Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 16

i as Lincoln Journal Star Sunday, October 29, 1995 HUSKERS Page design: Jiie Koch 1, Frazier's performance impresses Husker teammates BY CURT MCKEEVER Lincoln Journal Star wmmm JO 1 BOULDER, Colo. Nebraska linebacker Grant Wistrom can't wait to see what Tommie Frazier has in store for the rest of the sea- the Husker defense, Frazier came back to engineer an 83-yard scoring drive he capped by hitting wingback Jon Vedral on a 7-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds left in the first half. During the march to the end zone, Frazier completed 4 of 6 passes for 35 yards and ran once for a gain of 11. He also took a late hit from a Colorado defender that netted Nebraska another 15 yards. "He's a great player who really holds things together," Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said.

"He's very tough, broke some tackles, took somo real shots and showed lots of poise. "He's the difference-maker. He was pretty much on the money with everything he threw today." The Huskers played their third straight turnover-free game in a row, and went without being called for a penalty for the first time since the 1976 Oklahoma game. "To play an error-free game is tough to do," Osborne said. "Again, I think it has to do with the poise and leadership of Frazier." As he's done throughout his career, Nebraska's quarterback shrugged off the compliments and any mention of his making a run or pass for the Heisman Trophy.

"Our seniors have never lost to Colorado and we didn't want to let down against them and lose our last game." he said. "I like a game where there's pressure on me. All I see right now is Iowa State (next week's opponent). They're between us and a national championship and right now that's more of a concern to me than the Heisman." be the leading candidate for the Heisman," said center Aaron Graham. Frazier might not have the eye-opening passing statistics of some other Heisman contenders, but no other college player can say he's been a key part of 28 victories in 29 regular-season games.

"He's everything you could ask for in a quarterback," Graham said. "He brings good leadership, he has lot of experience and he brings a lot of confidence." Especially to big games. While Frazer had a number of stellar plays against Colorado, one he made in the second quarter will go down as one of his all-time best. After Colorado had scored a touchdown to pull to 21-14, Nebraska moved from its 20 to the Buffs' 42 when Frazier hit tight end Mark Gil-man on a 26-yard pass and also picked up five yards on a third-and-four. On the next play, Frazier rolled to his left looking to pass and took a shot from Colorado linebacker Mike Phillips that should have forced him to the turf.

Somehow, he managed to hold his balance and get off a throw to I-back Ahman Green, who turned the effort into a 35-yard gain. Nebraska eventually kicked a field goal, which gave the Huskers the deciding points. "He can do anything and everything," said guard Aaron Taylor. "It was awesome. I was locked on my guy and I felt the ball whiz by my head.

I saw it going to Ahman and when that happens there's a good chance something good is going to happen." After a big defensive series by son. "It's kind of hard to say the surprises are wearing out," Wistrom said of the Cornhuskers' senior quarterback. "Every game he comes up with something new." Frazier, who threw a career-high four touchdown passes last week against a Kansas State team determined to stop Nebraska's high-powered running game, also had Colorado's defense spinning circles Saturday with his moves on Folsom Field. He completed a career-high 14 passes in 23 attempts for a career-best 241 yards and two touchdowns in the Huskers' 44-21 victory. Frazier also ran for 41 more yards and another touchdown.

But more importantly, he guided his 29th win at Nebraska, which ties him with Steve Taylor for most in a Husker career. "Tommie is, in all of my years playing and watching college football, the best quarterback I've seen," said Colorado senior cornerback T.J. Cunningham. "He's a strong competitor." Frazier probably could have had an even better day passing, but once Nebraska got ahead 37-21 early in the fourth quarter, the Huskers were content to run the ball and work on the clock. "Tommie's a phenominal player and right now, in my eyes, he's got to TED KIRKLmcoh Journal Star A NU's Tommie Frazier contributed on the ground too, rushing for 40 yards and this touchdown, on a 2-yard run late in the game.

IAN DOREMUSUncom Journal Star T3k NU's Tommie Frazier Unleashes a pass Saturday. MM Nebraska notes IftJ defense rises to occasion, holds Colorado offense in check 4 bY CURT MCKEEVER Journal Star What was the first play of the game that Nebraska scored on? RANOY HAMPTONLincoln Journal Star A Nebraska's Jamel Williams and Aaron Penland (52) stop Colorado's Marlon Barnes Saturday in the first half. BOULDER. Colo. Colorado's offense rolled up 382 yards against Kebraska Saturday.

But when the Buffaloes needed to rev themselves back into a game they eventually lost 44-21, Nebraska's defense owned the Folsom Field real estate. Example No. 1 After Nebraska's Chris Brown kicked a 25-yard field goal, the Buffs trailed 24-14 with 5:15 remaining in the first half. The Buffaloes began their next drive at the 2-yard line and picked up a first at the 37. But after a 2-yard run by Lendon Henry, quarterback John Hessler threw two incomple-tions and Colorado had to punt.

