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Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 25

Location:
Lincoln, Nebraska
Issue Date:
Page:
25
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

SECTION Sports urto Journal anb tar Nov. 25. 1779 Lincoln, Neb. Home-Garden 3C0L01U Oklahoma does it again ipoils NU title hopes, 17-14 i I f' --y i i rt V' jV 'k 7 V--VJS 'is Season's records NEBRASKA (10-1) OKLAHOMA (10-1) 15 Utoh St 35-14 15 Iowa 21-6 22 Iowa 24-21 49-13 S29PennSt 29 Rice 63-21 0 6 N. Mex 6 013 Kansas 42-0 013Texos 7-16 O20Cla.St..

36-0 0 20 Karoos St 38-6 027Cokrodo. 38-10 027 Iowa St 38-9 3 Missouri. 23-20 3 Oklo. St 38-7 10 Kansas 10 Kansas 17 Iowa 34-3 N17 Missouri 24-22 24 14-17 24 Nebraska. After the loss to Oklahoma, the Nebraska players, coaches and fans didn't much care who the host team will be.

And it's just as welL Arkansas defeated SMU Saturday night, 31-7, eliminating Texas from the Cotton Bowl race, but Houston still has a shot at the berth. If Texas wins its game next week, Arkansas will be the host team in the bowl regardless of the outcome of Houston's game. By New Year's Day the Huskers will have a different outlook. First, however, they must recover from the hurts both physically and mentally they suffered here Saturday before a jam-packed' crowd of 71,187. Neb.

Oklo. First downs is is Rushes-yards 53-234 59-352 Passing vords 102 130 Total offense 336 482 Return yards 128 26 Posses 8-19-2 4-8-1 Punts 7-38 5-42 Fumbles-tast 2-0 1-1 Penalties-yards 4-40 5-42 Third down conversions 6-15 6-11 Fourth down conversions 2-2 1-1 Time of possession 31:45 28:15 By Virgil Parker Sports Editor NORMAN, Okla. It happened again. For the second season in a row, the Nebraska Cornhuskers came down to the final game of the regular season ranked No. 2 in the country and with a legitimate shot at the national championship.

Only to come up short. Last year, it was a 17-14 Nebraska victory over Oklahoma which set the stage. The next week, Missouri was the spoiler. This time Oklahoma triumphed by the identical 17-14 count, shoving the Sooners into the Orange Bowl, while the Huskers wfJl settle for a consolation trip to Dallas and a Cotton Bowl date with the Southwest Conference champion. i i f.

As though getting bumped from a possible national championship for the second year in a row wasn't tough enough to take, the loss marked the fourth time in 16 years that Oklahoma has spoiled a perfect Nebraska record in a regular season ending game here In both the 1964 and '66 seasons. Bob Devaney brought perfect 9-0 Nebraska teams here. They lost, 17-7 and 10-9. Tom Osborne's 1975 club had an unblemished 10-0 mark when it came to Norman. The Sooners dominated that game while winning, 35-10.

Husker history buffs aren't going to like this. But in each of the three previous instances, Nebraska then went on to also lose a bowl game 7-10 to Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl following the 1964 season; 7-34 to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl two years later: and 14-17 to Arizona State in the Fiesta Bowl to wind up the 75 campaign. Ah, yes. There's that score again 17- 14. And Saturday's Oklahoma win by that slim margin gave the Sooners the seventh straight Big Eight they have either won outright (4) or shared (3).

Defensive coordinator Lance Zandt tried to ease the gloom in the Nebraska dressing room by noting that "there are not too many teams in the country who can lose their last game of the season and be punished by being sent to the Cotton Bowl-But Osborne, grim-faced and subdued when he met with the press, couldn't find even that much of a bright spot in the outcome. "Oklahoma just played better than we did," he said flatly. "We had some chances to win, but couldn't get our offense going. You've got to give credit to their defense, however. I never dreamed anybody could gain that many yards (367) against our defense on the ground.

