University Daily Kansan / Monday, November 28, 1988
Sports
11
No.1 Fighting Irish do the unexpected
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - West Virginia, beware.
Expect the unexpected from Lou Holtz and his top-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
On the eve of Notre Dame's showdown with second-ranked Southern California, Holtz suspended two playoffs and pushed rusher its leading receiver.
Then, on the Irish's first play from scrimmage Saturday, Holtz made a risky call, having his quarterback throw deep from his own end zone.
As the game wore on, Notre Dame kept the Trojans off balance with a go-for-broke blitz against quarterback Rodney Peete.
Virtually everything out of Holtz's bag of tricks worked.
Notre Dame came away from the Coliseum with a 27-10 victory to maintain its perfect record for a Jan. 2 Festa Bowl date with the nation's only unbeaten team, fourth-ranked West Virginia.
The Irish's game against Southern Cal actually began unfolding Friday night, when tailback Tony Brooks and flanker Ricky Watters were 40 minutes late for dinner, not the first time this year it has happened, and they were beamed by Holtz that they were flying back to Indiana morning.
"I thought my decision to suspend the two players might be a divisive influence because we had been close all year," Holtz said.
"This was something the team agreed on, the coaches agreed on," Notre Dame linebacker Wes Pritchard said of the suspensions. "And I think it was a positive motivating event, it brought the team together."
The suspensions were unprecedented in Holtz's coaching career. At Arkansas, he suspended several starters the week before the 1978
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TOP COLLEGE TEN FOOTBALL
TOP COLLEGE FOOTBALL Points
1 Notre Dame (8) 11-0 80
2 Miami(Fla.) 9-1-0 67
3 West Virginia 11-0-0 57
4 Florida State 10-1-0 51
5 USC 10-1-0 46
6 Nebraska 11-1-0 40
7 Auburn 10-1-0 33
8 Arkansas 10-1-0 26
9 UCLA 9-2-0 17
10 Oklahoma 9-2-0 10
() number of first place votes
The weekly top 10 poll is voted on by the staff of the University Daily
Orange Bowl, and the Razorbacks went on to stun Oklahoma 31-6.
When the Irish got the ball for the first time against Southern Cal, Holtz came up with another surprise. The Trojans had taken the kickoff and driven into Notre Dame territory, then pinned the Irish on their own 2-yard line with a well-placed punt.
Forgoring the usual formula of three runs into the line and a punt out of danger, Holtz's play choice called or quick back to deep in the deep end and throw downfield to freshman wide receiver Ragib Ismail.
The result was a 55-yard completion that took the steam out of the Troians' early momentum.
, was tinkering with the idea of throwing deep all week." Holtz said. "When we got the ball at our 2, I wanted to give it a good chance to get out of a hole."
Then there were the constant Notre Dame battles during the game, the main reason the Trojans were limited to a touchdown and a goal field.
"We felt we had to mix it up with blitzing." "101tz told. "All year, I've been on ask on my call in talk show host Jerry Lewis. It was the most we've blitzed all year."
The Trojans, unbeaten going into the game, were thrown out of sync both offensively and defensively by their teammates, having their worst game of the year.
Southern Cal, which now has lost six straight to the Irish, lost two fumbles and two interceptions. One of Notre Dame's touchdowns was set up by a fumble recovery and another came on an interception return.
Trojan coach Larry Smith called the loss the most bitter of his coaching career because "we didn't give ourselves a chance to win."
"Whenever you play a big game like this, you can't make big mistakes and that's what we did," he said.
"Part of that is that they are a good football team and they force you to do those things." Smith said.
USC outgained the Irish 356 yards to 253, including 225 passing yards by Pete.
"Our goal was to win the national championship, and we were ready to play. We just didn't play well," Peete said.
"Right now, this loss is just tough to take because the seniors on this team never beat Notre Dame and we have to live with that for the rest of our lives."
Ex-QB picking up the pieces after stints in NFL and CFL
Schlichter living without football and gambling
The Associated Press
"I'm just trying to pick up the pieces," he said in a story published in yesterday's edition of The Columbo patch "it's a continuing state for me."
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Art Schiehter, the former Ohio State quarterback who was suspended twice by the NFL for gambling, is living near his parents' farm and holding three jobs after trying unsuccessfully to come back in the Canadian Football League.
Schlicher is working for an athletic equipment manufacturing company, an automobile dealer and a car manufacturer. Whenever he is a part-time reporter announcer.
His release from the Ottawa Rough Riders came on Oct. 11, one day after he ended a 30-day stay on the reserve list because of a rib injury he sustained in one of the five games he started for the team.
