Page 12 University Daily Kansan, October 30, 1981
Jayhawks hope to break Husker jinx
RV TRACEE HAMILTON
Sports Editor
For years, the KU-Nebraska contest has been regarded with grudging tolerance by the loyal Jayhawks and gluttonous glee by the Big Red followers.
followers. fans sigh each year, and console themselves with the notion that, while KU continually loses to Nebraska, at least it isn't the only school to do so.
THE HUSKERS must smack their Big Red lips each year in anticipation, because, while most fans like to see a good close football game, the Huskers wanting less than a rant. A terrible thing happens.
With KU, they've found their punching bag. In 1978, the Hunsers won, 63-21. The next year it was Nike, 60-45.
The KU-Nebraska game is the sixth-oldest competition in college football. Tomorrow's 1:30 p.m. game in Lincoln is the 88th time the two schools have met. (The oldest continuous competition in the nation, incidentally, is KU-Oklahoma. You'd think they'd learn.)
Kansas hasn't defeated Nebraska in 12 years, since 1968, when the Jayhawks won, 23-13 in Lincoln. That also was the year the Jayhawks went to the Orange Bowl.
THE AMRIBVALENT kicked-dog attitude that Kansas fans and players used to take toward Nebraska is wearing thin, however. Example: A player led by leading, 33.0. They went for a 2-point conversion.
Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne couldn't understand, after the game, why KU Coach Don Fambrough didn't exactly feel the sportmanship necessary to shake Osborne's hand. The KU players, more than a little miffed, refused to do the same to their counterparts. The tolerance is ending; cool, calm hatred is setting in. And there never was a better time for it.
Nebraska is, and will be, 'til the mountains crumble, a powerful football team with an incredible recruiting system and an incredible ability to win. Their fans aren't dedicated; they're fanatical.
This season has left them less than pleased.
The Huskers opened their season with the unheard of a 10-7 loss to Iowa. They downed Florida State, but lost again the next week to Alabama, and managed to beat Auburn by two touchdowns, 17-3.
THE BIG RED was in the Huskers' faces, literally. They saved face by pounding hapless Colorado, 59-6, and Kansas State, 49-3. But again last week, they had a tough time squeaking past Missouri, 6-0. they're sure to be mad. They're also sure to be soot.
After quarterback uncertainties at the beginning of the season, the Husker offense has gotten on track. Sophomore Turner Gill took the quarterbacking chores from Mark Mauer, a senior who was chosen captain, then promptly dropped to third string.
The Huskies have racked up 3,115 yards of total offense this year. They average 5.8 yards per play, 450.7 per game, and have scored an average of 29.6 points per UU team's score that marry in a game all season.
Junior running back Roger Craig leads the Husker ground attack averaging 6.1 yards per carry and 109.7 per game. As a matter of fact, Nebraska has 10 running backs that are averaging over 6 yards per carry; several average over 8.
Coach Osborne said Wednesday that people are taking the KU-Nebraka game too lightly.
"BEFORE the season started I thought they'd (the Jayhawks) be improved. Osborne was."
"The thing that I've been really impressed with in the last two weeks is that their quarterback (Frank Seurer) has thrown the ball very well.
"I'm kind of amazed at some people's attitudes about this game. What they have to remember is we beat Iowa badly last year, then got best this year. They may think this is going to be easy, but I don't see it that way. They have an experienced defense."
"When you're 5-2, there's something good about your team. Frankly, their schedule has not been overwhelming, but you can't take away the fact that they still will all those games."
Not to mention the fact that the Jayhawks won
all those games with only a semblance of an offense. In the last two weeks, the offense appeared to come to life for KU. But despite the improvement, the Kansas offense has only averaged 228.6 yards per game, 10 yards less per game than, for instance, Northwestern, which traditionally has been the doorstep of the Big Ten.
KU RAMS) dead last in total offense in the Big Eight, last in rushing offense, seventh in scoring offense and sixth in passing offense. The Jawahays also fall far behind in punt returns and kickoff returns, ranking eight, and, surprisingly, rushing defense, where they finish first in the conference in pass defense, but with Nebraska's ground game that might not matter.
Fambrigh is realistic about the Nebraska football team.
"We have to be realistic," Fambrough said. "Playing a team the caliber of Nebraska, we're going to have to play perfect football. We can't just play that." And anything we've got to make a football game out of it.
In the Jayhawks' for, once, is the injury situation. Fullback Brad Butts will not play in Nebraska because of a repulsed hamstring. Tailback Dino Bell, inherited both Kervin Bell's quickness and his turf toe, is expected to be well for the game.