Nebraska answered by marching 83 yards in nine plays to take a 31-14 lead at the break. "We knew what we had to do." outside linebacker Grant Wistrom said of the defensive stand just before the half. "If they would've scored, they're just three points down and it would've gave them a big emotional boost." Two years ago (in a 24-17 win), "our offensive didn't score in the second half, so we knew we had to shut them down there," Wistrom said. "They've got great athletes they're never out of a game." example: After Nebraska failed to convert a fourth down at (he Colorado 27 on its first series of fhe second half, the Buffaloes drove for a touchdown in just five plays, getting a 49-yard touchdown pass Hessler to James Kidd to make it 31-21. After the Cornhuskers answered with another field goal by Brown, the defense gave up four yards in three plays to force a punt.

Nebraska's offense couldn't generate anything and had to give the ball back, but on Colorado's next play, Wistrom smacked Hessler just as he Al Ahman Green took a pitch around the left end and scored on a 57-yard play, just 10 seconds after Colorado punted for the first time. "I don't know what was special about it other than everybody on our team had everybody on their team out of the way," Green said. Tom Osborne explained that Nebraska was in a new set, with an extra blocker on the outside of the play. "It might have confused them a little. It's something they haven't seen before.

We hoped to outnumber them and we did took it all the way." Brendan Holbein, the split end who made a key block on the play, added, "It's a power set with an extra receiver me and Reggie Baul out there on the left side and no tight ends." Doesn't a score on the first play of the game seem familiar to Nebraska? Just a few weeks ago Clinton Childs raced 65 yards to score on the first play against Arizona State. But it's not always glad tidings, Osborne said. "So many times I've seen an early score turn into disaster. It's like seeing the air go out of a balloon. Then the other team gets better and better.

So I worry about that sometimes." Were any records broken? The attendance at Folsom Field of 54,063 was the largest crowd ever. There were 566 press credentials. The 241 yards passing by Nebraska were the most ever against Colorado topping the 1966 mark of 236 yards. And Colorado hadn't lost twice in the regular season since 1988. Did Nebraska change anything defensively? "We played a lot more zone pass defense than we had in the past," Osborne said.

"They had good enough receivers, with enough speed, we felt we couldn't play man-to-man and then blitz all day long. Will Nebraska look past Iowa State next week? Al Ahman Green explained, "The coaches remind us of the 1992 loss at Iowa State almost every day of every week." Should Nebraska go up or down in the polls? Al According to rush end Jared Tomich, "This was huge for us and with all the talk of Ohio State, we felt we had to play good today. Hopefully, the polls will be satisfied and we'll stay No. 2. No.

We don't need that as long as we have a shot at No. 1 at the end of the season." Did Nebraska players hear any crowd reaction to the recent decision allowing Lawrence Phillips to return to the team? Fullback Jeff Makovicka, said "the crowd wasn't as nasty as you might think. We know we'll hear a lot about it. We welcome him back and want him to stay. He's part of the family.

A lot of people will be on our backs. We'll just stick together and this might help us down the road. I think he'll get his job back, too, but the way the other guys are playing, it'll be tough for him. And as for the criticism, it's us against the world, I guess." was releasing to pass and linebacker Doug Colman made an easy interception on one knee to give the Huskers the ball at the Colorado 21. Four plays later, Brown kicked his third field goal and Nebraska led 37-21.

"I thought (Hessler) was scared of the defense and the defensive line," said linebacker Terell Farley, who intercepted a Hessler pass and returned it 42 yards to set up Nebraska's second touchdown of the game. "He got rattled and couldn't react to our zone coverage. I think they expected man-to-man coverage so they could have more big plays than they did, and they just couldnt beat the zone. He got what we call happy feet." Nebraska opted to play primarily zone from the time Farley made his interception throughout the rest of the game. "I think the series was when they scored and had it to 10 (at 31-21)," said Nebraska roverback Mike Minter.

From that point on, Colorado's remaining offensive series' ended with a punt, an interception, a punt and a change of possession on downs. "Their offensive line seemed to be tired at the end of the game," Wistrom said. "That surprised me a little bit because they're used to the altitude. But we were able to push our way straight to Hessler by the end." Added Hessler, "I only had two or three drives in the second half. The first drive I scored a touchdown, but after that I couldn't get anything going.

They played mistake-free football and we have to give them credit for that." What Hessler meant was the Huskers' defense played mistake-free when the game could have gotten a lot more interesting. "I think our defense is getting better," Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said. "We bend at times. .1 still think we played a good defensive game, even though they scored 21 points." Colorado fell to fourth place in the Big Eight, two games behind Nebraska and one in back of Kansas and Kansas State. But the Buffaloes' slipping status didn't take away how special Nebraska players felt after Saturday's victory.

"We beat a pretty good team and we beat them convincingly," said outside linebacker Grant Wistrom. "It was a big hurdle. We knew back in the summer Colorado was going to be a big opportunity for us." Terrell Farley got his third inter-" ception of the season and he returned it 42 yards to set up Nebraska's second touchdown. "I was just in the right place and it seemed like he threw it to me, almost," he said. "Hessler was facing a I lot of pressure and it was going to happen sooner; or later.

