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Published Sunday December 22, 2002 Lord absorbs blame for subpar season BY LEE BARFKNECHT
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

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LINCOLN - Will the real Jammal Lord please stand up?

Is Nebraska's junior quarterback the one who broke the school rushing record for quarterbacks with 234 yards against a Texas defense ranked in the Top 5 nationally?

Nebraska's Jammal Lord, left, receives instructions from Quarterbacks Coach Turner Gill during the Kansas State game.

Or is he the one who threw three interceptions and audibled questionably in a 40-7 loss at Penn State?

Is he the one who set the school record for total offense with 369 yards (218 rushing, 151 passing) against McNeese State?

Or is he the one who rushed for 8 yards and threw a critical interception in a 36-14 loss at Iowa State?

Is he the one who led a rally from a 17-point deficit in the second half at Texas A&M; to produce 275 yards on his own and a 38-31 victory?

Or is he one who dented the Memorial Stadium FieldTurf with his off-the-mark passes and was booed in a 28-13 loss to Colorado?

After a whole season as a starter, the Nebraska coaching staff still can't say it knows for sure.

"Jammal has done some good things for us," Quarterbacks Coach Turner Gill said. "He's maybe not been as consistent as we would have liked.

"But that's kind of been the whole football team. That hasn't just been a Jammal Lord thing. Overall, he has shown the ability to run the offense and do a lot of good things for us."

Not enough good things, though, in one player's opinion.

Who? Lord himself.

"I didn't play too good this year," he said. "And our record - 7-6 - shows it. I have to get better."

So what do you need to work on?

"Everything," Lord said. "We were 7-6."

But your running bordered on spectacular at times, and you became the 18th player in Division I-A history to top 1,000 yards rushing and passing in the same season?

"That don't mean nothin'," Lord said. "We were 7-6. That shows it wasn't a good year."

Is it fair for you to shoulder that much blame?

"I'm the quarterback, ain't I?" Lord asked.

For now. With a new offensive coordinator coming, Lord shrugged at the thought he might have to reapply for his job next season.

"We're all anxious to see what's going to happen," he said. "Any time you're the quarterback and the play-calling might be different, you get anxious to see who they are bringing in and what the new guy is going to do.

"He'll do what he do. We have no idea right now."

Lord didn't bite at a question about whether Nebraska's passing game needs restructuring in terms of the routes run and the positions he throws from. He was 11th in passing efficiency in the Big 12 and had the lowest completion percentage (.468) among the league's starting quarterbacks.

"I'm not the coach," Lord said. "I can't say I think we should do this and that. I just go with the flow."

Lord did say he would "love" to have Gill as the offensive coordinator.

"He's been like a father-figure to me," Lord said.

Regardless of who the new coordinator is, Gill said, Lord's play likely will improve next season.

"Look at all the quarterbacks who have played here," Gill said, "and I guarantee you they all have improved from their first year starting to their second."

Use Gill as an example in 1981 and 1982. From his sophomore to his junior year, Gill's completion rate went from 51.6 percent to 54.2 percent; his touchdowns to interceptions went from 9 to 4 to 11 to 3; and his rushing average went from 3.5 yards a carry to 4.9.

But the numbers don't tell it all, Gill said.

"More than anything with all the quarterbacks we've had, the confidence factor has been the key from the first year starting to the second," he said. "They know what is expected. They've been through the ups and downs - with the fans, the media and their teammates.

"You can say you are ready for it. But just like in any job, you've got to go through that first full year before you really get your confidence and relax."

Lord said the way to get ready for next season is to play well in Friday's 3:30 p.m. Independence Bowl against Mississippi.

"This game IS for next year," he said. "It can be a springboard for us. It's all about getting some swagger, and having people say when you step on the field - 'They're back.'"