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Alumni TD Catch Boosted Roberts
Jay Roberts, KU's big 6-4, 215 pound end, loves to travel.
As a matter of fact, he spent last summer hitchhiking around the country with a friend on a venture that he calls a "pauper's Route 66."
ROBERTS ALSO does a lot of traveling downfield on the Jayhawkers' offensive attack. The likeable Des Moines, Iowa, lad is KU's top pass receiver.
There are some observers that say before Roberts hangs up his cleats at KU, that he will become the best pass receiver in Jayhawker history. If this comes true, it is interesting how Roberts got his chance to play regularly.
DURING SPRING PRACTICE his freshman year, he did not figure in the Jayhawkers plans for the 1961 season.
He was so far down when it came varsity-alumni game time that he was loaned to the alums, who were short on plevers.
Ironically it was Roberts who caught the game-winning pass that brought the alums victory over the talent-loaded varsity.
FROM THEN ON. Robert's future as a pass receiver was set.
Last year, he had to buck veterans Larry Allen, Benny Boydston, Mike Deer and Andy Graham. Even though he was listed on the third unit, it was Roberts who Coach Jack Mitchell sent in on the big pass plays. He rewarded his coach's confidence by catching seven passes for 88 vards and one touchdown.
Roberts has another distinction
ROBERTS WAS a mainstay on Coach Dick Harp's basketball team last year and figures highly in the Jayhawkers plans for this year. As a freshman, Roberts averaged 16 points in four games, high for the squad.
ROBERTS RECALLS a humorous experience that happened to him in basketball last year. "I did not get to suit up for the first game," he shuckles. "They couldn't find pants big enough to fit me," he continued with a blush.
Pete Quatrochi Follows Tradition Of Fine Centers
His third sport is track. He scored in the high jump at the Big Eight meet to letter. Coach Bill Easton's letter requirements include that if one places in the conference he letters.
In addition to playing football, he is on the varsity basketball and track teams. He became the 33rd player to earn letters in three sports last year.
Roberts' favorite gridiron figure is professional Ray Berry. "He's the greatest pass receiver I have ever seen. He's the least talented, but still he's the best."
Roberts, besides being proficient in three sports, is also equally proficient on the books. In high school he was a National Merit Scholarship finalist and was highly sought after by Ivy League schools. At KU, he still maintains a B average despite his year-long athletic participation.
He has taken 18 hours in Japanese and Chinese languages thus far, but insists he is not a language major.
He thinks, however, it might come in handy in his travels.
The hardest job a center has a blocking the middle linebacker. That's the word from Kansas' reckless new ace, Pete Quatrochi, who is maintaining a streak of recent Jayhawker pivot excellence inaugurated by Fred Hageman in 1959.
"That's especially true if you run into a good one like Romig (Joe, two-time Colorado All-America)," says the North Kansas City junior. "Guys like that will get a step on you before you can get to him and you just have to block 'em from behind. You just have to stay with 'em, stay up (stay erect to prevent a clip) and try to crowd them past the runner. Coach (Jack Mitchell) always tells us we've got to keep dogging them, even though we can't cut them off."
BEST TIP QUATROCHI . . . pronounced Quah-trock-ee . . . ever received on this technique came from Hageman, two-time all Big Eight selectee.
"Hageman told me to fire out quick and cut to the spot where you think they'll be," Pete explains, "not where they line up. Once you get in the habit of doing this, 't helps a lot. Hageman also taught me how to stay low as a linebacker. It makes you a little harder for the blockers to find you and helps you keep your balance when you're hit."
Actually, Quatrochi isn't jolted as frequently as most linebackers, always one of the best individual targets in any defense. Reason is, he's usually gone when the blocker arrives, save for the thrusts aimed straight at his middle linebacking station. Not only is he a fast diagnostician, but his nimbleness of foot and quick reaction carry him into the play more rapidly than most.
