6B
Wednesday, August 16. 1995
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Big Eight football shapes up for its final year
Four teams bring in new coaches into the league
By Robert Sinclair
Kansan sportswriter
The theme for football in the final year of the Big Eight Conference could be the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Not only are there four new coaches, but some of the programs made slight alterations. Even Missouri got into the action by tearing up its old turf and resurfacing with natural grass.
But don't be fooled by all these goings on. This year the Big Eight again will be top-heavy with the same four teams at the top that have been there in recent years.
One of these teams will obviously be the defending national champions. The only major team losses Nebraska suffered were on the offensive line, where one starter is returning, and on defense, and five of the front seven departed. Nebraska, however, has never had a problem with depth.
The Cornhuskers return skilled offensive players in senior quarterbacks Tommie Frazier and Brook Berringer, and junior I-back Lawrence Phillips. If given the playing time, all three are legitimate Heisman trophy candidates.
The Sooners are returning 18 starters from last year (eight on offense, 10 on defense) including two of the best running backs in the conference: juniors Jerald Moore (659 yards, 5.1 an attempt) and James Allen (543 yards, 4.0 average) — "Thunder and Lightning."
With a defense that only lost one starter and led by senior end Cedric Jones (14 sacks), the only major question for the Sooners exists in the wide receivers, which lack speed and experience.
Another team which will definitely make an impact on the conference standings this year is Kansas State. The Wildcats have been the league's most pleasant surprise in recent years and are finally in a position to make some noise on the national level as well.
The top three receivers in the conference returning from last year are K-State's junior Tyson Schwieger
(564 yards, 7 touchdowns), junior Mitch Running (441 yards, 2 TDs) and sophomore Kevin Lockett (583 yards, 3 TDs). K-State's biggest losses occurred in the backfield with the departure of quarterback Chad May and running back J.J. Smith.
The Wildcats also return eight starters from a defense that was ranked No. 23 in the nation last year. And their entire secondary was the No. 7 pass defense in the country. The secondary of cornerbacks Chris Canty (defensive freshman-of-the-year) and junior Joe Gordon (All-Big Eight), and safeties junior Mario Smith and senior Chuck Marlowe (All-Big Eight) is regarded by many as one of the best in the country.
After suffering major losses in quarterback Kordell Stewart, tailback Rashaan Salaaam, wide receiver Michael Westbrook and tight end Christian Faura, Colorado probably won't be as strong as they have been. Added to the mix is the retirement of long-time coach Bill McCartney last year.
The Buffaloes will change their defense from a 3-4 to a 4-3 and change their offense to a pro-set under first-year coach Rick Neuheisel. The Buffaloes also have a tough non-conference schedule.
After the top four teams, the competition drops off slightly. Kansas is implementing new formations on both sides of the ball, which might take some time to adjust to. The loss of senior linebacker Ronnie Ward (team high 98 tackles) to a shoulder injury will hurt a defense that was ranked No. 80 in the nation last year and is already lacking in depth and experience.
Oklahoma State and Iowa State both have new coaches this year in Bob Simmons and Dan McCarney respectively. Look for both schools to have rebuilding years.
Missouri is excited about the renovations to its stadium but lost key starters in quarterback Jeff Handy, fullback Mike Washington and tailback Joe Freeman. They are returning the Big Eight offensive freshman-of-the-year in tailback Brock Olivo and wide receivers who also show a great deal of potential but might need another year's experience.
The way the Big Eight is shaping up, the conference's last game ever — Nov. 24, when Oklahoma travels to Lincoln — could determine the conference's final champion.
If anyone has the ability to get a team ready for the big game, it is Schnellenberger. However, nobody goes into Nebraska and beats Osborne's Cornhuskers.
1995 Big Eight Conference Composite Football Schedule
Predictions: 1) Nebraska 9-2, 2) Oklahoma 8-3, 3)
KSU 8-3, 4) Colorado 7-4, 5) KU 6-5, 6) Missouri 5-6, 7)
OSU 3-8, 8) ISU 3-8
PLAYING DATES
8 COOPER FENNELS
IOWA STATE
KANSAS STATE
OKLA. STATE
COLORADO
KANSAS
MISSOURI
NEBRASKA
OKLAHOMA
September 2
(August 31) Ohio (N)
Temple (N)
(August 31) NEBRASKA (N)
at Wisconsin (N)
Cincinnati
North Texas (N)
(August 31) at OKLAHOMA State (N)
September 9
at Texas Christian
at Cincinnati (N)
at Tulsa (N)
Colorado State (N)
North Texas at Irving, Texas
Boston Green
at Michigan State
San Diego State
September 16
Iowa
RW Missouri State (N)
MI Louisiana
(September 14) Texas Christian (N)
at Texas Tech (N)
Arizona State
Southern Methodist
September 23
Nevada Las Vegas
Alpine (N)
at Wyoming (N)
Texas A&M
Houston
Northwest Louisiana
Pacific
North Texas
September 30
Northern Illinois
at Tennessee
at OKLAHOMA (N)
/
Washington State
COLORADO (N)
October 7
OKLAHOMA
MISSOURI
/
KANSAS
at OKLAHOMA STATE
KANSAS STATE
/
IOWA STATE
NEBRASKA
MISSOURI
Texas at Dallas, Texas
October 21
COLORADO
at NEBRASKA
at MISSOURI
at IOWA STATE
at OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA STATE
KANSAS STATE
KANSAS
October 28
OKLAHOMA STATE
KANSAS
at IOWA STATE
NEBRASKA
at KANSAS STATE
OKLAHOMA
at COLORADO
at MISSOURI
November 4
at NEBRASKA
OKLAHOMA
COLORADO
at OKLAHOMA STATE
MISSOURI
at KANSAS
IOWA STATE
at KANSAS STATE
 November 11
KANSAS STATE
at IOWA STATE
at OKLAHOMA
MISSOURI
NEBRASKA
at COLORADO
at KANSAS
OKLAHOMA STATE
 November 18
at MISSOURI
COLORADO
KANSAS
at KANSAS STATE
at OKLAHOMA STATE
IOWA STATE
(Nov. 24) OKLAHOMA
(Nov. 24) at NEBRASKA
December 2 - Oklahoma State at Hewitt (N)
Home Games Shaded; Big Eight Conference Games in CAPS; (M) Night Games
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