"It keeps me busy, and that's really what I need to do," Schlichter said.
for the year, he completed 41 passes in 89 attempts for 658 yards and three touchdowns and had seven
'W e don't question him
we don't question him as a person at all. We really had high hopes for Art. But from a coaching standpoint, how far can you go waiting for the talent to come back?
— Bob Weber
Ottawa Rough Riders football coach
passes intercepted.
"What led up to the release was the fact he was not very productive." Rough Riders coach Bob Webel told us that the agent he was, was very unproductive.
But Schlichter said a personality conflict developed when, 10 days into his rehabilitation, Weber criticized him for not practicing. He said Weber might have been trying to rush him into the lineup because the coach was still training. Otherwise he finished with a 2-16 record, worst in the CFL this year.
"I've played hurt about as much as anybody during the course of my career," said Schlichter, who set most of Ohio State's passing records
"You can put me down for a lot of things, but it bothers me when some ones ask."
between 1978-81 and played for the Baltimore and Indianapolis Colts in the NFL.
Schlichter and Weber differ on the nature of the injury. Schlichter said
torn cartilage under his rib cage caused pain so severe he had trouble breathing and sleeping on his back. Weber said the area was deeply bruised but there was no physical damage.
Rumors that Schichler had been gambling again circulated at the time of his release, but Weber said he heard nothing along that line and Schichler said it "was never mentioned and it didn't happen."
Weber said, "We don't question him as a person at all. We really had high hopes for Art. But from a coaching standpoint, how far can you go waiting for the talent to come back?"
Such rumors "are going to be wherever I go." Schlicter said. "But nobody ever brought evidence to me that anything happened."
Daniel Starting/KANSA!
Maurice Benson, Manhattan running back, raises the 6A Kansas High School Championship trophy. Benson rushed for 115 yards in the Indians' 14-7 victory over the Lawrence Lions Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Manhattan uses stingy defense running game to keep Lawrence from third consecutive 6A title
By Jeff Euston Kansas sportswriter
Kansan sportswriter
The Manhattan Indians won the Kansas 64 state football title Saturation at Memorial Stadium.
They got some revenge at the same time.
the Indians, who lost the title game to the Lawrence Lions last season in Manhattan, defeated
Lions' quarterback Greg Ballard tries to complete a pass under heavy pressure from Indians' defenders. Lawrence was unable to win a third consecutive state championship.
Lawrence 14-7 in the rain.
Manhattan finished the season 12-0, and Lawrence, which had won the last two state titles, finished 10-2.
Lawrence was trying to become the first 5A or 6A team to win three straight titles since Wichita Southeast did it from 1976 to 1978.
Lawrence had struggled this season in comparison with the last two. Five of its victories came by a combined margin of 23 points.
Manhattan rushed for 218 yards to Lawrence's 65. The Lions managed just two first downs in the first half and six in the game.
"We didn't have any offense," Lawrence coach Bill Freeman said. "We got beat on the line, and when you get beat on the line like that, we're lucky to get beat 14." It's amazing we stayed as close as we did.
Lawrence was hurt by penalties throughout the game, but the most costly led to a Manhattan touchdown in the first quarter.
The Indians' drive halled at the Lawrence 37-yard line, but the Lions were penalized for roughing the kicker, which gave Manhattan a first down Five plays later. The Redskins scored on a five-yard run. The extra point attempt was wide left, and the Indians led 6-0.
In the second quarter, Manhattan took control.
Benson broke through the right side of the defense for a 69-yard run to the Lawrence one-yard line.
"He's a great football pre-
Freeman said of Benson, who ran
for 115 yards on 14 carries. "The
difference between them and us
was every time they run the ball,
they had three or four or five yards
and a first down. We would be one
or two or minus two."
Pittsburgh holds on against Kansas City 16-10
Chiefs miss last-second touchdown
Pittsburgh's Gary Anderson ended three long driving drives with field goals and Merril Hge scored on a 10-yard run yesterday as the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 16-10, only their second victory in the last 12 games.
The Associated Press
The Chiefs managed only a field goal by Nick Lowery on two fourth-drive minutes inside the Steelers' 7-yard line at Pittsburgh broke a four-game loss streak and two-two game win streak. The game ended an incomplete pass in the Pittsburgh end zone after Kansas City had driven to the Steelers' 14.
The Steelers, 3-10 and headed for their worst season since they were 1-13 in 1969, need to win their final home game on Dec. 18 against Miami
Kansas City, 3-9-1, has lost seven games this season by seven points or less and remain 0-5-1 on the road.
to avoid their first losing home record since moving into Three Rivers Stadium in 1970.
