Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 23

jfiF7' 'm, IHihiiiM Section 3 (fhicacjo (Tribune Thursday, December 30, 1982 Bryant oes out a winner In tho wake of tho news John Husar Eason's 423 yards can't ridn Bear's retirement party --W TV- i i 'SO rV Kit. Bryant, Alabama leave their marks Chicago Tribune MEMPHIS The Illlfli kd Mver felt hitting la the secondary like they did this night. Not from Pittsburgh or Michigan or Ohio State. No Orange and Blue have become so black and blue since Jack "Killer" Tatum was addling brains a decade ago (or Ohio State. "That's the hardest hitting on both sides that I think I've ever seen," Alabama coach Bear Bryant said after his emotionally Inspired guerrillas laid waste to Illinois 21-13 to end their mentor's incredible coaching career on a winning note.

"Especially in the open field. I don't think I've ever seen that many hard open-field licks." Alabama's lesson in the cruel facts of football life began with the first pass that slid from Tony Eason's frozen fingers in the deep freeze that Wednesday night's Liberty Bowl game had become. By the time It was over, virtually every Illinois receiver had spent some painful time writhing on his back, blindslaed, crisscrossed while going up for the ball, pummeled along the sidelines. EASON WAS SACKED four times and was knocked out of the game three times, which led to the awful, "fH it. By Bill Jauss Chicago MEMPHIS Th Bear Brvaal Show almost became the Toqy Easoo Show Wednesday night.

But Jeremiah Castilie saved his old coach's farewell victory with the hardect hitting the Fighting Illini have ever seen. That was the story as Bryant bowed out a 21 13 winner in the liberty Bowl. It was his 323d victory as a head college coach. Eason was brilliant as he completed 33 passes for 423 yards for the Illini. hut Alabama defensive back Castille rightfully earned player of the game honors by intercepting three passe and by stripping Illini receiver Dwight Beverly of the ball when Beverly was on the Alabama 1 and seemingly going in for a second-period touchdown.

That hit by Castille vividly demonstrated how the Crimson Tide spoiled Illinois' first bowl appearance In 19 years. THREE TIMES Eason had the Illini on the verge of scoring but was knocked from the game, each time for one play. Each time, his replacement, Kris Jenner, threw a pass from scoring position, and each time the Crimson Tide intercepted it. Jenner'a first interception came in the end zone. His next two came with 2:54 and :16 to play, on plays from the Alabama 15- and 30-yard lines.

Eason was watching in a daze on the sidelines each time. "Alabama was by far the hardest-hitting team we have played," Eason "By far the best defensive team." Defensive end Mike Pitts, linebacker Tom McCray and defensive end Russ Woods delivered the hits that sent Eason to the sidelines. The last two were clean hits. Illinl coach Mike White argued Pitts' hit from the sideline, but Eason said he felt they were all clean tackles. "Nothing was flagrant," said Eason.

"At least I think so. I don't remember. They made me dizzy. My eyes bobbled." ALABAMA INTERCEPTED seven passes. Eason said that each of his four interceptions occurred because, "I was running backwards or throwing off my back foot or trying to dump it out of bounds and couldn't get enough on the ball." Castille's hit on Beverly came in the first half, when the Illini squandered five straight chances inside the Alabama 20.

Beverly split the Alabama defense, caught the ball inside the 5-yard line and was one step from the goal when Castille separated him from the ball. McCray recovered on the 6-yard line. "I was concentrating on the ball," said Beverly, who had the breath knocked from him by the hit. "I Continued on page 2, col. 2 embarrassing denouement for Illinois.

For the Illinl had kept resurrecting chances to pull out a bowl victory that would cap 19 fruitless years. Nine tunes they penetrated the Alabama 25. But whenever Eason was led to the sidelines to recover from some awful blow, In came Kris Jenner only to throw an Interception each time he handled the ball. Three times this junior who had never, ever stepped into combat when it mattered bent over center. Three times he stepped back to pass.

And each time it -i 4 t- f.m-n 't'fl WP 1 1 III I i Iff I i Tony Eason the ball was speared by an Alabamian, quelling another Illinl threat. A scar like that will be difficult for any youngster to overcome. Illinois coach Mike White, although crestfallen by such a close and painful loss, particularly when his team had come so close, generously led a round of applause for Bryant when the old master appeared for his interviews. "Let me be the first to publicly congratulate Coach Bryant," White said. "I don't think we disappointed the fans, coach.

Bryant grinned wearily. "I don't think so," he said. "It sure didn't disappoint me, I'll tell you." BRYANT CONFESSED that he had been fearful that j. V- Or DPI Telephoto Alabama coach Bear Bryant is carried off the field by his victory over Illinois. Bryant, college football's winningest players one last time following the Tide's 21-15 Liberty Bowl coach, is retiring after almost 40 years of coaching.

How the Fighting Illini did themselves in at the Liberty Bowl his team was too poorly prepared by time off for final exams and Christmas to match the Illinois resolve. His final weapon turned out to be himself, when he spoke to the team the night before the game. It was the first time he had spoken to them in several days. Indeed, he'd done little himself to prepare for the game. But now he stood at the podium, a tired old man of 69 facing the kids he had recruited, and he spoke from the heart.

He told them about the importance of this game not to him, though it would be his last and he, of course, would want to win. But to them, that they faced a burden that they might bear all through their lives. "I told them that, whether they liked it or not-or whether I liked it or not people were always gonna remember them for this game, because of the circumstances," he said. "That this was gonna live with them." And his voice had broken and soon the Alabama players were crying. No wonder they tore like furies through the Illini consciousness.

