Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 44

A 4E Oct. 10,1982 Lincoln, Sunday Journal and Star Nebraska players learn I lesson in win VP rr r- I By York Staff Sports Writer BOULDER, Colo. Even though they were warned, several Nebraska offensive players were In agreement here Saturday. They did not take their head coach seriously. With a 20-0 lead, they waited for a Colorado team to lay down and die and it never happened.

"We weren't expecting them to come back and fight like that," admitted offensive tackle Randy Theiss. "We got lackadaisical. We weren't really serious about what wa going on," Theiss said. "I've got to hand it to Colorado! We thought they were going to lay down and they didn't They never quit. They were swarming us and gang tackling us the whole game." llusker center Dave Rimington said the difference between this Colorado team and.

the others he's played is the head coach. "It all starts with spirit around the school," Rimington said. "This is just speculation on my part. But the other coach (Chuck Fairbanks) was used to the pro atmosphere and Colorado lost a lot of the rah-rah when he was here. "Coach (Bill) McCartney seems to have brought that winning attitude back," Rimington said.

"If players really believe, they can be tough, no matter who they're playing. Colo-rado was really determined today. They showed a lot of moxie. They gave their alL" In the end, it took Nebraska's "all" to beat the Buffs. "We had to come out of the bag with our best stuff to beat 'em," said tight end Jamie Williams.

"Colorado was really going after it. I think their-program is on the way up. I don't think well see them lay down anymore. "All I can say is Coach Osborne told us the truth about the whole situation before it ever happened," Williams said. "He told us they weren't going to lay down like they have for the last 14 years.

And they didnt" "Today proved Coach Osborne knows what's going on more than we do," Williams said. "He was right He was exactly right." Osborne knew the Buffs were pointing to the Iluskers as the key to their season. He expected them to play with the emotion they, did. "I was so mad because they were jumping around like they were USC or Alabama or somebody like that," Williams said. "They taught us a lessoa We learned we've got to put a team away before we start relaxing.

We learned that any team has good enough athletes to beat you, no matter who you are." Fullback Doug Wilkening, who scored Nebraska's first touchdown on a determined three-yard' run, sensed early that Colorado had a different character. "I know a couple times, I knocked the stuffing out of their linebackers and the next came up and tried to knock the stuffing out of me," Wilkening said. "They were quick and they nit. I've got bruises all over my back." I-back Mike Rozier said he also could testify to the physical nature of Colorado's defense. But he questioned the wisdom of the Buffs pointing so hard-at Nebraska.

"I think it's dumb," Rozier said. "They made up their mind last summer that they were going to beat us and they didn't. I wish 'em the best of luck, but they've got six more games. What are they going to do now?" I r.awH. A i i I' Y-Z I I v- i -a3JWv k( 1 Nebraska l-back Mike Rozier (30) tries to pull away from Colorado linebacker Terry Irvin but Irvin's teammates Jeff Donaldson (31) and Ellis Wood (46) move in to help: Rozier carried 32 times for 21 2 yards for the Huskers.

Scoring NU-CU How scored Time Left FIRST QUARTER 6:05 7-0 Wilkening 3 run Drive: 68 yards in 14 plays. Highlighted by Rozier 1 1 rushes for S3 yards on his way to 212 yards, fourth best In NU history. Con-. version: Selbel kick. 8:48 14-0 :51 17-0 L.

filial) lull ill4 'si I :00 20-0 SECOND QUARTER Craig 1 run Drive: 80 yards In 13 plays. Highlighted by Gill 20, 10 runs, apd Smith 10 run. Conversion: Selbel kick. Selbel 26 field goal Drive: 56 yards in 9 plays. Highlighted by Gill 19 run and Rozier 16 run before drive stalled on CU 8.

Seibel 31 field goal -Drive: 0 yards on 3 Ploys. Set up bv Knox recovery of Esslngton fumble after Weber hit CU quarterback. THIRD QUARTER Johnson 37 pais from Esslngton Drive: 46 yards In 2 plays. Egging 9 pass from Esslngton ontv other play after Campbell punt. Conversion: Field kick.

Johnson 24 run Drive: 72 yards In 4 plays. Highlighted by controversial 37 pass from Essington to Johnson. Conversion: Field kick, 20-7 8,: 09 :22 20-14 f. lit 8:09 FOURTH QUARTER 26-14 Rozier 6 pass from GHI Drive: 91 yards In 15 plays. Highlighted by Rozier 16 run, Craig 11 pass from GUI Qnd 10, 9 runs and Simmons 12 pass from Gill.

Conversion: two-point try failed. 33-14 Rozier 11 run Drive: 11 yards In 1 play. Set by Damkro-ger 25 Interception return of Esslngton pass which was tipped by Knox. Conversion: Selbel kick. 40-14 Smith 1 run Drive: 48 yards In 7 plays.

Set up Damkro-ger 14 Interception return of Essington pass. Highlighted by Simmons 19 reverse. Smith 14 run. Conversion: Seibel kick. Nebraska 7 13 0 Colorado 0 0 14 4:43 Husker quarterback Turner GUI (12) is pulled down by Buff Jeff Donaldson (31) while Terry Irvin (51) flies into the picture.

40 14 i r. i Buff players not that impressed with NU Mike Rozier (30) bulls his way forward for more yardage even though he's in the grasp of Colorado's Ray Cone (49). a bigger Nebraska defensive line." Colorado quarterback Randy Essington, who set an all-time record for yards gained passing against a Nebraska team, was asked what he thought of the Nebraska defense. "Not much," he answered bluntly. "I knew we, could move the ball two missed field goals in the first half.

"If we had made those it would have been 20-20 and a wholly different game," the first-year Buff coach said. "The discouraging thing was that we'd get close and not score and then they'd go 90 yards and score. But you've got to give them credit." Staff photos by: Humberto Ramirez Web Ray Randy Hampton BOULDER, Colo. Colorado Coach Bill McCartney had words of praise for Nebraska after losing 40-14 to the Cornhuskers here Saturday. But his players weren't all that impressed.

"I didn't feel their defense was all that awesome," said Colorado halfback Richard Johnson, who scored both of the Buffaloes' touchdowns. "They weren't very hard hitting. "In fact," Johnson added, "when we got the score down to where we only trailed 20-14, 1 thought we had them. But mistakes (two pass interceptions) killed us. Nebraska was good, but not as good as I thought they'd be." "We can't make mistakes against a team like that and expect to beat them," McCartney said.

"We had our opportunities. But, Nebraska, is close to being awesome. I've never seen backs who are so difficult to tackle." McCartney especially pointed to against them," Essington added. McCartney had praise for his of- fensive linemen. "They fought hard.

I "Their inside linebackers were good, admire and respect the hearts of but their defensive backs were sus-' those guys of ours up front. It's in- pert. Nebraska's overall defense isn't credible the job that they did against as good as it was a year ago." J5T- TP sm 1 1 -t A i a '4 5 1 1' He just flipped over this one! Colorado quartortrrk Esslngton (16) got some pressure on this" CU safety Tony Rettig (37) proved some gymnastics ability after the Buffaloes pulled within 20-14 in the third quarter on Richard play from NU's Tt (37) and Elf) (87), but the signal caller' Johnson's 24-yard touchdown run. hrew for 361 yards and a touchdown against the Huskers. V..