Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 19

lintoln Journal Friday, October 6, 1978 19' Sports; Huskers hope to buffalo ISU with offense By Randy York NU-Iowa State lineups five best backs in the. Big Eight in the last 10 or 15 years. Statistics tend to back up that observation. Green has rushed for 3,070 career yards, ranking seventh on the Big Eight's all-time list If he gets 123 yards Saturday, a yard less than his average the last two years against the Huskers, Green will move up to fourth among the all-time league leaders. He would move ahead of Oklahoma's Greg Pruitt, Colorado's Charles Davis and Kansas' LaVeme Smith.

Only Oklahoma State's Terry Miller (4,754 yards) and Oklahoma's Joe Washington (4,071) and Steve Owens (4,041) would rank ahead of Green. Green's statistics are not what scares Nebraska, though. Iowa State's time of possession does. The longer the Cyclones keep the football, the less chance the Huskers have to do their thing. It may sound tremendously fundamental to the average fan, but it's the main topic of conversation amongst the Nebraska coaching staff.

"You cant score without the football" is a cliche Nebraska has learned to It put the Huskers in a 21-14 hole at intermission. And although the defense regrouped in the second half, Iowa State finished the game with 28 more snaps of the football and a full 14 more time of possession minutes than Nebraska. Anything close to that here Saturday and the Huskers can fold the tent on their high-scoring offense and head home with a third straight loss to the Cyclones after going the previous IS years without losing to them. "I can't even imagine how hard that would be for them to take," says Iowa State linebacker, co-captain and top tackier Tom Boskey. "Nebraska seems to be able to put up with all kinds of losses to Oklahoma, but they can't quite stand losing to us." Boskey, of course, states merely the truth, even though Osborne said earlier this week that the Huskers are approaching the ISU game in the same light they approach any other.

Osborne may have the ability to stay even-tempered and in control of his emotions, but the atmosphere surrounding the Big Eight opener for both teams will be something similar to the wait before a heavyweight championship boxing match. going to make a lot of difference for us. For once, wel have a definite home field advantage." The crunch for Nebraska tickets was unbelievable. Even early last June, Nebraska ticket manager Helen Ruth Wagner had almost 17,000 official requests for Iowa State tickets in her office. Too bad Nebraska-Iowa State didn't make it on television instead of Nebraska-Indiana.

Last week was a bomb. This week should be a boom. Trouble is, Texas-Oklahoma is a proven winner with national appeal and that matchup blocked the possibility of the Huskers and Cyclones on the tube. Tradition didn't help either. Nebraska leads, 57-13-2, in a series which started in 1896.

It is safe to say things have heated up considerably since the arrival of Bruce. He's not only verbalized his obsession to whip Nebraska, he's backed it up with performance. Heisman Trophy candidate Dexter Green, who has shown his heels to Nebraska defenders to the tune of 248 yards and three touchdowns these past two years, is the key to the Cyclone attack. Osborne calls Green one of the four or Staff Sports Writer AMES, la. Just as you cant roller skate in a buffalo herd, you can't score without the football It may be one of the game's foremost cliches, but it commands Tom Osborne's attention here Saturday as his 10th-ranked Cornhuskers square off with 15th-ranked Iowa State, off to the school's best start in 40 years with a 4-0 record.

Osborne, his team averaging 53.7 points the last three times it has dug its cleats into AstroTurf, knows the Huskers can score. The trick is to make sure the ball's in the right hands to insure the opportunity. Last year, it wasn't. The Huskers only snapped the ball 16 times in the first half of a 24-21 loss to the Cyclones in Lincoln. Sixteen! Now, that may be a magic number for young love.

But it's a figure of a horror to a football team. Especially Nebraska, which prides itself on the concept of ball control. "Normally," Osborne says, "you expect to average between 30 and 40 snaps a half and 70 to 85 snaps a game. Sixteen has to be one of the lowest figures we've ever had." NEBRASKA OFFENSE IOWA STATE No. Name Ht.

Wt. Yr. Pot Yr.Wt. Jt. Name No.

Miller 6-4 222 Jr. TE Sr. 220 (-7 Preston 73 K. Clark 275 Sr. LT So.

240 (-7 Tl. Stonerook 7S 54 Cotton (-5 245 Sr. LO Sr. 240 6-3 Griulnger 70 57 Saalfeld (-4 237 Jr. Sr.

232 4-3 To. Stonerook Llndqultt 4-4 254 Sr RO So. 247 4-3 Neal 74 74 Ohrt 4-4 244 Sr. RT Jr. 270 4-3 Cuveller 44 54 Smith 4-3 194 Jr.

SE Sr. 172 5-11 Hlxon 41 12 Sorter 4-2 200 Sr. QB Jr. 180 4-2 Rubley 11 32 Hipp 44 200 Jr. IB Sr.

172 54 Green 24 39 Franklin 5-11 195 So. FB So. 204 4-1 Seabrooke 37 22 Brown 44 174 Jr. WB Sr. 180 44 Hardee 29 NEBRASKA DEFENSE IOWA STATE No.

Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos Yr. Wt.

Ht. Name No. 81 Cole 4-2 204 Jr. LE Sr. 200 4-3 Weidemann 89 55 R.

Horn 4-5 259 Jr. LT Sr. 270 4-5 Stentrud 43 51 Welnmatter 44 214 Jr. MO Jr. 220 4-2 Sweeney 98 97 Barnett 4-5 242 Jr.

RT Fr. 240 4-4 C. Boskey 78 94 Andrews 44 223 Sr. RE Sr. 200 44 White 92 40 Dunning 4-3 214 Sr.

LB Sr. 221 4-2 T. Boskey 94 38 Kunz 4-1 218 Sr. LB Jr. 220 4-1 Cole 50 29 Plllen 44 183 Sr.

Sr. 189 5-11 Perticone 33 14 Fischer 5-9 145 Sr. CB Sr. 194 44 Washington 17 34 Means 44 172 So. CB Sr.

183 4-1 demons 34 9 Gary 5-11 184 So. Jr. 174 44 Schwartz 24 Site: Ames, Iowa. Klckoff: 1:35 p.m. Broadcasts: KFAB, KLIN, WOW, KFOR.

The game has been a sellout since last Nebraska fans used to migrate to spring. Even 4,000 standing room only Ames in huge masses, but there will be tickets were gobbled up in a matter of only 3,500 in the stands Saturday, hours earlier this week, insuring a record "Our fans bought the extra 12,000 seats crowd of some 50,000 in ISU's beautiful Nebraskans used to have," Iowa State three-year-old stadium. Head Coach Earle Bruce said. "That's ISU's dynamic duo eyeing rare sweep (, iVf 1 1 4, tl 1 jl I A 1 ll" ii'n ti nniMf-i- rr if ultff' 1 mwr iimniilt'iiit 'nifffr rmi iimBi nUT JmrnT idBiiiiii urn -t i- i By Mike Babcock Staff Sports Writer Two players from Nebraska did it in 1972. Johnny Rodgers won the Heisman Trophy, symbolic of the nation's best collegiate football player, and Rich Glover was awarded the Outland Trophy for being the nation's top interior lineman.

It had never happened before players from the same college winning both awards and it has happened only once since. Last season Texas running back Earl Campbell raced off with the Heisman and Longhorn teammate Brad Shearer corraled the Outland. Saturday in Ames, Iowa, Nebraska will get a look at an Iowa State dynamic duo that has the potential and the pre-season acclaim to pull off college football's big double a third time. The Cyclones' Dexter Green and Mike Stensrud are considered bona fide candidates to give their Big Eight school its first Heisman or Outland or both. "I've been trying to push myself more tecause you don't become a Heisman candidate or an Ail-American over night," Green said.

From the beginning of his sophomore season, Dexter has been a key figure in the Iowa State offense, and now he has become the Cyclones'all-time leading rusher just four games into his senior season. Stensrud was playing when he was a freshman, but the publicity this year has been particularly tough. "You tell people it doesnt bother you," Stensrud said. "But in the back of your mind, you think you have to have a good game each week." Until recently, that wasn't happening for the big defensive tackle from Lake Mills, Iowa. "Personally I had a terrible first three games," he said.

"I certainly didn't live up to my image. I don't know what the problem was." The 6-5, 270-pound Stensrud's "problem" may have been a nine-pound baby boy named Andrew Richard, who was born to Mike and his wife 10 days ago. "I don't know whether it was my wife expecting the baby or what it was, but I wasn't aggressive," Stensrud said. "You look back and say it didn't have an effect, but I'm sure it did. "I was kinda lackadaisical, and maybe I was trying to put all the (pre-season) publicity out of my mind.

I tried to tell myself I didn't have to have good games as long as the team won but I wasn't helping the team much that way," he said. Like Stensrud, the Cyclones didn't exactly get off to a national championship start, edging Rice 23-19 and slipping by l-STATE Continued page 20 APWIREPHOTO A morose Dick Ruthven sits on the Philadelphia bench long after his team but was relieved in the fifth inning, trailing 3-0, Ruthven is now 1-11 life-had lost to Los Angeles Thursday. Ruthven started the game for the Phils time against the Dodgers Dodgers get tough wins; ready to open champagne LOS ANGELES (UPI) The hardest part of the National League championship series is over for the Los Angeles Dodgers and that means they could be sipping champagne Friday night at Dodger Stadium. The defending National League champions, behind Tommy John's four-hitter and Davey Lopes' home run and three runs batted in, made it two straight at Veterans Stadium Thursday with a 4-0 win over Philadelphia, the Phillies' sixth straight playoff loss at home. The sky-high Dodgers need one more victory in this best-of-five series to wrap it up and they'll send veteran Don Sutton to the mound Friday night (7:30 p.m.).

