Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 43

Oct. 29, 1978 Lincoln, Sunday Journal and Star 5E r-'A Zp7 Todc? had someone to impress mom WJ -1 45r e. "The first two were fajr; the last one I. really didn't know about when it went up be-: cause I hit it a little bit low," Todd said. "We had the wind, and when we went out, Tommy (holder Sorley) just said to punch it.

He kept it straight "So I mostly concentrated on keeping it' straight," he said. Todd's second field goal, the 28-yarder with 18 seconds left in the half, came at a time when Nebraska fans expected the Huskers to run one more play before kicking. "Initially Coach (Tom) Osborne had a play called, and he started to send it in," Todd said. "I'm not sure what the play was, but I think the thing was, we were out of timeouts and in case Tommy (Sorley) got sacked or caught inbounds, we wouldn't have had time to kick. "Since we had time out, it was a good chance to get set up and kick the sure thing," he said.

No one would have guessed that fourth-' ranked Nebraska would need to call on some good into-the-wind punting by Tim Smith he averaged 42.6 yards on five punts the field goals, and some into-the-end zone kick-offs by Todd in order to get past the Cowboys. But that's what happened. "We spent a little bit more time with kickoff team this week," Todd said. "Coach i (Lance) Van Zandt appointed Jeff Hansen; captain of the kickoff team, and we kindaj made it our goal that this week nobody was going to break one. "Our goal was to keep them inside the 20 yard line," he said.

100-yard return vivid The memory of Howard Ballage's 100-yard kickoff return against the Huskers last week in Boulder was still vivid. "The one at Colorado was a pretty fair kick; it had good height, but it was only three yards deep," Todd said. "Today I was concentrating on getting more distance six, seven or eight yards deep. "That way, they're more hesitant to come out with it," he said. Oklahoma State managed to return one kickoff out of six opportunities Saturday afternoon, and that one put the football on the Cowboy 19 yard line.

Billy Todd's mom must have loved it. It was worth coming from Arizona to see just like it was worth coming all that way to see her son. By Mike Babcock Staff Sports Writer Billy Todd was concentrating better Saturday afternoon than he has all season long. The senior from Chandler, kicked three field goals to help Nebraska slip past Oklahoma State, 22-14, at Memorial Stadium, and each time he kicked, he was keeping his head down, making certain that nothing would go wrong. It was kind of like a young boy doing a good job of keeping his room picked up and his clothes off the floor.

Todd was that precise Saturday. Offensive player of game Those field goals of 23, 28 and 42 yards -earned him the award as the Huskers' offensive player of the game, but more importantly, they showed Susan Todd that her son was alive and kicking in Lincoln. "I tried harder probably than I have all year to keep my concentration," Todd said in the Nebraska locker room after his second straight three-field goal afternoon. "My mom came up (from Arizona) for the game, and I didn't want to miss any. "She came all the way up here, and I thought I'd try to do my best and give her a good performance," he said.

It was the first time in two seasons that Billy's mother has seen him play in Lincoln, and he wasn't taking any chances. He gave her a good performance. "I don't know if it helped, but it put a little more pressure on me," Todd said. "In the end, I guess it helped." Game's deciding factors No one, including Billy's mom, would have thought three field goals would be the deciding factors in a game with Oklahoma State. "Not going into the game," Todd said.

"I know I certainly didn't think so in the first half. "I think everybody thought we'd come out and put a lot of touchdowns on the board in the second half, but it didn't turn out that way," he said. Todd kicked his first field goal with 14:15 left in the second quarter to cut an Oklahoma State lead to 7-3. His second came with 18 seconds remaining in the half and made the score 19-7, Nebraska. He split the uprights for the final time from 42 yards away with 15 seconds left in the third quarter.

All came with a steady south wind at his back. imiMiiaTMiir Running backs and ends are usually named offensive players of the scorer, place-kicker Billy Todd (14). Todd converted three field goals game, but Saturday that honor went to the Huskers' season-long leading and added a PAT, increasing his season scoring production to 52 points. Fumble wsmmmmm ui no I rO If p.M it. Pokes I nil The Huskers leading ball carrier was senior I-back Rick Berns (35), who rushed for 87 yards with 18 field here with blocker Bar- ney Cotton (54), ready for a confrontation with Cow- vO Kimic loft onrt Pnrtic Rnnno (93).

KiMtMpitMrii iiditci cDUATn qv Ten uatt I P. I 1 N-Gary tH! I ft I 1 OS-Burkl YnO Va Saturday's game wasn't one I.M. Hipp (32) will want to remember very long. The much-wntten-about Husker running back did rush for 73 yards, but fumbled three times, losing two to the Cowboys. This fourth-quarter fumble stopped a Husker drive at the Cowboy 27.

NU injuries heavier than usual Oklahoma State came into Lincoln with a reputation for playing physical football, and Nebraska had the bumps and bruises to show that reputation was well-deserved. The Huskers came out of Saturday's game more banged-up that at any other time this season. "Oh yeah, we always expect this in the Okie State game," head trainer George Sullivan said. Sullivan indicated that I-back Richard Berns and monster Jim PiUen suffered char-ley horses; defensive halfback Russell Gary left the game with a strained knee; fullback Andra Franklin suffered a bruise when he was kicked in the shin; and safety Andy Means got dinged making a tackle. Linebacker Bruce Dunning remjured a bruised shoulder, and running back Tim Wurth left the game in the first half after reinjuring his neck and hurting a "You're not going anywhere," Nebraska linebacker Bruce Dunning (40) says to Cowboy quarterback Scott Bark (10).

Dunning had the same to say to most of the other OSU ball earners Saturday as he led the Black Shirts with 14 tackles. Linebacking mate Lee Kunz (38), who is helping Dunning with this stop, had 13 total tackles and was named defensive player of he game. 1.