Add Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry to the lengthening list of people who are being impressed by Northwestern sophomore Darnell Autry.
“I have a lot of respect for their tailback,” said DeBerry after Autry’s two TDs and career-high 190 rushing yards keyed a 30-6 NU victory. “I don’t know how many yards he gained today. Was it 425?”
It only seemed that many. Autry carried 37 times, grossed 206 yards, lost 16 and netted 190 for a 5.1 average. He broke runs of 46, 22 and 19 yards and caught four passes for 51 yards, including a 37-yard gainer on a screen pass.
Autry has started four games as a college back, the Penn State finale last year and Notre Dame, Miami of Ohio and Air Force this year. His net rushing yardage in those games is 171, 160, 152 and 190.
Autry credited almost everybody in Dyche Stadium for his success after Saturday’s victory.
“I owe everything to my offensive line and to our defense for getting the offense the ball,” he said. “The offensive linemen are some of my closest friends on the team. And Steve Schnur is a great quarterback and a great guy. Everyone in the huddle respects him. His passes helped set up the running.”
Schnur completed 16 of 22 passes for 206 yards.
Snapping back: Larry Curry, whose bad snaps on punts contributed to last week’s loss to Miami of Ohio, started at defensive tackle. He also snapped the ball effectively on both NU punts, although Paul Janus, the Cats’ first-string snapper, centered on placekicks.
“I wanted Larry to snap to show everbody else he’s a tough guy,” said coach Gary Barnett.
Point man: Tri-captain Sam Valenzisi scored 12 points on field goals of 46, 26 and 35 yards and three extra points. That ran his career total to 130 points, tying him with Ron Burton, father of punter Paul, for fifth place in all-time Wildcats scoring.