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University Daily Kansan
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 1952
By BOB NOLD
Kansan Assistant Sports Editor
Oklahoma is the foremost exponent of the old adage, the best defense is a good defense. For the fourth straight week, the Sooners gave up three touchdowns and for the third straight week, they scored in the 40's.
Their 42-20 win over Kansas Saturday left little doubt that if they plaved Colorado again, they would butcher the Boulder boys.
The Oklahoma win wasn't as easy as the score indicates. For three quarters it looked as though Kansas believed in that saying about having a good offense. They matched the Sooners play for play and touchdown for touchdown until late in the third quarter.
Oklahoma has a real machine and probably the best distributor in the county in Eddie Crowder. In addition, they have the finest set of sparkplugs assembled in many a year. Buck McPhail and Billy Vessels are reminiscent of the nation's last Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside, Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis of Army.
Actually, as the third quarter ended, it looked as though Kansas was going to get that fourth touchdown that would have put them right back in the game. Evidently, it just wasn't to be.
Crowder had to be exceptionally outstanding Saturday to be noticed because Kansas threw the spotlight on its tall quarterback, Jerry Robertson. Operating pass patterns that left receivers open all over the field, Robertson fired bulls-eye after bullseye.
Thinking of the T-formation as a horse, Robertson was certainly tall in the saddle Saturday. He completed 12 out of 18 passes for 205 yards and he found six different receivers. He threw at least once to every player who was an eligible pass receiver.
For a while, he concentrated on ends Paul Leoni and Jerry Taylor with short passes that picked up important yardage at crucial moments. On his longer throws, he aimed for halfbacks Charlie Hoag and Bob Brandeberry.
Until that fateful fourth quarter, it looked as though Robertson couldn't miss and he had the crowd on the verge of frenzy as the Jayhawkers drove toward a fourth touchdown.
Charlie Hoag and Bob Brandeberry looked very good, even in defeat. You could almost feel them putting that extra something into the game. Hoag ripped off several nice gains in the closing minutes of the game. Brandeberry also ripped off some nice gains and must have been very disheartened in the third quarter when he had that long run called back.
In the long run, it was probably Oklahoma's depth that brought them their wide margin of victory rather than what many chalk up as that old Kansas malady, fourth quarteritis.
While wondering about the whys and bows of Saturday's game, the only difference between that Oklahoma defensive line and an enraged bull was that there were seven ligemen.
The Kansas injuries didn't help any. Oklahoma didn't miss Leake too much, but when Gil Reich and Galen Fiss left the Kansas defensive unit, the effect was noticeable.
On a team so loaded with football talent, it is difficult to pick a star performer. To us, however, it seems logical that when the time comes
to pick the all-Americans, the Oklahoma co-captains, Crowder and Catlin stand the best chance of being selected.
Catlin, at center, has been considered since before the season began, but the major consideration for all-American quarterback has been Maryland's Jack Scarbath. We don't see how anyone could overlook Crowder. There is no sense in placing a lot of adjectives in front of Eddie's name. Whatever qualifications an all-American quarterback must have, Crowder has.
Another thought on the game is what the loss will do to Kansas in the national standings. Our guess is that the reader will be lucky to find the Jayhawkers among the first 15 in the weekly poll.
This is one of our pet peeves. It is doubtful if any of the teams rated under Kansas last week could have made a better showing against the Sooners. It is doubtful if they could even have done as well.
For that matter, we doubt if any of the teams rated above Oklahoma would have been much more successful. Don't be surprised to see Oklahoma rise in the national polls this week, probably no higher than fourth but maybe to third.
Ohio State and Wisconsin will move into the top ten off their weekend showings, and USC, Duke, and UCLA will probably all move up. Our guess on this week's standings, although we don't necessarily agree with it, is as follows:
One last gripe about the results of Saturday's game. It seems to have soured a lot of Kansas fans on this year's team. They think since we didn't beat Oklahoma, we are no longer any good.
These persons need a good swift kick in the pants. Although they'll probably find Kansas anywhere from 12th to 17th this week, we think Kansas is still the fifth or sixth best team in the nation.
Manhattan — (U.P.) The Kansas State college Wildcats had little optimism today over the game with powerful Oklahoma Saturday, but Coach Bill Meek and his athletes had some good news.
3 Injured Wildcats Return for OU Game
Three of seven players who saw no action in Saturday's Tulsa-K-State game because of injuries rejoined the squad.
