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University Daily Kansan
Friday, Nov. 9, 1962
Hawk Quarterback Dispels Questions
Main concern of KU summer quarterbacks before this year's football season was, "Who's going to replace John Hadl?"
Hadl, now top quarterback for the San Diego Chargers in the American Football League, led KU to three productive seasons.
And, during two of those campaigns, Rodger McFarland was Hadi's understudy. People insisted that McFarland had few of the abilities that made Hadl a triple-threater: running, passing and
Leiker Punts Match Hadl's
Not the least of the talents John Hadl's graduation carried away from the Jayhawker football team was the one of the most polished kicking toes in Big Eight history. But Jack Mitchell already has wheeled another long-range booster into place in Tony Leiker, fiery Hays junior.
On those rare occasions when Hadl didn't perform this chore last year, Leiker came in to average 51.0 on two kicks. Nobody can expect that sort of pace on a full-time basis, but the blond slotback has been booming up to 70 yards under the pressure of scrimmage action to date. Whether Leiker is able to cut the deep sidelines as well as the departed All America remains to be seen.
For the record, Hadl twice led the Big Eight on averages of 45.5 and 40.5. The former mark also brought the league a major college NCAA championship in 1959. Best of all though, was his sideline radaring which frequently pinned the enemy deep, forcing a return kick which set-up a comparatively close range Kansas score.
Hadl's two crowns, plus a pair by Ted Rohde, long-legged halfback of the Chuck Mather era, gives Kansas four of the last eight league kings in this department.
Four of last year's top six Big Eight booters are returning. These include Nebraska champion Dennis Claridge at 39.1; two specialists, Dave Hannah, Oklahoma State, and Gary Ellis, Iowa State; and Missouri's reserve quarterback, Darvl Krugman. They finished second, third, and sixth, respectively at 38.6, 38.5 and 36.0.
The kicking game always has been close to Mitchell's heart and it is no different this year, especially with the new rule which allows the kicking team to down the leather inside the enemy 10 yard line.
"We're emphasizing punt coverage and protection just as much as ever," Mitchell says.
punting.
While McFarland probably does not possess Hadi's booting abilities, the senior captain has proven himself as an able runner and passer.
IN THE IOWA State game, for instance, McFarland netted 105 yards in 22 attempts to finish ahead of Sayers. KU's usual rushing leader.
In this instance, as may be the case in other KU contests this year, McFarland was forced to run through the center of the Cyclone line because of their over-shifting designed to stop any Gale Sayers end runs.
After the game, Coach Jack Mitchell said that McFarland changed signals 90 per cent of the time after he made a call in the huddle and then arrived at the line.
LAST YEAR, McFarland led KU to 279 yards against Colorado, the Jayhawks' third-highest rushing production of the season.
"We have a lot of respect for McFarland," said assistant backfield coach Bernie Taylor. "He's one of the finest competitors in college football and a good leader."
And, the Fort Worth, Tex., senior has the respect of area sports-writers, as shown in Big Eight pre-season opinions.
"It appears here the Big Eight football race depends a lot on one man, Rodger McFarland of Kansas," wrote a Topeka sportswriter.
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Those same summer quarterbacks may have something to talk about again this summer. When McFarland graduates, there may be a legitimate quarterback gap.
BACKING UP McFarland are juniors Con Keating and Brian Palmer. Neither, among themselves, have the multiple talents contained by Hadi1 and McFarland.
But, Palmer is a good passer and Keating is a good runner. Maybe some sort of an arrangement can be worked out before next season.
Meanwhile, Ron Oelschlager, second-string sophomore halfback, may fit into the quarterback picture for next year. Oelschlager is a good passer as well as being a fair runner.
Clothier Realizes Potential By Steady Self-Confidence
The most heartening come-through performance in Kansas' line this autumn is being wielded by senior tackle Marvin Clothier. One of the reasons is because he never gave up on himself.
"I just couldn't believe I wasn't worth anything as a football player," he says grimly. "Thinking about that all summer drove me. I was determined to make it somewhere this year."
BEGINNING WITH his freshman season, the 6-4, 214-pound Stafford lad was one of those exceptional physical potentials that couldn't quite dig a solid toehold anywhere. A fullback in high school, he was switched to center at Kansas. By spring practice he was swinging between center and tackle. As a sophomore he was settled at guard, handling third-unit duty along with Kent Converse, now an established center.
Last year he moved up to the alternate unit at guard. He injured a knee line-backing at Colorado and didn't get back for three weeks. When he did, he was drafted for tackle against Oklahoma State when injuries thinned the rank at that position. Still bothered by his knee he was forced to sit out the remainder of the season. A winter cartilage operation followed. He missed spring practice and was barely visible in the Jayhawkers' summer blueprint.
He asked for a trial at end . . . "I can run and there aren't many big ends who are fast too, so I thought I'd have a better chance there" . . . and was scheduled to open two-a-days on an experimental basis at that spot. But an eleventh-hour decision by the staff, dictated by the presence of only one lettered tackle, called for a shot . . . probably his last shot . . . at tackle.
"I SURE DIDN'T like the idea at first." Clothier admits, but about the fourth day of two-a-days I found I could make real progress."
He opened the season behind sophomore Brian Schweda on the T-side. He gave the best performance of his career in the opener against TCU. Another good job in the 14-0 conquest of Boston U., earned him elevation to the starting unit against Colorado. He's been running on the first unit since then.
As is the case now and then, Clothier's rise in stature has helped the player as much as the team. The guy to whom Clothier most wanted to prove that he could do the job was himself.
"It sure was a relief to find myself able to play at tackle," he confesses. "Now I feel like I'm contributing something to the club. I feel like I can do the job. Actually, I have no doubts. We needed some tackles and I am able to help. I feel so much more at home at this position. I've had more fun playing football this year than I have during my whole career. I was just cluttering up the place at guard. Coach Bernhardt (George, defensive line coach), helped me a great deal. He kept working with me."
CONTRIBUTING TO Clothier's mental torment of one-step forward and one-step back was his stay at guard. "I was always playing against players who got off the ball (charged at the snap) quicker than I could. I never could get off with them nor do some of the things they could do. They were smaller and quicker. It became a psychological problem.
"I'd much rather play against bigger men. At tackle, I find I can match quickness with them. I'd much rather play against a bigger man for that reason alone."
All this doesn't mean Clothier, brother of former KU guard Gary, is the league's best tackle. But as offensive line coach Don Fambrough says . . . "For the first time he is in his best position. He always has had speed (as a 185-pound schoolboy Clothier clocked 10.3 for the 100; 22.4 for the 220, and 50.7 for the 440), and playing ability. He still can improve. He can be as good as he wants to be."
Marvin Clothier
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