Nebraska wrestling continued its run toward the Big 12 Championships with a thrashing of the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and a win over the University of North Carolina Saturday night.
No. 4 Nebraska beat Greensboro 43-1 and North Carolina 24-15 at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.
NU coach Mark Manning said he was pleased with the results. He achieved his 150th win as a wrestling coach over the weekend, though he didn't marvel at the accomplishment.
"It doesn't matter," Manning said. "It means I've been coaching awhile. It's all about our guys and our team performing well."
His guys, particularly Jordan Burroughs, wrestled well. Burroughs stayed undefeated at 157 pounds with two dominating victories. The junior scored two tech falls in both matches.
"Jordan has really led the way," Manning said. "He continues to really intensify the match."
Burroughs' intensity allowed him to continue dominating when a match had already been decided. He broke his own record for takedowns in a season by finishing the night with 114 -- sixteen more than he had last season.
Burroughs had 21 takedowns over both duals Saturday.
"That's the key for Jordan is that he hasn't become complacent," Manning said. "I think that is a great sign that he isn't settling to just win, he really wants to dominate and make himself better."
One wrestler was missing for Nebraska: 174-pounder Brandon Browne. Manning gave Browne the weekend off, allowing sophomore Andy Johnson to wrestle varsity for the first time this year.
Johnson went 1-1 in his first action of the year. He opened with a pin against UNC -Greensboro.
The Yankton, S.D., native didn't fare as well against North Carolina. He dropped a 3-2 decision.
Johnson said he was grateful for the opportunity but has no illusions of grandeur.
"I know my role on the team right now, I'm backing up Browne," Johnson said. "Whenever I can give him a break and help out the team, and he can stay fresh, it's good. I get pretty excited when I do get an opportunity."
Johnson's opponent, Brett Miller of Greensboro, fell to Johnson after coming out too aggressive. Johnson said that Miller tried to shoot at his legs late in the first period, but the Cornhusker backup was able to catch him, wrestle him to the mat and hold him for the pin.
"It was his mistake, and I took advantage of it," Johnson said.
When it was all over, Johnson wasn't even sure how it happened. He said his instincts took over his actions, resulting in a victory.
"It's just like a blur," Johnson said. "I kind of want to go back and watch it. It's kind of crazy how that happened because you don't really think about it; you just do it."
Johnson's instincts have been built in Nebraska's practice room. He wrestles guys like Browne, Stephen Dwyer and Vince Jones every day - two All-Americans and the No. 11 ranked wrestler at 184 pounds.
"My main goal is to give them the best work that I can," Johnson said. "We have such a good wrestling room. We wrestle the best guys in the country every day in practice."
In return for making them work, the older guys impart experience on the younger Johnson.
"They let me know what I need to work on," Johnson said. "Those guys are a great help."
mikeschaefer@dailynebraskan.com
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