The Columbus Telegram from Columbus, Nebraska • 9

Sunday, Oct. 19, 1997 pagc ob Dykes nearly speechless over Huskers 10 By Mike Kluck Special to the Telegram Wrt'm .1 Jt ing 17 yards rushing. It was Tech's lowest single offensive game output since a 134-yard effort against Houston in 1982. It was also the first time Dykes had been shutout since a 31-0 win by Arkansas on Oct. 10, 1987, during Dykes first full season as Tech's head coach.

The last time the lied Raiders were shutout on the road was in 1985 in a 31-0 loss to Baylor. "There's not a whole lot to say when you get just thoroughly manhandled," Dykes said. "I thought Nebraska's defense was relentless and they did a great job. Boy, that's a great defensive football team." Nebraska's defense held Tech to a season lows in points (0), first downs (6), rushing yards (17), total plays (46) and time of possession (23:25) and tied for season low in rushing attempts (26). Texas Tech senior quarterback Zebbie Lethridge was also impressed with Nebraska's defense.

See DYKES, Page 8B How Area Hoskers fine Tim Carpenter, senior tight end Carpenter didn't have a catch but had some toy blocks including one on Joel Makovtcka's touchdown catch that let the tullbaoH get open. Jesse Kosch, senior, punter Kosch had two punts on Saturday that were better than his season best of 52 yards vs. Washington, Kosch had three punts tor 153 yards with one 52-yarder and one 60-yarder but both were toochbacks. Joel Makovicka, junior, fullback Makovicka had another career first with a touchdown reception with 8:09 remaining In the second quarter on a three-yard pass from Scott Frost to give the Huskers a 10-0 lead. Last season he had three catches tor 28 yards but none tor a touchdown.

Makovicka also rushed tor 57 yards Saturday. Jeff Lake, senior, split end Lake did not have a reception as Scott Frost only completed five ot 12 passes. One of those incompletions was to Lake in the second quarter but was overthrown. Brandon Drum, sophomore, defensive tackle -Drum, who is also the Huskers' deep snapper had three snaps. Craig Fischer, sophomore, split end Fischer played late in the game and didn't have a reception.

LINCOLN Spike Dykes was at a loss for words Saturday after Nebraska's 29-0 victory over Texas Tech. Anybody who knows the Red Raider head coach knows that doesn't happen often. But when a reporter asked Dykes why the Nebraska defense was so good, Dykes struggled to find enough adjectives to describe them. They're big, strong and fast and tough," Dykes said. "Anything else you can think of and any other adjectives you want to use.

They got them all. They got a great scheme and they make it hard on you. They got great defensive lineman that they are relentless and they do a lot of things with those people." Dykes saw up close what the Husker defense could do as Nebraska (6-0 overall, 3-0 in the Big 12 Conference) held Tech (3-3, 2-D to 127 yards of total offense includ Blackshirts make statement for No. 1 Cornhuskers stop Tech for first shutout LINCOLN (AP) When Nebraska's offense misfires, the defense can still deliver a shutout. Ahman Green ran for 178 yards and a touchdown and No.

2 Nebraska recorded its first shutout of the season, 29-0 over Texas Tech. Green led a powerful Nebraska rushing attack that started slowly but eventually found its stride. The Cornhuskers (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) rolled up 400 yards on the day, just below their 401-yard average. "We played well today and that's what we try to do," Nebraska coach Tom Osborne said. "I think we have a good team and I think we are playing well.

We are not unbeatable. We didn't run away from these guys." TEXAS TECH (3-3, 2-1) could do little against the swarming Cornhuskers defense. The Red Raiders finished with 127 yards and didn't reach 100 yards until 3:24 remained in the third period. Texas Tech's first possession ended with a missed field goal and the Red Raiders didn't penetrate Nebraska territory again until the 11-minute mark of the fourth period. "We decreased the number of big plays against us," Osborne said.

"The pass coverage was good. The pass rush was good. The run defense was solid and we just made fewer mistakes. I'm satisfied with that progress." Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes is a believer in Nebraska's strength. "ITS JUST a hard day at the office when you play these folks," Dykes said.

Green, who carried 24 times, has 2,873 yards during his career. His effort Saturday moved him from seventh to fourth on Nebraska's career leaders list, passing Derek Brown, Lawrence Phillips and I.M. Hipp. Green didn't want to talk about his accomplishment. Instead, he gave credit to the Huskers' defense.

"All we had to do was worry about moving the ball down the field and putting it in," Green said. Mike Rozier, the 1983 Heisman Trophy winner, is the school's top rusher with 4,780 yards from 1981-83. AFTER PUNTING on its first two possessions, Nebraska opened the scoring with a 32-yard field goal by Kris Brown. In the second quarter, Scott Frost capped a 10-play, 71-yard drive with a 3-yard TD throw to fullback Joel Makovicka. Four plays later, the Huskers took over again, this time near midfield.

