Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 29

Sept 19, 1082 Lincoln. Sunday Journal and Star 5D 7 By Chuck Sinclair be a better New Mexico State team than the one that ventured to Lincoln the last time. It was a quote by Aggie senior quarterback- Jamie McAlister bruised, battered and bloodied as he got ready to walk out of the haunting stadium for the last 7" "IH tell you what," he said. "I know how Arafat felt when he left Beirut SUffport Writer The ultimate punchline to all the 'Aggie' jokes that started with Nebraska's 57-0 whipping of New Mexico State 'three years ago was delivered Saturday afternoon in Memorial But the punchline wasn't Nebraska's 68-0 thrashing of what was expected to 0 4 1 fyfV i-7 a i I- kind of depth, I look for them to go a long ways. They just keep coming and coming." The one area Krueger Is unsure of about Nebraska is the Huskers pass rush.

t. "They may have trouble if they dont get a better pass rush," he said. "But I dont know what their plan was as far as blitzing and 'dogs' against us. We had fairly good pass protection today." To the man, Krueger, Francis and McAlister all believe New Mexico State is a much better football team than the one that lost 57-0 in Lincoln three years ago. "Overall, we're much better, quicker, stronger and better prepared," Francis said.

"All that means is we're progressing, b'ut Nebraska's progressing just a little bit more. With the way they played today, they dont look like they can get a whole lot better." "They're No. in the country and we're 100 and something," Krueger said. "That's (the score) just the difference in the two teams. I wish 'em luck.

I hope they beat Penn State next week. I wish the Cornhuskers would be No. 1 in the country, then we can say we got beat by the No. 1 team. Right?" The No.

1 team in McAlister's eyes also has the No. 1 fans. "This is a classy place," he said. "Those fans are people to admire. They tried to make us feel a little better after the game.

They gave us a little support." McAlister remembered that same kind of send off three years ago. He also remembered commenting in his last Lincoln appearance about how New Mexico State was a team of the future. "We've just got to hope for next week, hopefully," he said. "You've got to try and forget something like this. I dont know what else you can do except shoot yourself in the head, maybe." lucky to be alive." McAlister was half-kidding, half-serious about a football team he feels is in a class by itself on the college leveL I dont think they are a college football team," he added.

"They could probably play the Steelers tomorrow." McAlister, who saw limited duty in the first meeting with Nebraska as a freshman three years ago, was that So was Aggie Coach Gil Krueger. "Nebraska is a much better football team than three years ago," Krueger said. "I think probably the dimension of the quarterback with the option is so much better than it was three years ago. I really think their offensive line might be better, too. They're much more physical coming off the balL We're a much better football team than we were three years ago, and our kids say they've never played anybody that can even come close to the way they came offthebalL ''With the dimension of the quarterback and the offensive line they have, they could be the No.

1 college football team," Krueger said. "He (Turner Gill) is such a great runner. But I saw the Iowa films, and he's really throwing the ball so much better than a year ago, will really help their offense." Aggie defensive back Andre Francis, who caught Mike Rozier from behind on the opening play of the game to postpone an inevitable touchdown, didnt think having that dimension was necessarily fair. He thought the Huskers had plenty of power in talented running backs alone, "I felt this Nebraska team had a lot more team speed than the last one we faced three years ago," Francis said. "It's not just (Roger) Craig and Rozier.

Their second and third team backs break open for long runs, too. With that i -Mm msmmmmmmssmmmm 'Zi-mmmmtmmwxM j73wTTTJt Jj liiliilil 4 New Mexico State Coach Gil Krueger sends in a play. Leg injury to sideline NU's Craig? There was sobering news Jiiiiiif ftmmmi Saturday following the 68-0 win over New Mexico State. vGjeorge Sullivan, NU's head trainer and head physical therapist, said a deep-bruise on running back Roger Craig's right thigh is serious enough to make him a questionable performer for Saturday's nationally-televised game at Penn State. Craig limped off the field after a nine-yard gain midway through the first quarter.

He spent the rest of the game nursing the injury with an ice pack and listening to the -action on radio in the training "It's pretty swollen," Sullivan said. "We probably wont know if he'll be able to play until the middle of the week." "I was hoping to play more today," Craig said. "I wanted to get in the groove and get my timing down. I don't know what they (Sullivan and Coach Osborne) think. But I know what I think.

