Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 14

i rjr iff ijft ij in njii 1 1 ii Page 14 Lincoln Journal-Star OHAMOE B0VJL Monday, January 2, 1995 Vv i 1 i i 4 i 4 i. A. A -i -V i it .1 i KlrLlneo Journa-Stor Husker fullback Cory Schlesinger dives over the goal line for the winning touchdown. Finally, the time was right for top-ranked Comhuskers Hurricanes wide receiver Chris T. Jones (85) is tackled by Nebraska safety Tony Veland (bottom) on a reception in the first quarter Sunday night at Miami.

Orange Bowl Notes The change worked at times and Sapp made great plays at times," he said. "That makes for a great game and a great time out i Husker defense digs deep Black Shirts knew eventually they would stop Hurricanes. By Ken Hambleton Lincoln Journal-Star MIAMI Sure.it was frightening for the Nebraska defense to see how quickly Miami could score Sunday in the first and third quarter of the Orange Bowl, Barron Miles said. "They wanted it We wanted if and there was some pushing, some shoving and they made some great plays on us," said NU's senior corner-back. On Miami's first scoring drive, quarterback Frank Costa completed three passes for 35 yards, including an 18-yard pass to Chris T.

Jones that went right over Miles. The Hurricanes ended up with a field goaL With less than three minutes left in the first quarter, Costa hit A.C. Telli-son on a 43-yard pass over NU comer-back Tyrone Williams. The Hurricanes scored on a 35-yard swing pass that Trent Jones caught and simply outran four Nebraska defenders. They were good and they were fast and we made a few mistakes," said Miles.

"But we did make adjustments. They are going to complete passes and they are going to score no matter how good a defense you play. They are that good." Miami proved the point with a five-pi? 78-yard scoring drive to open the third quarter. The Hurricanes scored on a short pass from Costa to Jonathan Harris, who scooted through at least five Nebraska defenders on a 44-yard scoring play. But Nebraska tacked on a safety after a series of penalties drove the Hurricanes back to their 4-yard line.

On second down, Dwayne Harris raced around the right side of the Miami offense and spun Costa to the ground in the end zone. The Nebraska defense appeared to have another safety or something, when Miami punter Dane Prewitt watched a snap from center sail over his head. Prewitt got to the ball and kicked it out of the side of the end zone. After a penalty for the illegal kick, Nebraska took over at the Miami 4. "I told our guys that we'd have to win the game," NU defensive coordinator Charlie McBride.

"I felt we had to do it to win the game. They had so many big plays, but we were trying to make the adjustments to stop those in the second half." McBride explained that he changed the blitzes to create problems for Costa and changed the coverage to keep the Hurricanes confused. "Our players have done it all year and we had to count on them one last time," McBride said. "We changed our defense, yet we didnt We added some zone coverage and we disguised some of our other things. "But it took good players and good luck in the end and you cant argue that either one wasn't there for us tonight" he said.

Nebraska linebacker Ed Stewart said there were too many turning points to just pick one or two. "That's the sign of a good team and a bunch of guys playing with confidence," he said. Miles added tnat the pressure from the defensive line made a lot of difference in the way Nebraska played de-fense in the second half. "(Terry) Connealy, (Christian) Peter, Harris, all those guys were charging in there like they were mad and they were going to do it all. Our linebackers did it too." Little in the back of the end zone.

10:32 p.m. Frazier reenters for the first time since Nebraska's second series of the game. On the first play, he's sacked by Sapp. 10:45 p.m. Frazier comes in for his fourth series.

10:47 p.m. Schlesinger, one play after a 25-yard run by I-back Lawrence Phillips, goes 15 yards for a score. Nebraska, marching into the same end zone that it failed to convert a two-point extra-point attempt in the 1984 31-30 loss to Miami, goes for two again and Frazier hits tight end Eric Alford to tie the game with 7:38 left 10:55 p.m. After the Nebraska defense forces another three-and-out for Miami's offense, the Comhuskers begin their game-winning drive. 10:59 p.m.