And, besides, they hung onto the ball." The Sooners, who lost six of nine fumbles in Lincoln during last year's meeting, fumbled just once this time. That and Billy Sims were the difference Saturday. Sims, who won the coveted Heisman Trophy last year as a junior, may have become a repeater after gaining 247 yards on 28 carries before a nationwide HUSKERS: Continued page 7D NU cagers throttle Canadians, 113-69 Nebraska quarterback Jeff Quinn reflects the dejection of the entire Nebraska football team in the closing seconds of Saturday's loss to Oklahoma. Bad day puzzles Black Shirts By Ken Hambleton Staff Sports Writer Sleek, low to the ground, and fast, fast, fast. That might the a good slogan for a new sports car, or the Nebraska basketball team, after the Huskers flashed to a 113-69 season opening win over Windsor, Ont, Saturday night before 5,230 fans at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Nebraska passed and ran its way to 26 layups and hit 61 percent from the field to hand the Lancers their fourth straight loss on their seven-game U.S. tour. "The kids handled the ball very well." NU head Coach Joe Clpriano said. "And when they add the the defensive intensity they showed in the second half, they can be a good team." Cipriano, who is recovering from surgery, joined assistant coaches Moe Iba and Tom Baack on the bench for the game. "I'm feeling good and I'm feeling good about the team.

"Moe and Tom did a great job and the team started to look like they had in practices the last couple of weeks in the second half," he said. "They get the ball out and score at the end of the break and that's good to see." "Once we get our fast break going, the party's over," said NU's tallest starter, 6-7 junior center Andre Smith. "We're small but quick and all of these guys want to play. "The best thing is everybody wants everybody else to play and score, too," said Smith, who led the Huskers with 29 points and 8 rebounds. "If we get those 20 fast breaks a game, we can beat a lot of teams," he said.

BASKETBALL: Continued page8D By Randy York Staff Sports Writer NORMAN. Okla. The truth may hurl but at Nebraska, it doesnt create a smokescreen. A vanquished Black Shirt can admit to a sub-standard performance. He can even be brutally honest when he does.

"I thought we had a pretty good defense, but we looked terrible today," senior defensive tackle Bill Barnett said after the Huskers yielded 482 yards to Oklahoma here Saturday in a 17-14 toss. "It's pretty discouraging," Barnett said. "Last year, we had so many great hits against Oklahoma Today, we didnt have any. I can't think of one." Barnett can't think of an explanation our defense," Van Zandt said. "But they did.

They really killed us with the big plays." Billy Sims received most of the credit from Nebraska, which entered the game as the nation's best defense against the rush and the fourth best overall. "Sims is a great runner and you have to give him credit," Van Zandt said, "but some of the time today, all he had to do was run. It was evident that their offensive line was winning the battle up front." NU defensive tackle Rod Horn agreed with the assessment, but he admitted he was puzzled by the result. "It's hard to say where we went wrong," Horn said. "This year's Okla-DEFENSE: Continued page 10D either.

"I don't know what happened. 1 really don't," he said "Coming into the game, everyone had a great attitude and everyone worked hard. I don't know why Oklahoma went through us like they did. "It seemed like every other play, they were popping one for 50 yards. We got to standing around like we didn't know what was going on.

It was like we were looking at each other and asking: 'How do we stop all of Nebraska Defensive Coordinator Lance Van Zandt has been in too many games to get to that point, but he felt a similar frustration. "I'd never have believed that Oklahoma could gain that many yards against Sports Scene TV Switzer spells relief S-I-M-S Sunday How AFs top 20 fared Next week's opponent 1. Alabama (10-0) Idle Auburn 2. Ohio State (11-0) idle season completed 3. Nebraska 10-1 lost to Oklahoma, 17-14 season completed 4.

USC (10-0-1 def. UCLA, 49-14 season completed 5. Florida State (11-0) def. Florida, 27-16, Friday season completed 6. Texas (9-1) def.

Baylor, 13-0 at Texas 7. Arkansas (10-1) def. SMU, 31-7 season completed 8. Oklahoma (10-1 def. Nebraska, 17-14 season completed 9.

