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Mitchell Plans to Switch Oelschlager to Fullback
The most significant change Coach Jack Mitchell plans in his spring football lineup is to switch Ron Oelschlager, veteran Marion slotback, to fullback.
Coach Mitchell returns only one letterman at this position, Bill Gerhards, when practice opens. And Gerhards, Leavenworth junior, saw only limited action last year when he played behind the twin threats, Ken Coleman and Armand Baughman.
THIS PAIR netted 720 yards last season, 29 per cent of KU's total ground offense. Coleman was, in fact, a three-year standby—netting 1400 yards in his career here—sixth highest in KU history.
With the two veterans available, Gerhards, a 5-8, 213-pound fireplug,
All this means the fullback position will show far less experience than any of the other three backfield posts when football begins in the Fall.
carried only nine times, netting 28 yards. Coleman and Baughman also were linebackers.
THE COACHING staff is confident Gerhards can get the job done. He opens the hole quickly, breaks tackles past the line and has shown satisfactory blocking ability. But the proven manpower is low and the experience is thin. Therefore, Mitchell has elected to conduct the fullback experiment with Oelschlager, a proven football player of Big Eight caliber.
As a sophomore, the sturdy senior-to-be broke in as asgay Layes Sayers'
relief man at the slotback position.
Last year, he alternated with Tony Leiker as a starter in the slot with his playing weight at 195. He is, possibly the Jayhawks' best all-round back, with his abilities as a tough, fast runner; good receiver, satisfactory passer, excellent blocker and good defensively.
Ron Oelschlager
THERE APPEARS to be little doubt that he can do the job as fullback, especially since Coach Mitchell plans more slot duty for his fullbacks next fall, instead of using a halfback to fill the bill. The big question now is how quickly Oelschlager can learn an inside line-backing job after two years on the corner.
The linebacking question has been Coach Mitchell's thorn-in-side as he prepared for spring grid practice. Oellschlager and Gerhards will be joined in the spring traffic by three sophomores, Dick Bacon, 210, Neodesha; Kent Craft, 190, Council Grove; Arden Gray, 195, Phillipsburg, and one junior squadman, Dennis Liggett, 189, King City, Missouri.
"Pilch," Mitchell said, "was a fine defensive tackle in high school." He definitely is a football player who will make a place for himself at some position.
Liggett has missed two seasons for the Jayhawks with knee injuries and will be testing the limb after an operation. So will Craft, who missed last season after sharing duty with Gerhards and Steve Renko on the '62 freshman team. Bacon was not used last year since there was little room for rookies with Coleman and Baughman available. Gray was a starter with the '63 freshmen.
Thursday, March 26.1964 University Daily Kansan
THEIR OTHER personnel switches will also draw considerable attention. The list includes Jim Pilch from fullback to tackle; Gary Dahlin, halfback to end, and Ronnie Honkins, center to right guard.
Mitchell said Dablin, who is 6-0 and weighs 190, is strong, likes contact, and should help KU's end position.
"Hopkins." Mitchell said, "has defensive ability and size, we need both on our line."
Of the 29 lettermen in camp, at least seven are scheduled for duty in spring sports. Halfback Gayle Sayers, Dave Crandall and Lloyd Buzzi have joined Bill Easton's outdoor track squad. Renko, guards Ron Marsh and Harley Catlin and tackle Jim Shanks are working out with the baseball club.
Read and Use Kansan Classifieds
He topped the day's runners with 74 yards in 17 carries in the win over MU's freshmen last fall.
CLINE-
Mitchell's spring practice hopes have lately been dampened—or perhaps better, frozen—by the bad spring weather. As the schedule now reads, practice should get under way Monday.
CROWTHER
CROWTHER
VOTE for Marshall Crowther
STUDENT BODY
PRESIDENT
JIM CLINE
STUDENT BODY
VICE-PRESIDENT
CROWTHER
With the conclusion of winter sports, KU has swept into the lead for the 1963-64 Big Eight All-sports sweepstakes on 23 points.
KU Leads Sports Sweepstakes With the End of Winter Sports
PD/VP
Competing for the first time since 1931 in wrestling, the JEyhawks finished last in the league mat competition at Stillwater, but were charged with seven points instead of eight since Missouri did not compete. KU also scored fourth in
Gymnastics, which was added to the official sports list this winter. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Missouri did not compete. The Jayhawks won cross-country in November for their only title to date, placed second in indoor track in a tough chase of the champion Missouri Tigers and rallied impressively through the stretch to bag third in basketball.
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