THE SOONERS OF v

a glimpse at a new book on the Wilkinson era at Oklahoma By HAROLD KEITH

limmed by summer running and dieting, Oklahoma's defending national champions scrimmaged on the second morning of fall practice as they began drills for the opening game of 1956 against Coach 's North Carolina Tar Heels at Norman . Tatum had switched from Maryland back to Carolina, where he had coached in 1942. Led by co-captains and Ed Gray, the Sooners re- ported for duty nearly six pounds lighter per man than they had been in spring practice. Oklahoma kept most of its 1955 talent and drew a fair number of sophomores besides. "I hope everybody tries as hard this year as last," Wilkinson said. "Last year we had great effort. We went after everybody

Newspaper retouchers ofthe '50s made certain that Sooner faithful didn't lose sight of their heroes or the ball in photos ofbig moments such as this long pass from Jimmy Harris to against Missouri . 18 SOONER MAGAZINE

From Forty-Seven Straight : The Wilkinson l-. at Oklahoma, told by his players and i [ r Keith. Copyright 01984 by the Un . . ofOklahoma Press,

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The Oklahoma alternate line charges to block the way for quarterback Jay O 'Neal's touchdown againstNotre Dame in 1956 .

hard . However, very few people try as had lain all night in the deep freeze. mores that fall was Bob Harrison of hard to stay good as they do to get The hot players went for those. There Stamford, Texas, whose father lived good ." was no water on the field. If it was in town but farmed 1,000 acres, chiefly The Sooners assimilated that chal- dusty, an astringent was brought out, row crops like cotton and maize. Har- lenge just as they did their daily train- and practice halted while the players rison drove a tractor, chopped cotton ing routine . They were awakened in gargled . and pulled bolls. Stamford always had three waves, at 5:30, 5:40, and 5:50 After dinner the men had free time . a good team . a.m. Clad in pajamas and jeans and If the night was hot, they sometimes "During my last three years they yawning, they walked across the went to a movie theater and dozed in finished 14-1,12-1, and 9-1. After they streetto the stadium and drank ajuice the air conditioning . There was an in- got rid of me, they won 35 straight," consisting of two parts offrozen grape flexible rule that they must be in bed Harrison chuckles . to one of lime . Trainer Ken Rawlinson with the lights out at 10 :30 p.m., but The sophomore who got kidded the said that concoction stayed down bet- the coaches made no bed check. They most was swarthy little Jefferson ter than anything else . didn't have to. "We disciplined our- Davis Sandefer III of Breckenridge, Scheduled early to avoid the 90-de- selves," says guard Buddy Oujesky. "A Texas. "Lots of yes, sirs, in a name gree heat, the morning workout lasted strong closeness existed among us ." like that," he remembers . "Always from 6:30 to 8:30, after which the Would Oklahoma fast-break again had a lot of nicknames," he went on. Sooners showered and trooped back to in 1956, the press asked Wilkinson . "Don't want to repeat some ofthem." Jeff dining room for breakfast, a two- "Very probably," Bud replied . "It's a The Sooners called him Jakie. His hour nap, and group instruction meet- system that succeeds because it dad was J. D . Sandefer Jr., a wealthy ings with various coaches in the field- creates a tempo the defense isn't ac- Breckenridge oil operator. The only house. After lunch was served, with customed to. To combat it, the defense trouble with that was the Sooners sherbet for dessert, came the after- must learn to use fewer defenses and never let Jakie forget it. The first noon nap, more meetings, and the af- call them faster. Any time you can thing he did as a sophomore was ternoon workout from 4 to 6. play a game at your own tempo, it's sprain his ankle. "They said I fell off Midway in both morning and after- to your advantage ." my purse and hurt it," he recalls . They noon practices all activity was halted As the Burris brothers had proved, made a great show of urging him to while student managers distributed farm work was excellent for develop- persuade his father "to buy the univer- cartons offrosted orange quarters that ing football players . One of the sopho- sity so we can all pass ." 20 SOONER MAGAZINE

"Clendon would be going full speed after the first two steps. He was easy to hand off to. I always knew exactly where he'd be . . . Tommy's strong point was enthusiasm. He was a bit of a showman, and the people loved it. He was smart, and he could hit."

