like that. In the first 9:07 of the game, the score was 13-6 and everyone was seeing how Nebraska intends to replace the big guns of last autumn with second and sometimes third effort. Smith set the tone on the first play from scrimmage, galloping 10 yards on a play that should have netted three. Rathman showed the same kind of determination on the second play, bulling for 19 yards on second and third effort of his own and the chain reaction was on. The No.

1 offense drove 72 yards in nine plays with Sundberg covering the last three. DuBose looked at the cue card and decided to take on the Black Shirts almost single-handedly. The Huskers' No. 3 1-back, a sophomore from Uncas-ville, rushed for 70 yards on four plays in the next drive. Those 70 yards, plus 10 more on penalties, gave the Whites their only touchdown fmmmmm mmi-rf i STAFF PHOTO BY TED KIRK NU l-back Doug DuBose (22) breaks into the clear.

back From page IE- S' Clopton passes for 257 yards NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -University of Oklahoma reserve quarterback Mike Clopton broke all the rules Saturday and proved the Sooners can win games, through the air as well as on the ground. "I don't know what happened, but things just went well," Clopton said after passing for 257 yards and two touchdowns as the Red unit overwhelmed the White, 33-0, in the annual intrasquad scrimmage that signals the end of spring football practice. Together, Clopton and starting quarterback Danny Bradley passed for 360 yards, while- Oklahoma rushers gained only 149 as they struggled to adjust to the new wishbone offense being instituted by head Coach Barry Switzer and offensive coordinator Mack Brown. ff i J1 a 1 K'J 'v i i v' I doesn't go any farther than the football field.

"You want to hold your own on the depth chart," said Miles. "But we're all good friends. We hang out together and get along fine." Smith is quiet and reserved. Miles and DuBose tend to be more gregarious. All three talked with Rozier during Saturday's scrimmage.

Rozier joked with Smith about his being voted the team's "Lifter of the Year." "He couldn't believe it," Smith said. "When I carried the ball, Mike gave me some coaching advice," said Miles. "You know he's going to tease you whether you do good or bad, so if anything, you'd better do "Mike told me to stay low and run over-some guys," DuBose said. DuBose planned to celebrate the end of spring practice with Rozier on Saturday night "He knows where all the girls are, and he's got all the money." prove something. Smith, who was hobbled slightly by a sore right ankle, wanted to avoid turnovers and mistakes.

By his own estimation, he succeeded. "I did okay," said Smith. "But I always want to do better." According to Smith, the Cornhuskers should be solid at running back in the fall "Nebraska's always had good I-backs and good back-up people. "If I go down, Paul and Doug will be there to take over "he said. Miles gained 24 yards in his first two carries after taking over for Smith during the Reds' second series, and second touchdown drive, of the afternoon.

Miles inspired by DuBose DuBose's touchdown run "inspired me," Miles said with a smile. "I didn't want to lose to the White team." Competition between the three I-backs STAFF PHOTO BY TED KIRK rty's Robb Schnltzier (83) is dragged down by defenders Bret Clark (1 0) and Neil Harris (11). TV moguls interested in two Nebraska football games Knox- From page IE- "This is all very preliminary," Bryant said. contracts have been signed They were just inquiring to see if we were interested and if certain things could be worked out" Bryant said CBS is interested in the Nebraska-UCLA game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif, Sept 22. The game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

CST, but Bryant said CBS is interested in moving the game to that evening for a national teleV cast He said ABC also would want to alter the schedule of the Nebraska-Oklahoma game for a national telecast The game is scheduled to be played Nov. 17 in Lincoln. But Bryant said ABC would like to move the game back to the Thanksgiving weekend. Bryant declined to speculate which day the game would be played By The Associated Press ABC and CBS network television executives have told University of Nebraska officials they're interested in telecasting Cornhusker football games with UCLA and Oklahoma next fall. Don Bryant assistant athletic director, confirmed Friday that the two networks are interested in broadcasting the games.

hope it isn't too bad." 4 Still, Knox has prepared himself for Whatever the arthroscope may find. Should it be ligament damage, Knox, a Senior who hasn't redshirted, could sit (Hit a season and come back. it that's the case, both Melton and head coach Tom Osborne confirmed that Mark Daum may have to be moved strong side. "We need to talk as a staff, but that might put a little heat on the linebacker position. We have a lot to resolve next fall." Osborne said the injury, if it proves to be as serious as it seems, would be the first serious spring injury in several years.

"We've been so lucky the last few years," he said. back from weakside linebacker, where he's been sharing first-team status with sophomore Marc Munford, to strongside linebacker. That Melton said, may also mean that sophomore Steve Forch might not redshirt next year as originally planned. "That's probably what would happen," Osborne said of Daum switching to the..