NU calls timeout before a third-and-four play from its 48. Frazier earns the first down with a 25-yard option run to the right side. 11:02 p.m. Schlesinger hits pay-dirt again, this time from 14 yards out and after Tom Sieler's extra point kick, the Comhuskers lead with 3:42 remaining. 11:06 p.m.

Costa is sacked by defensive tackle Terry Connealy. 11:08 p.m. Costa goes down again as the NU line collapses his pocket. 11:09 p.m Nebraska rover Ka-reem comes down with a jump ball pass at the Nebrasks 49. 11:10 p.m.

After two kneels by Frazier, the Comhuskers are once again national champions. 11:30 p.m. Connealy declares tha that Jan. 1, 1995 is "one of my best days on By Curt McKeever Lincoln Journal-Star MIAMI They turned the lights but in the Orange Bowl at 11:57 p.ra CST Sunday. They might as well have shut off the entire city.

Exactly 30 minutes earlier, top-ranked Nebraska reached that light at the end of the tunnel it had been following for 23 years. It was 11:02 p.m. at home when fullback Cory Schlesinger's 14-yard touchdown run gave the Comhuskers their first and only lead of the night Here's how the rest of evening went: 7:21 p.m. Nebraska's and Miami's captains meet at midfield for the pregame coin toss. The Hurricanes win and defer their choice to the second half.

7:28 p.m. NU quarterback Tommie Frazier, playing for the first time since the fourth game of the season, calls timeout on the after running one play. The Comhuskers went three and out on the series. 7:41 p.m. Miami kicker Dane Prewitt kicks a 44-yard field goal to cap the Hurricanes' first drive with 7:54 left in the first quarter.

It was Prewitt's 14th straight made field goal and his longest of the season. 7:55 p.m. Frazier's long pass to Abdul Muhammad into double coverage is intercepted by Carlos Jones at the Miami 3. Nebraska had rushed the ball its previous seven plays for a net gain of 38 yards. 8:02 p.m.

Miami quarterback" Frank Costa connects with Trent Jones on a short pick route and Jones breaks loose for a 35-yard touchdown to put Nebraska in a 10-0 hole. The "Canes took just five plays and 2:35 to drive 97 yards. 8:10 p.m. Brook Berringer takes his first snap in a bowl game. Two minutes later, he's sacked by Miami All-American Warren Sapp, who dances his way off the field.

8:28 p.m. Berringer finishes off his second series with a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mark Gil-man with 7:54 left in the second quarter to make it 10-7. 8:51 p.m. The game's heating up. Unsportsmanlike conduct penalties are whistled on Miami's Antonio Culey and NU's Eric Stokes.

9:28 p.m. After an "It's A Circus" halftime performance, Nebraska kicks off to begin the final 30 minutes of play. 9:32 p.m. Costa hits tailback Jonathan Harris on a short route and he races 44 yards for a touchdown to make it 17-7 with 13 19 left in the third quarter. Miami is penalized 15 yards for taunting in the end zone.

Sapp is seen laughing. 9:45 p.m. Costa is sacked in the Miami end zone by Dwayne Harris for a safety, making it 17-9. 10:19 p.m. One play after Berringer keeps a Nebraska drive going with a fourth-down sneak, he and I-back Clinton Childs make a bad exchange and Miami recovers at its 36.

10:26 p.m. Miami punter Prewitt, chasing a ball that's snapped over his head, kicks it in and out of the Hurricanes' end zone for what he thinks is a safety. Instead, it's an illegal kick and Nebrasks takes over at the Miami 4. 10:28 p.m. Berringer, thinking he had "thrown the ball 20 yards past the end line," is intercepted by Earl there tonight it Miami's record in the Orange Bowl game is now 5-3.

