Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Sept. 28, 1994, edition 1 / Page 13
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Stfp Satly Sar Heel UNC Hoping to Rebound With Win Against Mustangs Game and time: No. 18 North Carolina at Southern Methodist. Kickoff will be at 3 p.m. EDT. Site: Ownby Stadium, Dallas. Playing surface: AstroTurf. TV/Radio: The game will not be tele vised. The Tar Heel Sports Network will provide live radio coverage. The flagship stations are WCHL (1360 AM) and WTRG (100.7 FM). 1994 Records: UNC 2-1, SMU 1-3. Series: This will be the first meeting between the schools. Personnel update: North Carolina SE Gray Bovender (knee), OG Scott Overbeck (broken ankle) and CB Tim Smith (knee) are out. LB Mike Morton (knee)and Jimmy Hitchcock(broken*arm) are questionable. TE Greg DeLong (con cussion) and TB Leon Johnson (hip pointer) are probable. SouthemMethodist —Wß Brian Berry (knee), WR Kevin Thomal (knee) DE Jason Lindbloom (sprained ankle) and SS Rodney Watkins (knee) are out. SS War ren Scott (bruised thigh) is doubtful. RG Keith Chiles (knee) and QB Ramon Flanigan (hamstring) are probable. SMU Offense: The Mustangs are a run and-shoot team whose offense begins and ends with Flanigan. With him, they battled UCLA to the wire in a 17-10 loss in Pasedena. Last week, a hamstring injury prevented Flanigan from playing most of second half, and the Ponies were trounced at Texas Tech 35-7. Flanigan led the Southwest Conference in total offense (271 yards per game) before the Texas Tech game. The sophomore QB also had a string of seven straight games with at least one touchdown pass snapped ACC Admits Officials Made Error On Barnes’ Tumble’ Vs. ’Noles BYCHADAUSTIN ASSISTANT SPORTSATURDAY EDITOR A controversial pass play in North Carolina’s 31-18 loss to Florida State should have been ruled an incompletion instead of a catch and a fumble, ACC officials an nounced Tuesday. With 11:16 remaining in Saturday night’s game, UNC quarterback Jason Stanicek dropped back and threw over the middle to wide receiver Octavus Barnes. Stanicek’s pass apparently deflected off Barnes’ shoulder pads and fell to the turf. However, game officials ruled that Barnes made the catch and then fumbled the ball. In a statement released from ACC head quarters in Greensboro, Assistant Com missioner Bradley E. Faircloth said that officials should have ruled Stanicek’s pass incomplete. The call sent UNC head coach Mack Brown into a tirade on the sideline, but at his Tuesday press conference, Brown ac knowledged that the officials’ job is not easy and said the play is now a dead issue. “There were some judgement calls that went the other way, right or wrong, ” Brown said. “The officials have a very difficult job. They’re human beings. TTiey have tough weeks at work, then they go out there and do games on the weekend. “When they get in a ballgame as fast as Osborne Calls On ‘Rudy’ in Huskers’ Rout THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LINCOLN, Neb. Adam Kucera en joyed the movie “Rudy, ” the inspirational story of a 27-year-old benchwarmer at Notre Dame who got to play briefly in his final home game. “I liked it because it was about an under dog who made his dreams come true,” Kucera said. Last Saturday, he starred in a “Rudy” revival in Lincoln, Neb. A 5-foot-8, 180-pound freshman who was a student manager for the Nebraska football team a month ago, Kucera found himself playing quarterback for the sec ond-ranked Comhuskers in the closing minutes of a 70-21 rout of Pacific. With fans chanting “Rudy, Rudy” and his father cheering from the stands, Kucera entered the game with 5:22 left and guided the Comhuskers to two first downs. “It was a dream come true for me,” he said. “I grew up in Nebraska, my dqd was a coach at Nebraska, and I went to football camps there every summer. “I was always a big Nebraska fan. My closets are still filled with red things.” Seniors Don't take a chance on your resume getting you the interview. Talk to recruiters in person at the Carolina Career Day Oct. 6 in the Great Hall 12:30-5 PM by the Red Raiders. Flanigan’s primary target is senior re ceiver Mick Rossley, head coach Tom Rossley’s son, who lead the SWC in catches with 32. Another receiver, John Biggins, who started in place of Berry last week, more than doubled his career receptions total with six against Texas Tech. When SMU runs, freshman tailback Donte Womack is the biggest threat to break one long. He averages 8.0 yards per cany and ran for 129 yards against New Mexico two weeks ago. UNC Offense: Quarterback Jason StanicekshouldbecomeUNC’scareertotal