Monday, Sept. 12, 1955. University Daily Kansan
Page 11
DICK BLOWEY Kansas Halfback
K-State Boasts Good Starters
Kansas State opened its 1955 football practice under the leadership of a new head coach, Bus Mertes, and 60 candidates greeted the new mentor who was formerly an assistant to Bill Meek.
Mertes thinks he can field a good first string but after that the talent runs a little thin. In Ron Nery at tackle the Wildcats have probably the best lineman in the conference, although Sam Salerno of Colorado and Bo Bolinger of Oklahoma would question that decision.
In Bill Carrington, Negro fullback turned Halfback the Wildcats have a performer who could well be All-Big Seven caliber. Carrington is fast, elusive, and exceedingly powerful.
The K-State team this year will play all their home games in solid purple uniforms for the first time in the school's history. Previously the Wildcats had worn purple jeerses with white trousers.
The Wildcats finished fifth in the conference last year with a record of three wins and three losses. The three losses were to Oklahoma, Missouri, and Colorado. Mertes has set an improvement on the conference record as one of his big goals for this year.
Baker, Jerry~Returned service-
man who displayed good power,
promising defense and desire during
spring practice.
OU Once Again Tabbed As Tops In Big Seven
Last year the Sooners commanded every winning ballot save four among 56 sportswriters and sport-casters who took part. That figured to 93-percent of the championship plurality. Even with one more second place vote, the Redshirts maintained 93-percent log since there were 76 poll participants.
Typed Bill Burke of the Salina. Kas., Journal. "With Oklahoma in the conference this has become one of the easiest of all athletic polls to predict."
Virtually duplicating last year's landslide, Oklahoma corralled all but five first place votes in the 10th preseason Big Seven football poll conducted by Kansas Athletic Publicist Don Pierce.
The prognosticators continue to fatten their average in selecting the Sooners. For OU has obliged by coming home on top as predicted thru past six seasons.
Lyell Bremser, KFAB, Omaha, and Bob Busby of the KC Star typified the "Colorado will make it tough" faction. Said Brem森 . . . "Though Oklahoma appears destined to rule again, Colorado could prove to be the most formidable runner-up club in several years."
Busby opined . . . "Colorado could have the best team Dal Ward has moulded, but can't see the Buffs quite cracking the sonic (Sooner) barrier."
Kansas, now in the throes of a 16-game losing streak, drew encouragement from several precincts. These were typified by Gil Smith of the Leavenworth, Kas., Times, who wrote . . . "Kansas, in my opinion, will field the surprise club of the league winning two conference tilts."
For hardy souls. George Franco, executive sports editor of the Denver Post; Bill Stewart of station KFKA. Greeley, Colo.; Spence Burtis of the La Junta, Colo. Tribune-Democrat, and Bob Williams of the Kansas City Star sports staff, typed "Colorado" opposite their No.1 choice. Nebraska, last year's conference Orange bowl representative, logged the remaining first-place ballot, thus completing an odd chain which saw the Cornhuskers polling at least one vote for every position from titlist to cellar-dweller.
If predictions follow the above chart there will be only two races during the league season, a match between Nebraska and Kansas State to determine the middle, or fourth-place rung, and another between Iowa State and Kansas to escape the league dungeon. Only 16 points separated NU from KS at fourth and fifth, IS, in sixth, holds a thin edge of only eight lengths over KU. 472 to 480. It was the first time the Jayhawkers, losers of all ten games last year, have been voted into the basement.
Stewart was the most bold of the
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MATHER'S FIELD GENERALS—From left to right standing it's Dick Piskoty, Lauri Warttiainen, and Dave Putts of Coach Chuck Mather's coaching staff. Seated are Paul Schofer and Wayne Replogle. All except Replogle came to KU from Massillon with Coach Mather. Replogle is now in his fifth year as a KU coach
stronger with backfield that doesn't appear to have suffered too much despite loss of Hardy (Carroll) and Bernardi, (Frank)."
Althi CU comfortably outdistanced
Milton for the runner-up spot,
at least half the scribes and casters
felt it would be no contest.
tiny Colorado block, typing. "Colorado will be the best ever . . . bigger and better in the line and still two deep at backfield spots. This is the year they will finally beat Oklahoma."
Williams analyzed "Buffs are overdue and should be considerably
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