Nebraska's Evans quits, Badgers warm up

Evans, the starting I-back, was off to a slow start in his junior season. He missed practice and a team meeting Monday.

Sophomore Eric Crouch will start at quarterback against Southern Mississippi on Saturday, and junior Bobby Newcombe will play as a receiver and return punts.

Solich said Tuesday he wants both quarterbacks, who have vied for the starting job, to be on the field.

Solich said Evans was frustrated by his inability to fully recover from injuries. The coach said Evans wants to remain in school.

AP PHOTO After a sluggish start to his junior year, Nebraska running back DeAngelo Evans has quit the team, reportedly frustrated by an inability to recover from injuries.

Last week, Evans was shut down with five yards on six carries as California stacked its defensive line and kept Nebraska's running backs out of the game, which the Cornhuskers won 45-0.

Evans' decision comes amid grumbling by players about playing time.

Two weeks ago, Solich visited Crouch in Omaha after the sophomore reportedly became upset when junior Bobby Newcombe was named the starter.

Last week, backup I-back Correll Buckhalter, the team's leading rusher last season, left practice for three days, apparently upset over the lack of playing time.

He carried 148 times and gained 776 yards as a freshman in 1996, but he missed 1997 with a pelvic injury.

His 1998 season also was cut short. He missed the first three games with a knee injury. When he returned, he carried 38 times for 218 yards and four touchdowns in three games. But he sat out the rest of the year with an injured big toe and bruised tailbone.

Evans had knee surgery after the 1998 season and had hoped to return to full speed this fall.

Wisconsin awaits:Nick Davis likes a challenge, which is why he wants Wisconsin to begin its Big Ten Conference schedule.

Davis and the ninth-ranked Badgers (2-0) have to wait another week: it's Cincinnati on Saturday before their two biggest games of the season - No. 6 Michigan at home on Sept. 25; at No. 13 Ohio State the following week.

''We have some momentum, but I think the next game we can get even more momentum,'' Davis, the Badgers' kick and punt return whiz, said. ''Playing the Big Ten teams, that's our conference, and we want to get rolling. We are really on a roll.''

While the Badgers' Ron Dayne chases Ricky Williams' year-old career rushing record, Davis was on a roll of his own last week in a 50-10 rout of Ball State. He ran up 227 all-purpose yards, including a 77-yard TD run on a free kick following a safety. He also had four catches for 91 yards subbing at wide receiver for the injured Chris Chambers.

Quick Hits: QB Antwaan Randle El ran for 62 yards in Indiana's loss to North Carolina last week, giving him 1,053 for his career. He's the only Hoosiers QB with five 100-yard rushing games. Randle El needs 31 yards rushing to set the Indiana career record for a quarterback (1,083, Harry Gonso, 1967-69). ... Ohio State (42-20 winner over UCLA) won its 21st straight home opener, dating back to Art Schlichter's freshman debut in 1978. ... The Buckeyes move into the second week of an unprecedented five-game homestand. The Bucks have never played more than four in a row at home. Next up is Ohio, followed by Cincinnati. Ohio State hasn't played in-state opponents on consecutive weeks since meeting Wittenberg and Ohio Wesleyan to open the 1926 season.

09-15-99