Anderson ended two lengthy drives with field goals of 23 and 20 yards as the Steelers took a 6-10 lead by keeping the Chefs' offense off the field for all but four first-quarter plays. The Steelers had third quarter and made his past 30 attempts inside the 40 yard line, including all 18 attempts this season.
with the Chiefs leading 6-7, Hoge scored from the 10-yard line on a third-and-two play with 1:06 left in the first half, ending the Steelers' only touchdown drive. The score stood at 13-7 at halftime.
Steve DeBerg hit Stephone Paige on a 4-yard touchdown pass play midway through the second period, but DeBerg, who recently replaced Kenney as the Chiefs' starting quarterback, couldn't get the Chiefs
Anderson's 23-yarder completed a 19-play, 74-yard drive that lasted nearly eight minutes and included two short throws to Hope on a second-and-nine play.
Louis Lipps' 32-yard run on a reverse, the longest against the Chiefs this season, led to Anderson's 20-yard.
in the end zone from inside the Steelers' 7 twice in the fourth quar-
DerBerg's 38yard completion to Emile Harry gave the Chiefs a first down at the 10oarly in the period, but he did not score at DerBerg at the 10on third down from the 7.
DeBerg last hit Jonathan Hayes for 21 yards and a first down at the Steelers' 4, but the Chefs settled for Nick Lowery's 26-yard field goal with remaining after a running play and no incomplete nets only a yard.
New York Giants 13 New Orleans 12
Paul McFadden kicked a 35-yard field goal with 21 seconds left, and two backup quarterbacks combined to score the victory over the New Orleans Saints.
San Francisco 48 San Diego 10
Joe Montana three three touch down passes, including a club-recore 96-yard completion to Jerry Rice, as the San Francisco 49ers strengthened their playoff hopes with a 48-10 victory over the San Diego Chargers.
Delver 35 Los Angeles Rams 24
Denver 35
John Ehlwey threw three touchdown passes, two of them in a span of just 15 seconds in the third quarter, and 18 of them in the fourth. He defeated the Los Angeles Rams 35-24.
With the victory, the Broncos, 7-6,
moved into a half-game lead in the
APC West over the Seattle Seahawks
and the Los Angeles Raiders, who
meet tonight. The Rams surrendered
fourth straight loss and fell to 7-6.
Indianapolis 24 New England 21
Dean Biasuesi put indianapolis ahead with a 28-yard field goal with 2:22 remaining, and New England's Jason Starvovsky missed a 27-yard time as expired to preserve the Colts' 24-21 victory.
Cincinnati 35 Buffalo 21
Baltimore 21-7 Cincinnati quarterback Boomer Esiason completed 17 of 25 passed for 238 yards and the Bengals ran for another 232 yards as they defeated Buffalo 35-21.
We know we have the best offense
in the NFL. We think we can run on anybody," Esiason said.
Ickey Woods ran for 129 in 26 carries and scored three times. James Brooks ran for 93 yards and 14 touchdowns. The team allowed 101 yards rushing per game.
Philadelphia 31 Phoenix 21
Philadelphia held on to a tie for the NFC East lead as Ron Johnson caught two touchdown passes and set up a third in a victory over Phoenix.
Cleveland 17 Washington 13
The Eagles, who have won seven o their last nine, boosted their record to 8-5 and dropped the Cardinals out of a three-way tie for the division lead at 7-6.
Cleveland virtually ended the play-of hopes of the defending Super Bowl champion. Washington Redskins won a tiebreaker with a touchdown with 1:49 remaining.
Chicago 16 Green Bay 0
Neal Anderson scored his second
touchdown of the game on an 80-yard run in the third quarter to lead the Bears past the Packers. The Bears clinched at least a wild-card playoff spot with a 11-2 record, while the Cubs clinched 2-11 with their sloth straight defeat.
New York Jets 38 Miami 34
The New York Jets, who had struggled offensively while losing their past three games, got a an NFL-record 39 first days and a eam-record 597 yards against Miami, which lost its fourth straight game despite five touchdown passes from Dan Marino.
Atlanta 17
Tampa Bay 10
Rookie Michael Haynes caught a 37-yard touchdown pass while sliding on a rain-soaked turf in the fourth quarter of a 17-10 victory over Tampa Bay.
Haynes lost his footing at the Tampa Bay 2-yard line, caught the pass team Chris Miller on his back as he broke a 10 toie with 11:20 left, breaking a 10 toie with 11:20 left.