Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 36

Ji'Vliri, tjgagtoqpqytum nm ii itajajirsaitjayagjsa 8 DC husk ens 8EPTEMBEH 82. 198S SUNDAY JOURMAL-STAR Can you identify Nebrcska's second howl representative? Virgil Parker Columnist Every Big Red football fan knows that Nebraska's first bowl team went to the Rose Bowl following the 1940 season. That accomplishment was the topic of conversation around here for years. Bob Devaney often joked that "people talked about that Rose Bowl team so much that I was here five years before I found out they lost (to Stanford 21-13)." Husker fans are also aware that Devaney started a string of bowl teams his first season (1962) that now totals 21 post-season classics in 23 years and the last, 16 years in a row. 'But who remembers Nebraska's second, bowl team? Ninety players from that squad, who gathered in Lincoln this weekend for a 30th reunion, certainly da They were the 1954 Comhuskers, and they represented the Big Seven Conference (Oklahoma State wasn't a member of jhe league back then) in the 1955 Orange BowL Like the Rose Bowl team before them, they also lost (to Duke 34-7).

-But, as Lincolnite Don Erway, who was a quarterback on that team, said at a light-hearted gathering of the group Friday night: "As my memory serves me after 30 years, I think we wound up 10-1 on the season," Actually, they finished 6-5, beating Iowa State, Colorado, Missouri and Kansas, while losing only to Kansas State and Oklahoma in league play. That put the Huskers in second place behind Oklahoma, but because conference rules kept the powerhouse Sooners from getting the Orange Bowl berth two years in a row, Nebraska got the trip to Miami Game is different Records aside, there was one thing about which all the mid-'50s Huskers agreed. The game of football has changed drastically during the past 30 years. "One of the biggest changes has been jLV -vr npi in ,1111.1111111 miiiui, iim the addition of the face mask on the helmet," said Pev Evans, a tackle on that Orange Bowl team. "I never will forget Andy Loehr (the ex-Lincoln High coach who played end on that team).

During his sophomore season, his. nose was under his right It was shoved over under his left eye during his junior year and back to the right when he was a senior. Everyone broke their nose so often that at the end of each season the university paid for nose jobs for anybody who wanted one." At that moment, ex-teammate Bob Wagner walked by. 1 think tonight is the first time Fve ever seen Bob without a scab on his nose," Evans said. In addition to the shelf which held soap and shampoo in the Nebraska shower room, Evans said there was an extra ledge.

"That was where everyone put their teeth when they showered." Weightlifiing taboo then Another big change has come in weight training. "They wouldn't let us lift weights," said Jack Fleming, another tackle on that squad. "Coaches back then thought lifting weights would make you muscle-bound. They had us swim a lot to keep our muscles loose and supple. How wrong could they be?" Evans, an orthodontist from Rapid City, S.D., played at 240 pounds, the same weight he maintains today.

"I was big in those days," he said "Now they've got running backs as big as I am. Two kids have come to Nebraska from my area since John Dutton and Doug Herman. They played at about 260 to 280." Did Evans lift weights when he was a player? "Are you kidding?" he answered with a laugh while hoisting a can of beer. "I didn't lift anything heavier than this when I was in school." The highlight film of the '54 season was being shown on a big screen. Cheers rang out from the crowd as one of the team members made a long touchdown, run.

"Compared to today, he looks like he's running in cement in those heavy, high-topped shoes," Fleming said. Memorial Stadium also has changed. The scoreboard was on the same side as the fieldhouse, which is now blocked from view by the north stands. Temporary bleachers were at each end for the knothole gang the boys at the south end, the girls at the north. But maybe the biggest change of all was revealed on two posters which advertised the 1954 and '55 seasons.

A season ticket cost $17.50 then about the price of one game today. TED KIRKSUNDAY JOURNAL-STAR Illinois' Stephen Pierce goes high over NU's Dennis Watklns for a 12-yard pass catch. From pag1D Huskers "When you line up a yard-and-a-half off the ball, it's like youYe giving us three yards. They play that Yead' defense, and it might be a little tougher to stop the run with that." Lewis thought such would be the case, after watching films of Illinois' 20-10, opening-game loss to Southern CaL The Trojans "have those big, old linemen, and they just ran right at 'em When you've got good running backs, they're going to be able to break some runs if you give 'em a yard or two to begin with," said Lewis. There's a lesson to be learned, and an audience of 76,149 learned it quarter, and the protection was so good, "I think I could have had a sandwich back there," Turner said.

Just minutes earlier, Nebraska wing-back Von Sheppard had run 12 yards, untouched, for a touchdown on an inside reverse. "The line was blocking really well," said NU fullback Tom Rathman. Some of the most dramatic evidence of that came late in the first quarter when I-back Paul Miles had consecutive carries of 14, 14 and 10 yards. Run, run, The Comhuskers knew they could. "They were in a screwy defense for us," NU center Bill Lewis said.

itfrifl i ii ii I TED KIRK SUNDAY JOURNAL-STAR 0 rth McCathorn Clayton dives to the 1-yard line. Cornhusker injuries minor is z3 y-n i 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 Fw isjmatei on 1 bodywoik. SHOP HOURS; oa fmi Fit 8m4pm Sat ait-1pm guard Phil Rogers and linebacker Marc Munford suffered minor injuries but Sullivan said none of the injures appear to be serious. Smith has a badly bruised hand, while Rogers and Munford suffered strained knees. George Sullivan, Nebraska head trainer and physical therapist, said that Nebraska football team came through Saturday's 52-25 victory over Illinois relatively unscathed.

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