"I USE MY HANDS and forearms a lot to keep the blockers off too." Pete explains. "When they come straight at you though, you've got to go in fast and hit 'em. The most important thing is to read the keys fast and get into the ball carrier as fast as you can. Coach says it's the linebacker's responsibility to make a lot of tackles."
Quatrochi credits his ascendence from the third club, on which he earned a letter last year, to the varsity simply because . . . "I got tired of playing third-string. I started trying harder on everything in the spring. Of course, you get more confidence the more you play."
Pete vaulted over last year's no. 2 pivot, Kent Converse, who also is well-regarded. Starter Kent Staab, a second-team all-conference choice, was lifted by graduation.
STILL QUATROCHI is eternally conscious of the pressure from Converse, hard-tackling Lared senior. "Converse is a good football player," he admires.
Offensive line coach Don Fambrough credits Quatrochi's wide improvement to something more than increased effort. "He is a natural competitor," Fambrough says. "From the start, he was aggressive and had the courage to stick his head in there. When you have these qualities you can improve. Then it's just a matter of experience. Pete isn't blessed with overall speed, but he does have quickness. Another thing is that he's had good centers here to pattern after ever since he came in as a freshman."
Kansas Homecoming To Be Broadcast
The 1962 Kansas Jayhawker Homecoming football game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers will be broadcast over the KU sports network beginning at 1:15 p.m. Saturday.
The Network will broadcast the game to 16 stations. Among area stations carrying the game are: KANU - FM (91.5) Lawrence; KMBC (980) Kansas City, Mo., WIBW (580 Topeka, KSAL (1150) Salina, and KVOE (1400) Emporia.
Friday, Nov. 9, 1962 University Daily Kansan Page 11
Eiseman Mean on Field; Is Easy-going When Off
One the football field, Fred Eiseman, 6-1/2, 215-pound tackle, is mean and aggressive.
But off the field, he is an easy-going guy, who likes to lean back in a soft chair, and spin yarns.
THE SKOKIE. ILL. lad enjoys playing football and recalls many humorous incidents that have happened to him.
One of his most unforgettable was in the varsity-alumni game two years ago. "I was real eager to play," Eiseman recalls. "I had been sitting on the bench for some time when Mitchell finally hollered 'Eiseman.'
"I was so excited that I tripped over the tarpaulin on the side-lines and practically knocked him over."
ANOTHER HUMOROUS incident happened when Eiseman returned for fall practice two years ago.
But before the season got underway Eiseman made it down to his normal playing weight.
"I was about 40-pounds overweight," he chuckled. "At our first practice session, Mitchell called me out to the center of the circle during callisthenics and tried to auction me off as his prize hog."
THE SENIOR TACKLE still has weight problems and keeps a six-nack of Metracal in his room, which he drinks for lunch.
Eiseman has not always lined up at the tackle position. In high school he was a fullback at St. George High School in Evanston, Ill.
At that position, he was all-state and all-Chicago Catholic League. During his freshman year at KU, he was transferred to tackle, where he has been ever since.
"IT WAS NECESSARY," Eiseman laughs. "I'm awfully slow. I don't know anything about the backfield anymore, tackle is my home."
Eiseman has worked up through the ranks to his home on the starting team. He did not letter as a sophomore and a third team tackle. Most remarkable is that he moved from the sixth unit to the third.
Last year he rotated between second and third units. He was third team until Dick Davis, now in the professional ranks, was injured and he played second team the remainder of the season.
WHO'S THE BEST TACKLE Eiseman's played against? It's former teammate Stan Kirshman.
"I learned a lot by just watching him," he admits.
Eiseman is one who combines brain and brawn. His decision to attend KU was the result of his wanting to attend the KU Medical School.
IN HIGH SCHOOL he was an A student, winning the Knute Rockne award for athletics and scholarship. He still maintains a strong grade average of B.
Eiseman's most exciting experience in football was KU's 23-7 win over Missouri two years ago.
"I didn't get to play, but I still got a big charge out of being on that team that beat Missouri."