Brown began the third quarter with a 44-yard field goal, finishing a nine-play, 44-yard drive to give Nebraska a 16-0 lead. Nebraska was threatening to score again when Green started a bizarre play. After Green's 13-yard gain to the Tech 13, he gained 9 yards and was inside the Texas Tech 5 when he rumbled. The ball rolled into the end zone, where offensive lineman John Zatechka recovered for another score. I MOVING IN Texas Tech receiver Malcom McKenzie (17) heads down field after receiving a pass as Nebraska linebacker Octavious McFarlin (4) closes in during the first quarter of Saturday's Big 12 Conference game in Lincoln.

Nebraska held the Red Raiders to 127 total yards in a 29-0 victory. AP Photo First time for everything; Makovicka catches TD pass fa fullback." Makovicka's score came on one of the pass plays Frost said the Huskers had yet to use this year. On third-and-goal from the Texas Tech 4, Makovicka lined up in the middle of a three-back stack called the Mary-land-I formation. After a fake to Tech 2. It gave the Huskers a 22-0 lead with 4:05 to play in the fourth quarter.

Frost said the players in the back-field are all good friends, and it's nice when they take turns getting in the end zone. But Zatechka? It was a day of firsts for NU freshman defensive back Joe Walker, as well. The 5-10, 190-pound rover from Arlington, Texas, made his first career start. It didn't start out so well. He gave up a 13-yard pass play to Malcolm McKenzie for a first down on Texas Tech's first play from scrimmage.

He also fumbled his first punt return attempt that Tech recovered at its own 39 just before the half. Walker wasn't alone as a freshman on the field. Texas Tech started six of them four true freshmen and two redshirt freshmen. of Makovicka catching a touchdown pass, Frost played it off as routine. "Mak has got some good hands," Frost said.

"He's the kind of guy that'll run right over you, but he can catch the ball. He does pretty good for a small guy." Makovicka, a 5-foot-11, 235-pounder, played his punishing brand of football the rest of the day, finishing with 57 yards on nine carries as Nebraska rolled up 400 yards of rushing while allowing just 17. It was a strange day for scoring for the Huskers, considering Makovicka's first-ever touchdown reception and field goal kicker Kris Brown's three field goals of 32, 41 and 35 yards. Offensive guard Jon Zatechka all 6-2, 290 pounds of him also earned his first career touchdown when he pounced on a ball in the end zone that Ahman Green fumbled at the Texas LINCOLN Since the season's nearly half over, it seems only appropriate that the Nebraska Cornhuskers have only used about half of their offensive passing plays. At least that's the way quarterback Scott Frost sees it.

"We've got a lot of pass plays we haven't run yet," Frost said to a chorus of giggles from the press corps after describing the day's lone scoring pass in a 29-0 drubbing of Texas Tech. The beneficiary of Tom Osborne's latest play calling was East Butler High School grad Joel Makovicka the bullish fullback whose slam-dancing style of running and punishing blocking make him the least likely target for a Frost pass. "Joel Makovicka is just old blue-collar all-American," Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes said. "He is just a real good old Jon Hym upback Billy Legate, Makovicka skirted around the right end and into the end zone, where Frost connected with him for the game's first touchdown. While many Husker fans raised their eyebrows at the sight if.

vW I-' NU ready to move up after Penn State struggles c7S By JON RYAN Telegram Sports Editor LINCOLN There were no shouts of "We're No. 1" in the Nebraska locker room, let alone the press room. But there was at least a hint that the coaches and players felt the Huskers deserved it after Penn State scratched out its 16-15 win over lowly Minnesota. "I don't want to get into that stuff," NU coach Tom Osborne said on the first request for his thoughts on the No. 1 team.

"I get so tired of coaches saying 'we deserve What do we deserve? We played well today and that's what we try to do. "I think we have a good team and I think we are playing well. We are not unbeatable. We didn't run away from these guys. We have to play well every week." But should the Huskers sway enough votes to earn the top ranking, quarterback Scott Frost said it shouldn't be considered a gimme.

"If we get ranked No. 1 this week it will mean more to me, because last year it was handed to us and this year I feel like we've earned it," Frost said. "Last year it was handed to us without us even doing anything. This year we've gone up to Washington and beat a good Washington team, we've beat a good Kansas State team and we've beaten a couple of other solid teams. "If we're No.

1 when the polls come out, we've earned it." See NO. 1, Page 8B if.k A IN A RUSH Texas Tech quarterback Zebbie Lethridge (8) drops back to pass while Nebraska rush end Chad Kelsay applies pressure during the third quarter. The Huskers held Tech to season lows in several offensive categories in recording their first shutout of the season. AP Photo TAKING A DIVE Nebraska's quarterback Scott Frost (7) is tackled by Taurus Rucker (89) and Ty Ardoin (29) during the first quarter of Saturday's game. Frost ran for 83 yards and threw for 46 in the Huskers' win.

AP photo.