"ALABAMA WAS SO quick and so fast that we were unable to run the ball with any effectiveness," White said. "That put all the pressure on Tony. He had to make all the decisions and all the moves. That's not the kind of game I wanted it to be. Alabama did a good job of mixing up the defenses, and there wasn't all that much we could do." Eason did his best, a bowl record 423 yards in the air before he was dragged for the last time from the field.

But seven interceptions four by Eason and three by Jenner did in Illinois. The interceptions were because the backs were covered to the point that they faced the- unfortunate prospect of swallowing the ball and promptly being stuffed. Alabama smothered the air lanes, and Illinois had nothing left. Crimson Tide safety Rocky Colburn said it all when he told the world that their plan was to punish Illinois receivers after catching the ball. When they saw the Illini trying to run patterns below the coverage, they zeroed in.

"We broke them up," Colburn chortled. Indeed, in many ways. Hill! s'rN? i A 1 Mike Bass had a field goal from the 24 blocked at 10:21 of the first quarter. 2 Tony Eason was Intercepted by Jeremiah Castille at 13:51 of the second quarter, killing an Illini drive at the Alabama 13. 3 Dwight Beverly, after catching an Eason pass at 12:44 of the second quarter, was hit by Castille and fumbled at the Alabama 1 4 Eason was intercepted by Castille at 10:34 of the second quarter, killing an Illini drive at the Alabama 22.

i 5 Eason was intercepted by John Ellas the second quarter, killing an Illini drive at the Alabama 3. 6 After Joe Curtis' TD at 8:58 of the second quarter, Bass missed an extra point kick. 7 Kris Jenner was intercepted by Castille in the end zone at 3:19 of the third quarter, killing an Illini drive that had gotten to the Alabama 25. 8 After Oliver Williams'. TD at 11:53 of the fourth quarter, Illinois missed a two-point conversion when Castille.

batted away the pass. 9 Jenner was Intercepted by Eddie Lowe with 3:01 left jn the fourth quarter, killing an Illini drive at the Alabama 15. 10 Jenner was intercepted by Robbie Jones with .16 seconds to play, killing an Illini drive at the Alabama 30. hi AP Lasarphoto Alabama's Craig Turner tumbles into the end zone 15 Liberty Bowl victory over Illinois Wednesday for the decisive touchdown in the Crimson Tide's 21- night. The 1-yard run put Alabama ahead 21-12.

1 Coach's prod works, Hawks topple Oilers vrx A7 Av ft 4 9 straight! Northwestern rolls on From Chicago Tribune wires SANTA BARBARA, Calif. Senior guard Gaddls Rathel scored 24 points to lead Northwestern to its ninth victory without a loss as the Wildcats beat Furman 72-58 in the opening round of the Nike Classic tournament Wednesday night. The Wildcats will meet California-Santa Barbara Thursday at 11 p.m., Chicago time, in the final. The Gauchos 5-5 surprised Hofstra 73-65 in Wednesday night's other game, handing the Flying Dutchmen only their second loss in nine contests. "It feels great to win, especially to come back and get a team like Furman," said Northwestern coach Rich Falk, who saw his team fall behind at halftime for the first time this season.

"Unfortunately, we were breaking down on defense in the first half, but give credit to Furman." Rathel hit 10 of 15 shots from the floor to go with his 9 rebounds as the Wildcats held their opponent under 60 points for the ninth consecutive time this season. Also pacing Northwestern were Jim Stack, who had 17 points, and Art Aaron, who was held to a season-low 12. Northwestern shot 61 percent in second half, outscoring Furman 46-29 after Furman had a 29-26 halftime lead and increasing it to 31-26 at the outset of the second half. But the Wildcats rolled off 12 straight unanswered points 6 by Rathel to take a lead they never relinquished. 1 after four seasons of trying.

The Hawks, who never trailed, took a 5-3 lead into the final 20 minutes. But in a smidgeon more than 6Ms minutes, the Oilers tied the score on defenseman Paul Coffey's second goal off the game off Tony Esposito and an unassisted close-in strike by Ken Linseman. Without their best defensemen, Doug Wilson, the Hawks seemed to be in danger of losing two straight games for the first time this season. Instead, they mounted a counter-offensive. Secord blasted his second goal of the game and 31st of the season past goalie Grant Fuhr from the edge of the left circle, enabling the Hawks to regain the lead with 7:10 to go.

Less than a minute later, Lysiak outdueled Gretzky on a faceoff and went in alone to score, putting the Hawks back on top by two goals. THE OILERS failed in their at tempt to get a dead-heat, but they provided a photo-finish when Mark 6 Continued onge 2, col. 2 By Neil Milbert Chicago Tribune EDMONTON, Canada Apparently, the Black Hawks are more afraid of their coach, Orval Tessier, than they are of The Great Gretzky. Wednesday night, they responded to Tessier's tirade of 24 hours earlier by succeding where the Soviet Union's finest hockey players failed. Led by Denis Savard, Tom Lysiak, Al Secord and Steve Larmer, the Hawks beat Edmonton at its own game, scoring an 8-6 victory over the NHL's most explosive team.

Gretzky had scored two goals in Edmonton's 4-3 upset of the Soviet Union Tuesday. Wednesday, Gretzky was rationed to two assists, swelling his season total to 92 points. But he was outplayed by both Savard and Lysiak. SAVARD SCORED his 17th goal and assisted on Secord's two goals and one by Larmer. Lysiak, whose line was pitted against came away with two goals and one assist The triumph was the Hawks' firsHin the Northlands Coliseum fc UP! Tetephoto Black Hawks' Peter Marsh encounters double trouble from Edmonton's Ron Jackson left and Randy Gregg during Wednesday night's 8-6 Hawk victory in Edmonton.l Insiti Sting wins in overtime The Sting rallied win 7-6.

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