Young Sandefer took all the well- the first two steps. He kept his head more yards, introduced the second . meant jesting in stride . Usually he up and hit the open hole as well as With only 44 seconds left in the first just grinned and went along with the anybody I ever saw. He was easy to half, Jimmy Harris saw McDonald gag. Occasionally he would originate hand off to . I always knew exactly streaking for the end zone with the some of it. Like the recession . where he'd be . He was a fine defensive Tar Heels in hot pursuit . Like a Everyone was talking about it. "If it back too. smooth roper whose hemp flows freely doesn't slacken off, I'm gonna have to "Tommy's strong point was en- through the loop, Harris shot the pass let my old man go," he told the team. thusiasm . He had more desire than in a long beeline, and McDonald He was highly respected by the Ok- anybody I ever saw. He was a bit of a snared it. Pricer kicked goal . Wilkin- lahoma players . showman, and the people loved it. He son used 59 players . Oklahoma won Brewster Hobby, a freshman from could jump and catch the ball, and he 36-0 . Midwest City, had his mind set on be- could throw it. He was smart, and he In the most unusual double injury coming a major-league baseball could hit. He could have played defen- in Sooner football history, both tackle player. With his father he was plan- sive back with the pros . He was an Wayne Greenlee and guard Ken North- ning a visit to a professional club when excellent player." cutt broke small bones in their legs Wilkinson and , Bud's assis- After the game Pricer and were lost for the season . Both were tant, showed up at the Hobby resi- again had surgery on both knees and hurt in the first half while playing side dence to have breakfast with the fam- then rejoined the team. He is believed by side in the Sooner starting line . ily. to have submitted to more knee opera- Each broke his leg about three inches "Bud sold me, strongly and sin- tions - seven - than any other above the ankle. They shared a room cerely, on the importance of getting a Sooner player in history. His powers of at the University infirmary. The good education," Hobby recalls . "He recuperation were remarkable . scheduling of the operations put an said I could play baseball at OU, and Joe Rector, a Muskogee sophomore, end to the parallel . Both couldn't be I did." learned right off about Wilkinson's operated on simultaneously. They Hobby recalls his first contact with meticulous preparation for each game . tossed a coin . Northcutt won the flip. Port Robertson .' "When he walked up "He was so organized," Rector remem- He decided to go second so that Doctors behind you and cleared his throat, a bers, "that we'd play the game back Don O'Donoghue, the surgeon, and gentle little scratchy sound, you knew and forth 10 times before the actual Mike Willard, team physician, could you were in trouble," says Hobby. kickoff. Once it started, we could have "practice on Greenlee and be ready for When Hobby missed a week of played it blindfolded . This gave us lots me ." That's the way it was done . classes while recuperating in an Ok- of confidence. I always knew exactly Wilkinson played his starters only lahoma City hospital after surgery for what I was supposed to do on every 18 minutes during the 66-0 romp over removal ofa calcium deposit, he forgot situation . It was automatic ." Kansas State at Norman, but the to get a dismissal slip from the sur- he North Carolina opener Sooner seconds and thirds performed geon . Robertson made him go back to was notable because the so impressively that they got most of Oklahoma City for the slip . When you Sooners were aiming for a the praise dished out by the Wildcats missed a week of classes, you had to new record of 31 straight when reporters interviewed them after give Port a reason . victories, tying that of Bud's 1948-50 the game . Center Kerry Clifford The 1956 backfield had one change . teams. How many schools have had praised the Sooner middle guards, Robert Burris had graduated at right coaches who twice directed their "especially that 70 ()."The half. , who had played teams to 31-game winning skeins? entire Kansas State squad acclaimed left half for the alternates, was moved Oklahoma's problem was casualties the Sooner hustle . into Burris' spot. "At first it was awk- at left halfback (McDonald, hyper-ex- A classic illustration of the burning ward trying to run and throw going to tended knee; Jakie Sandefer, ankle Sooner hustle was contributed by my left," Thomas says. "Also learning twist) . Otherwise the Sooners were Tommy McDonald while the starters the corner position on defense. But it ready. were on the field. Once when got a little easier with each game ." Tatum's Tar Heels, like nearly every McDonald was roughly upended Thomas and Tommy McDonald opponent Oklahoma met, came after across the sideline and lost his shoe, made a great pair of halfbacks . Let's the Sooners hard . But the Sooners he left it lying on the turf and, hurry- let quarterback Jimmy Harris de- quickly put the game away. Billy ing back to the huddle, worked his fake scribe each . "Clendon ran with a long Pricer's 78-yard quick kick set up the into the line while wearing only the stride . He'd be going full speed after first touchdown . Clendon Thomas' deft sock on his left foot. handling ofan intercepted pass, which The Texas-Oklahoma series had 'OU freshman coach and academic counselor. he lateraled to McDonald for 40 reached an odd milestone . Although

