KU's Football Fortunes May Hit 3-Year High
Bv DARYL HALL (Daily Kansas Sports Editor)
After Kansas' 20-15 victory over its arch rivals, K-State, the Jayhawkers are already assured of one of the best seasons since Coach Chuck Mather took over the reins of KU's football fortunes in 1954.
With a current record of 3-3-1,
Kansas can improve on this record
with victories in its final three
games against Nebraska, UCLA and
Missouri.
In Mather's first season, Kansas failed to win a game in 10 starts and finished with a 3-6-1 record in 1955.
This season was sited to be the year that Mather's three year rebuilding program was supposed to pay off, and although facing one of the toughest schedules in college football this year, the Jayhawkers have shown signs of greatness in posting their 3-3-1 record.
Came From Behind
Kansas has established itself as a great comeback team this year, coming from behind to tie College of Pacific 27-27, falling short in a comeback rally to lose to Colorado 25-28, and coming from behind to win over Iowa State, Oklahoma A & M and Kansas State.
Kansas opened its 1956 football season against the strong TCU Horned Frogs, expected to be contenders for national honors and a power in the Southwest Conference. Led by All-American Jim Swink and equally capable Ken Wineberger, the Texans won easily over the inexperienced Jayhawkers 32-0. 4
Although outclassed by the nation's No. 1 team, Oklahoma, KU scored a moral victory when it became the first team to score against the Sooners this year, losing 34-12 but being heralded by All-American Tommy McDonald and halfback Clendon Thomas as the best team to face the Sooners.
College of Pacific's Dick Bass, the highly publicized sophomore half-back, failed to worry the Jayhawkers as Mather's offense clicked for the first time and KU rallied to tie the strong Pacific Coast team 27-27 in the second game of the season.
The following week, Kansas entered the Big Seven Conference football race against Colorado, a team forgotin in pro-season polls. But the Buffaloees had their sights set on an Orange Bowl bid and proved it as they fielded an effective single-wing attack and held the rallying Jayhawkers to win 26-25.
Edged Iowa State
Unnerved by their near miss against Colorado, the Jayhawkers were down when they entered the Iowa State game. But KU's spirit and great come back ability enabled the Jayhawkers to rally in the second half to win over the improved Cyclones 25-14. Kansas scored its final touchdown on the last play of the game.
Then came the Oklahoma game, with the Sooners apparently looking ahead to the Notre Dame game the following week and KU's fighting spirit at a season's high. Although never ahead in the game, the Jay-hawkers gave Oklahoma the best fight of the year, losing 34-12.
A talent laden Oklahoma A&M team was KU's next opponent. After playing good ball in the first half and leading 7-6 at intermission, KU's offense failed to move in the second half and the Cowboys dominated the game. A 90-yard punt run-back by Bobby Marshall and a touchdown run-back of an intercepted pass by Charlie McCue on the last play of
(Continued on Page 3)
1956 K.U. Scores
| | KU | Opp |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Texas Christian | 0 | 32 |
| College of Pacific | 27 | 27 |
| Colorado | 25 | 26 |
| Iowa State | 25 | 14 |
| Oklahoma | 12 | 34 |
| Oklahoma A&M | 21 | 13 |
| Kansas State | 20 | 15 |
Section B
Friday,
Nov. 9, 1956
University Daily Kansan SPORTS
DON MARTIN
Eight Play Last Home Game
TED ROHDE
DON PFUTZENREUTER
BILL BELL
Eight Kansas seniors will play their last game before a home crowd Saturday when they take the field against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium for the Homecoming game.
One of the hardest spots to fill next year will be the center position held down by Galen Wahlmeier and Frank Black.
Galen Wahlmeier
Six are linemen and two are backs. The linemen include centers Galen Wahlmeier (captain) and Frank Black; guard Don Pfitzenreuter; ends Don Martin and Bill Bell; tackle John Drake; halfback Ted Rohde, and fullback Joe Held.
Wahlmeier, 206-pound Jayhawker captain, started the first four games of the season before injuring his back. Coach Mather calls him, "one of the most durable and strongest men in the Big Seven." He took over as a regular in the seventh game last year when Black was injured and missed only six minutes of action in the final four games. He ranked second on the squad in tackles, making 31 singles and 24 assists.
Frank Black
Black, 233-pound Lawrence battier, saw a great deal of action during his three years as a member of the KU squad. He was a regular through the first six games last year until sidelined by a neck injury. Playing well both offensively and defensively, he has improved steadily in all phases since his sophomore year and will be hard to replace next year.
Bill Bell
Don Martin
Bill Bell, 193-pounder from Raytown, Mo., is another two-letter veteran at the end position. He was a regular in the last five games of 1954, catching six passes for 74 yards. He proved to be one of the most consistent players KU has. This year he, along with Martin, have helped to make the end spot one of the strongest on the Jayhawker team.
