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Saturday, October 31, 1998
Christo will try to straighten erratic offense
By TIM KORTE
AP Sports Writer
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- It's nine weeks into the season, and
injury-plagued Nebraska is looking toward Monte Christo in this
week's search for a reliable starting quarterback.
Coach Frank Solich bristled at the suggestion his team is flat,
but he admitted injuries have taken a toll as the No. 7 Cornhuskers
(7-1, 3-1 Big 12) prepared for Saturday's game against Texas (5-2,
3-1).
"When you have lack of continuity in terms of them being
ready to go week after week, it has a dramatic effect on your
offense," he said. "To the credit of other players,
we've had guys step up and respond."
One player who filled the blanks for Nebraska is Christo, a
former walk-on, who will start against the Longhorns in place
of injured Bobby Newcombe. Eric Crouch also will take snaps.
"We will start Monte Christo and Eric Crouch will come
in second," Solich said. "Eric will get playing time
in the first half and we will determine the remainder of the game
as we go."
The Huskers hope to stabilize a mercurial offense that generated
a season-high 466 rushing yards Oct. 17 against Kansas, only two
weeks after a season-low 73 rushing yards against Oklahoma State.
Newcombe has been slow to heal from a partially-torn knee ligament
suffered in the season opener and could face surgery, although
no decision has been made.
Newcombe's speed and agility were limited by swelling in his
knee. Ineffective last week against Missouri, he was replaced
in the second half by Christo, who scored twice to rally Nebraska
for a 20-13 victory.
"It's a tough situation for Bobby," Christo said.
"If he's healthy, he's a great player. Right now, it doesn't
seem like he's the same player he was in spring ball."
Crouch, who started two games when Newcombe was first sidelined,
has returned from a recent hip injury.
Meanwhile, running back DeAngelo Evans has endured knee, toe
and tailbone injuries and will miss his third straight game. But
backup Correll Buckhalter has averaged 113.5 rushing yards in
five starts.
Despite the shuffling, Nebraska still averages 412.5 total
yards and ranks fourth nationally in rushing with 268.6 yards
per game. With those numbers, Solich wondered, how could his team
be flat?
"They have not been flat. They have played hard in every
game this year," he said. "There may have been a time
or two when things haven't gone well, when we haven't responded
the way you want to respond."
The Longhorns said it makes no difference who starts for the
Huskers.
"Nebraska is like General Motors putting out new cars,"
said tight end Derek Lewis. "They always have a good quarterback,
a good running back and seven or eight very talented guys coming
at you on defense."
The Longhorns are led by Heisman Trophy contender Ricky Williams,
the nation's top rusher at 212 yards per game.
Already the NCAA's career scoring leader, Williams needs 444
yards in his final four games to break the NCAA Division I career
rushing record of 6,082 yards, set by Tony Dorsett at Pittsburgh
from 1973-76.
However, the Huskers noticed Williams gained only 43 yards
earlier this season at Kansas State.
"Kansas State runs a defense that's similar to ours,"
said Nebraska linebacker Jay Foreman. "You can look at that,
at what they did against him, and hopefully we can use it this
week."
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