1984 FALL 2 1

"The rampaging citizens from up country did everything with a tremendous display of energy. They ran furiously, blocked and tackled like they were angry with the universe. They passed, and yes, even fumbled, in a high-handed manner." - Blackie Sherrod, Fort Worth Press

Longhorn outfits had thrashed Sooner Tommy McDonald ran it back 54 furiously, blocked and tackled like clubs 30 times while losing 18 and yards to the Texas 44. Oklahoma they were angry with the universe . tying two, Oklahoma teams coached scored in seven plays. Clendon Thomas They passed, and yes, even fumbled, by Wilkinson held a 7-2 margin over knifed across from 2 yards out, riding in a high-handed manner." the Orange, and all Oklahoma gloried the shirttails of blockers John Bell, Once in the last half, the Sooners in it. Emerson, Krisher and Tubbs. came out in a Swinging Gate forma- "When we flew into Fort Worth the Coach Ed Price and his staff had tion, in which all their linemen were day before the game," recalls Billy Texas ready to play. Once Texas rushed strung out 15 yards to the right of Pricer, Sooner fullback, "we were kid- so hard on a pass that Oklahoma lost Tubbs with Thomas stationed behind ding and cutting up. Bud called off our 29 yards. Then Harris called a fooler. them . Tubbs, the center, got over the Friday practice. Then he called a team Pricer backed up a step, faking a quick ball . Harris, Pricer and McDonald meeting. To our surprise, he was quiet, kick . He swung his leg but instead of lined up in tandem behind him . With subdued, resigned to defeat. booting the ball handed it off behind Tubbs blocking, Harris ran down the "You haven't practiced at all well him to Thomas on a Statue of Liberty left sideline to the Texas 39. There he this week," he said. "but then it's no play. Picking up downfield support by lateraled to Pricer who ran 10 yards disgrace to be beaten by a team as Tubbs and Oujesky, Thomas ran 44 farther. The Sooners soon scored . strong as Texas. Even when they beat yards to the Texas 20. Two minutes "They are an exceptionally interest- you tomorrow, remember, you're still later McDonald zipped between two ing club to watch," Homer Norton Oklahoma . So be sure to hold your tacklers to score. wrote of this maneuver. "They used heads up high ." Just before the half Jimmy Harris everything in the book . . . I was im- "That got us to thinking," said rocked back on his heel and sent the pressed with their ability to come up Pricer. "We had a team meeting and ball winging on a long cross-country with a surprise play when they needed voted not to go to the movie that night. ride that suggested a squadron ofwild big yardage for a first down . . . Ok- Instead, we chose to stay in our hotel geese cruising in regal splendor to- lahoma has now put the pressure back and study our game assignments . But ward some distant feeding ground . on the defense . . . has at breakfast next morning, the coach Down on the Texas 20, McDonald done an outstanding job. I sincerely was still gloomy. During our pregame leaped for it, speared it on his finger- believe that he is the smoothest and meal he let us have it again. `Keep tips and, helped by Bell's block and cleverest coach in football today." Final your heads high,' he told us. `It's no also Oujesky's, raced across the goal score was 45-0 . disgrace to get beat by as strong a with only 27 seconds left on the clock. In the Kansas game Oklahoma team as Texas.' By that time we Elated, McDonald turned around, ran yielded two touchdowns while win- weren't about to let Texas beat us. We back up the gridiron, and grinning joy- ning 34-12. Those Jayhawker had too much pride, speed, and to- fully, jumped astride Harris, yoking touchdowns were the first scored getherness." his legs around the quarterback's mid- against ' defense in eight In the Sooner dressing room before dle and his arms around Harris' neck . straight regular season games. the game, the Oklahoma squad was "McDonald's enthusiasm, . . . the The most astonished person in the suited, ready to play. But Wilkinson obvious thrill he got out ofdoing some- stadium was probably Buddy Oujesky, hadn't come in to lead them out. It was thing well, certainly was impressive," Sooner guard. "Some Jayhawker `chin- almost kickoff time, and the tension wrote Homer Norton, former Texas ned' me when I rushed through trying was as thick as low country fog. Aggie coach who covered the game for to block a punt," Oujesky remembers . Ed Gray, lying on the floor, raised the Houston Post. Norton's 1939 Texas "I was knocked colder than a wedge. up on one elbow. "Wish the old man Aggies had won the national cham- When I came to on the bench and saw would come on in and tell us that bird pionship . Anything he wrote about that `12' under `Kansas' on the story' so we can go out and kick the football was read with attention . scoreboard, I couldn't understand it. I hell out of'em," he growled . The Soon- Oklahoma's starters began the last got scared. I jumped up and started to ers roared . That crack by their co-cap- half by driving 80 yards from kickoff go back into the game, but Gomer tain loosened them up beautifully for to score. Thomas took it over with an wouldn't let me." the fray. 8-yard shot . McDonald helped with an The Sooners started well. Clendon The Sooners showed their en- incredible catch ofa Harris pass while Thomas ran back the kickoff 40 yards thusiasm from the opening kickoff. lying almost on his side. and six plays later scored on the hand- Blackie Sherrod, Fort Worth Press off. With McDonald holding, Harris 'Before the 1955 Texas game, Wilkinson had used sports editor, described the game as kicked goal . Then the his story about "The Boy Who Took the Bird to militant mood the Wise Old Man" to motivate the team, the follows: "The rampaging citizens from of the Jayhawkers asserted itself. moral being that if the Sooners willed it strongly up country did everything with a tre- Homer Floyd, their speedy fullback, enough, they could win. They did so, 20-0. mendous display of energy. They ran ran the kickoff back 36 yards to 2 2 SOONER MAGAZINE