Nebraska's record in the Orange Bowl is 6-9, including 2-7 under Coach Tom Osborne. If the Comhuskers are voted the national championship on Tuesday, it will be the third they have earned with a victory in the Orange Bowl game. Nebraska's, national titles in 1970 and 1971 under Coach Bob Devaney both followed Orange Bowl victories. The; 44-yard field goal by Miami's Dane Prewitt was his 14th consecutive successful attempt It was only the second field goal attempt by Prewitt of 40 or more yards. His previous attempt from that distance was unsuccessful Cornhusker quarterback Tnmmifl EVrrinv'a rT7T5 Aiuarvl Nebraska offensive guard Bren-den Stai said Cory Schlesinger was bound to score against the Miami defense.

Schlesinger scored on a 15-yard run and again on a 14-yard run in the fourth quarter to help Nebraska rally to win the national title and beat Miami 24-17 Sunday night in the Orange BowL "They we charging up the field, that we figured a trap play to the fulback would work," Stai said. They were ready for the pounding and we did it." Schlesinger said he thought Nebraska wore down the Miami defense. "We kept banging away at them and our defense had done so much, we owed it to them and ourselves to start getting something done on offense," he said. NU tailback Lawrence Phillips, who gained 96 yards, said the change in quarterbacks from Tommie Frazier to Brook Berringer to Frazier kept Miami off balance. "We had practiced with both of those guys for a month.

We were ready and I don't know if Miami could keep up with all the changing going on," he said. Stai was one of the changes, moving from right guard to left guard to help protech Nebraska from hard-charging Warren Sapp, the nation's top defensvie player. 4 irillllU I UMVI 0 IU a BWHIU was his second in an Orange Bowl 0a mo ITravior olan nmn tha aajatvt auwaa hwv was ui following last year's 18-16 loss against Florida State. Scoring Summary QB tradeoff works out for best NU-MU Tkn toft By Curt McKeever Lincoln Journal-Star MIAMI Nebraska's Orange Bowl victory Sunday night was like the 24 hours of LeMans. Brook Berringer got the Comhuskers in the race.

Tommie Frazier took the checkered flag. Berringer, who started at quarterback in Nebraska's previous eight games after Frazier was hospitalized with blood clots, relieved Frazier after the Comhuskers' second offensive series and guided them to a touchdown. He played well enough that it looked like Frazier might not have a chance to win his second straight Orange Bowl MVP award. "I thought I would get back in, but I touchdowns to pull out the victory. "I was prepared to go the rest of the game with Brook, but I thought it was the time to play Tommie," Osborne said.

"Frazier's a special athlete. He can make things happen. He really gave us some things at the end. He had a cold, but he's a real competitor." Berringer, who handled the delicate situation with grace, agreed. "Obviously, I would've liked to have been in there at the end, but you've got to credit Coach Osborne for the decision he made.

He looks like a genius. "I feel good We wanted to win it for him (Osborne) as bad as we wanted to win it for ourselves." really couldn't think about that Football is a game that changes in many ways. Sometimes it might change for the good, sometimes it might not If Brook was playing good, I had no problems," Frazier said. "When I signed here, one of the things I wanted to do (was) come down here and win a national championship." After successive drives in which Berringer made a bad exchange that led to a lost fumble then threw an interception in the end zone, Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne opted to put Frazier back in the game. Frazier couldn't move the Comhuskers on that fourth-quarter possession, but Osborne stuck with him and Nebraska responded by scoring two FIRST QUARTER 0-3 Dane Piwwttt 44 fteM goal 754 Dnvo: 31 yards in 10 pay.

Highlighted by James Stewart 5, 3 runs. Frank Costa 10 pass to A.C. Teliison, Costa 7, 18 passes to Chris T. Jones, Costa 7 run. 0-10 Trent Jones 35 pass from Frank Costa 044 Drive: 97 yards in 5 plays.

Set up by Carlos Jones Interception of Tommie Fra-zier pass. Highlighted by Costa 17 pass to Jammi German, Costa 43 pass to TeHison. Conversion: Prewitt kick. SECOND QUARTER 7-10 Mark QHmen 19 pass from Brook Berringer 7.54 Drive: 40 yards in 5 plays. Set up by Kareem Moss 12 return of Dane Prewitt punt.