yardage leader against SMU, breaking Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice’s record of 4,883 yards. Stanicek needs just 181 yards to set the mark, a total he could get in the first half. Redshirt freshman receiver Octavus Barnes seems comfortable in the passing attack just four games into his career. But after “fumbling” against Florida State, it remains to be seen if the young pass catcher’s confidence has been shaken. The ACC admitted Tuesday that its offi cials screwed up in ruling that Barnes fumbled after catching a pass in the third quarter of the FSU game. The play should have been ruled an incomplete pass, ACC officials said. An interesting note about the Tar Heels offense: No play er has rushed for 100 yards in a game thus far this season. This could be the game that either tailback Curtis Johnson or Leon Johnson could wash away that drought. SMU Defense: The thought of playing without either starting strong safety Rodney Watkins or backup Warren Scott can’t that one was mov ing Saturday night, it is difficult for any of them.” Brown also said he has been an ad vocate of using in stant replay in col lege football. “I have always been someone that has supported in stant replay,” he said. “I know we can’t do that in col lege football.” MACK BROWN says UNC must forget the Florida State game. Although Brown said instant replay is not feasible in the college game due to money and time constraints, he believes it would aid officials and would help ensure fairness to players, coaches and fans. “I have always felt like instant replay would give everybody the opportunity for the best team that night to win,” he said. And after reviewinggame film, the UNC head coach said the one thing that was obvious was that Florida State is still one of the top football teams in the country. “We felt like we needed to get some breaks, and we didn’t get many,” Brown said. “I was really pleased that, even after we lost some steam and possibly points on that play, our defense stops Florida State Kucera was a good high school quarter back in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., but was too small to play big-time college football. Determined to participate inNebraska foot ball, he joined the team as a student man ager, setting up tackling dummies, fixing helmets and doing other odd jobs. After two quarterbacks left school and another was injured during preseason prac tice, Kucera joined the scout team—scrubs who simulate the opponent in practice. “I was just excited to put on the uni form,” he said. Kucera, who wants to be an orthopedic surgeon, got even more excited when he found out he might play in a mop-up role against outmanned Pacific. So did his fa ther, Bill, a graduate assistant at Nebraska before becoming Adam’s high school coach in Arizona. He flew in to watch the game. “If Adam was going to play, I didn’t want to miss it,” he said. Adam’s moment finally came after Pa cific scored late in the game. Following the kickoff, Coach Tom Osborne sent Kucera in with his first play, a pitch to tailback Scott Davenport. r Natural Bom Killers Nightly at 7:18*9:45 (R) Sat & Sun Mat. 2:15 >4:45 True Lies m 9:30 ONLY! Color of Night (R) Nightly at 7:00 Milk Money Nightly at 7:00 • 9:ls <PG ‘ 13) Sat. & Sun. Mat. 2:00 • 4:15 Sorynopassesorcoupon please Tom Rossley. Defending the option won’t be easy without experienced safe ties, and it won’t help the pass defense either. Middle linebacker Chris Bordano leads the Mustangs in tackles with a whopping 54 in four games. UNC Defense: The Tar Heels gave up 31 points at Florida State, but all things considered, that really wasn’t bad. Strong safety Sean Boyd was named the ACC defensive back of the week after gar nering lOtackles against FSU, yet he didn't even earn UNC defensive player of the game honors. That title was awarded to defensive tackle Riddick Parker, in part for sacking FSU quarterback Danny Kanell inside the ’Noles 10 and forcing a fumble. Linebacker Kerry Mock, who had nine tackles last week, may be assigned to con tain Flanigan if the pocket breaks down and he decides to scramble. Final analysis/prediction: The only way UNC will struggle is if it doesn’t let go of the emotional loss at Florida State. The Tar Heels’ seniors will have to assert more of a leadership role this week to prevent younger, less experienced players from losing focus. This being the second of two road games requiring air travel makes for an even worse situation. UNC could be a little flat for this game. After all, the same thing happened against UTEP last season: The Tar Heels rode the crest