One sportswriter credited the Sooners with using "everything in the book" in whipping Texas 45-0 in 1956. Here fullback Billy Pricer fakes a quick kick and hands off to Clendon Thomas, who ran 44 yards to the 20. Tommy McDonald scored.

McDonald, last Sooner tackler . man Trophy, to a total of7 yards rush- noon was bright and sunny, 64 degrees Tommy nailed him, but Kansas drove ing in 13 carries, knocking the ball at kickoff. A slight east wind was 45 yards to score. Dennit Morris got loose from him three times. The game blowing . a hand on their extra-point try. Ok- was broadcast to millions on national The Sooners got of to a great start, lahoma led 7-6. television. The South Bend crowd of marching 69 yards in 10 plays to score. Then the Sooners scored three 60,128 constituted an all-time record . Oklahoma's blockers cut McDonald times. McDonald used a block by "We were all emotional and tight," around right end for 18 . Then they Pricer to skirt the strong side for 12 remembers quarterback Jimmy Har- broke Thomas around the opposite yards and the first one . After Bob Har- ris. "We wore our game faces. Al- flank for 9 more . Harris kept moving rison, Dennit Morris and Doyle Jen- though they'd been beaten by Michi- Oklahoma with ground plays until nings stopped Kansas runs, forcing a gan State, all we heard was how tough they reached the Irish 14. Then he punt, the alternates trekked 61 yards Notre Dame would be at South Bend . rolled out to his right and hit John to pay dirt, Bob Timberlake making "Jay O'Neal and Dale Sherrod and Bell with a running pass for the first a diving catch of David Baker's pass I went into Bud's room for a quarter- touchdown. "Jimmy was a fine to score. Baker kicked goal . back meeting," Harris went on . "Bud thrower," recalls Clendon Thomas . The starters came in and scored on had a funny little fighting grin on his "He was more accurate than Billy a dash by McDonald, and Oklahoma face that we'd never seen before . `Just Wade ."' led 27-6 at the half and apparently relax,' he told us . `We're going to kick On Notre Dame's first scrimmage was cruising. With the Notre Dame the hell out of these guys .' " The quar- play Hornung, 205-pound Notre Dame game next on the slate, there seemed terbacks stared at him in awe. quarterback, swung the Sooner left no purpose in trying to annihilate Harris remembers that against the flank at full speed. Jerry Tubbs, one's northern neighbor . But Ok- Irish the Sooners used for the first Sooner center, flashed in fast from his lahoma won the last half only 7 to 6. time a new formation with the left end linebacker post and hit Hornung a Kansas fought magnificently . widened and the right half flankered . solid crack, flattening him and driving fter the game," Tommy "This was new to Oklahoma," Harris him back deep into his own backfield . McDonald remembers, "the points out. "We could option either "Tubbs was the nicest guy in the Kansas fans swarmed the way. This opened us up, got us out world until he put on his helmet," re- field like they'd beaten us." around the ends, gave us a lot of ver- members Clendon Thomas . "We had our feelings hurt," remem- satility for the type of team we were "We had an X-stunt on for the play," bers Pricer. "Bud and Gomer were - lean, quick, superfast ." In this recalls Buddy Oujesky, Sooner guard. busy cheering us up. We didn't think game the Sooners abandoned their "I slanted to the inside . Notre Dame's anybody could even score on us, let fast break, staying mainly with the right guard and right tackle both went alone score 12." double flankers, who needed time to for me. This left Tubbs an open av- Oklahoma destroyed Notre Dame return to the huddle after each play . enue. I'd grown up wanting to go to 40-0 at South Bend, the first time the The Sooners came out first for their Notre Dame . I'm sure my size didn't Irish had been shut out in 47 straight calisthenics. "Notre Dame's squad ap- impress them, so I was delighted to be games going back to Michigan State peared, ran through the Sooner circle, a small part of beating them." The in 1951 . The Sooner defense held the then came back through it again, only Catholic on the Oklahoma team, Irish rushing to 1.9 net yards a play ; stopped, and started taking their Oujesky would have no difficulty mak- intercepted four passes, two of them calisthenics, growling like dogs," re- ing the All-America Catholic team. for touchdowns; blocked an Irish punt ; calls Billy Pricer. Wilkinson moved 'Billy Wade, former Vanderbilt star, was a prime and held Paul Hornung, the big Irish the Sooners off a little and soon sent passer for the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles quarterback who later won the Heis- them to the dressing room. The after- Rams .

