All Agree: Husker Defense Dominant Factor
By Staff Reports
Nov 27, 1993
LINCOLN, Neb. - Oklahoma started like a blue norther. The Sooners left
like a gentle breeze - on the soft end of a 21-7 score.
For OU, Friday's football game provided a lot of early positives.
Oklahoma drove 74 yards to a touchdown on its first possession
and Nebraska lost the Big Eight's defensive player of the
year, Trev Alberts, on the game's ninth play.
"It pumped me up," said OU offensive tackle J.R. Conrad.
"That's one guy that I didn't miss having to go up against.
I'm not going to sound sad about him leaving the game, but
I wish I would have had the opportunity to play against
him."
Alberts suffered a dislocated elbow when tight end Rickey
Brady pounced on top of him after a block. Later, OU lost
Mario Freeman, another linebacker, with knee cartilage damage.
Sooners' officials also said quarterback Cale Gundy suffered
a slight concussion near the end of the game.
The No. 2-ranked Huskers were outplayed in the first half,
but turned the game around with a defensively dominant third
quarter and scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to seal
the verdict.
"As the game went along, we got progressively stronger,"
said NU coach Tom Osborne. "By the fourth quarter, we were
definitely the dominant football team."
OU coach Gary Gibbs agreed.
"I thought in the first half we probably controlled both
sides of the ball," said Gibbs. "In the second half, their
defensive front took charge. I think field position had
a lot to do with it. They gained a lot of momentum."
Dwayne Harris replaced Alberts and contributed three of
Nebraska's four sacks.
Huskers' defensive coordinator Charlie McBride was proud:
"We said the defense was going to win the game. Harris
was named the player of the game. He came in for Trev and
made a couple of big plays. I'm proud of the way our kids
played after the first quarter."
Alberts, who was in street clothes the second half, said
he was thankful for all of his teammates.
"All the guys on defense showed a lot of heart," said
Alberts. "I have played here for five years and this is
the first time I've been injured. I just hope I can come
back and give everything I have for coach Osborne."
OU linebacker Aubrey Beavers enjoyed one of his more productive
outings, netting six tackles and a sack. Beavers also recovered
Tommie Frazier's fourth-quarter fumble at the OU 1.
"The scoreboard doesn't show how close the game was,"
said Beavers. "We've had a helluva season. We've had some
ups and downs, but overall it's been a good season."
Nebraska's victory marked the 24th time in the last 31 OU-NU
games that the winner has had to come from behind. Osborne
boosted his record to 9-13 against OU, while Gibbs is 1-4.
Finishing the regular season 11-0 marked only the second
time, and the first since 1983, that has been accomplished
in Osborne's 21-year regime.
Gibbs said Nebraska should be a cinch to remain No. 1 in
the coalition poll (No. 2 Florida State plays Florida Saturday).
"They are No. 1 in our league," said Gibbs, "and they
are an outstanding football team ... They were No. 1 coming
in and I don't see any reason they won't stay there."
