Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 37

SUNDAY JOURNAL-STAR iiusKons m7p (Jamecock mistakes give Taylor, Jones room to By Ryly Jane Hambleton letdown when Taylor left the pme at The South Carolina defense gives an -offense a lot of different looks, but the sgoallwas simple contain Nebraska Quarterback Steve Taylof and the pme; "We were trying to keen Tavlor and vXKetth) Jones Inside because we didnt yngw jei tnem get outside where they uM run," said defensive end Scott indsor1. "A couple of times, we got turned back when we tried to come In feQin lhe outside and they got good yardage up the middle. But they would have hurt us more outside Si Senior free safety Greg Phibot )Sv Kiumim mii.t i mini mm uy him uiiyvmnf jmi inuii 1. iimniji --a v.s m'mrmmmmm 'A, Sk Aax'-''- yUiA -oSi- fc f-A: I r' vt 'jzr? -Vtv Az: 4 I'" i -J lliftilllfc me ena ot ine intra quarter. "(Clete) Blakeman came in and played exceHent ban," said Morrison.

"They relied more on the running game and not on his passing, but he did a very good job of directing their ban dub:" Windsor, whose 7-yard sack of Taylor early in the second half sent the Husker quarterback to the bench for one series, agreed. "We hoped he (Blakeman) might be a little nervous coming in like that, but he kept his composure and did a good job," be said. Morrison said the fumble by back-up running back Keith Bing which led to Nebraska's touchdown to make it 27-21 in the fourth quarter was no more crucial than any other play. Bing, who replaced, starter Harold Green on the series, fumbled on the second play after the Comhuskers had cut the Gamecocks' lead to 21-19. "Yes, it gave them the go-ahead touchdown.

But in a game that's going to be tight, and we knew this one was going to be a tight game, every play is a key play," he said. "Harold's knee had been bothering him during the course of the day. It wasnt Sing's first series of the day." First and last -But it was his first, and last, carry of the game. Husker linebacker Steve Forch hit Bing and knocked the ball loose. Jeff Tomjack recovered it at the South Carolina 27-yard line with 9:26 left in the game and four plays later, Nebraska went ahead oil Jones' 4-yard run.

Early in the game, the South Carolina defense sent the Comhusker offense scrambling, giving the sputtering run-and-shoot offense of South Carolina a chance to warm up. "Sometimes, the run-and-shoot takes awhile to get going," said quarterback Todd Ellis. "But with the defense playing the caliber of ball they were, it helped us. Our defense was hurting, not just stopping, an offense like Nebraska's and that gave the offense time to relax and get into the game." knew we had to contain Taylor trtsiA not give him anywhere to go," he jtflaJd "And I think we did that But we gave them the breaks they needed. We Just made too many other mistakes." Tiring for defense Those mistakes helped to keep the Gamecock defense on the field more than 21 minutes in the second half while the South Carolina offense had the ban slightly more than seven minutes.

Some aspects of that were good for South Carolina the Gamecocks scored on their first two possessions of the second half. the offense needed just four Jjlays to do so, which sent the defense Jack on the field. ttiThe defense got a little tired at the acknowledged South Carolina Coach Joe. Morrison. "They gave a great effort in the first half but we just wore a little.

We blitzed the better part fAeday." The gambling may have taken its ton on "Gamecock defense, but it did cause problems for Nebraska. South Carolina Jiad 12 tackles behind the line of scrim-mage for 30 yards in losses, including three quarterback sacks. IrM was surprised to see how wen we blitzed them," said linebacker Matt McKernan. "We sent a lot of people a lot rtf different ways and I guess they hadnt seen a tot of the blitzes we use." Gamecocks said they didnt see a Nebraska defensive end Broderlck Thomas (89) sacks South Carolina quarterback Todd Ellis in the second quarter. Gamecock recew onBlazek9sl IiimiiM it 1 I Were and get another score," he said.

The Huskers, however, controlled the ban on the ground in scoring 17 unanswered, fourth-quarter points. Nebraska, Ellis said, played its defensive backs "tighter) to the line of scrimmage than expected. "They took some risks but we were able to get by them a few times," be said. "We kept going deep because we felt like they were chaOenging us a little bit "In this offense, you've just got to feel with the game." NU had 'great scheme Sharpe, who blistered Nebraska for 98 yards on 10 receptions last year, said the Huskers used their linebackers to jam up South Carolina's underneath- and sideline-pass patterns. "They had a great scheme against us.

