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University Daily Kansan Thursday, Sept. 18, 1958
University Daily Kansan SPORTS
BOBBY MARSHALL LOOKS FOR RECEIVER...
Marshall Carries Team On Twice-Injured Leg
Much of the success or failure of the Kansas University football team depends on the twice-injured knee of quarterback Bobby Marshall. And Marshall says the knee is OK.
In an interview Wednesday, the senior quarterback reported that the injured limb has been holding up perfectly in practice.
"I've been hit very hard at times, but it seems to give me no trouble," he said. "I wear plenty of tape on it, which helps, and I think it will hold up through the season."
KU fans will be hoping Marshall is right. Last year the Jayhawks rose to great heights and were the talk of the Midwest—for one Saturday.
Then Marshall was hurt in the Oregon State game and the Kansas State game the following week. After that, the spark seemed to be gone from the team that tied powerful Texas Christian, and the KU fans settled for a mediocre season. Nothing special was expected for 1958.
But with Marshall in uniform once again, Coach Jack Mitchell may have one of the surprise teams of the conference.
Marshall has been a standout in drills since opening day and is slated to start against Texas Christian here Saturday. He has been impressive as a runner and passer after earning his spot the hard way.
While quarterbacking the alternates last Saturday in the squad's final scrimmage under game conditions, he ran for two touchdowns and passed for another pair. This moved him past sophomore Bill Crank to the number one spot.
Marshall will be right at home against TCU. Last year he accounted for both Kansas touchdowns in the 13-13 tie at Fort Worth.
"We've got a good team, but we're short on men and injuries are an important factor. If we get the breaks there, we will surprise somebody."
Asked about the game, Marshall said, "KU is rated the underdog in this one and with Oregon State too. But as far as I'm concerned, neither one of them is out of our range.
"Coach Mitchell keeps the team spirit high and there is plenty of hustle. I think we'll finish over the 500 per cent mark," he said.
Big 8 Teams Want Action
Iowa State's Clay Stapleton said yesterday his Cyclones were tired of practicing and need a game to get in gear. That statement might well echo sentiment in all Big Eight camps.
Workouts continued yesterday and will be on the agenda until game time Saturday, but most gridders yearned for the thrills of pouncing at the enemy rather than fellow players—as soon as possible.
Colorado sophomore left halfback Dave Rice, who was upped from the fourth team to first squad after last week's scrimmage, made a good punt return and passed for a touchdown in a one-hour scrimmage. The first two units roughshodded the scrubs, scoring seven touchdowns.
Nebraska concentrated on defense against Penn State's running and passing game. Husker Coach Bill Jennings also put his charges through offensive drills.
Four Sooner Scores
Oklahoma's first squad flexed both running and passing games to score four times against the fourth and fifth units in a 1½ hour drill. Jimmy Feagan, Jerry Thompson and Jared Rowe were still out.
Iowa State's Stapleton named a starting lineup for Saturday's contest with Drake. Included were five sophomores, two in the backfield and three more in the line. Stapleton said he would be happy "when the game was five or six minutes old so the sophomores would be over the jitters."
Missouri's Dan Devine wanted to step up practice because the day before drills were forced indoors. But all practice fields yesterday were still soaked with mud. Devine had the Tigers wallow through the slippery stuff anyway, but had to skip some parts of the drills.
Tigers in the Mud
Only one day remains until the 1958 Jayhawker football machine shifts into gear for its first test run. At the wheel will be Jack Mitchell, new head coach.
He'll be driving and looking for bugs at the same time. Eight of his first 22 players will be playing their positions for the first time this year. Some, like Duane Morris, who switched from quarterback to halfback last week, have had only a few days to become familiar with their new jobs.
Kansas State's Bus Mertes had promised he would run his Wildcats through about everything in the book yesterday and he kept his word. The Cats worked on almost all phases of the game.