Ed Pence, center; Dennis Kane, guard, and Dick Towers, halftack, all regulars, were available for a light workout here yesterday.
Tom O'Boyle, guard who played briefly against Tulaa, was expected to be ready for full-scale action at Norman. So was Tom Smith, tackle who injured a knee at Tulaa.
Lindley's Kansas Cleaners WHERE QUALITY IS FIRST
Trainer Helped Rocky Win Title
Manager Al Weil agreed. "That's right. Rocky had to have Little Charley to become champion. But so did 'the others.'
He said the "others" were champions Joey Archibald, featherweight; Lou Ambers, lightweight; Marty Servo, welterweight; and Al McCoy, middleweight.
New York — (U.P.) Heavyweight Champion Rocky Marciano straightened up from his bowl of ice cream and replied, "No, I wouldn't have been champion without Trainer Charley Goodman. He gave me a lot of stuff, but particularly a left hand."
Goldman trained them all.
Ladies' Plain Dresses ___
Kansas held high hopes Saturday of beating Oklahoma. But it didn't come off. Instead, Oklahoma mauled what may be the best team in Kansas history. The score was an and was left in a still showing not in six seasons, a Wilkinson-coached team has not lost to a conference rival.
Kansas State (0-2) faces the unhappy chore of battling Oklahoma Saturday at Norman. Other games will send Nebraska to Boulder to meet Colorado (1-1-1) in a Big Seven contest, match Iowa State (0-3) and Missouri at Columbia in still another conference match, and find Kansas at Dallas for an intersectionsal battle with the Southern Methodist Mustangs.
While Oklahoma stood 1-0-1, Nebraska's improved Cornhuskers sported a 2-0 figure and Missouri showed 1-0. But the tie appeared likely to be the only blemish on Oklahoma's record. Nebraska, now operating without halfback Bobby Reynolds, and Missouri's in-and-out Tigers both figure to lose to the Sooners later.
"To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure Rocky would go anywhere," said Goldman. "In the first place he was 24 years old when I got him. That's too old for starting out with me. I like em young so you can teach 'em as they come up."
Goldman trained them all.
Did Charley figure Marciano would become a world beater when the Italian from Brockton, Mass., was first put in his hands nearly four years ago?
Nebraska's string of wins was
89c
"I wouldn't have bothered with him when Weill brought Rocky to me if he hadn't packed a terrific wallop in his right hand and if he hadn't been more eager to learn than most 16-year-olds.
Time Separates Oklahoma From 1st Place in Big Seven
Oklahoma's tremendous Sooners were third in Big Seven football standings today, but it was plainly evident that all Coach Bud Wilkinson's men need is a little time to set the record straight.
You Can Have the Best at a Low Cost Economical — Cash and Carry — 12. E. 8th
EACH
Men's Suits ...
EDDIE CROWDER
snapped at four when the Huskers bowed Saturday to Penn State, 0-10. Missouri dropped a 7-14 decision to Oklahoma AM, and Kansas State lost to Tulsa 7-26. Colorado topped Iowa State, 21-12.
But the big game was at Lawrence, where 40,000 fans saw Kansas wilt in the third period against the unrelenting Oklahomaans.
Quarterback Eddie Crowder elevated himself to a position high among the all-time great Sooner
call-players. Fans at one stage saw Fullback Buck McPhail explode into the Kansas secondary and head for the goal line. It was a great show, except that the other had it. He had it on his hip, and he threw a touchdown pass to end Max Boydston. It was a 58-yard scoring play.
Kansas Coach J. V. Sikes thinks this year's Oklahoma team is the best of them all. He praised Crowder, halfback Billy Vessels, Center Tom Catlin, and Guard J. D. Roberts.
"They hurt us," he said.
Team W L T Pts Opn
Oklahoma 3 0 1 161 81
Kansas 4 1 0 118 63
Nebraska 4 1 0 117 37
Colorado 3 1 1 108 87
Missouri 1 4 0 64 80
Kansas State 1 4 0 64 98
Iowa State 1 4 0 76 132
All Games
Team W L T Pts Opp
Nebraska 2 0 0 43 14
Missouri 1 0 0 26 0
Oklahoma 1 0 1 63 41
Kansas 2 1 0 84 54
Colorado 1 1 1 54 54
Kansas State 0 2 0 14 53
Iowa_State 0 3 0 12 80
This Week's Games:
Nebraska at Colorado
Iowa State at Missouri
Kansas at Southern Methodist
(Dallas)
Kansas State at Oklahoma
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