It really gave us some problems in the first half," be said. "They were running their linebackers out to take away my flat route. I usually catch eight or nine a game of those. "They wanted to take me out of the offense, and they did a good job of it," said Sharpe, who finished with 87 yards on three receptions. Eighty yards came on a TD bomb early in the third quarter.

"It was catch and run, just like you do in your said Sharps, "you just run to the end zone." Ellis said South Carolina Coach Joe Morrison tens his players that four big plays usually decide a big bangame. "You dont know when those are. You've got to play consistent football," Ellis said. A fumble by reserve running back Keith Bing that set up Nebraska's go-ahead touchdown and the Blazek interception plucked the Gamecocks. "We can take the ban down the field with two minutes left, we just need to be more consistent and make sure we are very aware on each play," Ettis said.

"We should have been out there in the end and maybe got that victory today. That's very frustrating." By Paul Hammel Wide receiver Ryan Betbea took the blame for the pass interception that ended South Carolina's fourth-quarter comeback try. 1 Nebraska free safety Mark Blazek stepped in front of Be-thea at the Husker 25 with 3:43 remaining and Nebraska leading 27-21. "I should have waited for my wingback to clear before I went across," said Bethea. On the play, wingback Kevin White was to streak down the field taking Blazek with him.

Bethea was then to cross behind White across the middle. It had been successful several times Saturday. On the interception, however, Bethea cut in front of White. "I lost him," said Bethea. "I think be fen down.

The free safety came up strong and made the interception. "I should have cut behind him (White)," Bethea "That's going to stick in my mind a long time." Flashback to 1986 For the Gamecocks, it was a flashback to a bad dream. Last year, Bryan Siebler picked off a Todd Ellis pass at the NU 15 with 38 seconds rernaining to preserve a 27-24 victory. "It was almost the same setting there we were, going to try to knock them off," said wingback Sterling Sharpe. "We did the same thing last year.

If we don't turn over the football, we'd be right there with them." South Carolina led 21-13 entering the fourth quarter r- "The thing that we said immediately was that if we could get one more score, it would take them out of their offense," said Ellis, who was 17-of-36 passing with two touchdowns and three interceptions. "Their defense a little scattered and a little shaken. The thing we needed to do more than anything was get back out febuth Carolina wingback Sterling Sharpe (2) escapes from NU safety Brian Washington to complete in 80-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Todd Ellis in the third quarter. Gamecock notes and quotes Statistics at "Because I'd watched so much film, I knew that when the quarterback was going to keep on the option, after he spun around, he would hesitate to get his blockers in front of him. I was lucky to get a shot at him." fense and relaxing in it But also, I watched a lot more film of Nebraska this week," he said.

"I wanted to really know what they did on certain downs and learn the little bits of technique they do differently than others. Nebraska Offense Rushing No. Yds. South Carolina Offense Rushing No. Yds.

Green 6 18 Gamecock quarterback Todd Ellis said his offensive line did a good job of picking up Nebraska defensive stunts and allowing lum time to pass. "(Nebraska) put some licks on me, but it definitely wasn't one of my more physical games," Ellis said. He said he was disappointed with his performance, especially bis three "They put some pressure on me on the last one, but the first two they changed some things up and did a good job of stopping the exact play," he said. Scott Windsor finished the game with nine tackles, including a seven-yard sack of Taylor, and he credited his effort to homework. "We're finally getting used to our de- K.

Jones ......25 129 41 82 tnox ..................5 15 Ave. 3.0 7.0 3.0 1.0 Bell 2 15 Ave. 5.2 5.5 3.0 7.5 6.5 12.0 2.5 0.8 Play of the game Bethea 2 14 Sharpe 1 3 Brown 1 1 1 -4 Ellis -46 Passing No. Co. Yds 17 256 PI 3 jPark HSheppord 1 12 2 5 Tovlor 13-v.

1 Blakeman 3 -4 Passing jim No. Co. Yds tvlftylor 6 130 1 1.8 Scoring PI 2 0 Time left How scored NU-SC if Receiving No. 'jR. Smith 4 Bell 1 Hawkins 1 1 Punting No.