Highlighted by Lawrence Phillips 4, 7 runs, Riley Washington 9 run on reverse. Conversion: Tom Sieler kick. THIRD QUARTER 7-17 Jonathan Harris 44 pass from Costa 1319 Drive: 78 yards in 5 plays. Highlighted by Costa 6 pass to Chris T. Jones, Stewart 13 run.

Costa 14 pass to Jermaine Chambers. Conversion: Prewitt i kick. I 0-17 Safety, Dwayne Harris sack of Costa 11:35 Set up by double penalty (chop block and personal foul) on Miami, putting bal 1 at Miami 3 FOURTH QUARTER 17-17 Cory Schlesinger 15 run 7.30 Drive: 40 yards in 2 plays. Set up by Moss 5 punt return to Miami 40. Highlighted by Phillips 25 run.

Conversion: Eric Alford pass from Frazier. 24-17 Schlesinger 14 run 44 Drive: 58 yards in 7 plays. Highlighted by Frazier 25 scramble on 3rd-and-4 at i NU 48, Phillips 7 run, Frazier 6 run. Conversion: Tom Sieler kick. Orange stopped by a 12-yard sack of Ber Individual Statistics 1 -)j A i Ave.

51 8.0 4.4 60 90 0 3 PI 1 1 Yds. 60 13 19 7 7 Ave. 41.1 Yds. 88 Yds. 17 Yds.

0 Ave. 4.2 i 6 0 j20 OS -28 35 0 i PI Kv Yds. 63 22 53 18 44 35 14 "3 -3 i. Ave. 39.7 Yds.

,40 Yds. i-4 Yds. r0 From Page 1 1 After allowing Miami 1 yard on three plays, Nebraska took over at the Nebraska 42 with 6:28 left Frazier hit a 7-yard pass to Reggie BauL On the next play, Frazier raced around the right end on an option play and cut back to the middle for a 25-yard gain to the Miami 27. Three plays later, including a 6-yard run by Frazier on third-and-3 and a 7-yard burst by Phillips, Schlesinger slashed over left tackle, behind another trap block on Sapp, and scored to give Nebraska its first lead of the game. Miami had one last try from its 18.

But Costa could only complete a 4-yard pass before he was sacked twice by Nebraska senior defensive tackle Terry Connealy then intercepted by Kareem Moss at midfield. Frazier kneeled down two times to run out the clock. That felt good to be in control, to have the ball and the lead and the national championship," said Frazier. "We knew their defensive front was tired and that all we had to do was pound the ball at them. Pound them with some options then pound them inside with Schlesinger.

"When I signed here, one of the things I wanted to do was win the national championship. "I think it's something well savor for a lifetime." Frazier said he and his teammates jumped and hugged and screamed in the locker room, while his coach was reserved about what many people will call his most important victory. "He's the type of coach who really doesnt show his emotions much, but I'm sure once he gets the chance to think about it, hell shed a couple of tears and get pretty excited about it" Osborne said he'd think about it I ringer by defensive player of the year Warren Sapp. Nebraska then changed its defense, bringing in reserves Larry Townsend and Jason Pesterfield, and stopped the Hurricanes at their 12. After a punt combined with a 12-yard return by Kareem Moss, Phillips carried twice for 11 yards.

Then, seldom-used receiver Riley Washington, the fastest player on the NU team, took a reverse around the right end for 9 yards to the Miami 20. One play later, Berringer rolled to his right on a bootleg pass and found tight end Mark Gilman on a 19-yard touchdown pass to cut the score to 10-7 with 7:54 left in the first half. That was Nebraska's last serious offensive threat until Berringer was intercepted in the end zone on a pass from the Miami 4 early in the fourth quarter. That golden opportunity was set up when the snap sailed over the head of Miami punter Dane Prewitt who kicked the ball out of the end zone. Nebraska was given possession at the Miami 4, but the Hurricanes' Earl Little intercepted Bel-ringer's pass.

