COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NATION : Osborne to Discuss Team on TV Segment

Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne will have three minutes of television time to discuss the off-field troubles and media attention given to his No. 1 Cornhuskers.

Chris Anderson, sports information director, said Osborne has taped a segment for use during the “Road to the National Championship” program that CBS will air Saturday. Parts of the program also could air before and during the network’s coverage of the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2.

“People have wanted to know recently why I hadn’t gone on a TV show, because all these people want to talk to us,” Osborne said in Lincoln, Neb. “The reason is, if you talk to them and they have the editing machine, they can make you appear like any kind of an idiot they want to make. I just don’t want to get caught up in that too much.”

Osborne declined interviews last month when CBS did reports on troubles in the Nebraska program for its evening news and “48 Hours” program. One of the topics profiled was the suspension and reinstatement of tailback Lawrence Phillips after his beating of a former girlfriend.

Meanwhile, Osborne said he was uncertain if Phillips, a junior, will return to the Cornhuskers next season.

“I don’t know what my advice for Lawrence will be,” Osborne said. “I will give him some advice, sooner or later.

“I guess my feeling is that there are some folks who definitely don’t want him around. He knows that. I know that. It may very well be that he may say, ‘Is it worth the price? Is it worth the trouble?’ ”

Osborne, however, said he stood by his decision to reinstate Phillips.

*

Gary Barnett, who led the turnaround that gave Northwestern its second bowl appearance ever, was named Thursday night the winner of the Bear Bryant Award as the college football coach of the year. . . . Texas A&M; reserves David Maxwell and Michael Williams were suspended from the team for violating team rules. The suspensions followed their arrests Thursday on charges of assaulting a school-employed monitor at a fraternity party, The Dallas Morning News reported. Texas A&M; (8-3) plays Michigan (9-3) Dec. 28 in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. Maxwell, a sophomore nose guard, started three games this season. Williams, a redshirt freshman running back, played primarily on special teams. . . . Former Clemson coach Frank Howard was admitted to a Greenville, S.C., hospital because of an irregular heartbeat and may have had a mild heart attack. The university said Howard, 86, entered Greenville Memorial Hospital on Wednesday and is resting comfortably in serious condition. As Clemson’s coach from 1940-71, Howard was 165-118-12. He also was athletic director from 1969-71. . . . Wide receiver and return specialist Nilo Silvan, exonerated on rape charges, won’t play for Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl against Ohio State on New Year’s Day. “Nilo Silvan’s status is unchanged with the University of Tennessee football team,” said Coach Phillip Fulmer, adding that the matter is not closed. “He will not be with us in bowl preparations or at the bowl site.” “I plan to visit with Coach Fulmer in the next few days and discuss my options,” Silvan, 22, said, reading from a statement and refusing to take questions from reporters. Silvan was cleared Wednesday by a Knox County grand jury of forcible rape and statutory rape of a then-17-year-old girl. She claimed she was attacked when she came to Silvan’s apartment to visit her boyfriend and Silvan’s roommate, Tennessee player Joey Kent. . . . A Utah assistant coach was given a shoplifting citation for allegedly taking about $500 in sports cards and other merchandise from a Wal-Mart store in Taylorsville-Bennion, Utah. However, Donald Eck, the Utes’ offensive line coach, said the Sunday incident was “an accident, a big accident.”