of an emotional wave after an impor tant win against N.C. State and then al most lost to the Miners the next week. But if they can rebound from past mis takes, the Tar Heels should romp. UNC 40, SMU 16. COMPILED BY STEVE ROBBLEE again and makes them punt. “Then we turn the ball over the next series which pretty much took us out of the ballgame.” Brown said after the game that he is not interested in moral victories, but he admit ted that keeping the score close against FSU was a good sign for the Tar Heels. “Another thing I thought was good was that (FSU) Coach (Bobby) Bowden didn’t get to sit on his stool, and normally he does,” Brown said. “I think that was a good omen for us that he had to stand up the whole game. Normally he gets to sit over there by halftime and grab a Coke and get that stool out and just enjoy the game. “I don’t have many stool games here.” Brown was referring to Bowden’s ailing back. Bowden had surgery on his lower back in the offseason and Bowden’s phy sician asked him to relieve some stress by sitting down occasionally on the sideline. Brown said the team must now build on what it learned against the defending na tional champions and turn its attention to this week’s opponent SMU. “Our goal was to win the game, and we didn’t win it,” he said. “But we were very, very pleased that, with the adversity, I felt we showed as much character and poise and confidence for a young football team on the road coming back in the last quarter and a half of any team I’ve been around.” “As soon as I ran out there, the nervous ness disappeared," Kucera said. “I just focused on the play. I didn’t even hear the crowd.” Kucera ran for four yards on the next play, but the gain was wiped out by a holding penalty. After two more running plays, he tried his first pass. “It was a timing pattern, but I couldn’t see the receivers because the linemen were in front of me,” Kucera said. “I just threw it away to be safe.” Finally. a comedy that will change the way you think, the way you feel, and most importantly... the way i on dress. |ggß 7:00,9:15 weekends 2:00,4:15 I C/mOCIN/J THEATRE | SPORTS -■ “ Jp*. & mIl - >. iP jaw* - i muf wp btjbt ■L £ r BgyW" f* >;•? M. ; Jr- 1 ■b ■p ft jam tj \ * mL m Wk i af*" k li- JILI I W /Aft ilf "iimwi B>^^ . I _ , 1_ , ... DTH/DAVIDALFORD North Carolina hopes touchdowns like this Malcolm Marshall plunge against Florida State will be easier to come by Saturday against SMU. The Mustangs were very giving last week in a 35-7 loss to Texas Tech. Letdown Would Make SMU Game Repeat of UTEP Scare, Brown Says BY STEVE ROBBLEE SPORTS EDITOR North Carolina head coach Mack Brown has seen it before. Take a Tar Heel team fresh off an emo tional game and let it play a lightly-re garded team from Texas and what hap pens? This season, it’s too soon to tell —as UNC (2-1) prepares to play SMU (1-3) after a tough loss at Florida State—but last year against Texas-El Paso, disaster al most struck for the Tar Heels at Kenan Stadium. On Oct. 2, 1993, one week after UNC beat N.C. State for the first time in six seasons, the UTEP marched into town and jumped out to a 21-7 lead before the Tar Heels dug their way back for a 45-39 win. Brown hopes he doesn’t see a repeat of the UTEP game this Saturday in Dallas, but he knows that Saturday’s game could go a long way toward demonstrating the level of maturity and degree of focus that this year’s bunch has. “You have to take up for them in situa tions where they fought so hard at Florida State, but then you’ve got to try to get (the emotional loss) out of their system, ’’Brown said Tuesday. “That’s a difficult thing to do.” The task becomes more difficult with Nebraska’s Frazier Hospitalized, Could Miss Season THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LINCOLN, Neb. With Nebraska’s Tommie Frazier still hospitalized, Coach Tom Osborne was hopeful Tuesday that the No. 2 Comhuskers would not lose their quarterback for the rest of the season. Frazier was undergoing treatment to dissolve a blood clot behind his right knee. He probably will remain in Bryan Hospital at least a few more days, Osborne said. “Tommie Frazier is one of those people I’m positive will not play this week,” Osborne said. “I don’t think it’s a done deal that he’ll miss the rest of the season necessarily.” It still was not certain how Frazier de veloped the clot, Osborne said. Such inju ries generally result from a blow that later develops into a clot. But Frazier couldn’t recall taking a hit to the calf area. The clot was discovered Sunday. Frazier complained of some soreness in the calf the morning of the UCLA game, Sept. 17. He played most of that 49-21 victory, but was on the field for just nine plays in Saturday’s 70-21 blowout of Pa cific. “I don’t think it was something that occurred in the UCLA game,” Osborne said. “We nursed it along last week in practice.” IE EASTERN FEDERAL THEATRES I ire Rn Mrw\ 7 l Ml f 3-5° I ELLIOTT RDatE. FRANKLIN j | STEREO SOUND-ALL AUDfTORIUMS~| [terminal velocity' I 3:005:007:1D9:20M [THE NEXT KARATE KID A GOOD MAN IN AFRICA Miss ■ WEAVER DAIRY at AIRPORT RDI nccnßcemi CHAPEL HILL 933-8600 I 1 STEREO SOUND-ALL AUOfTORIUMS 1 TRIAL BY JURY ( 3:055:HW:209:3Q[g[ THE CLIENT 3:15*7:109:201ErD] CORRINA,CORRINA LITTLE RASCALS 3.