Yds. 153 Punt returns jia-: xv- "No- R. Smith 1 Klckoff returns No. Yds. 66 44 87 22 16 9 12 Ave.

38.8 Yds. 10 Yds. 17 14 Yds. 7 0 Receiving No. Bethea 4 Smith Sharpe 3 Green 2 Andrews 2 White ..2 Brown Punting No.

Yds. 5 194 Punt returns No. Sharpe 1 Klckoff returns No. Bing 1 Brown 1 Interception returns No. Phllpot 1 1 Defense Yds.

52 78 4 4 Ave. 38.3 Yds. 17 Yds. 52 17 Yds. 46 6 3 ISmtlh jj oio 16 r7y ED; HawWrwa2 2 Sheppard 2 Miw interception returns k.

no. Blazek FIRST QUARTER 3-0 Orennon 27 field goal 1:37 Drive: 48 yards In nine plays after Forch Intercepted Ellis pass. Highlighted by Taylor 9 pass to R. Smith. Heibel 10 run off left guard.

K. Jones 19 run around left end. SECOND QUARTER 6-0 Drennan 36 field goal 3:14 Drive: -2 yards in three plays after Washington intercepted Ellis pass. 6-7 Bethea 35 pass from Ellis 2:00 Drive: 67 yards In five plays. Highlighted by Ellis 13 pass to Green, Ellis 13 pass to D.

Smith. Conversion: Mackie kick. 13-7 Bell 78 pass from Taylor 1:13 Drive: 75 yards In 2 plays. Conversion: Drennan kick. THIRD QUARTER 13-14 Sharpe 80 pass from Ellis 11:18 Drive: 80 yards in one play after Nebraska drive stalled at South Carolina 48.

Conversion: Mackie kick. 13-21 Bethea 17 run 7:27 Drive: 27 yards In four plays after Hlnton recovered Blakeman fumble. Highlighted by NU defensive procedure penalty and Green 5 run. Conversion: Mackie kick. FOURTH QUARTER 19-21 K.

Jones 3 run :01 Drive: 96 yards In 18 plays. Highlighted by South Carolina offsides penalty on 3rd-and-3, Taylor 12 run, K. Jones 21 draw and 9 and 6 runs. Conversion Drennan kick. 27-31 K.Jones 4 run 7:38 Drive: 27 yards In four ploys after Tomlack recovers Bing fumble.

Highlighted by K. Jones 9 run up middle ond Bell 8 run off right guard. Conversion: Drennan kick. 30-21 Drennan 43 field goal 2:07 Drive: 37 yards in three plays after Blazek returns Intercepted Ellis pass 46 yards. Forch JT .1 TT Tockles UT Dlggs 3 Cholkin 6 11 AAcCormack 2 Windsor Hendrlx 4 Wilson 1 TT 16 11 Defense Tackles ut iRiomas 4 N.

Smith 3 Pete 0 Toother 3 'JJamrog 4 'AAorco 1 i 2 4 Hicks 3 tomlack i 2 AT 1 0 5 0 4 1 1 1 0 1 1 2 0 2 2 Nebrosko countered South Carolina's "run and Shoot" passing offense with a wide-open spread formation of Its own to score on a 78-yard touchdown pass from Steve Tavlor to Richard Bell with 1:12 remaining In the first half. The ploy enabled the Huskers to overcome a 7-6 deficit and take a 13-7 Intermission lead. The spread formation featured four wide receivers. Rod Smith andHendjey Hawkins lined up to me left, with Bell and Morgan Gregory split to me right. "South Carolina didnt blitz Its linebackers," Nebraska receiver Coach Ron Brown said, "but thev came with the cornerbacks.

That left all our receivers with one-on-one coverage. Richard lust outran his man. After Steve got him the boll, Gregory threw a good block on the safety coming over from the other side mat kept Bell in the open. "You live or die with the blitz," Brown added, "ond thofs what they did. They made some big plays with the blitz, but eventually you con get hurt with It.

And that's what happened. It was a big play for us, coming when It did." Frazler 2 AT 0 2 1 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 Hlnton Daniels Gibson McKernan Phllpot Edwards.