'Then Osborne brought Frazier back in and Nebraska bounced back front the missed opportunity. "It was our tufa Our time," said Frazier, who was named Nebraska's most valuable player of the Orange Bowl for the second straight year. "Last year, we left here wanting more. This year, we got it" The first drive fizzled, but Nebraska got the ball again at the Miami 40 just two minutes later and scored in two plays. Phillips, who rushed for 96 yards, broke loose on a 25-yard option run to the Hurricane 11 4 Nebraska Offense Rushing No.

Yds. Lawrence Phillips 19 96 Cory Schlesinger 6 48 Tommie Frazier 7 31 Damon Bennmg 3 18 Riley Washington 1 9 Clinton Childs 3 1 Brook Berringer 7 -4 Passing No. Co. Yds Brook 15 8 81 Tommie Frazier 5 3 25 Receiving- No. Abdul 4 Lawrence Phillips 4 Marts QHman 1 Brendan Holbein 1 Reggie Bad 1 Punting No.

Darin Erstad 7 288 Kfckoff returns No. Damon Bermlng 5 Punt returns No. Kareem Moss 4 Interception returns No. fCareem Moss 1 Defense Tackles UT AT Barron MHes 9 0 Tony 4 2 Ed .3 2 pmehis 3 2 DougColman 3 1 Terry 3 '1 Dwayne Harris 4 0' Donta Jones 1 3 Troy Dumas 2 1 Kareem Moss 2 Tyrone Williams 2 1 Grant Wistrom 2 1 Oint Brown 1 0 Leslie Dennis 1 0 Jon Hesse 1 0 Jason Pesterfield 1 0 Erie Stokes 1 0 Jared Tomch 0 1 Larry 0 1 Miami -Offensf Rushing No. Yds.

James .....17 72 Jonathan Harris 1 6 Larry, Jones 1 2 Danyell Ferguson 2 1 Frank 6 -17 Team 1 -35 Passing No. Co. Yds Frank Costa 35 18 240 Receiving No. Chris T. Jones 6 Jammi German 3 A.C.Teison..

2 Marcus 2 Jonathan Harris. 1 Trent Jones 1 Jermaine Chambers 1 Danyell 1 Green. 1, Punting No. Yds. Dane Prewitt 7 278 Kickoff returns No.

Alfred Shlpman 2 Punt returns No. Jammi 2 4 Interception returns No. Cartas Jones 1 i Earl Utile 1 Defense Tackles UT AT Rsy Lewis 8 5 C.J. Richardson 7 3' Marvin Davis 9 0 Warren Sapp 5 1 Kenny Holmes 4 1 Corwin Francis 4.0 Chad Wilson 2 2 KenardLang 3 0 Malcolm Pearson 3 0 i James Burgess 2 1 Earl Little 2 0 WWie Phittps 2 '0 Twan Russell 1 Dwayne Johnson 1 0 Rohan Mariey 1 0' Booker I 0 Dennis Scott 1 0 Jeffrey Taytor 1 0 DariusMcCutjm 0 1 Husker Coach Tom Osborna watches Brook touchdown pass in the second quarter. TT 9 6 5 5 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 10 9 t1' 6 5 V.

4 4 3 3 3 2 r. 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 "We figured it was time for a trap play because they were looking outside for the run, and we got them good with Cory," NU offensive guard Bren-denStaisaid. Sure enough, Schlesinger slammed over right tackle as the line trapped Sapp, and the Duncan, Neb, fullback scored to close the score to 17-15 with Then, in the same end zone that NU's two-point conversion was knocked away in 1984, Frazier found tight end Eric Alford crossing from left to right on a short pass to tie the game. 1 thought we had it when we tied it" said Frazier. "We were taking over in the fourth quarter and our defense didnt allow them anything." The Black Shirts held Miami to minus 35 yards of offense in the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Frank Costa, who passed for 248 yards in the game, had just eight yards on two completions in the fourth quarter. "Our defense gave us the chance and we were taking over the game in our hearts and in our bodies," said Phillips. Jama! WNkams. 0 1.