European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 10, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday december 10,1988 the stars and stripes Page s1 Rocker wins Lombard award Houston a Auburn defensive tackle Tracy Rocker won his second National award of the wee thursday night when he received the Lombard i award As he nation s out standing lineman. Rocker who earlier had won the Gotland trophy As the top Interior lineman won the i9lh Lombard Over linebackers Broderick Thomas of Nebraska and Derrick Thomas of Ala Bama and defensive tackle Mark pcs scr of Michigan i m Clad to come Back to Houston a second time Rocker said. "1 told these Guys Here it does t matter who wins because we re All winners. I just can t wait of Tell my kids about this 10 years from  Auburn defensive coordinator Wayne Hall said Rocker would be missed. The defensive lineman is the Only player on the Field who can be  Hall said. It takes a special person 10 play that position and Tracy Rocker has excelled in More plays than his statistics show. The intensity and desire to exc Elare what we of miss most about Tracy  the Lombard award goes to the lop offensive or defensive lineman and nominees can include linebackers. The outland is restricted to Interior or Down linemen. Rocker a final is for the Lombard last season paced an Auburn defens that led the nation in scoring defense at 7.2 Points a game total defense at 218.1 Yards and Rushing defense at68.2. Rocker a senior whose final came will be in the sugar Dowl against Flor Ida stale has 101 tackles including 13 for losses plus five quarterback sacks. His 354 career tackles Are an a Burn record. Derrick Thomas the bulks award Winner As the nation s top linebacker is following a path trod by former teammate Cornelius Bennett who won the Lombard award in 1986 and Nowise a linebacker with the Buffalo Bills. Derrick Thomas has 204 career tackles and 52 quarterback sacks for the tide who will play army in the Sun bowl. Broderick Thomas Lias 242 career tackles and 23 quarterback sacks for Auburn s Tracy Rocker honoured As he nation s outstanding lineman. The com huskers who will play Miami in the Orange Boche had 98 tackles including 11 for losses totalling 111 Yards this season. The 244-Pound pcs scr has 275 Ca reer tackles and 36 quarterback sacks for Michigan which plays Southern California m he Rose bowl. Messner has started 48 consecutive games for Michigan and has a school record 69 tackles for 375 Yards in losses. The Lombardi award is named for Vince Lombard the former coach of the Green Bay packers and washing ton redskins who died of cancer in 1970. The awards dinner benefits the american cancer association. Winner of the annual award is deter mined by a vote of 227 College football coaches sports writers and sportscasters. Ohio slate linebacker Chris Spiel Man won the award last year Jim still Wagon of Ohio state won the first Tro Phy in 1970 kicks bomb Bucks by he Massuci Altott 1 Russ new York Rick Pitino who took advantage of the 1-Poim bomb Roget Providence College into the final four lira years ago is Usina the same route 10 improve the new York kicks. The knit is coming off on o-for-7 performance from 3-Point Range against Denver on tuesday night made Anna record ii a pointers in 19 attempts thursday night in route to a 113-109 Victory Over the Milwaukee Bucks the win moved new York Init a tie for first place in the Atlantic division. We Haven t been that hot lately from that Range but our big Guys did a great Job kicking the Ball out o us said Mark no Roundup Jackson who had three 3-Point baskets. The thing wish thai Shol is if we keep taking them sooner or later they re going to fall in. But the Best pan of our pointers is that coach has Confidence in us and encourages us to keep  we be been struggling from the 3 Point line lately bul Rick keeps prod Ding us to take Lam said Trent Tucker who also had three 3-Pointcrs. Some times he yells at me if 1 Don t Lake  Pitino said it was t necessary to encourage his players to keep firing despite the dismal performance in the Denver game they know i la be upset if they Don t Lake the threes Pitino said. As Long As we re shooting near 40 percent Well take it the whole year and slay with  new York is 97-for-241 from 3-Point Range 40.2 percent and the kicks arc averaging 13 3-Point attempts and 5.4 conversions game. Piling s 1987 provi Dence team averaged 8.2 3-Point baskets Jackson Tucker and Johnny Newman had three 3-Pointcrs apiece and Rookie Rod Strickland had two for the kicks who broke the record of 10 established three times previously. The kicks did it see Aba on Page 23 Stafe Porf and state vie for Florence Ala. A it s beginning to soundalike a broken record. For the sixth time in eight years North Dakota state will be playing for the Mcaa division 11 championship. -.-.". They Bison fans Don t expect you to compete inthe conference and play in the playoffs they expect you to gel to the championship game coach Rocky 1 lager said. The pressure to win is  the Bisordi 13-0, will be seeking their fourth nation Al championship on saturday morning against port land state 11-2-1, in Braly stadium. Portland stale has had some experience at this sort of Hing As Well. Last year the Vikings earned a spot in the playoffs for the1 first Lime and made it All the Way to. The championship game losing to Troy slate 31-17. Coach Pokey Allen says this trip will be different. I told the players last year that we were going Back to Florence Allen said. We re going Back there to win it. We were wide eyed last year. We ii be More relaxed and ready to play football this  while they May Lake different routes to the end zone both teams know How to put a lot of Points on the  Bison led by quarterback Chris Sim Dom a age 480.6 Yards All but 92 coming on the ground i aver and40.2 Points a game. Sim Dom a 6-foot, in 1-Pound Sophomore is the learn s leading rusher with 1,483 Yards and has scored 25 touchdowns. Running Back Doug Lloyd has gained 1,315 Yards and Backfield male Tony Sailer added9i&. Portland stale which first gained recognition when Neil Lomax set a Bevy of collegiate passing records still prefers throwing lie Ball. It s not a bad idea when the quarterback is Cuttris Crawford. The senior has completed 61.1 percent of his passes connecting on 242 of 394 attempts for 3,158 Yards and 23 touchdowns Allen simply says Crawford is the Best quarterback in North  " he s one 9f the top three players at any position based on voting for the Harlon Hill trophy the Divi Sion ii equivalent of the Heisman trophy. Crawford Texas a i running Back Johnny Bailey and North Carolina Central quarterback Earl Harvey Are the finalists for the award which was to be presented Friday night at a pc Gam  Dakota stale defensive. Coordinator Imo Ringey insists Portland is More than just Crawford s passes. Curtis Cigar do a 5-fool-s, 165-Pound Junior led Portland state with 1,413 Yards Rushing. Fullbacks Buell Harvin and Kevin Johnson had 606 and 460 Yards  have a very effective running game perhaps the Best we be seen Ringey said they arc explosive in All phases on offence. They do a goo Job of mixing in the runs and passes.". Portland stale despite playing three division i a teams scored More than 40 Points in five games and have averaged 30 Points in three playoff games North Dakota state which had a High of 62 Points and scored 55 Points in three other games is averaging42 Points per playoff game we belter be Able to score some Points because we know they will,"1 alien said. Actually our defensive linemen Are looking Forward to the contest we have big Strong defensive  i however both teams have faltered defensively at times. Portland stale has posted three shutouts but also has allowed at least 24 Points in sin other games. The Bison team meanwhile is allowing nearly 20 Points pregame