The Index-Journal from Greenwood, South Carolina • Page 44

Tn nd-Jouml1 Oraanwood, S.C., Aug. 2, 1M6 riiiilliall Forget the SEC crown, Gators want a national championship success ot a year ago when Florida won its last nine games after an 0-1-1 start. "I don't know if we can or not, but I'm not saying we can't," he said. "We're going to go out and best football team in our league or in the country," he added. Florida's 9-1-1 record earned a No.

3 ranking in the final Associated Press poll a year ago. It was the Gators highest-ever and provided some consolation for the school's troubles with the NCAA and SEC. Probation stemming from recruiting violations in Pell's program cost the team the SEC's automatic berth in the Sugar Bowl, and ultimately led to a decision by conference presidents to vacate the 1984 title. Florida, which recently terminated a study of the merits of leaving the league to become an independent, still recognizes itself as the defending SEC champions. Hall realizes, too, that fans will expect the Gators to duplicate the Bell's passing efficiency rating of 148.0 ranked fourth in the nation, and he completed 53 percent of his attempts for 1,614 yards and 16 touchdowns.

"He's a much more knowledgeable and confident quarterback now than he was at the end of last fall as far as coverages and defenses," Hall said, predicting bigger and better things for Bell in 1985. "I don't know if he will be better statistic-wise, but I expect him to be a better quarterback," Hall added. "That can only help us." The Gators lost Lorenzo Hampton, a versatile tailback who was a first-round selection of the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League draft. The team's top two runners Neal Anderson GAINESVILLE. Fla (AP) Repeating as Southeastern Conference champions will be impossible, but the University of Florida football team has its sights set on an even loftier goal in 1985.

Banned from post-season competition and SEC title consideration because of NCAA probation, the Gators return a wealth of talent that Coach Galen Hall believes could help the school remain in contention for its first national crown. "Our players realize that we cannot win the conference championship," says Hall, who guided the Gators to an 8-0 record and their first-ever SEC championship after replacing Charley Pell three games into the 1984 season. "They also realize there's nothine that says thev can't the and John L. Williams are back, though, and Anderson is only 394 yards shy of becoming the school's all-time leading rusher. Anderson, who shared playing time with Hampton, ran for 916 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior.

Fullback Williams accounted for 802 yards and three TDs, while Hampton rushed for 732 yards. Hall, however, will have to plug a number of holes along the offensive line to assure continued success on the ground. Four starters from the massive offensive line known as 'The Great Wall of Florida," are gone, including All American tackle Lomas Brown. "I think we may have to be a more balanced team on offense this year," said Hall, who ran the hull perfpnt of the time a year ago. "I don't know if we can be the dominant running team that we were last year." Defensively, the Gators lost All-SEC middle guard Tim Newton and two starters from the secondary.

Roger Sibbald and Ricky Easmon. Senior linebacker Alonzo Johnson returns, though, and once again will be the heart of a unit that led the conference in total defense (302.3 yards per game, 121.5 rushing) in 1984. The Gators kicking game should be solid too. Senior punter Ray Criswell averaged 43.6 yards per kick as a junior. Jeff Dawson and Ron Finger are the leading candidates to replace place-kicker Bobby Raymond, who booted 43 of 47 field goals an NCAA record 87 6 percent the past two years.

SW Louisiana facing toughest season in school's history Nebraska 'Huskers at an all time low in team experience play every game one at a time we re going to taxe tnings in stride and if the ball bounces our way we'll be OK." Hall, an assistant at Oklahoma for 18 years before coming to Florida as offensive coordinator last year, has plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the Gators' chances of remaining among the nation's elite. Quarterback Kerwin Bell, the SEC's Player of the Year as a freshman walk-on in 1984, returns to direct an offense that produced 244.8 yards per game rushing and another 153.6 through the air. i -i TOM OSBORNE pound junior led the Huskers last year with seven sacks. Junior monster man Brian Washington, one of the few Huskers who can brag that he lettered as a freshman and sophomore, should be the secondary mainstay. "Secondary and the defensive ends are our biggest concern right now," Osborne said.

If i i Less than a week into two-a-day workouts, Robertson said the team had what he called "the three greats" enthusiasm, quickness and concentration. Some 47 freshmen, signees and walk-ons showed up last Wednesday and 90 veterans, including 22 seniors, joined them on Saturday. Clint Campbell, a sophomore, probably has the starting quarterback position, but Robertson said he will be pushed by Thomas King. It was Campbell who closed out the season last year against Tulsa with a pair of drives one for 80 yards and a touchdown and another for 65 yards to the winning field goal. "Our quarterbacks are competitive," Robertson said.

