Rose Bowl Notes: Four Nebraska Backups Playing Role Of Dorsey
Dec. 31, 2001
By DOUG ALDEN
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) – If Nebraska had a quarterback who could really emulateMiami’s Ken Dorsey, he probably wouldn’t be playing on the scout team.
Then again, he probably wouldn’t be at Nebraska, where the option is stillking.
The Cornhuskers are using four backup QBs this week to prepare the Nebraskadefense for Dorsey, who passed for 2,652 yards and 23 touchdowns thisseason.
“None of them have the height. None of them are right now throwing the ballthe way he does. Hopefully they’ll develop into that kind of a thrower someday,” coach Frank Solich said Monday with a chuckle.
It’s probably the most passing backups Joe Chrisman, Mike Stuntz, BrettLindstrom and Mike McLaughlin will throw in their careers at Nebraska, whichhas no plans to get rid of its option offense in favor of a passing attack.
Solich said the backups have been doing as well as can be expected playingthe role of the 6-foot-5, 200-pound Dorsey. Stuntz, a 6-2 freshman who hasbeen playing receiver, is about as close as Nebraska could get physically,but he’s left-handed while Dorsey is right-handed.
Solich suspects that Miami is also having difficulty finding an adequateplayer to act as speedy Husker QB Eric Crouch, who beat Dorsey in theHeisman Trophy balloting.
“Seeing him on film and seeing him in person are two different things. Therehasn’t been a team that at this point has truly stopped him,” Solich said.
TOUGH CHOICE: California native Ken Dorsey nearly played his collegefootball not too far from Pasadena.
Dorsey, who’s from Orinda, Calif., said Southern California and Miami werehis final two choices.
Dorsey said he was impressed with former coach Paul Hackett and quarterbackscoach Ken O’Brien, but not quite enough to play for the Trojans.
And after 11-0 junior season, Dorsey has no regrets.
“It was a tough decision. USC is a great school,” he said. “In the long runthe University of Miami was a great fit. They had Carson Palmer here, but atthe same time I had great opportunity to play as early as I did.”
OH CANADA: Having already tapped all 50 states, Nebraska coach Frank Solichwent north four years ago in search of talent.
Solich’s first recruit as the Cornhuskers’ coach was Dahrran Diedrick, arunning back from Scarborough, Ontario, outside Toronto.
Diedrick became the first scholarship athlete from Canada to sign withNebraska.
“I’m just glad I kind of opened the door for a lot of guys to come in,”Diedrick said.
Two other Canadians, defensive lineman Patrick Kabongo and backup kickerSandro DeAngelis, are redshirt freshman with the Huskers.
THANK YOU: Miami offensive tackle Jaquin Gonzalez said the Hurricane frontfive’s biggest fan may be Maggie Dorsey, mother of Miami quarterback KenDorsey.
“Dorsey’s mom loves us. We keep her son clean,” Gonzalez said. “After everysingle game, she’s like ‘Oh thank you.’ She comes up and gives every one ofus a kiss.”
Miami has allowed just four sacks this season.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Solich, whose first season as coach included the end of a47-game home winning streak and the Huskers’ worst finish in 30 years at9-4, on Nebraska’s NCAA record 33rd straight bowl appearance:
“I learned very early on not to worry about streaks because I broke a few ofthem that we had going and definitely didn’t want to continue some of that.”
EXTRA POINTS: This is the 10th game between Miami and Nebraska and the sixthin a bowl game. Nebraska holds a 5-4 edge overall and the Hurricanes lead3-2 in bowls. Nebraska is playing in its NCAA record 33rd straight bowlgame. After losing seven straight from 1988-94, Nebraska has won six ofseven. … Miami’s Larry Coker is looking to become the first coach to takeover a program and win a national championship in his first season sinceDennis Erickson did it with the Hurricanes in 1989.
