Thursday, November 21, 1968
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
7
Dale Evans
Evans' play justifies switch in freshman year
By JACK PAULEY Kansan Sports Writer
In 1966 KU was the only college to offer Dale Evans a football scholarship. Now he is one of the top centers in the Big Eight.
Evans, a 6-1, 210-pound junior from Russell, has started 23 straight games at KU, including four games when he was a freshman.
Evans went out for football his freshman year as a fullback, but when he saw several fullbacks and only two centers the first day of practice, he decided to play center.
"I was from a small town," he said, "and when I saw all those fullbacks, I decided to try center."
After Monday's announcement that the Jayhawks were going to the Orange Bowl, Evans said that the upcoming Missouri game is more important to the team now.
"Pepper Rodgers said that 'nothing more will be said about the Orange Bowl until after our win over Missouri'," Evans said.
"It's a big game," he added. "It could be KU's first Big Eight championship in many years and everyone realizes it."
Against K-State last week Evans played across from John Stuckey, who, Evans said, is one of the toughest nose guards in the Big Eight this year.
"He's real quick—he was a quarterback in high school," Evans said. "I had trouble blocking him."
Evans likes KU's style of football because he says it allows the little man to play. He classifies himself as small for a center.
"We emphasize quickness, explosiveness and variety," he said, "and we mix our running and passing games."
"Last year we lost our first three games. This year we won them," he said. "This year our loss to Oklahoma was similar to last year's loss to them, but we beat Colorado where we lost last year."
"The team as a whole is very happy to be going to the Orange Bowl," Evans said. "It kind of messes up Christmas vacation, but it's worth it."
By DICK DEAN Kansan Sports Writer
Cowboys want to repeat history
(This is the third in a ten-part series on Big Eight basketball for the 1968-69 season.)
Seven Big Eight basketball coaches hope Oklahoma State coach Henry Iba doesn't repeat history.
In 1964 Iba successfully coached the U.S. Olympic basketball squad to a gold medal. Then he returned to guide his Cowboy team to the Big Eight Conference championship.
This summer he won another gold medal in Mexico City with the U.S. cage team and might have a college team in contention for the Big Eight title.
Along with other teams, Iba says, "We should be better too. In fact, we could be up there with some of the leaders." Experience is the main strength as Oklahoma State returns nine lettermen including Gene Hawk, Bill Christopher, Charles Savell and Joe Smith, all of whom started last year.
Iba is, by far and away, the senior member of the Big Eight coaches. He is entering his 35th season as head coach. Last year his team, which plays its home games in Gallagher Hall (7,200), compiled a 3-11 Big Eight record and a 10-16 over all season.
Oklahoma State has long been noted for its balanced scoring attack and this year will be no different. Smith, Hawk and Savell were the top three scorers last year, averaging 13, 11.2 and 8 points a game respectively. Savell, who was the most improved player in the Big Eight last year, is an important factor in the Cowboy's rebounding strength.
Iba admits that the big lead scorer, or two, is missing although he feels that Smith will improve and has a good chance to become only the ninth player in OSU history to score 800 points or more in a three year career. He has 566 in the past two seasons.
The Cowboys might have a problem with ball handling and consistency although both are expected to improve. Iba's "must" is to find a way to win the close ones.
Iba might very well find all the answers to his problems in Amos Thomas, a 6-7, 200-pound center or forward, who is labelled as the best sophomore prospect in a decade at Oklahoma State.
He averaged 30.9 points a
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game with a single game high of 43 in his record-shattering freshman year.
Iba has nothing but praise for Thomas. "I like his moves. Others like his shooting. He has an excellent touch, good speed, bounds well and above all, he is a fine young man."
In an evaluation of his team's chances this year, Iba said, "Our experience should help us in those close games and we had plenty of them last year."
Last season the Cowboys played 15 games which were decided by three or fewer points, the Oklahomaans winning only four. Overall, 11 of the losses were by a total of 20 points, or 1.8 points per loss.
"We won't be any taller than last year, but we should be better in rebounding because of improved quickness. All in all, we will have a better ball club with improved shooting and quick guards." Ia concluded.
Looking at the conference
race and how it shapes up, Iba commented, "I guess you'd have to go along with Kansas despite the fact that K-State won last year." He expects Nebraska, Colorado and Oklahoma as well as his own team to give the Jayhawks some trouble.
The statistical chart finds Oklahoma State losing three lettermen and returning nine, tied with KU for high in that department. OSU has only lost 16 per cent of its offense, lowest in the league. It follows that they are high in returning offense with 84 per cent.
However, the Cowboys are tied with Iowa State in for being the shortest team in the conference, averaging only 6.3%. If OSU's five tallest were averaged the composite would be 6.7%. The tallest on the squad is the 6-9 Savell. The average height of all Big Eight teams is 6.4% while the five tallest of each average 6.7%. The average tallest player on each team is 6.10%.
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