ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 29, 1996 TAG: 9612310038
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: MIAMI
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
NEBRASKA'S STRENGTH on defense is at the end of the line - at each end.
There are all kinds of college football All-Americans.
Associated Press All-Americans. Football Writers All-Americans. Coaches All-Americans. Football News All-Americans. Sporting News All-Americans. Consensus All-Americans.
But bookend All-Americans?
It's a rare story that can only be found in one place - on the Nebraska Cornhuskers' 1996 reading shelf.
Jared Tomich and Grant Wistrom are the book's binders.
Frank Beamer, whose Virginia Tech club faces Nebraska in Tuesday's 63rd Orange Bowl, has never seen anything like the 'Huskers' rush ends.
``Just think about that,'' Beamer marveled. ``An All-American on each end of the defensive line?
``We've got one in Cornell Brown. So, boy, I can't imagine what it's like to have two like that.''
Talk about double trouble. That's Tomich and Wistrom.
The seniors are the cornerstones on a 'Husker defense that ranked fifth in the nation in rushing defense (83.8 yards per game) and scoring defense (12.8 ppg), and seventh in total defense (255.4 ypg).
Tomich and Wistrom - sounds like an attorney's office, doesn't it? - lay down the law to 'Husker opponents.
Tomich, an incredible success story as a former walk-on, was a second-team AP All-American and Lombardi Award finalist this season.
His sidekick, Wistrom, was even better, earning consensus All-America honors.
Neither is big by today's standards - Tomich is 6-2, 260 pounds, and Wistrom goes 6-5, 250. Both inflict damage through quickness and strength.
``They're just two great players,'' said Tech offensive tackle T.J. Washington, whose assignment will be Tomich.
``They look very good on film to me. It's going to be a long day for us and them.''
'Husker opponents have their choice of poison. Double-team Tomich and you get Wistrom one-on-one on the other side. And vice versa.
``When they've got two of 'em, it's hard protection-wise,'' Beamer said. ``They don't care if you double 'em, because they feel most of [the] time they're going to get at least one of 'em one-on-one.''
The Nebraska bookends get a rush out of each other.
``Obviously, we owe a large part of the success we've had to each other,'' Wistrom said. ``If neither one was accomplished as we are, the other one wouldn't be as good, either.
``When the other team focuses on Jared, that usually frees me up. When the other team focuses upon me, that frees Jared up. That makes up both better players.''
Tomich made himself an All-American. The former walk-on out of St.John's (Ind.) High School arrived in Lincoln in 1992, took a redshirt year in 1993, and since has become a star for a program that won national titles in 1994 and '95.
How do you do that?
``Just a lot of hard work and support from the coaching staff,'' said Tomich, who also was tendered a walk-on offer from Cincinnati.
``They've brought me a long way from Prop 48 and a walk-on from that. It hasn't been an easy road, but things have kind of come up on top every time.''
Tomich was a classic case of a prospect who fell through the cracks.
``I got lucky pretty much,'' said Tomich, who registered five sacks, 10 tackles for loss and a team-leading 23 quarterback hurries this season.
``Yeah, I'm amazed at what's happened. I don't think if I had gone to another school, I'd gotten the results I have at Nebraska.''
Wistrom, who led Nebraska in sacks (9.5) and tackles for loss (20), said he and his partner in crime couldn't have a better setup.
``We make each other better - in the weight room, on the practice field, everywhere. We're constantly pushing each other.''
That battle also includes the statistics page. Wistrom said he constantly pokes fun at Tomich about this year's numbers. Last year, Tomich held the upper hand in most categories.
``With any defensive lineman,'' said Wistrom, ``it's all about sacks. Last year he killed me, but this year I have the edge on him. We joke around and give each other a hard time about that.''
Not near as hard a time as they give opposing offenses, however.
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: DON PETERSEN Staff. Jared Tomich (bottom) and Grantby CNBWistrom are the cornerstones of Nebraska's vaunted defense.