TCU Favored Over Kansas
Mitchell and the squad will face Texas Christian University, a team which has been picked to finish high in the national standings. The Horned Frogs are also favord to take first in the Southwest Conference.
Lack Pass Defense
The main Kansas weak spots will be a lack of a consistent offense and strong pass defense, Mitchell said yesterday. He added the team hasn't had much of an opportunity to test pass defensive work in the intra-squad drills.
He doesn't expect any breaks in the TCU game. The Frogs have been picked to win by as
"We've had to do more in less time than TCU." he said. "Various changes had to be made and other problems had to be solved. This is plus the fact that TCU began practice a little earlier than we did."
much as three touchdowns.
TCU Coach Abe Martin has been working up a "more balanced attack" for the game here Saturday. Thinking aggressively, he has been working to add polish and punch to the offense.
He has especially tried to increase the team's passing game. In 1957 the Horned Frogs whipped out most of their yardage on the ground. The pass was used but 100 times and connected on 31 occasions.
Finds Top Passer
Two years ago, Martin used the passing attack to smash the Jayhawkers in a 32-0 game. His top quarterback, Chuck Curtis, totaled up 232 yards via the air during the game.
During spring drills, Martin found a new quarterback whom he hopes will show all the class and ability of Curtis.
His find was Hunter Enis who completed 30 out of 40 attempted tosses for eight touchdowns in four practice games. This moved him up from an obscure fifth team position to the first.
Martin has also been impressed with the passing of reserve quarterbacks Donald George and Larry Dawson, both sophomores. He feels the receiving ability of this year's club is improved too.
Two Equal Units
In an effort to have two teams of near equal ability ready to play the Jayhawkers, Martin has switched personnel rapidly to find the right combinations.
For the first time since 1954, a sophomore is a starting tackle. He is Robert Lilly, a 235-pounder who came up from the third string during fall work.
Joe Robb, a regular at right tackle last season, has been dropped to the second team. Donald Floyd, 210 pounds, will start in that spot.
Other returning varsity players—15 in all—have been scattered throughout the top 22 players to give Martin an experienced team with a respectable amount of depth at all positions.
Card Manager Gets Job Offer
ST. LOUIS—(UPI) —Fred Hutchinson, voted "Manager of the year" only last season for his second place finish with the St. Louis Cardinals, was fired today and offered a job as manager of Seattle of the Pacific Coast League.
The Cards' action in dismissing Hutchinson opened the way for other major league clubs to negotiate with him. It seemed likely that he would receive additional offers.
Hutchinson was ushered out as the floundering Cards' pilot in a press conference presided over by General Manager Bing Devine.
Devine had only words of praise for the black-browed protege of former General Manager Frank Lane. In truth, at times it sounded as though he were hiring rather than firing him. It appeared clear that Hutchinson was the victim of baseball's strange logic: "If the bus breaks down, fire the driver."
Hutchinson listened quietly. Asked if he considered he had received a fair deal from the Cards, he said jokingly: "I guess I can't take the fifth amendment here."
Then he added that he would have "fond memories" of his tenure of a little less than three years with the Cards.
Broadcasters Set For KU Opener
Monte Moore, director of the KU Sports Network, announced today the radio stations in Kansas and Missouri which will carry the broadcast of the Kansas - Texas Christian football opener Saturday in Lawrence.
KANU-FM, the University's radio station, will be the originating station for the broadcast. FM listeners may hear all of the games on this station.
Stations that will carry the game will be KNCO, Garden City; KAKE, Wichita; K WHK, Hutchinson; KJCK, Junction City; KVGB, Great Bend; WDAF, Kansas City; KSKO, Arkansas City; KLWN, Lawrence; KOFO, Ottawa; KVOE, Emporia; KSCB, Liberal; KSAL, Salina; KWBW, Hutchinson, and KSEK, Pittsburg.
Moore will announce the play-by-play action and Dick Harp, KU head basketball coach, will provide color comments throughout the broadcast.