1984 FALL 23

Wilkinson sent in the alternates. touchdown . Tubbs, Krisher and haired gentleman" when his boys David Baker quick-kicked 60 yards to Oujesky blocked Harris over on a could have their oatmeal . She ap- give Oklahoma field position. On sneak. proached the two coaches just as fourth down from their 22, Notre Early in the fourth period Thomas Gomer was picking up his cup of hot Dame tried a punt by Dean Studor . A intercepted Hornung's pass and ran coffee . faulty snapback made him kick late . down the right sideline 36 yards to "Your boys want to know when they Steve Jennings blocked the ball . Bob another touchdown, with John Bell can have their oatmeal," the waitress Timberlake caught it in midair and taking out the one tackler who might told Bud . ran to the Irish 3. Two plays later Jay have stopped the play . Pricer remem- Gomer, strangling with mirth, O'Neal scored on a quarterback sneak bers, "I hit Hornung just as he re- began spitting his coffee all over Wil- behind blocks by Bob Harrison, Steve leased the ball . I rolled over on one kinson . "Bud always blamed me after- Jennings and Doyle Jennings . Carl knee . I heard the crowd roaring, and ward, but I had nothing to do with it," Dodd kicked goal. Oklahoma led 13-0 I thought Hornung had completed the Pricer insists . "I was too busy eating. at the first quarter. pass . I looked up and here came a wave When there's food around I don't talk. Early in the second quarter the of green jerseys chasing Thomas, who I eat ." Sooner starters entered and wheeled had the ball." That afternoon Oklahoma kicked 64 yards to the end zone in eight plays. Bell, who had fielded a pass to score off before a sellout crowd of 46,563 Jimmy Harris' 17-yard pass to Oklahoma's first touchdown and had that packed Colorado's new stadium McDonald to the Irish 18 was the long thrown a smashing block to set up the at mile-high Folsom Field. The mer- gainer . Thomas hit very fast on the last one, was living proof that you cury stood at 27 degrees, and it was handoff and was scarcely touched don't have to have exceptional ability tooth-chilling cold. Business manager after his blockers burst the Irish line . to be a good football player . His hustle Ken Farris remembers that he had Thomas still remembers Krisher's and aggressiveness were the talk of purchased 36 sets of long-underwear block . "As we ran up to the scrimmage the Oklahoma squad. They called him for the Sooners to wear beneath their line, Bill widened out to within a foot everything from "Mad John" to "Her- uniforms . The sky was overcast. Al- of Tom Emerson, our right tackle. His man the German ." "He's the tiredest though it had snowed five inches, the Notre Dame opponent widened out and hustlingest guy out there," said Colorado people had done a thorough with him. When the ball was snapped, tackle Tom Emerson . "He and Tommy job of cleaning the field. The footing Bill drove straight through his man. McDonald set the pace ." "A full-speed was excellent, considering the cir- The hole was so wide that after Tubbs guy. Can't do it any other way," cumstances. came across to get their linebacker all laughed assistant coach Sam Lyle . After Ward Dowler, the Buff quar- I had to do was run ." "He hits like a horse and a half," said terback, punted out on the Oklahoma Just before the half ended, Morse of Tommy McDonald, who played behind 10, the Sooners tried a quick kick, but Notre Dame, tried a forward pass . Bell on defense . Colorado was ready for it. John Rushed by Pricer, he threw hurriedly . quiet, droll, mature fellow, Wooten, their guard, blocked it, and McDonald