The Phillies will pitch lefthander Steve Carlton as they attempt to become the first team in playoff history to come back from a 2-0 deficit and win three straight. Taking an early lead both Wednesday night and Thursday, Los Angeles has established such dominance in the first two games before roaring Philadelphia crowds that a sweep looks a cinch, but Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda says it's not over yet. "I'm gratified to win two games at Veterans Stadium," Lasorda said. "But it's still the best of five and we still have to win one more. We've been getting super pitching and I hope that Soph boots FG at gun for upset OMAHA Sophomore Dave Gilcrest kicked a 32-yard field goal as time ran out to help Bellevue East upset Class A's fifth-ranked Creightou Prep 3-0 here Thursday night.

Gilcrest had neither kicked a field goal nor attempted an extra point kick before his dramatic game winner Thursday night. The sophomore set up his field goal with an interception of a Creighton Prep pass at the 50-yard line with a minute left in the game. Creighton Prep failed to score on three opportunities in the second half as a motion penalty nullified one touchdown and Bellevue East blocked a field goal attempt Prep is now 5-1, while Bellevue East is 2-4. NU's Branch replaces Lemon LOS ANGELES (AP) Meadowlark Lemon, who blended superb basketball skills and crazy antics to keep audiences laughing around the world, has retired from the Harlem Globetrotters. Stan Greeson, president of the Globetrotter organiza- tion, said Thursday that Lemon requested to be released from his contract Greeson said former Nebraska eager Nate Branch, an 11-year Globetrotter veteran, will take over as we'll continue tomorrow and we can win." When asked if he would have been happy with a split in Philadelphia, Lasorda replied, "Only if we had lost the first game." Lopes, the team captain and surprise power hitting star of the series thus far, wasn't as cautious as his manager.

"They're a very explosive team, but I feel confident we'll end this thing tomorrow night," he said. "We don't want to give them a chance to get back in this thing." "It is obviously the toughest way to win this series to go to LA," Phils' reliever Ron Reed said. "But honestly, I don't think this team is going to put its tail between its legs. It seems we haven't taken the easy way all year. I havent lost confidence." But performance, the demoralized Phillies may never recover.

The 35-year-old lefty, thought to be washed up four years ago after serious elbow surgery, faced only 30 batters, getting three double plays from his alert infield. Using a sinking fast ball that tailed away from an all right-handed hitting lineup, John got 21 outs on ground balls. Only two putouts were registered by the outfielders liners by Bob Boone in the second and Garry Maddox to end the game. "I threw mostly.fastballs today because that's what I consider my best pitch," John said. "I had a good curve today and I went to it more than I usually do." Phils' Manager Danny Ozark wasn't as impressed with John's performance.

"If we laid off a lot of his pitches, he's not so good," he said. "He kept the ball down and we went after some bad pitches." The outing was just the latest chapter in John's remarkable comeback story. He ruptured a ligament in his left elbow in July 1974 and underwent major surgery two months later. Doctors took a tendon from his right forearm to reconstruct the elbow and advised him to find some other line of work. But John persisted, taking 1975 to work himself back into shape.

He won 10 games in 1976 and was named National League Comeback Player of the Year, and followed it up with a 20-win season in 1977. He was 17-10 this season although he missed a few starts with a leg injury. "I had super doctors who knew what they were doing when they operated on me," John said. "I had a great wife to give me help at home and the good Lord took care of everything else. I think I'm throwing the ball harder now than I did then.

This was certainly my most emotional game this year and with everything riding on the game Tike it was, it certainly has to rank up there as one of the best games I've ever pitched," he added. Lopes smacked a fourth-inning home run off loser Dick Ruthven after Ruthven had retired the first nine batters in succession. He singled in Steve Yeager in the fifth to make it 3-0 and tripled home Rick Monday in the seventh. In two games, Lopes has six hits, including two homers, one triple, one double and five runs batted In. 1 1 a 1 Sr jhLLxM Writ.

'SJtAoWw mk UPITELEPHOTO A jubilant Tommy John (25) is congratulated by his catcher Steve Yeager after blanking Philadelphia, 4-0, in Game Two of the National League playoffs. Getting ready to join the celebration is Dodger third baseman Ron Cey (left). TT Sprls 1 Scene Friday Baseball Phillies vs. Dodgers. NL playoff, 7 p.m..

Football NCAA highlights, 6:30 p.m., East vs. Northeast, 7 p.m., dJ Notre Dome vs. Purdue, 11 :50 p.m., CD Specials Los Vegas Sportsllne, 10 p.m., CE Phillies vs. Dodgers. NL playoff, 7 p.m., Sunday Football NFLTodav, CD Lions vs.

Redskins, noon, CD College Football 71, 1 p.m., Broncos vs. Chargers, 3 p.m., fl Vikings vs. Seahawks, 3 p.m., CD Tom Osborne Show, p.m., CD Saturday Football NCAA football, 11 30 a.m., (J) Viking report, 9 p.m., (D Baseball Royals vs. Yankees. AL playoff, 12:30 p.m., 3).