‘Q0*5:15 , 7:25’9:35 (Pul 3:20*5:20 (P 0) liwmnlciiMP nowhere' 7:30*9:35 HSil 3:10*5:10 IB) the number of un derclassmen the Tar Heels have played this season because of graduation and injuries. Brown blames himselfinpartfora lack of preparation against UTEP and hopes he has learned from his mistakes. “I did a very poor job in preparation ..... RAMON FLANIGAN led the SWC in offense through last week. for our El Paso game, ” he said. “So I’ve got to do a better job preparing our guys for the ballgame this week, making sure the talk is not on previous ballgames but on the up coming game with SMU.” The fear of a letdown is magnified be cause UNC coaches know what Mustang quarterback Ramon Flanigan can do on the field. Flanigan took them within 10 yards of tying or winning at UCLA two weeks ago, as SMU missed on a last-minute ftrst-and-goal chance in a 17-10 loss. “Ramon Flanigan is the key to their football team,” Brown said. “He’s very similar to running the Houston Oilers of fense when Warren Moon was there.” Flanigan was leading the Southwest Conference in total offense with 271 yards Frazier missed practice last Monday, then ran full speed on Wednesday only to have the soreness return the next day. Osborne gave Frazier the option of playing against Pacific, and the junior wanted to go in for at least the early series. “He did not get hit on the leg, ” Osborne said. “As far as I can tell, he never was hit anywhere hard on Saturday.” All Students All majors Freshmen thru Graduate Welcome to Attend The Minority Career Fair October 5,1994 Great Hall 12:30-5:00 “SHOCKINGLY FUNNY!” ■| Prr*- Tri*fr\ ROLLINC “VERY FUNNY.,. HES" M B iTtThBI AN UNEXPECTED CROWD-PLEASER AWARD The sort of astonishmgty fresh and V JH H self-assured work that can make a V *** reputation" Vwf fl| J 5* THE HI w row Tints W ■ffliWliili™ "OUTRAGEOUS... ™ Russell's accomplishment kto AV- 4^ mesmerize us and maJte us laugh...” OmtfAitwn NEWSWEEK M A gripping comedy about letting go. f :|g - 2 :,0 1111 ■ 1111 hi 11 mi "SUPERB. WONDERFUL AND COMPFI LING! . Kgagg^BH Deserving of an Oscar nomination. . s A movie lhal will stay wish you fora long time ” PfMm W9MAN _ SNEAK PREVIEW SAT. OCT 19 20 j WL , 1 Sl.I 1 m . - • -| FINAL WEEK 7:00. 9:30 WEEKEND 2:00, 4:30 w 1 ILi Wednesday, September 28,1994 per game in the Mustangs’ run-and-shoot offense before injuring his hamstring in last week’s loss to Texas Tech. Just a sopho more, Flanigan is already hearing compli ments and comparisons. “When he has been healthy in ballgames they have a chance to win,” Brown said. “We talked to the UCLA people, and they felt like he was as good as any quarterback they’ve ever played.” The UCLA coaches' views are not theirs alone. Brown rattled off a sampling of what others around college football have been saying about the SMU quarterback: ■ “He’s the best athlete in the South west Conference, ” Texas Tech head coach Spike Dykes said. ■ “He could be another Charlie Ward (last season’s Heisman Trophy winner),” Navy linebacker Javier Zuluaga said. Nevertheless, the Tar Heels know that Flanigan’s supporting cast is not nearly as good as Florida State’s. Brown said he knew many of the Tar Heels would not feel the same pressure to perform as they did last week at FSU. “Florida State puts so much pressure on you, you’ve got to make the plays,” Brown said. “You’ve got to make every play to win.” So now the question for UNC this week is: Can it still play well, knowing it doesn’t need to make every play to win? But a trip to the hospital for tests Sunday resulted in discovery of the clot. Medica tion was started, and by Tuesday morning the clot had been reduced by 40 to 50 percent, Osborne said. He also was concerned whether Frazier would have to remain on blood-thinners, which could prevent him from playing due to the risk of internal injury and bleeding. 13
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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