Ill be ready to play against Penn State." Thigh injuries were the most common, other Huskers suffered what appeared to be less serious thigh injuries wingback Irving Fryar, linebackers Brent Evans and Steve McWhirter and corner-hack Jim Murphy. -s Wingbacks Tom Vergith (shoulder) and Shane Swan-son, (groin) also required treatment. Hfusker running back Tim Brungardt (32) flies over a pile of players while a New Mexico State player (right) moves in to stop him in the third quarter. NU's big little play New Mexico State couldnt stop it. That was obvious on Nebraska's first snap from scrimmage Saturday afternoon, when I-back Mike Rozier broke the play for 62 yards.

The blocking was perfect "I think everybody got his man," said Glathar. To New Mexico State's beleaguered defense, the Cornhusker offensive line must have seemed as relentless as the Northwest Mounted Police. It turned basic plays like the 41-pitch into long gainers. On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, Smith ran 68 yards for a touchdown. The play? "A 41-pitch," Smith said.

By Mike Babcock Staff Sports Writer The "41-pitch" is basic to Nebraska's I-formation offense. 'It's 6ne of the first plays you learn as a freshman," senior guard Kurt Glathar said after the Cornhuskers' 68-0 devastation of New Mexico State on Saturday in Memorial Stadium. "It's the first play most people try to shut down," said Dave Rimington, Nebraska's Outland Award-winning center. Ordinarily; the play isn't a game-breaker, though. "It's designed to go five or six yards," sophomore I-back Jeff Smith said.

"A good defense will usually stop it after that much." Staff photos by: Jed Kirk Dreimanis Web Ray Humberto Ramirez Gail Folda Bob Gorham "They couldnt stop it." "We couldn't ask for much better execution, I guess. Any time we got in trouble, we went to the pitch," said Rimington. "Our offensive tackles did a super job of controlling their men." According to Rimington, the offensive tackles "are the key" to Nebraska's 41-pitch Cornhusker tackles "Jeff (Kwapick) and Randy (Theiss) must have had a great game," Rimington said. "Their (the Aggies') containment wasn't very good. The 'force men weren't doing much except'diving on the ground.

When that happens, you're going to have a big play now and then." To say Nebraska had big plays now and then against New Mexico State was to understate the situation. The Cornhuskers' NCAA-record 43 first downs (S6 by ing) and 883 yards of total offense were striking evidence of that An NU school record 677 of those yards came on the ground, and not one rushing play lost yardage. Nebraska's backs and receivers drew the cheers of the crowd, but "it was a team effort," said Glathar, who started and alternated on the first team with Mike Man-delko and Dean Steinkuhler. "The linemen are as important as the backs in setting those records; everybody considers them team records." Despite New Mexico State's obvious shortcomings, Glathar thought Nebraska' showed improvement against the out manned Aggies. "I think we played better.

"Everybody was doing the right thing at the right time," he said. "Everything was clicking; it just fell into place. "We were alternating guys in there (in Ikn 1inn nnA Kr 4tA CAMn1 ttnlf i Kstt 4 kn 7 J( lllillSiS KllSilltll! ilti7iia7ii(' I i r. i i -7 I 7 15 7 7--7 Z-f I3V i S4r- '-y7im. -7gf 7 A 'N, 1 1 1 nil iMBaaSSta Husker running back JeW Smlth (28) handoff 1 and the eame NMS Mike Anderson (12) follow.

Downfield, Smith cuts to his left Familiarity with the Cornhuskers' 41- 2 t0 Set around New Mexico State's Dan Kne (43). As Smith pitch didnt make it any easier for New nearly breaks into open field, Aggie Holbert Johnson (9) begins Mexico State to stop the play. "We didnt footrace (3) with Smith and makes a diving grab (4) for the run much inside stuff," said Rimington. Huskers' feet, but falls short as Smith crosses the goal line (5) for "We didnt have to." a 68-yard touchdown run. Nebraska running back RogetCralg is pulled down by Aggie Jton Stockton (13) after a 23-yard gain hi the first quarter: 5.