He was throwing all over the place. We got beat on a deep ball, but that's going to happen now and then. It was al-, most perfect except for that. But it" was no big deal in the long run." Farley also took his first two thefts into the end zone. Linebacker Doug Colman had an interception against the Buffs to give the Huskers two in a game for the third straight contest.

Nebraska outside linebacker' Jared Tomich said he wasn't pleased with giving up 21 points. "You always want to give up zero. There were a lot of things they did and did really well. We stopped the inside rush pretty well and it was something we tried to adjust to as the game went along." Tomich said he expected more trick plays from Colorado. "We worked on their trickery all week and didn't see that much today.

I think we're getting better and we're not making the same mistakes week after week." Linebacker Doug Colman on his Interception caused when teammate Grant Wistrom slammed Colorado quarterback John Hessler. "It was almost too easy because it was like a short popup. I was thinking end zone but my foot slipped and I figured I had to make sure I caught the ball." l-back Ahman Green on his game: "This kind of game against a big-time opponent gives me more confidence in the big games." NU outside linebacker Coach Tony Samuel: "Our four guys played great and I was worried. One time Jared Tomich came out with a sore back. Then Grant Wistrom came out with a missing contact.

But Luther Hardin and Chad Kelsay played just great in their place. All of our guys came out swinging. They got us on our heels once or twice and we handled it and came right back at them." Place kicker Kris Brown was perfect on field goals of 25, 36 and 37 yards, as well as five extra points. Two of Brown's kicks came in the second half after Colorado had narrowed the margin to 32-21 "I just felt real confident today. It was good to go into a pressure situation and to be able to make the kicks.

Down the road, I can remember a place where I came into a hostile environment and was able to do well." Brown attributed part of his success to long snapper Aaron Graham and holder Jon Vedral. "They're the best in the country. The adrenalin was flowing a little more, but I didn't notice anything about the (thin) air." What others said were held to one touchdown in the last 39 minutes. The imperfections, the scrutiny and the questions aimed at the University of Nebras--ka football team were all left behind. The T-shirts some of the Huskers wore read "BUSINESS AS USUAL!" and that is what Saturday was about.

Even by the standards established in the Tom Osborne era, Satur-" day's Husker achievement was memorable. No turnovers. No penalties. No sacks. No problem.

Nebraska's 44-21 victory over Colorado, before a record Folsom Field crowd of 54,063, redirected the attention focused on Huskers toward their ability to play nearly flawless football. For several hours on a clear Colorado afternoon, the Huskers, 8-0, took an important step closer to the pos-'sibility of a Fiesta Bowl meeting for a second consecutive national championship. Colorado (6-2) became the first team this -season to remain closer than 13 points to the every year since 1989, but there was also the added and intense scrutiny surrounding the reinstatement of Lawrence Phillips. Malcolm Moran New York Times To inspire his team, a Colorado player beat a war drum before Saturday's game against Nebraska. The gimmick didn't work.

Tommie Frazier threw for a career-high 241 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score as the second-ranked Cornhuskers continued their domination of the No. 7 Buffaloes with a mistake-free 44-21 victory. 1 Ahman Green ran for two touchdowns and Kris Brown kicked three field goals for Nebraska, which beat Colorado for the fourth straight year and extended the nation's longest winning streak to 21 games. "The seniors stressed that we haven't lost to these guys, so we didn't want to lose this one," said Frazier, who completed 14-of-23 and ran 13 times for 40 yards. -Rick Warner Associated Press 29th victory with Frazier as its starting quarterback, a figure that ties the school record set by Steve Taylor.

Frazier's two touchdown passes, a 52-yard pass to Clester Johnson and a 7-yard throw to Jon Vedral with 10 seconds to go in the first half, gave him a career total of 39, two less than David Humm's school record. But it was a second-quarter throw that created a stronger memory than any touchdown pass. On first down from the Colorado 42, with the Buffaloes within 7 points, Frazier was hit by defensive end Greg Jones and somehow stayed on his feet. "I saw I wasn't going down," Frazier remembered. He readjusted his grip and threw a 35-yard pass to Ahman Green to the Colorado 8.

Frazier's brilliance, and Nebraska's perfection, created a different mood than the one that surrounded the team for most of the week. Not only did the Nebraska program have to prepare for Colorado, the team that has combined with the Huskers to decide the Big Eight championship with their meeting Tommie Frazier's career-high 241 passing yards, with two touchdown passes and a 2-yard run in the final minutes, do not begin to capture the impact he made on this game. A year ago this weekend, when Nebraska's convincing victory over Colorado became the biggest step toward the Orange Bowl and a championship, Frazier was being treated for blood clots and was forced to watch. He said he was not going into this game to make a statement. He couldn't help it.

Frazier completed 14 of 23 passes, consistently showing the kind of touch, judgment and strength that were missing when he was a young option quarterback all those years ago. "That shows people I'm not just an option quarterback," Frazier said. "I can throw the ball, too." He benefited from an offensive line that has been charged with one sack this season, for a 3-yard loss, on a play that Osborne said was designed as a run. This was Nebraska's Huskers in the second half. But the Buffa- loes, who had averaged 42 points per game,.