Nebraska’s Newcombe Wants Punt Duty

Nebraska quarterback Bobby Newcombe, hampered last season by a knee injury, is so sure he’s healthy he’ll go as far as returning punts to prove it.

Newcombe, battling Eric Crouch for the Cornhusker quarterback job, fielded three punts during a two-hour workout Wednesday. He said it wouldn’t be a surprise if he returns kick during the season.

“There’s always a risk involved. But there’s a bigger risk playing quarterback than punt returner,” said Newcombe, who played six games at quarterback last season before tearing a knee ligament. “Standing back in the pocket or throwing the ball on an option play, you get hit every play. But standing back on a punt return, you’re either giving a shot or running with the ball.”

Newcombe returned punts two years ago when the Cornhuskers, who had Scott Frost starting at quarterback, were desperate to get the speedy freshman into the game. His 244 yards on 12 punt returns (20.3 yards a return) led the team.

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Misdemeanor charges were filed against three University of Washington players in a fraternity house incident.

Roger Faagata, a junior defensive end, was charged in Seattle Municipal Court with three counts of assault, one count of second-degree criminal trespass and one count of property damage in excess of $50. Omare Lowe, a sophomore free safety, was charged with first-degree criminal trespass, as was sophomore split end Terry Tharps.

Faagata is accused of assaulting three people at the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house after being asked to leave a party there May 21. The city attorney also accuses him of shattering a window at the house entrance before leaving.

The next night, the fraternity “received an anonymous call that someone was coming over to get even for the previous night’s events,” the city attorney’s office said in a release. In the early morning hours of May 23, members of the fraternity heard breaking glass in their house’s entryway. Tharps and Lowe are alleged to have entered the house.

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The 14 University of Arizona football players being questioned in a $20 theft are believed to have been present but aren’t all suspects, authorities say. Most of the players are freshmen and junior-college transfers.

“They may or may not be involved and they may or may not have any information that will be helpful to us,” said Sgt. Mike Smith, a police spokesman.

Coach Dick Tomey said any punishment would not be levied until the police investigation is completed. Smith said he didn’t know when that point would be reached.

The investigation won’t affect the playing status for any player in Saturday’s game at Penn State.