MIAMI -- Nebraska fullback Omar Soto, returning to his hometown for his final game, was dropped from the Orange Bowl squad Tuesday after questions arose over his eligibility.
A published report Tuesday said Soto, a senior, may already have used up his eligibility because of time he spent at a California junior college.
The 11th-rated Cornhuskers, 9-1-1, also may have to forfeit four wins this season and their share of the Big Eight Conference title if it is discovered Soto was ineligible to play this year.
'The University of Nebraska certainly is not going to play a player that has a hint of suspicion over his eligibility,' Cornhuskers Coach Tom Osborne said. 'Why somebody would bring this up the day before the Orange Bowl, I don't know.'
At issue is whether Soto used up a year of eligibility during his short time at Mount San Jacinto College.
After graduating from Miami Senior High in 1986, Soto went to Mount San Jacinto with the intention of playing football there. But he became disenchanted with the program and left school without having attended any classes.
However, a statistics sheet for the 1986 season lists Soto as having carried eight times for 13 yards. Coach Bob Stangel contended the statistics included two preseason scrimmages that Soto had participated in, but no games.
If the scrimmages were against outside competition, it would count as a year of eligibility.
After leaving Mount San Jacinto, Soto sat out of school for a year before enrolling at Arizona Western Community College. He played there two years before transferring to Nebraska.
'I think he was under the impression that because he did not play in a game and he did not attend classes, there would be nothing on his transcript,' Osborne said. 'Then his advisor at Arizona Western said his eligibility would start there.'
But NCAA rules are different from those of the National Junior College Athletic Association. NCAA Bylaw 14.2.4.1 states that an NJCAA regulation 'permits a student-athlete to compete in a preseason scrimmage against outside competition without utilizing a season of competition. Please note that although a student-athlete would not utilize a season of competition under the NJCAA regulation, the student- athlete would utilize a season under NCAA rules.'
Osborne recruited Soto when the Cornhuskers last were in Miami for the 1988 Orange Bowl. He said he had noticed the year of inactivity in Soto's transcript, but received what he thought was a sufficient answer.
'He said he laid out a year,' the coach said. 'He said it was really a negative experience for him. He looked upon it as a failure experience -- he had no money and had problems with his scholarship. So he talked to the coach and was told that as long as he did not play in a game and did not go to class, it was like it never happened.'
However, Osborne acknowledged that he ultimately should be held responsible for the misunderstanding.
'Really, the buck stops here,' he said. 'If something goes wrong, it's really my responsibility.
'The NCAA can hold you responsible for questions that you don't ask. But we had no reason to ask the question because we had no idea about the situation.'
Soto was not available for comment.
'I really feel bad for Omar,' Osborne said. 'This was the biggest game of his life. He has a large contingent of family here and was really excited about playing. I don't think his mother ever got a chance to see him play college football.'
Because Soto played in five Nebraska games this year, including!t o in Big Eight competition, the Cornhuskers may have to forfeit four wins and the Big Eight title they share with Colorado.
Nebraska Chancellor Graham Spanier has ordered a formal investigation to be completed by Jan. 31. The university will offer to forfeit any games in which Soto participated if the probe recommends such action.
'We may have to forfeit some games, it's hard to say,' Osborne said. 'We also may lose our portion of the Big Eight championship, along with our eligibility for the Orange Bowl. Who knows -- we may not even be eligible to be here.'
The Big Eight champion automatically receives the host berth in the Orange Bowl.
Soto carried 12 times for 164 yards and two touchdowns in games against Utah State and Colorado State, then broke his leg in a loss to Washington. He returned to play in Nebraska's final two games against Iowa State and Oklahoma.
