The Columbus Telegram from Columbus, Nebraska • 9

Sunday, Sept. 12, 1999 Page IB 9) NlTs-defense' drops egg on Cal mjrLC By KYLE SCHURMAN Special to the Telegram "1 .:) v'A of threats Saturday California kicker Ignacio Brache twice hit the left upright on field-goal attempts it was a thoroughly dominating defensive performance. "We work toward that goal to keep the shutout on the board," defensive tackle Steve Warren said. Nebraska's defense allowed only 145 yards in total offense against the Golden Bears, who gained nearly half of that total in the first quarter. California quarterbacks Samuel Clemons and Kyle Boiler completed only eight of 26 pass attempts.

Nebraska had five sacks and limited California to 40 yards rushing. Not only did the defensive players dominate the line of scrimmage, they proved opportunistic as well, setting up scoring chances for the Nebraska offense. Warren tipped a Clemons pass to safety Mike Brown midway through the second quarter for an interception. On the next play, quarterback Eric Crouch, who lined up at receiver, scored a touchdown on a pass from quarterback Bobby New-combe. Linebacker Brian Shaw blocked a punt at the Bear 13-yard line midway through the third quarter, leading to a Husker field goal.

Cornerback Ralph Brown returned an interception to the Bear 4, leading to a Crouch touchdown run. See DEFENSE, Page 2B LINCOLN The controversy over who should start at quarterback for Nos. 5 and 6 Nebraska undoubtedly will become more intense after Saturday's 45-0 Husker win against California at Memorial Stadium. As well as Nebraska's defense is playing, though, the person taking the snaps may become a moot point. For the second straight game, Nebraska (2-0) didn't allow the opposition's offense to score a single point.

Iowa scored on special teams during last week's 42-7 loss against Nebraska. While the Husker shutout had a couple tonudhi Mm) to Millard North grad makes history in Cornhusker rout i Sr. 2T ft Iv LINCOLN (AP) Nebraska backup quarterback Eric Crouch managed in a little Unore than two quarters to do something no Cornhusker had done in nearly 26 years. Crouch became the first Nebraska player since Johnny Rodgers in 1973 to run, throw and catch a pass for a touchdown as the No. 5 Cornhuskers beat California 45-0 Saturday.

bi "ANY TIME I'm on the field, al have to take advantage of any "opportunity given," said -Crouch, who scored three 1 (touchdowns and passed for one despite sitting out most of the (first quarter and all of the -fourth. "It's a chance to let this -team shine, a chance for me to vmake a big play, a chance to Jlead the offense down the field." In Crouch, who lost a preseason 1 (battle with Bobby Newcombe the starting quarterback Djob, was 2-for-2 passing for 102 yards and a touchdown, had nine carries for 21 yards and two scores and caught one pass for a 60-yard touchdown. "The last time I caught a pass? It was in practice this In a game I've never caught a pass," Crouch said. RODGERS RAN, passed and caught a pass for a touch-down in Nebraska's 40-6 win Notre Dame in the 1973 Orange Bowl. Rodgers was the Trophy winner that season.

"tA Crouch's big plays and another shutout by the Nebraska defense made up for a lack of a j't-ushing game. Cal (1-1) held Nebraska to 114 yards rushing to 48 attempts. jpi "The difference was big plays. cannot be satisfied with down their rushing yards," Cal coach Tom Holmoe Baid. IL Sam Clemons led Cal with 84 passing yards before leaving the game in the third quarter with an injured leg.

Kyle Boiler, a freshman, was 2-for-10 for 21 yards with an interception. CAL MANAGED just 40 rushing yards, led by tailback Marcus Fields' 29 on 14 carries. The Bears were also hurt by drawing 14 penalties for 110 yards. "When you play a good team, the little things make all the difference in the world," Holmoe said. "Little things add up quickly against Nebraska." Nebraska held the Bears to nine first downs and got two turnovers.

