The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 123

rr ri UM 23 NEBRASKA 3 TUESDAY JANUARY 3 1989 rn THE MIAMI HERALD OU Walsh? Conley is the real VI mmj Tm going to give this trophy to Leonard He deserves it Steve Walsh on Leonard Conley 42 yards of fancy moves The official line Conley 42 pass from Walsh do justice to the electrifying run Leonard Conley made on the way to his second touchdown said way I played tonight though not sure any of them will be interested in me really would like to come back and win another national championship We came a bit short this year That is just something else have to consider" Tight end Chudzinski a favorite target for Walsh the entire season was busy again Monday Walsh found him five times for 81 yards including a clutch 20-yarder i over the middle at the Nebraska four in the second quarter to set up Carlos first of three field goals were giving us the underneath things and the Chudzinski said of Nebraska were trying to confuse us by showing a lot of blitzes But I was? able to get open a few times goal was to be No 1 this year and that is always going to be a disappoint- ment A lot of people out there think the best team in the country try to dwell on the positive and come back next year and prove three field goals from 18 37 and 37 yards capped a storybook season-that brought him from walk-on status to one of the most steady kickers in the coun- try He made 24 of 30 field-goal attempts this year am honored to be on such a great football Huerta said "When you- can go out and play in the Orange Bowl and know that if you play your game you will beat Nebraska it is just a great feeling want to rest My body held up? as well as I would like My knees and an- kies hurt But already anxious for next year Hopefully be along for that joj ride ByGARYFERMAN Herald Sports Writer Quarterback Steve Walsh clutched the Orange Most Valuable Player Trophy Monday night a few feet from where running back Leonard Conley clutched a bottle of Andre pink champagne But the guy who quarterbacked the Hurricanes to a 23-3 victory over Nebraska and to within a two-point conversion of a second straight national championship knew that on this night he and Conley probably should exchange wares going to give this trophy to said Walsh who said he will go home to Minnesota to ski for a week before deciding whether to return to UM for his senior season deserves The pint-sized sophomore running back from Tarpon Springs caught first-half Walsh touchdown passes of 22 and 42 yards which gave the Hurricanes all the points they would need on this night of defensive domination He finished with four catches for 94 yards and also ran 10 times for 40 yards God he is starting to look like a running back Hurricane backs coach Joe Brodsky said was starting to worry I thought I overcoached the kid he came in and had to take a lot of pressure this year He had some fumbling problems early that made him tentative But he did a damn good job of keeping his head up He is not an average football first touchdown came with seven minutes left in the first quarter on a seam pass over the middle Conley caught the ball at the five and cradled it as he was slammed into the end zone Almost in a single motion he rose and began to boogie "I knew 1 had to give it my all this game and start the year off Conley said was looking to do something special" That something special turned out to be his 42-yard touchdown reception with 5:49 left in the second period Conley caught the ball in the right flat and felt comerback Lorenzo Hicks closing in on him I gave him a move and went toward the Conley said I started picking up blocks from Chud Rob Chudzinski Randal Hill and Dale was a play designed to get 10 or 12 fullback Cleveland Gary said my man broke it He set the tone for next Walsh already was thinking toward next year too although he ready definitively to say he will return to UM He pleased with his MVP performance in the Orange Bowl He completed just 21 of 44 passes for 277 yards and was intercepted three times The sub-par performance was likely due to constant harassment from the Nebraska defense which threw a variety of blitzes at him have to take a lot of things into consideration and also take a look at what NFL teams are interested in Walsh ifltlsii Conley catches pass from Walsh in front Conley eludes tackle but still has Rob Chudzinski blocks off Mike Croel I is i Conley leaves Tahaun Lewis (5) behind I -r CANDACE BARBOT Miami Herald Staff of Lorenzo Hicks (8) CANDACE BARBOT Miami Herald Staff a long way to go CANDACE BARBOT Miami Herald Staff (88) as Conley zips past 1 7 'v' I' i tr -1 'v- v-' CANOACE BaRBOT Miami Herald Staff and heads for the goal line Charles Fryar and Mike Croel to score the first touchdown reveal reason Associated Press Staying neutral How careful was the city of Miami to remain neutral in all aspects of the John Routh the man inside the Ibis mas- cot costume wanted to borrow a small tractor from the stadium equipment room for use in one of his Cornhusker-lampoon-ing skits He was told no because that could be construed as an unfair edge OB stadium manager Max Cruz was among leaders of the impartiality police Cruz is a Nebraska alum true but that was mere coincidence The OB Classic the last game for five Hurricane seniors or Johnson all of whom are scheduled to participate in post-bowl all-star games Fullback Cleveland Gary and of- fensive tackle John are scheduled to play in Hula Bowl Gary and Johnson are set for the Jan 15 East-West Shrine game And defensive end Bill Hawkins linebacker Rod Carter and comerback Bubba McDowell are scheduled for the Jan 1 5 Japan Bowl Funds for UM project Marc and Nick Buoniconti presented a $1 million check to the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis The donation represents proceeds from an October dinner in New York Billy Sims the 1978 Heisman Trophy winner and three-time Orange Bowl participant with Oklahoma predicted an easy UM victory (21-7) Leonard Conley escapes a diving Brown to By DAN LEBATARD And GREG COTE Herald Sports Writers University of Miami wide receiver Andre Brown spent what should have been the final game of his collegiate career Monday night watching the Orange Bowl Classic in street clothes During warm-ups Brown was on the Miami sideline before leaving to watch elsewhere Suspended for unspecified reasons Dec 21 Brown offered no explanations Monday not saying said Brown who was replaced in the starting lineup by Randal Hill have nothing to say going to come out with it next Brown who said he was going to speak to the team before the game also met individually and briefly with each Hurricane receiver during warm-ups to exchange high fives and a few words Fewer media people Decreased presence of national media in Miami reflected the Orange secondary status to the Fiesta this year The Orange usually gets about 400 credential requests and received 475 a year ago when 20-14 victory over Oklahoma was for the undisputed title This year the figure was 360 and more than usual arrived just for the game Entering the game Nebraska was 5-5 in Orange Bowl Classics and UM 3-2 The Comhuskers played in their nation-leading 20th consec- September 9 At Wisconsin 16 California 23 At Missouri 30 At Michigan State October 7 Cincinnati 14 San Jose State 28 At Florida State November 4 East Carolina 11 At Pittsburgh 18 San Diego State 25 Notre Dame utive bowl game and the Hurricanes in their sixth straight Nebraska led the all-time series 4-2 although the teams met since the Orange Bowl While head coach at Oklahoma State Jimmy record against Osborne and Nebraska was 0-5 but nobody claimed any relevance got different players said Osborne Added UM Coach Johnson: JL i i.