Oklahoma Coach Gets Accolade For Bowl 'Work'
New York —(U.P.)— This was his greenest squad —42.5 per cent sopho- mores.
It was his toughest schedule, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, and Texas were the first three opponents. And from the day the grid lid was lifted injuries plagued him all the way. He had to use virtually a different backfield combination in every game. And he had to wind up playing the national champs on New Year's day.
He's the United Press Bowl coach, Charles (Bud) Wilkinson of Oklahoma who credited "the team spirit of a bunch of guys named Joe" for their upset 7-0 triumph over Maryland in the Orange Bowl.
That was about all Wilkinson had to say, but Oklahoma President George L. Cross was so elated he remarked that "we are going out and build a university that the football team can be proud of."
"This was the sweetest victory we've had since I've been associated with the university," Cross said. "It was the most magnificent line play I have ever seen."
Wilkinson, who insists that football strictly is a team proposition, operates with a minimum of stars. When Larry Grigg sparked the 80-yard touchdown drive after Oklahoma twice stopped Maryland almost at the goal line in the first period, his first comment about it was that "Whenever I carried the ball I had perfect blocking."
Grigg reeled off three good runs, one of 12 yards, one for 13, and the final scoring dash of 2$ in the first period burst. Thereafter, the “okie doke” Oklahomaans settled back to the “magnificent line play” which so enthralled President Cross, and made many experts rate them at the finish as the new No. 1 team.
"By golly I think we ought to be the national champs now," Grigg said.
All-America guard J. D. Roberts said that he couldn't remember a team more eager to defeat a specific opponent.
"That was the idea Bud instilled in all of us," Roberts said. "We wanted to beat Maryland so badly we almost could taste it. We wanted to knock them off because they were the nation's No. 1 outfit."
The Notre Dame defeat, only one which Oklahoma suffered all season, also helped the Sooners in their mental approach to the Maryland game. Roberts figured.
gain. Now Bob was right.
"We lost our big one to the team that was rated No. 1 at the time,' he said.
Page 4 University Daily Kansan Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1954
By STAN HAMILTON Kansan Sports Editor
The "fate" of this year's Kansas basketball team certainly cannot be predicted now, and the problem is harder after watching the last five games, even though they were victories.
This team is a puzzle. Fans came away from Hoch auditorium Monday night saying, "KU really isn't that bad," but then the Jayhawks did win the ball game. Spectators at the recent Big Seven Christmas tourney in Kansas City had the same view, but then KU won that, too.
After those two opening losses, by a total of only nine points against a couple of the nation's top teams remember, Coach Phog Allen has guided his charges to five straight conquests over Tulsa and four loop foes. In this winning span only against Tulaa did the locals perform anywhere near the par reached by last year's wonder team which swept past all comers to take second in the country.
Kansas this year beat Colorado in the first tournament game, but up to then the Buffalooes had not won a game, although since then they have dropped one and won two. Next was Missouri and a spectacle that looked more like a good Samaritan or "it is more blessed to give than to receive" contest. The Tigers did their best to give KU the game, just a wee bit more so than did the Jayhawks try to hand it to Mizzou.
And then came the finale against the surprising Oklahoma Sooners, who, at that point had won but one game outside of their pair of tournament victories. The game was no runaway, yet KU won with apparent ease, but only because the Sooners stumbled about and eventually fouled out every starter and another contestant for good measure.
One thing that has hurt Kansas has been the vast number of players sent to the bench via the foul route, but the team of last year was No.1 in the country in that department and it went quite a way.
Now, all this is not meant to degrade the team. After all, it is winning the game, not by how much, that counts. A 1-point victory is as good as 25.
We are inclined to think the reason the team is looking just so-so now is Allen's philosophy that he would rather capture the league title and few early season non-league games than go great gruns now and go stale when the big clutch tournament games roll around in March. Remember that last year at this time the KU record was only 5-3, quite different from the final mark of 14-6.
Thinking this to be the answer we are not worrying too much about the current showing—just second best to Kansas State for all games played.
Right about here might be a good time to insert a comment Dr. Allen made before the season started. He said at that time that he expected the Big Seven winner to lose two or possibly three games.
After our look at each of the loop teams in Kansas City last week we are in agreement with that prediction because, outside of scattered showings by K-State, OU. Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas, we didn't see any really strong outfit in the bunch.
As Kansans and Big Seven members possibly we are spoiled from the lush years of the recent past. For two years in a row KU has been in the NCAA national final game and went all the way to the Olympics two summers back. The year before that K-State went to the finals and lost by only a few points to Kentucky.
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Phi Delt 65,DU 23
After more than tripling the score on DU at halftime, 55-18, the Phi Delta coasted the last half but still doubled the score on DU as they out scored them 10-5 in the last two periods.
REMEMBER OUR NEW HOURS FOR 1954 WEEKDAYS - 12 Noon to 12 Midnight SUNDAYS - 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Footballer Boll Allison scored five more points than the entire DU team as he posted 28 points in the lopsided triumph. Graves was high man for DU with 10 points.
In intramural basketball games played yesterday, Phi Delt, AKL, AFROTOC, Outlaws, Varsity all-Stars, and Battenfeld all rolled to one-sided victories.
AKL 57, Theta Chi 24
In the other fraternity "A" league game played yesterday, A K L swamped Theta Chi in the final two quarters after holding a 32-22 margin at halftime. Theta Chi could do nothing right the second half as it was outscored 25-2.
Battenfeld 34. Jolliffe 20
Phi Delt, AKL Romps Feature Frat 'A' Play
Davis of AKL was the high man in the game as he scored 20 points, accumulated on nine field goals and two free throws. Elder led the losers with 11 markers.
Battemen 34.
Battenfeld punched off to an 18-7 lead and ruffled, then coated the rest of the way to post the easy victory. This game was one of the closest of the Independent "B" league game played yesterday.
Larry Bell registered 21 points for more than the entire Jollife team Battenfeld, which was one counter was able to score. Even though coasting the final two periods, the winners were able to outscore Jollife 16-13.
Charles Stubbyfield led the well-balanced Jolliffe offense with five points.
Varsity all-Stars 38. NROTC 15 The Varsity all-Stars also had an easy time of it yesterday, as they posted a very convincing victory. Solters took scoring honors for the game as he posted eight field goals good for 16 points. Hamilton, Bas-
gall, and Smith with five points each, were high for NROTC.
**Outlaws 41. Net Jets 20**
The Outlaws out跑到 a 23-9 advantage at halftime and went on to win by a comfortable 21-point margin. Jerry Jones took scoring honors in the contest with four field goals and three free throws for 11 points. Ackerman was the Net Jets' top scoring threat with nine points.
Johnson led AFROTC's second half scoring surge as he was high with 12 points. Powell scored more than half of his team's points in losing cause as he took top honors for the game with 10 field goals for 20 points.
AFROTOC 49, Pharmacy 39
In the closest game played yesterday,
AFROTOC outscored Pharmacy 31-25 in the final two periods after leading at the midway point by a narrow 4-point margin, 18-14.
Konek Signs Pact With Phillies
John Konek, letterman football and baseball former at KU, has signed a professional baseball contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. Pat Patterson, Phille scout, announced yesterday.
Konek, who played in the outfield for KU last spring, will report to spring training with Syracuse of the Triple A International league.
Konek, from California, Pa., was a defensive regular at right halfback on the Jayhawker football team for two years. He was an all-Big Seven choice in his sophomore year as a defensive halfback. A knee injury kept him out of the past season.
Patterson said Konek will be tried at third base when he reports this spring.
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