The Cornhuskers have outscored their opponents 87-7 this season, but the wins have been over Cal and Iowa, both coming off losing seasons. "WHERE WE'RE I don't know," Solich said. "I don't want to take away from the defensive unit, but they will get tested down the road." Newcombe ran for a touchdown and threw a pass to Crouch for another. He finished with yards on 12 carries and completed 3-of-7 passes for 85 yards. Solich alternated Newcombe and Crouch in each series of the second quarter, and the move led to two big plays that broke the game open after a slow first quarter.

With the Cornhuskers leading 14-0 late in the second quarter, Crouch and Tracey Wistrom connected on a 70-yard scoring play to put Nebraska up 21-0. Newcombe took over on the next series and threw a short pass to Crouch, who had lined up at split end. Crouch caught it at the Nebraska 41-yard line and went all the way. IN CERESCO JVJ 4 A VW v. mam i i7h Solich looking at big picture of NU offense By KYLE SCHURMAN Special to the Telegram LINCOLN For the second straight week, the Husker offense seemed to gain a spark when Crouch entered the game for Newcombe.

Still, Solich isn't as concerned with the quarterback as he is with how the offense works together. "I think the offense responds better as the game goes along," Solich said when asked whether Nebraska responds to Crouch better than Newcombe. "I think it's that way for all offenses. You guys have to understand it's not one guy who takes the team down the field. It takes 11 guys." Solich said California's attacking style of defense, in which it often placed everyone but its cornerbacks within 5 yards of the line, made it difficult to generate any momentum offensively, which consequently made it tough on the quarterbacks.

The Husker offense ran only 57 plays and rarely could string together a time-consuming drive. "When you only have 57 snaps, and you make a lot of big plays like we did, it's hard to get into an offensive flow or get any momentum going," Solich said. "Obviously we could perform a little better, but it's only the second game of the season, and we have time to improve on it," Newcombe said. NEW LOOK: There seemed to be few glitches with Nebraska's new-look Memorial Stadium. Saturday was the debut of the new sky-boxes, the new press box and the new FieldTurf surface.

The FieldTurf was particularly impressive. Its deep green color gives it the look of grass. Upon close inspection, the FieldTurfs individual blades and mixture of sand and rubber pellets underneath the turf make for a soft landing. Some of the black pellets poke through the turf, though. You may have seen the pellets fly up when players make hard cuts.

"As far as I know, we didn't have anyone seriously injured," Solich said. See NOTES, Page 2B tie i 1 f- I IN THE BAG California quarterback Kyle Boiler (7) is sacked by Nebraska linebackers Randy Stella, right, and Scott Shanle (43) of St. Edward during Saturday's win in Lincoln. AP Photo Wistrom worried before long TD reception winner and former All-Amer-ican Nebraska rush end Grant Wistrom. "I just wanted to catch it," the sophomore tight end said of his 70-yard touchdown in No.

5 Nebraska's 45-0 win over California on Saturday. Grant Wistrom and former Nebraska defensive tackle Jason Peter, now both in the NFL, told the younger Wistrom when they graduated that they would come back to Lincoln to "see him" if he messed up in any games. "I always get a few threats Mr AWhL. vii, OFF TO THE RACES Nebraska's Eric Crouch (7) avoids the tackle of California's Drae Harris (11) late in the second quarter to J'score a Nebraska touchdown on Saturday. AP Photo from both of them," Wistrom said, laughing.

"Everybody around here knows what kind of people Jason and Grant were." The 6-5, 220-pound tight end from Webb City, had one more worry cross his mind when he caught the ball on the 35 yard-line. "I'm not the fastest guy in the world I was just trying to get away," he said. 'If the goal line had been much farther, I don't think I would have made it." LINCOLN (AP) Tracey Wistrom had a few things to worry about as he streaked down the field with nary a defender in sight and the ball floating toward his outstretched hands. He worried about dropping the ball and looking like a fool in front of the 77,000 people in the stands and millions of others watching on regional television. He also fretted about dropping the ball and facing the wrath of his big brother the 1997 Lombardi Trophy 53 Years Go where the BIG HID went for their MAJOR: APPLIANCES and TV'S for the Memorial Stadium Slcyboxes.

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