"I think Dino's going to be all right," Fambrough said. "He's much better today than I was."
Dino has been filling the shoes of older brother Kerwin, out with a knee injury. Osborne, who has a wealth of players at his disposal, discounted the importance of Kerwin's absence.
"I don't think one player can make a difference," Osborne said. "Walter Mack is a good football player. So is Gartley Taylor and their backfull (E. J.) Jones is quick. Frank Seurier is throwing the ball well and their defense has no offense by not giving any points to anybody.
"I'm sure you're going to miss a Kernwell Bim, but I'm not going to go along with the idea that you fold up your tent because you've lost him. You've got it on record," they've proven that. Look at their record."
Predictions
Roger Craig
| | Hamilton | Haggstrom | Schaad | Leibengood | Richardson | Parker |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Kansas at Nebraska | Nebraska 35-17 | Nebraska 27-13 | Nebraska 28-14 | Nebraska 49-3 | Nebraska 45-10 | Nebraska 31-10 |
| Iowa State at Kansas State | Iowa State 24-7 | Iowa State 27-17 | Iowa State 35-7 | Iowa State 35-14 | Iowa State 31-7 | Iowa State 42-7 |
| Oklahoma State at Missouri | Missouri 14-13 | Missouri 20-13 | Missouri 21-14 | Missouri 17-10 | Missouri 21-17 | Missouri 17-16 |
| Colorado at Oklahoma | Oklahoma 49-14 | Oklahoma 31-14 | Oklahoma 47-7 | Oklahoma 42-16 | Oklahoma 45-7 | Oklahoma 49-21 |
| Penn State at Miami (Fla.) | Penn State 21-20 | Penn State 24-10 | Penn State 35-6 | Penn State 28-17 | Penn State 16-10 | Penn State 15-14 |
| Mississippi State at Alabama | Alabama 28-6 | Alabama 20-17 | Mississippi State 17-14 | Alabama 24-21 | Alabama 27-3 | Alabama 21-14 |
| Oregon State at California | California 35-28 | California 28-21 | California 19-18 | California 35-17 | California 10-7 | California 24-10 |
| Nevada-Las Vegas at Hawaii | Hawai 7-6 | Hawai 30-20 | Nevada-Las Vegas 21-17 | Nevada-Las Vegas 31-21 | Nevada-Las Vegas 21-19 | Hawaii 10-7 |
| Indiana at Michigan State | Michigan State 24-10 | Michigan State 24-20 | Michigan State 14-6 | Michigan State 21-17 | Michigan State 20-10 | Michigan State 20-14 |
| Louisiana State at Mississippi | Mississippi 14-10 | Mississippi 21-17 | Louisiana State 23-10 | Louisiana State 21-17 | Louisiana State 63-49 | Louisiana State 21-17 |
| Season Totals | 43-28-1 | 49-20-1 | 44-25-1 | 40-29-1 | 41-28-1 | 46-23-1 |
The predictors are Trace Hamilton, sports editor; Ron Hagstrom, associate sports editor; Bob Schaad, managing editor; Larry Leibengood, business manager; Earl Richardson, photographer; and Tim Parker, sports writer.
Three Expos, Valenzuela included on All-Star team
By United Press International
NEW YORK—Fernando Valenzuela, the rookie pitching sensation of the year, was the only member of the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers named yesterday to the United Press International's National League 1981 All-Star team.
The 20-year-old left-hander, who had a 13-7 record spiced with eight shutouts and a 2.49 earned run average, and Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Philies were the two starting pitchers elected to the team in nationwide voting by 30 baseball experts.
ALSO NAMED to the team were catcher Gary Carter and outfielders Andre Dawson and Tim Raines of the Montreal Expos; first baseman Pete Rose, second baseman Manny Trillo and third baseman Mike Schmidt of the Phillies; outfielder George Foster and shortstop Dave Concepcion of the Cincinnati Reds, and relief pitcher Bruce Sutter of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Valezuela, a native of Mexico who speaks fragmentary English, provided major league
baseball with a heart-warming story in an
other context when he recalled eight
right victories by a single hit.
Dawson, a strong candidate for Most Valuable Player of the Year honors, led the Montreal contingent with 29 votes, followed by Carter with 28 and Rattles, who stole 71 bases in the split
Rose won the first-base balloting with 23 votes and Trillo followed with 16; Concepción got 29.
etc.
Hockey
WESTERDAY'S RESULTS
National Hockey League
Montreal 5, Boston 5
New York Islander 6, Hartford 6
Philadelphia 6, Pittsburgh 4
Washington 3
Detroit 12, Calgary
Rugby
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