Swift Kick In The Aspirations

The Cornhuskers finally showed some life as the fourth quarter got under way. On Florida State's next possession the Big Red pushed the Seminoles all the way back to their own seven-yard line and Stark was brought on to punt into the wind. Nebraska seemed certain to get possession in Florida State territory. Stark usually holds the ball so that when he punts it the tips point diagonally toward the sidelines, thus getting more height, but against the wind he points one tip straight downfield and tries for a tight, driving spiral. He smacked this punt 58 yards, all the way to the Nebraska 35-yard line, and the Cornhuskers' Dave Liegl lost another yard trying to return it. Deflated, Nebraska failed to move the ball, and on the ensuing exchange of punts Stark pushed the Cornhuskers even farther back with a 46-yarder.

A 6'3" 195-pounder, Stark presents a sharp contrast to Capece, his constant companion on the practice field, roommate on the road and backup as punter. Stark is a decathlete for the Florida State track team, with a best performance of 7,083 points. He has high-jumped 6'10" and pole-vaulted 15'6" and may delay a pro football career to train for the 1984 Olympics. He is also a student pilot and has thought of following in the steps of his father, Donald, a TWA captain.

Later in the fourth quarter Stockstill got the roll-out working again and engineered a 56-yard drive that ended in Capece's 41-yarder. That made the score 18-14 with 2:37 to play and left Nebraska with one last chance. The Cornhuskers' desperate push to remain undefeated turned Memorial Stadium into a madhouse. In the middle of that drive Redwine banged up the middle for the last four of his 145 yards on the day and was himself banged up. Wobbling badly, he was helped off the field, not to return. (As it turned out, Redwine had a cracked rib and will be unable to play for two to three weeks.) Still, the Cornhuskers plowed on, reaching Florida State's three-yard line. There, on second down, with 17 seconds to play, Quinn rolled left, searching the end zone for a receiver. Linebacker Paul Piurowski, who had already made 11 individual tackles, charged. Quinn raised his arm to throw just as Piurowski grabbed him from behind by the collar of his shoulder pads, pulling him backward to the ground. The ball rolled free, stopping within inches of Quinn's outstretched fingertips. Held in Piurowski's grasp, he lay like a man in a nightmare, seeing the ball but unable to reach it. Florida State's Garry Futch covered the fumble and Nebraska'a last hope died.

Shortly, a disconsolate Quinn replayed those last agonizing seconds. "It would be nice to have that play back," he said. "I guess I blew a chance in a million."

And, maybe, a national championship.