Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 34

6DC 3 HUSKERS er or tense doesn 9t execute correct steps By Ken Hambleton NOVEMBER 82. 1987 SUNDAY JOURNAL-STAR ompN 3 tk -ffCj a) a. v3 v4 jp also credited the OU defensive ends. "They screwed up a lot of our plays. They were excellent because it wasn't anything special or different that they've done from the past," he said.

Taylor agreed with Jones on assessing the damage. "On the touchdown drive, we did the things we usually do. Then, they stopped us. We stopped ourselves. I tried to get things going again and had some breakaway plays, but we never got anything to go with it until the last drive," he said.

Taylor, who gained 54 yards on 18 carries, had his worst day of the season passing. He completed six passes for 58 yards, but threw three interceptions. "Their pass defense had things covered well We thought we could run at them and things didn't work out "We tried and tried and tried and we lost I don't know if we'd change our game plan if we play tomorrow. Some more options or some more of this and that doesn't make much difference if things aren't clicking. "This is the first game that my body is not sore.

They must have done something strange on defense," Taylor said. Jones, who gained 94 yards, said the fact he carried the ball just once in the fourth quarter was because NU was behind. "We needed to score in a hurry and we weren't getting the big yards up the middle anymore anyway," he said. "I kept thinking that somewhere this is going to work for us. But it didn't" Didn't get big plays Taylor said Nebraska didn't get enough big plays.

"Oklahoma was prepared to stop the big plays. We knew they were going to know how to defense the options, but we didn't make enough adjustments to make the big plays in other ways," he said. Senior receiver Rod Smith, who was limited to one reception for eight yards and one punt return for five yards, said he was frustrated, too. "We didn't get much done offensively. It was the combination of the lack of our offense doing the kind of job we've done all season and their defense doing and excellent job," he said.

Taylor said he felt especially sorry for the seniors who hadn't beaten Oklahoma. "Time's running out for me, too," the junior quarterback said. "That's a pressure that should help us against Colorado next week." The Nebraska offensive waltz was frustrating, Nebraska I-back Keith Jones said. "One, two, three, punt One, two, three, punt, was hard to take," he said. "It was a great team effort on the part of their (Oklahoma's) defense and a lack of execution on the part of our offense." There was no other explanation offered for Nebraska's lowest point output since a 27-7 loss to Oklahoma in 1985.

It was the Cornhuskers' poorest game offensively by almost 100 yards. Nebraska led the country in total offense and was second in rushing offense and scoring coming into the game. "It all seemed so much like it had all season on that first scoring drive," said Jones, who scored Nebraska's only touchdown on a 25-yard run. Nebraska ground out 84 yards in 10 plays late in the first quarter on the drive. Jones ran the final 41 yards on two plays.

"We were thinking, hey, this is going to be a fun day," Jones said. "But things did not go accordingly. It would have been too much to hope for the 7-0 lead to holdup." First downs hard to come by Nebraska didn't get another first down until late in the third quarter and didn't have a drive longer than 21 yards until the end of the game. "I don't think half of the plays we ran worked today," he said. But Jones declined to assign the blame to the Oklahoma defense.

"If we executed the way weliave all season, no defense can stop us. But Oklahoma's defense gave more of a great effort than our offense. "1 can't say that Steve (NU quarterback Taylor) wasn't in control as much as it was we weren't clicking, executing, making things work together," he said. "Nobody knows why." Nebraska offensive tackle Keven Lightner said the Cornhusker line handled the inside of the Oklahoma defensive line, but suffered at the hands of the Sooner defensive ends Troy Johnson and DarrellReed. "On that one drive we just killed them up 'the middle," Lightner sail "They started doing their loops and we were killing them.

But they went back to straight up stuff. You've got to be able to go out and get them and we just didn't do that They were tough and quick. "Speed kills on things like that" Nebraska guard John McCormick Oklahoma players Rickey Dixon (left), Darrell Reed (40) and Dante Jones for a seven-yard gain niaaenj is DiocKing UKianoma jones ana neea. Fiesta Bowl delighted to get Fiesta Bowl tickets available The Nebraska Ticket Office is taking mail-order requests for tickets for the 1988 Fiesta Bowl, which will pit Nebraska against Florida State. The game is tentatively scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

New Year's day. Tickets are $30 each. Checks should be made payable to the University of Nebraska and should be enclosed with the order. There will be a $2 charge per order to cover mailing and handling expenses. Those who placed their orders before Saturday don't need to reorder.

A billing will be sent Preference will be given to requests postmarked on or before Nov. 30. A separate sale for NU students will be Dec. 1-3. No telephone orders will be accepted.

Mail requests along with payment to: Athletic Ticket Office, P.O. Box 82848, Lincoln, NE 68501. i v4hg Clip yr 7,, i i Keith Jones (6) runs by a line of on Nebraska's touchdown drive. Crutchfield said the Orange Bowl would need to have two one-loss teams in its game to warrant moving the Fiesta Bowl to Jan. 2.

