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wednesday, August 24,1977
University Daily Kansan
Kansan sees Oklahoma on top; KU fifth
Bv ROB RAINS
Sports Editor
If Oklahoma is going to win the national collegiate football championship this year—and a good many polltiers are saying they must start first have to win the Big Eight championship.
Cast one vote for the national champion Sooners.
There seems to be little way, on paper at least, that any of the other seven conference teams can stay with power-laden Oklahoma this year.
Coach Barry Switzer, who has assembled a team that many critics believe is stronger than either the 1974 or 1975 OU national champion teams, isn't predicting that this year's squads will win the national title. He isn't saying they won't win it, either.
Terry Miller
Colorado should give Oklahoma the best run for its money, but doesn't quite have the manpower to push the Sooners out of the top spot.
The biggest obstacle faced by the Buffaloes is that they must play both Oklahoma and Nebraska.
As for Nebraska, the Cornhuskers appear to have one of their weakest squads in recent years. They lack a proven quarterback for the first time in a long season, some of its mystique. It's still hard to see them finishing any lower than third, however.
The battle for the last spot in the first division should be a barbainr. Four teams—Missouri, Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Kansas—all appear to have a legitimate shot at fourth, which could still be good enough for a bowl bid. Give Iowa State a chance.
The next three positions will be up for
that's because they have a stable of
runners, runners' stacks of their own,
by led many times to victory.
Lott took over control of the Sooners midway through last season, and after mastering the intricate witch offense he directed OU to four late season wins, including a 41-7 pasting of Wyoming in the Fiesta Bowl.
Back with Lott on the junior-dominated Sooners are running backs Kerry King and Elvis Peacock. Horace Ivory has graduated to the pros, but in his place should be sophomore Billy Sims, who is coming off a win that sidelines him for more of last year.
The Sooners also return all but one starter
Kansan predictions
Gary Spani
1976 Predictions 1976 Actual 1. (tie) Oklahoma 1. Oklahoma 2. Oklahoma 2. Colorado 3. Kansas 3. Colorado 4. Oklahoma State 4. (tie) Nebraska 4. Iowa State 5. Colorado 5. Iowa State 6. Missouri 6. Missouri 7. Iowa State 7. Kansas 7. Missouri 8. Kansas State 8. Kansas State
grabs, with any school able to finish in any of the three positions.
Kansas State, riding the strong arm of quarterback Wendell Henrikson, should be improved. But it will take more than a minor improvement to escape the league's
Here's a team-by-team forecast of what to look for this year;
OKLAHOMA
Although the best running back in Oklahoma this year is in Stillwater instead of Norman, you won't find the Sooners complaining.
on the offensive line. Mike Vaughan, OU's All-American mountain of a tackle, has graduated but the line has good quality and depth.
Where the Sooners lack depth is on defense. Three key members of the defensive unit——linebacker Daryl Hunt, defensive end Greg Selinger and middle guard Daniel Riley, defend of the offense. How good OU's defense depends on how sound their knees are.
I'd have to do a solid if not spectacular secondary, led by senior All-American Zac Martinez.
back to haunt the Sooners' coaching staff before the season is over.
On offense, OU again will operate out of the wishbone-T. Look for them also to line up in a split-back formation from time to time, however. The OU coaches want to get the football to their halfbacks as soon as possible, and they think that set up will do it.
The new set up also should revive JO's passing attack, which has been almost nonexistent.
The Colorado Buffaloes weren't picked to finish at the conference last season, but their win over the Utah Jazz was decisive.
COLORADO
Most analysts aren't picking them to finish this year either.
But head coach Bill Mallory thinks his club has the best chance of unsuccessful Oklahoma as league champs. And he's probably right.
Mallory is basing his thinking on the 16 starters that CU has returning from last season, when, through some strange orchard adjustments, the Big Eight's eight spot in the Orange Bowl.
The Buffaloes' offensive line, although fairly new, is big and mobile. Mallory's biggest worry might be in finding some people filling gap holes in the offensive backfield.
Gone from a year ago are Tony Reed—the league's second-leading rusher, Jim Kelleher, Emory Morehead and Billy Waddy, Mallery thinks he can replace Reed with two junior college transfers, Eddie Walker and Mike Kozlowski, but Walker, the leading rusher in junior college ranks last year, hurt his knee in spring practice.
many areas of a Nebraska football team.
The CU title hopes will be anchored on a solid defense, led by tackle Ruben Vaughan, who might be the best in the conference. The secondary is solid and fast.
The adjective weak does not often apply to
But it perfectly describes the Cornhuskers' situation at quarterback going into the 1977 game.