Houston (9-1) def. Texas Tech, 14-10, Friday at Rice 10. Brigham Young (11-0) def. San Diego State, 63-14 season completed 11. Pitt (9-1) idle ot Penn State 12.

Purdue (9-2) idle season completed 13. Ciemson (8-3) lost to South Carolina, 13-9 season completed 14. Auburn (8-2) idle Alabama (tie) Washington (9-2) idle season completed 16. Michigan (8-3) idle season completed 17. Baylor (7-4) lost to Texas, 13-0 season completed 18.

Tulane (9-2) def. LSU, 24-13 season completed 19. South Carolina (8-3) def. Ciemson, 13-9 season completed 20. Penn State (7-3) idle Pitt gushed with joy.

Someone suggested that his post-game interview session with the media would be conducted from atop an orange crate. When Switzer entered the interview room, he was carrying an orange, emblematic of a Big Eight championship his Sooners had just won outright the conference champs also become host team for the Orange Bowl. Switzer's Oklahoma teams have won SWITZER: Continued page 8D By Mike Babcock Staff Sports Writer NORMAN, Okla. Barry Switzer was tongue-tied with relief. Just about everything he said included the name "BiHy Sims" and was punctuated with superlatives for his Oklahoma football team.

"This was the greatest offensive performance I've ever seen," he said, trying to find the right words and being forced to fall back on cliches. "It was the greatest an Oklahoma team, with which I've been associated, has ever played. It was great, great, great "There was great preparation. Boy, we played good. There were so many big plays when it comes to the big 'uns, boy, we go out and play," Switzer said.

His exuberance seemed that of a man from whom a heavy burden had just been lifted following Oklahoma's 17-14 victory over Nebraska Saturday afternoon at Owen Field. Switzer fairly Bowling Lanes, noon, 0 Football Steelers vs. Browns, noon, Vikings vs. Bucs, noon, QD Chiefs vs. Chargers, 3 p.m., Specials Outdoor Nebraska, 5:30 p.m., ID Hockey Flumes vs.

Whalers, 6 p.m., GD Rangers vs. Maple Leafs, 6:30 p.m., Basketball Lakers vs. Kings, 9 p.m., I "ss vji "Ats pppi rrr jV vj I 2 Scott Schoettger Jeff Harelson DB East Bob Gust al son TE East Craig Sundberg OB Southeast Kevin Conradt Northeast Class A Brace Hungate Southeast Class A Dong A ars Northeast Class A Mike McCashland East Class A SE-East Lincoln Super-State, All-State selections Bill Weber DE-Southeast Top Defensive Player Todd Zart QB East Top Offensive Player Past's Zart heads Super-State team; six Lincolnites named By Chuck Sinclair DrAM Cnnrtt FHItnr Sunday Journal and Star Super-State selections In a year when outstanding quarterbacks were a dime a Pos. QB First Team Offense Pos. Player, School Ht.

QB Todd Zart, Lincoln East 6-1 Craig Sundberg, Lincoln Southeast. 6-1 Pete Hill, Omaha Burke 6-1 Leon Thompkins, O'Neill 6-2 SE Scott Schoettger, Lincoln 5-8 TE Bob Gustafson, Lincoln East 6-4 Wt. 165 190 190 200 145 210 230 230 Second team Offense Player, School Ht. Chris Knust, Crelghton Prep 6-3 Tim Petersen, Cambridge 6-0 Mark Mendlik, Fremont Gerald Paul, Omaha Central 6-0 Rich Teel, Lincoln East 5-11 Joe Mancuso, Omaha Central 6-4 Greg Orton, Nebraska City 6-2 Bruce Hungate, Lincoln Southeast. Doug Avars, Lincoln Norttast 5-10 Mike Drinnln, Columbus Lakeview.5-6 Dan Weed, Lincoln East 6-1 Dirk Stoop, Grand Island CC 5-11 Glen Kucera, Columbus Scotus 6-3 Yr.

Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr.

Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr.

Sr. Sr. Jr. Wt. 180 170 170 180 160 210 215 215 190 203 175 165 185 Yr.

Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr.

Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr.

Sr. Sr. Jr. Harry Grlmmlnger, Grand Island B- SE- TE- T- G- C- Lincoln Southeast's Craig Sundberg has been eyed by the University of Nebraska since his Junior year in high school. So have Nebraska City's Bret Clark and Grant's Joel Long.

Those three occupy one position in the Super-State offensive backfield and two In the defensive secondary. Zart has been contacted by the university, but scholarship talk has been tempered. He puts It best, describing himself as a quarterback with a "major college arm and a small college body." At 6-1 and only 165 pounds, Zart is already working to improve that status "I'm working on weights right now hoping to Improve my size," he says. "I Just don't have the right build." ills stature Is through no fault of his own. "Since June 16, Fve been In the weight room nearly every day," Zart says, "The only thing that's Improved Is my throwing strength." a Few could argue with that claim as he completed 156 of 228 passes for 1,914 yards and 24 touchdowns.

With 250 yards rushing, the talented Spartan accounted for more than 2,000 yards total offense, and well over 1,000 for his two year career at East It's Ironic that the Todd Zart story could have been altered dramatically if It weren't for the injury of a teammate during preseason drills his Junior year. Destined for second team status behind senior Tom Crockett, Zart was elevated to the starting role two weeks before the opener when Crockett separated Ills shoulder. Zart doesnt even want to think how his career may have Rob Stuckey, Lexington 6-3 Mike Parsons, McCook Mike Hlott, John Taylor, Omaha Northwest 6-0 Todd Morton, 5-11 Jeff Pate, Omaha Westside 6-4 200 185 190 180 200 dozen, Lincoln East oaa an louna ramseu me cream uk 311-stale crop by surrounding his strong arm with good hands people. He needed that insurance while guiding Lincoln East to the Class A state football championship with nearly 2,000 yards passing. There weren't many arguments over who the all-state quarterback should be, or that Zart should be accompanied on the team by split end Scott Schoettger and tight-end Bob Gustafson, a pair of sure-handed receivers.

Statistically, Zart was heads and shoulders ahead of the In what has been termed the year of the quarterback In the stale of Nebraska, they've been so good this season that at least four have already been sought after by schools with outstanding major college football programs. -Three of those four found their way onto the Sunday Journal and Star's 1979 Super-State football team. The fourth, Crelghton Prep's Chris Knust who has been courted by the likes of Notre Dame, heads the second team. iti' It's unusual that a state the size of Nebraska would have so many quarterbacks who are potential major college material But even more unusual to the. one who hasn't been the most sought after, Todd Zart, the Super State offensive player of the P- Offensive player of the year Todd Zart, East POt.

T- Defense Player, School Ht. Wt. Bill Weber, 200 Mike Hooks. Omaha South 6-3 215 Mark Travnowla, Bellevue West 240 Tom Dobson. Omaha Westside 6-3 215 T- Yr.

Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr Sr. Yr.

Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr.

Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr.

Sr. Defense Pos. Player, School Ht. Jim Jlrovec Crete 6-2 Jim Wlschmann, Papilllon 6-6 Rob Debus, Lincoln High 6-2 Tim Cubrlch, Omaha South 6-2 NG Rick Taylor.Llncoln East 5-11 LB Mike McCashland, Lincoln 6-2 LB Mark Brummer, Millard 5-11 LB Dean Lless, Republican 6-2 CB Gerald Marflsl, Central 6-0 CB Troy Workman, North Platte 5-11 Kevin Penner, Aurora 6-2 Wt. 185 205 205 215 165 180 205 200 185 160 170 NG Kevin McCormlck, Omaha 219 LB Jeff Beldeck, McCook 6-3 190 LB Clark Toner, Grand Island.

6-1 195 LB Dave Oahl, Omaha Westside 6-1 200 CB Jeff Harelson, 6-1 180 CB Bret Clark, Nebraska City 6-3 190 sr; Sr. -j jobi Long, Grant its ALL-STATE Continued pose 60 ffem Ive player of the year Bill Webef, Southeast.

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