YOKOHAMA, Japan -- A West team deprived of Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier called upon Nebraska teammates Turner Gill and Irving Fryar to overpower the East 26-21 in the Japan Bowl Monday.
Rozier, sidelined with an ankle injury he received in the Miami-Nebraska Orange Bowl two weeks ago, will not play football for another 2-3 weeks.
It was Nebraska quarterback Turner Gill, named best offensive player of the game, who paced the West to victory before 26,000 Japanese fans.
Gill, who scored on a two-yard rush early in the second quarter to put the West squad into the lead 12-7, connected on a six-yard pass to fellow Nebraskan Irving Fryar later in the quarter to give his team a 19-7 edge.
The East, paced by West Virginia quarterback Jeff Hostetler of West Virginia, launched a powerful ground attack in the second half. Hostetler scored on one-yard and two-yard rushes in the third and fourth quarters to give his squad a 21-19 lead at the beginning of the final period.
The winning TD came on a yard rush by UCLA's Kevin Nelson with 3:16 remaining in the game.
The East had opened scoring in the first quarter with a two-yard TD pass from Hofstetler to Kenny Jackson of Pennsylvania State. The West's Kevin Nelson (UCLA) matched that score with a 1-yard rush three minutes later.
The West later switched to a ground attack, in response to 35 degree temperatures that hampered passing on both sides.
'I think you saw a very good example of strategy on a cold day,' commented Eastern Coach Randy Rodgers of Evansvill.
'I was very impressed with Turner Gill as a prospect for pro football,' Rodgers added. 'He's very very good.'
Gill was low-key about his success. 'A lot of great athletes were here today,' he told reporters in a post-game press conference. 'I just had a great day and it worked out for the team too.
'The offense in Nebraska -- we didnt throw the ball too much,' he added. 'I think I showed I can throw the ball.'
East Coach Dick Crum of North Carolina said both teams surprised themselves with their running game.
'We discovered we could run the ball a little better than we thought we could,' Crum said. 'We were not passing as well (because of the cold). That's why we ran the ball.'
'I thought the game was a very good one for the spectators, -- alot of running and passing,' he added.
Don Rodgers was named best defensive player of the game while wide receiver Fryar was named 'most inspirational.'