"They just haven't been under fire." Wichita St. and Nevada-Las Vegas. A few years ago, we had a hard time scheduling people like Southern Mississsippi, East Carolina, Memphis State and Tulane," Robertson said. "Memphis State wouldn't even talk to us. "Now we'll be playing Tulane every year for the next few years, and we have people like Southern Miss, East Carolina and Memphis State on a steady basis." The upgrading comes as Southwestern, an independent, moves to maintain an NCAA Division 1-A schedule, with Robertson starting his sixth season as head coach.

"Facing those three teams (Memphis State, Auburn, and Louisiana Tech) to start the season doesn't give us any time for fooling around," Robertson said. LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) Southwestern Louisiana, returning from a 6-5 campaign in 1984, faces the toughest football season in the school's history. But Coach Sam Robertson, normally a man of few superlatives, isn't sweating yet. "From what I have seen and heard so far, I think we could have the makings of a pretty good football team," Robertson said.

The opener on Aug. 31 is against Memphis State in Lafayette, followed by a televised game on national cable for the Kagin' Cajuns' first recent meeting with Auburn, and then Louisiana Tech, No. 2 last year in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. Also on tap as Southwestern adds more powerful opponents in a schedule building program are Florida, Tulane, East Carolina, LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) In Tom Osborne's 13 years as Nebraska's football coach, the Cornhuskers never have had as few returning starters as they do this season.

And they've rarely faced as difficult an early-season schedule. "It's a bad combination," Osborne said. "We start off with Florida State and Illinois, and they're good football teams with a lot of experience returning. "I guess that's a reason for apprehension. We don't have a chance to ease into things at all." The Cornhuskers last year compiled a 10-2 record, won their fourth straight Big Eight Conference title and defeated Louisiana State in the Sugar Bowl.

Only four starters return from that team. "You'd rather have it the other way, with 18 or 19 starters back." Osborne said. "But the redeeming factor is that we have some good athletes. The talent level doesn't appear to drop off a lot, but the experience does." The number of returning starters is misleading because it doesn't include two all-Big Eight 6 layers on the roster. Junior Doug uBose rushed for 1 ,040 yards as a second-team I back last year, and senior linebacker Mike Knox sat out last season with a knee injury after leading the Huskers in tackles in 1983.

Nebraska's hopes this fall are built around DuBose, Knox and linebacker Marc Munford, who led the Huskers in tackles last year as a sophomore. "I say they're our most commendable players," Osborne said. "Both Munford and Knox are really great players, I think. And DuBose had a great year last year." I -back should be one of the Huskers' strong suits. Senior Paul Miles was ahead of DuBose on the CROSSCREEK MALL Wishes All Area Football Teams a Successful Season.

depth chart last fall until he hurt his shoulder. Sophomore Keith "End Zone" Jones, the fastest football player ever at Nebraska, is No. 3 on the depth chart and may see extensive action, Osborne said. "When Roger Craig was a sophomore he was No. 3 and still gained 800 yards," Osborne said.

Being the No. 3 I back isn't all that bad in a lot of years." Seniors Todd Frain and Brian Hiemer shared starting duties at tight end, but experience is lacking at the other offensive positions. All five starting interior linemen last year were seniors, as were both starting wide receivers. Senior fullback Tom Rathman gained 381 yards last year, but his backups are inexperienced. Senior quarterback Travis Turner, who shared time last year with the departed Craig Sundberg.

started six games and threw for 541 yards. Turner suffered a knee injury in the spring intrasquad game that required surgery. "He has come back well, and we're hopeful he can hold up," Osborne said. Backup McCathorn Clayton is a much heralded but untried sophomore. Clayton has a great deal of athletic ability speed and strength," Osborne said.

"He just hasn't played much." Nebraska's defense will be hard-pressed to equal its performance last year, when it led the nation by allowing only 105 points. Reserves Chad Daffer and Kevin Parsons give the Huskers plenty of depth at linebacker, but there's only one returning starter in the line and none in the secondary. Tackle Chris Spachman is expected to be a bright spot. The 250- Graduation Ky Chain Ask us for details. ATTENTION STUDENTS! See our selection before you order a class ring.

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