Don Martin is considered by Mather one of the finest blockers on the team. He played as a regular his sophomore year, then lettered as a reserve last year.
Don Pfutzenreuter
☆ ☆ ☆
Don Pfutzenreuter, the 153-pound mighty mite from Carlsbad, N.M., is one of the smallest linemen in collegiate football today. Even with his small frame, this guard has remained in the scrap for a starting berth during his three years on the KU varsity. A sturdy battier, Pfutzenreuter blocks well and is always in the middle of a pile-up. He tied for fourth last year in tackles with 33 singles and 12 assists.
John Drake
Coach Mather called John Drake, 220-pound Cassidy tackle, one of the finest team players KU has. He said, "Drake is capable of playing several positions, and has done so since he started here." Shifted from fullback as a sophomore, Drake, although hampered by a knee injury, has been one of the ruggedest men in the Kansas line this year.
Ted Rohde
Although only two backfield men will be lost next year, these men will leave a hole in KU's punting.
Ted Rohde, 190-pounder from Hubbard, Neb., is probably the best punter in Kansas history. He ranked second among NCAA major colleges in 1954 with a 43.7 average, and third last year on 42.3. He set a new school record with an 84-yard boot against Iowa State. His speed has also given him considerable playing time at left halfback this year.
Joe Held
Joe Held, 200-pound Topeka back, is the other fine punter playing his last home game today. Coach Mather said, "Held is a willing, eager battler who plays hard every down." He stood on offense as part-time regular fullback last year, earning the spot as fourth ranking Jayhawker rusher.
JOE HELD
FRANK BLACK
JOHN DRAKE
CAPTAIN GALEN WAHLMEIER
KU Homecoming Victories Few Against Huskers
By JERRY THOMAS
(Assi-stant Sports Editor
Of The Daily Kansan)
Only KU Loss
Kansas can never be accused of picking a pushover to play on Homecoming Day just to make the big day complete with a victory.
In the 1930 Homecoming game Nebraska handed a powerful KU team its only loss of the season, 16 to 0.
Since 1930 the Nebraska Cornhuskers have won 10 of 12 homecoming football games from the Jayhawkers. The football series began with Nebraska in 1892. In 62 games since 1892 KU has won 14, lost 44, and tied 3. From 1917 to 1944 KU won none and tied three out of 27 contests.
In 1934 Virgil Yekin, Nebraska substitute, entered the game late in the fourth quarter and kicked a 14-yard field goal for the Cornhuskers' 3-0 victory.
George Sater, who 15 years later coached KU's Orange Bowl team, was the star of Nebraska's 20-6 victory over the Jayhawks in 1932.
In 1936 Nebraska scored four touchdowns in the first half and coasted to an easy 26-0 victory. That year Nebraska had one of the top teams in the nation. Sam Francis, all-American fullback, scored one touchdown and set up two others.
KU led a strong Nebraska team 7-6 at the end of the first quarter of the 1938 contest, but Nebraska won the game 16-7.
1940 KU played Oklahoma on Homecoming Day. The Sooners won, 13-0. This game didn't spoil the Homecoming celebration as much as the 1940 Nebraska game would have. Nebraska won it 53-2.
Evans Sharp In KU Loss
A green sophomore named Ray Evans led KU in a comback attempt in 1942, but Nebraska won 14-7. Evans threw to Gene Roberts for a touchdown in the fourth quarter and minutes later hit Otto Schnellbacher on the Nebraska five. Schnellbacher fumbled and Nebraska took over as the game ended.
In 1944 Kansas finally defeated Nebraska in a Homecoming game. Charles Moffett scored two touchdowns to pace the Jayhawkers to a 20-0 victory.
In 1946 33,000 fans watched a thriller. The Cornhuskers led 6-0 at halftime, but KU scored twice early in the second half to take the lead. In the fourth quarter the Huskers scored a touchdown and booted a field goal to gain a 16-14 victory.
KU Easy Victors
A second Homecoming victory over Nebraska came in 1946 before 36,000 fans. Dick Gilman threw three touchdown passes to lead KU in the 27-7 contest.
The 1950 game was a scoring circus, Bobby Reynolds and Fran Nagle provided the difference in a 33-26 Cornhusker victory. With KU behind 20-19 and marching towards pay dirt, quarterback Chet Strehlow faded back to pass. Nebraska guard Rex Roy and end Bill Maxe his Strehlow hard and the ball squirted out of his hands. Roy grabbed the ball in mid-air and ran 56 yards for the tally.
Nebraska managed a narrow 14-13 win in 1952.
The last Homecoming game against Nebraska was in 1954. NU defeated the Jayhawkers 41-20 and went on to the Orange Bowl where they were defeated by Duke University.
1956 N.U. Scores
NU Opp
South Dakota 34 6
Ohio State 7 34
Iowa State 9 7
Kansas State 7 10
Indiana 14 19
Colorado 0 16
Missouri 15 14