That could have occurred had Nebraska beaten Oklahoma and then lost to Colorado, while Miami would lose to either Notre Dame or South Carolina. "But the Orange Bowl is now assured jersey as the NU quarterback is NU fullback Mican Heioei (partially Huskers of at least one unbeaten team (Oklahoma)," Crutchfield said. "But well have a great game. Florida State played in our very first game and Nebraska returns for the third time." Crutchfield noted that No. 5 UCLA lost to USC and Notre Dame was also a loser Saturday (to Penn State).

"That means the Rose Bowl will have a rematch between USC and Michigan State," he said. "My guess is that Nebraska will fall to fourth behind Oklahoma, Miami and Florida State. "That means the Orange Bowl will probably have the No. 1 and 2 teams and well have Nos. 3 and 4.

That's not bad for a country bowL Not bad at alL" Crutchfield added, "I have a scenario worked out each year that will get us where we were last year (with a national championship game). That doesn't work out very often, but I'm looking forward to greeting the Nebraska team and all the fans who will come down for what should be a great game." Journal-Star photos by Ted Kirk, David Fahleson Dan Dulaney, Gail Folda and Harald Dreimanis From pegelD Talking the national title, then I hope they do. "My head is down. My heart is hurting. But believe me, I wouldn't change a thing but the outcome if I could.

"We tried to do what we were supposed to do. I put everything on the line for this game. And we lost There's not much I can say about it," Thomas said. "I could hear their fans yelling my name at the end of the game. I heard all the stuff their players and coaches said to me every time a play went to their sideline.

"I'm not embarrassed about what I said and did. I thought I played as hard as I could and they didn't come to my side very often. I think that says something." Someone asked if Oklahoma had proven itself in ways Thomas never By Virgil Parker Alex Crutchfield had mixed emotions after Nebraska's 17-7 loss to Oklahoma. The president of the Fiesta Bowl was thrilled to have the Huskers back in his New; Year's Day game, but hated to haitd Tom Osborne what the Cornhusker coach had to consider a consolation prize. "I've been covering this Nebraska team for a long, long time," he said.

"It's just 'always tough to go Tom Osborne and invite him after he's just lost. To be very honest with you, I'd have loved to see them win the national championship. It's 'too bad. Nebraska just didn't play as well as they can play today. But we know they are a helluva team and we're delighted to have them.

They'll probably bring us more fans than any other team in the country." The Huskers will face Florida State, a team whose only loss was by one point to Miami. There had been speculation that the Fiesta Bowl might move its game to Oklahoma safety David Vlckers stopped for a one-yard gain in the Nebraska's Mark Blazek knocks down a pass intended for OU's- Carl Cabbiness in the second quarter. NU's Broderick Thomas pursues the play. Jan. 2 as it did last year when staging a national championship game between Penn State and Miami "I would think that after today that possibility is slight," Crutchfield said.

"We really need to have a legitimate national championship-type game before we'd move it. So, we'll probably play on Jan. 1. (left) has a grasp on Steve Taylor's first quarter. NU's McCormick on Kodak team NEW YORK Nebraska offensive guard John McCormick was named to the Kodak All-America football team Saturday.

McCormick joins three Oklahoma players tight end Keith Jackson, of- tensive guard Mark Hutson and line- backer Dante Jones on the team. OFFENSI WlMrtctlvtn Tim Brown, Notra Domt; Ww dll Davis. Louisiana Statt Tlthtmd Keith Jackson, Oklahoma. Llntmen John McCormick, Nebraska; JohnU Holt, Michigan; Mark Hulson, Oklahoma; Randall McDoniel, Arizona State Center Nocho Alberaomo, Louisiana Stat Quarterback Don McPherson, Syracuse. Running backs Gaston Green, UCLA; Lorenzo White, Michigan State Ploceklcker David Treodwell, Clemson.

,1 DEFENSE Linemen Chad Hennlngi, Air Force; Daniel Stubbs, Mloml, Tony Cherlco, Arkansas; Aun- droy Bruce, Auburn. Linebacker Dante Jones, Oklahoma; Chris Gaines, Vonderbllt; Chris Splelmon, Ohio State Backs Deion Sanders, Florida Stole; Domell Wooltord, Clemson; Bennle Blades, Miami, ta.r"; Chuck Cecil, Arizona. Punter Tom Tupa, Ohio State "I don't think we were handled. My teammates and I came out and gave everything. It was something we just couldn't control They are No.

1." The loss was bitter to swallow. "The way I feet I thought we should be in the Orange Bowl," Thomas said. "I feel right now like if we're not in the Orange BowL it's not worth going to a bowl game. We're going to a bowl game and it's very nice. We're going to play Florida State in the Fiesta BowL But still my feelings are hurt" Will there be any talk before this week's game against Colorado? "Colorado is another game," Thomas said.

"It's not hard to get motivated. We have to redeem ourselves." As for Oklahoma and the future? "I've got one more shot at Oklahoma. Just go back to the drawing board and wait and wait and wait," Thomas said..