The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • Page 54

Preacher Corso proud of team By Randy York staff Sports Writer If character is a victory and not a gift, then Indiana coach Lee Corso won Saturday afternoon in Memorial Stadium, even though the scoreboard said the Hoosiers lost, 31-13. Pacing the locker room floor as frenetically as he paced the AstroTurf, Corso was as much a post-game preacher as he was a sideline maestro. have a book by Vince Lombardi and he says total effort to achieve victory is all you can Corso offered. what we had today total effort. "We scratched and we fought.

We belted and we hit. We play any harder and we coach any harder. We play any better and we coach any Stretching both arms full length, Corso pointed out "Nebraska had five chances to go that far and they get it in the end zone (late in the third quarter). That shows a helluva lot of character on our part. "One week people will cheer for you and the next week boo you.

Character is the only thing always there in a human Pointing to his players, Corso said group played like hell. They played like crazy. They showed everyone what kind of character they Corso might have gotten hung up on character, but no one was about to rope him on his desire to win. When one writer pressed the bouncy Indiana coach on his decision to go for a first down on a fourth and one situation from his own 42 early in the fourth quarter and the score still 17-13, Corso jumped at the chance to explain. "I didn't come here to look he said.

"I came here to win. those guys over there (his players). They come to lose. They came to win. Shoot, yes, we went for the first down.

"You can say all you want about this bunch. missing all kinds of people (including eight injured starters), but they go out and play like hell. It all goes back to total goes back to a new Lee Corso. The old Corso seemed more intent on cracking jokes than coaching a good football team. It's obvious Corso now is more determined, more intense, more serious.

improved one helluva lot since been he said. years ago, it was 45-0. Last year, it was 45-13. What was today's score? 31 to 13? Was it? improvement, isn't it? "We re going to keep getting better, he added, "We have one more shot at 'em (next year Bloomington). We want more than just October 2, 1977, Lincoln, Sunday Journal and Star a show in itself just watching Indiana head coach Lee Corso on the sidelines.

The camera of Willis Van Sickle caught the flamboyant Corso in a few antics Saturday afternoon as his Hoosiers went down to defeat at the hands of the Cornhuskers, 31-13. 1 ij incomplete This pass to Husker tight end Ken Spaeth (86) falls incomplete, but Indiana free safety Ron Hodge (23) isn't 4 taking any chances as he tugs hard on jersey. Indiana tailback Ric Knis (44) had a pretty fair afternoon running against Nebraska for 106 yards. Here he finds the road blocked by Nebraska lineman Randy Poeschl (75). Staff Photos By Bob Gorham Randy Hampton Willis Van Sickle Harald Dreimanis Web Ray Humberto Ramirez I.