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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, October 22.1968
Junior and John Riggins carry high hopes for KU
Junior Riggins, KU's reserve tailback behind Don Shanklin, believes this year's Kansas football team can go undefeated in the Big Eight Conference.
John Riggins, Junior's 230-pound "little" brother, has some doubts about an undefeated season for the Javahawks.
"Every team in the Big Eight is capable of beating us," John said. "They're all tough."
Junior, the eldest and a senior, had been used primarily as a receiver before Saturday's game with Oklahoma State. Against OSU he carried eight times for 49 yards in what Coach Pepper Rodgers called "Junior's best game rushing."
Tiger's Wallace top lineman
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (UPI) At one point during his high school football career, Jay Rocky Wallace thought about going to Nebraska.
But he decided on Missouri and last Saturday he ruined the Huskers' day.
One of the fumble recoveries came near the end of the game and shut off Nebraska's desperate late-minute offensive threat
The defensive tackle nailed Nebraska players behind the line of scrummage five times for a total loss of 24 yards, was in on seven solo tackles, helped out on two others and recovered two of six Nebraska fumbles in the 16-14 Tiger win.
For his play, Wallace was unanimously named Big Eight Lineman of the Week by a ballot of sportswriters.
It was the second time this season the 6-1,208-pound junior received the honor.
"That's terrific," Missouri Coach Dan Devine said after learning of the honor. "Wallace played just a tremendous game for us, leading our line."
Devine pointed out that Wallace and Ron McBride, who were teammates at Fulton, Mo., High School, both visited Nebraska during the recruiting season.
"Both he and Ron visited Nebraska," the coach said. "I think at one time they leaned toward Nebraska. But, as he, Wallace, explained to me one time, he didn't know how he could play against Missouri."
The first time Wallace won the honor this year was after the Illinois contest, Missouri's second game of the season when the Tigers pounded the Illini 44-0.
In that game he was in on two tackles behind the line and two other times got into the backfield to deflect passes.
One observer said Wallace's game against the Huskers "was almost a carbon copy of his Illinois game."
Also nominated were Dale Evans, Kansas offensive center who played against Oklahoma State's John Little in the 49-14 Jayhawk victory.
HAPPINESS
Junior has rushed 22 times for 135 yards and caught 6 passes for 93 yards and scored three touchdowns this season.
John plays fullback and is one of two sophomore starters for the No. 4 ranked Jayhawks. Against Oklahoma State he carried 15 times for 84 yards. His season totals are 53 carries for 308 yards and two touchdowns.
is listening to
"They just bounced us all over the field." Junior said.
Both Junior and John think the Nebraska game was the toughest physically for them.
John, looking over the Jayhawks five victories, said he really was not satisfied with his efforts so far this season.
"I'm looking forward to a better game personally. I still haven't had the kind of game I'm capable of." John said.
Junior thinks his best effort came against Oklahoma State Saturday. He was also pleased with his performance against New Mexico when he gained 68 vards in 10 carries.
Junior, the starting tailback a year ago, was happy with his chance to carry the ball more against OSU. He wants to carry the ball more.
"I think they're (the coaches) all a bunch of great men," he said. "They are all business on the field, but they are also great friends off the field."
John likes the Kansas coaching staff.
"If the situation would arise when my carrying the ball would benefit the team, I'm sure I could help the team more," he said.
Off the field Junior has the dominant personality of the two.
Just 35 minutes east on 1-7th to 7K Ave, in K.C., K. South past KU Med. Ctr. to 43rd St., east 4 blocks
When asked who had the bet ter taste in things like girls and
clothes, Junior modestly admitted that he did have the best taste in clothes, but John took credit for knowing how to pick better looking girls.
Junior is in the School of Journalism, and is majoring in radio-TV. He expects to graduate in January, 1970.
John is in the College of Liberal Arts, and is undecided what to major in when he becomes a junior.
Both are hopeful that they can get pro contracts when they graduate-Junior in baseball or football and John in football.
Junior was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the seventh round of the second phase of the pro baseball draft last June. He played summer ball for the Rapid City, South Dakota Chiefs as an outfielder. He batted .293 for the summer.
Another member of the Riggs football family was at KU Saturday to see his brothers play.
John spent his summer in Lawrence working at the Sunflower plant.
Billy Riggins, a 5 feet 10 inch 180-pound quarterback for Centralia will probably come to Kansas say his older brothers. He is a junior.
If Bill comes to KU, he won't have the advantage-or disadvantage-of playing on the same team with one of his brothers. He will be a freshman when John is a senior.
"He's got good speed," said John, as if he were giving a scouting report on him.
The biggest dream of John and Junior is to start together in the Jayhawk backfield. Even if they don't they are probably the finest brother combination in college football today.
KU's powerful brother combination, Junior (21) and John (32) Riggins, lead the way for another one of quarterback Bobby Douglass's (not in picture) end sweeps against Oklahoma State.
Basketball team in semis; will battle Brazilians today
MEXICO CITY (UPI)—The United States takes on Brazil in the semifinals of the Olympic basketball Tournament Tuesday night, and at this point American coach Hank Iba does not want to mince words.
"We are in for the fight of our lives," he said on the eve of the battle. "We have to do a lot of things better if we are going to come out ahead."
And what if the United States whips Brazil and makes the finals, probably against Russia.
"Well, it will be more of the same," he said. "These two teams-Brazil and Russia—are the two best foreign teams the United States has run up against in an Olympics."
Russia finished 7-0 in its half of the elimination round-robin tournament, and Brazil was 6-1. The Americans have now run up a 73-game winning streak since basketball became a part of the Olympics in 1936.
Iba says he is most concerned about the passing and ball handling of his club, and in that respect wants to clear up a misconception.
"Everybody thinks that an Olympic basketball player is a good ball handler and passer," he said.
"These boys were all shooters on their teams. They probably all shot 15 or 20 times a game. So we have really had to work on that. Sometimes their passing is good, sometimes it is not."
One time it was not, says Iba,
was Sunday night when the
United States got a good scare
before pulling out a 61-56 victory
over Puerto Rico.
"Well, we sure didn't pass the ball good in that one," he said. "That club plays good defense. They are coached byLou Rossini of New York University, and you can sure see the change in them.
"But if Jo Jo White, Iba's top guard from the University of Kansas, could have hit a few of his shots, it would have been a different ball game."
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TONIGHT
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