Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 58

4E Nov. 5, 1978 Lincoln, Sunday Journal and Star. Hie Huskqrs Craig 1 N-Kotera 3 7: K-Footef i 7 fc ili, Hi yard romp. He has clear sailing most of the way, but has to avoid Jayhawk defenders Roger Foote (9) and Monte Car-bonell (96) (hidden behind Foote) as he starts his run down the right sideline (1). Johnson picked up blocking help (2) To say the least, Nebraska I-back Craig Johnson had a good day against Kansas, picking up 192 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown pass covering 78 yards.

Johnson (30) marked his third touchdown of the day In the third quarter on this 60- NU strikes gold with Craig Johnson 3 Si I By Mike Babcock "It just opened up underneath, and everybody was blocking downfield," he said. I lis second touchdown, the 78-yard screen pass, opened up to the outside. Johnson was accompanied part of the way by Tim Wurth, who, though not in the game at the time, ran along the sideline for about 30 yards past the llusker bench. "Afterward he (Wurth) said he was yelling to go outside on that screen," Johnson said. "I told him I couldn't hear him yelling, but that was where I went." There was little question about who would get the award as Nebraska's offensive player of the game.

Johnson's first touchdown, the 64-yarder, came on his first carry this season behind the first-team offensive line. all the talk about him going to Kansas," Kotera said. "Before the game, Craig went around shaking everbody's hand, telling them to go and get 'em. "Thai's the first time Craig's done that," he said. "So I'd say, yeah, he was pumped up." LAWRENCE, Kan.

-Everything Craig Johnson touched turned to gold. Like the Tim llager screen pass; he turned into a 78-yard touchdown here Saturday afternoon against Kansas. "I don't know. It's funny because before the play was run, I had a vision that it would be a big play," Johnson said of the third time he handled the fool-ball. Not only did it make Johnson a prophet, but it gave llager his first TI) pass as a llusker.

"You don't expect to get a touchdown off a screen," llager said. "When I threw it, I thought it would be good for the first down. "But Craig did run like a maniac today, and he just wasn't gbing down. I thought every time he touched the ball, he'd score." Johnson almost The first time he got he raced 64 yards for a touchdown. It was the longest run Jrorn scrimmage by a llusker this season.

The sixth time he handled it, Johnson left a Kansas defender holding part of his tearaway jersey and scored his third touchdown on a 60-yard run. InUhe game, he carried the ball 10 times for 192 yards -Kansas managed just 70 yards as team and had the pass. That was 270 yards of Nebraska's 799 yards of total offense; Saturday. No one disputed the fact that Johnson was psyched up for the Jayhawks. Roommate Jim Kotera explained.

"I think he was because of Wurth had a different explanation for his escort. "I was going to throw a block for him," Wurth said with a smile. The way Johnson was running Saturday, it didn't take many blocks to give him the daylight he needed. Going into the game, Johnson had carried the football 27 times for 172 yards. He more than doubled that against the Jayhawks.

And even though he's still 2,081 yards behind Tony Davis as Nebraska's all-time leading rusher, Johnson looked like he'll be pursing that record someday. With those powerful, lanky strides, Johnson sent NU fans home comparing him to Richard Berns, who moved up to fourth behind Davis Saturday. "It shows I can play," Johnson said. "I accomplished something for my own pride and ego today. "I don't feel I need to prove anything because I know who plays ahead of me, and I'm not competing against them.

I'm just competing against the other teams in the conference," he said. Johnson smiled and talked to reporters until the rest of the team had left, and Coach Tom Osborne prodded him to shower. "It feels good to be sore after a game," Johnson said. Those 270 yards and three touchdowns weren't cheap. "I started getting pretty dry out there," he said.

"I got hit in the calf, and i started getting a sideache towards the end of the third quarter. "Other than that, I'm all right," Johnson said. No one would question that. If '5 itl.ti... -rn, i mm Sj.

i ion xsrf i''. A moment of joy for Tim Hager (left) and Craig Johnson, Rick Berns, who reinjured a bruised thigh in the first quarter, receives attention from an NU trainer. Berns put the Huskers on the scoreboard in the opening period on a two-yard run before leaving the game. He watched second half action in street clothes from the sidelines. Andrews on phone to coaches Husker defensive captain George Andrews cheers his teammates on from the sidelines Saturday.

An A drews saw limited action I Pr-v. i-' fTy irn ZTrr wt7t u- i mil fsi If r-K IhiSiA (i i -if 'ri because of a severe groin i injury suffered earner in the week. Here, he talks to coaches in the pressbox. Staff photos by Bob Gorham Randy Hampton Harald Dreimanis The crowd at Lawrence voiced its disapproval of this third-quarter calL ceivarfor what looked like a sure interception (1), then just an incom- i. u.i i fMni nt ho Vincnc pa.

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