NERRASKA
For the first time in what seems like eons, there isn't a Vince Ferrero, Jerry Tagge or David Humm wailing in the wings. And they're also the "funker" for the Thunker's coach, Tom Osborne.
Quarterback is not the only concern for Osborne, but it is probably the major one. Besides the vacant quarterback slot, split end is a problem and there has been a general decline in the quality of the unit, normally a Nebraska "frontline."
Obsorne took a look at five candidates for the starting quarterback job during spring practice, and they ended the drills in a five-way deadlock.
The Cornhuskers would like to continue their pattern of throwing the ball a great deal, but until the murky quarterback strategy is correct they will be running remains a mystery.
NU is solid elsewhere in the offensive line however, and the offensive line appaches slightly.
On defense, the NU blackshirts were removed during spring drills but probably will be back this fall. Former NU aide Lance Van Zandt now directs the NU defense, and he took some fresh ideas with him when he moved to Lincoln.
Nebraska fans will see more stunting, more blitzing and more man-to-man coverage in the secondary than they've been accustomed to in the past.
The defensive line is full of question marks, but the answer would be second-place. A portable backpacking kit
This, so to speak, is a building year for Cornishikens. They have talent, as usual, but they don't have it to build the house.
IOWA STATE
Iowa State's chances of winning the Big Eight title this year died last spring when the academic axe fell on quarterback Buddy Hardeman.
The Cyclones return nine starters from last year's squad, including a 1,000 yard rusher (Dexter Green) high quality center and defensive and the league's two best kickers.
But without Hardeman, there isn't any way the Cyclones can compete for the
title. The change in attitude that developed
from the 1986 ISU to another winning
winning season, however,
Even with the complete wipe-out at quarterback - Wayne Stanley also is gone after graduating on schedule - the Cyclones improved offense. Leading the way is Green.
But Green, who picked up, 1,074 yards in a sensational sophomore season, is coming off knee surgery that kept him sidelined during srping practice.
on offensive line, although in some new positions and with a couple of new faces, appears stronger than at this point last year.
There are only four starters returning on the defensive unit, but coach Earle Bruce has helped his squad there by signing three first-team junior college All-Americans.
The defensive line, anchored by junior tackle Mike Stenrsdul, is well seasoned. The secondary is new, but is faster than last year's unit.
The important quarterback position should go to Mike Tyron, a fifth-year senior defensive end.
See SOONER page 15
"WHY DO THE HEATHEN RAGE?"
Psalms 2:1 and Acts 4:25
in the above passage from Psalms God reveals the anarchy and rebellion of men and kings and rulers as they set themselves to get rid of his Law, Commandments. His Anointed King, The Lord Jesus Christ. Also God's reaction to this anarchy and rebellion is to his death in *In His Wrath* and displeasure they are vexed in all manner of adversity. However, in mercy, lutheringhe and forbearance. He offers to forgive and bless them if they will turn to Him in repentance and submission to His King. But His mercy is refused they shall be "dashed in pieces like a potters vessel and perilous shoes" to those who do not see the things are In the Second Psalm. "11 is appointed unto one die, and after this the judgment." Hebrews 9:27.
Do you pray 'The Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven?' Do you pray that prayer? Do you mean! If so, we suggest you examine The Ten Commandments in the light of this your prayer, every word and every sentence of it, in the light of the message of the 2nd Psalm. In 2nd Christians 13:5 we read: "Examine yourselves, whether ye be reprobate or how that Jesus Christ is in you, whether ye be repubrate?" God's Ten Commandments are given us to be as a schoolmaster to convince us of our need for The Saviour, and lead us to Christ.
The Book of Judges, The Books of Samuel and the Kings, The Chronicles, The Prophets, and indeed all the Scriptures confirm this message of the 2nd Palm: God proclaims the rebellion of men and their kings and rulers, and sets before them Lite and Death, urging them to be blessed evermore, unleashed in rebellion and be broken as with a rod of iron and dashed in pieces like a potter vessel by His warth and curse.
The passage noted above, Ages 4:25, tells the fulfillment of this 2nd Palm message in the eyes and experience of Christ's Disciples as they witnessed the death of Christ at the hands of the religious and secular leaders and rulers who were now threatening to kill them. The message from the dead. Since that time this message has been fulfilled in every generation down through history: Where men "Faewed God and kept His Commandments, the whole duty of man," there has followed the blessing of God upon individuals, clerics, and nations but the following anarchy and rebellion against Great Kings and Rule.
"RISE UP, LORD, AND LET THINE ENEMIES BE
SCATTERED; AND LET THEM that HATE THEE FLEE
BEFORE THEE!"
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