snatched the ball from an Bell could sit down with John Bayuk, their fullback, had only Irish receiver's hands and, using open you and talk about crops, to field the bounding ball in the end field blocks by Pricer, Emerson and farm parity, or politics . zone for a touchdown . The sellout Thomas, ran the interception back 55 He subscribed to five magazines . He crowd stood and roared its pleasure . yards to score. When Harris kicked could sleep like a log with the radio After the Sooner alternates came in goal, Oklahoma led 26-0 at intermis- or television turned on full blast. Al- and fought evenly with the Buffs, Wil- sion. though he was the most immaculate kinson sent his starters back into the Boyd Gunning, OU alumni secre- dresser on the squad, in a football game, and they scored when quarter- tary, related an amusing sidelight to game he tried to undress every oppo- back Jimmy Harris drilled a forward that play at a later alumni breakfast nent he tackled . pass down the middle to McDonald, in Chicago . A big Irish rooter, weigh- The Sooners were lighthearted, al- who caught the ball on the run and ing about 260 pounds and wearing a most festive and gay, on the night be- sped across the goal . The 6,240 Ok- little green derby over one eye, was fore the Colorado game as they lahomans who had traveled nearly making himself obnoxious in the watched a Bud Wilkinson Quaker 700 miles, mostly by auto, part of it stadium . When on an Irish punt Oats commercial on national televi- through a blizzard, cheered, but the McDonald signaled for a fair catch, sion while having dinner in a Denver Sooners missed the conversion. Col- this big guy stood and yelled, "Chick- hotel. In the commercial Wilkinson orado led 7-6. en! Chicken!" was holding a small boy on his lap. Then came a tragic play . Late in the Later, when little Tommy picked off "I don't like Quaker Oats . It's sissy first quarter Colorado quick-kicked . Morse's pass and, hitting the ground food," fussed the boy . Bud said, "If it's McDonald ran back and swept up the in high leaps, ran 55 yards to a sissy food, then I have 60 sissies who ball . "I had a bad cold," McDonald says touchdown, an Oklahoma woman who eat it every morning as part of their today, "but I didn't tell anybody be- was wearing a white dress, and sitting training schedule ." cause I wanted to play so badly. I kept four rows down from Green Derby Next morning the Sooners were asking Ken Rawlinson for throat stood and faced him. having their pregame breakfast . Har- lozenges to suck on . I looked around "Sir," she said, "that's chicken, ris, McDonald and Pricer were sitting and saw that Colorado was all spread southern style!" together. Wilkinson and Gomer Jones out. Picking a path, I ran the punt Notre Dame came back hard in the were dining at a small table in a back 75 yards to a touchdown when last half, driving from kickoff' to the corner . There was no oatmeal any- Billy Pricer, our fullback, rolled the Sooner 35 before McDonald inter- where. last Colorado tackler with a beautiful cepted a Hornung pass . Here Ok- Harris asked the waitress to go to downfield block. lahoma drove 83 yards to a Wilkinson's table and ask "the white- "In the end zone I turned around 24 SOONER MAGAZINE

and saw a red flag lying on the grass back up the field. To myself I said, `Who in God's world could pull a red flag out of his pocket under cir- cumstances like these? Ifhe only knew how sore my throat was, how hard it had been to sprint 75 yards in that altitude, and how difficult it was for me to breathe, he would never have dropped that flag."' Colorado's ground game tore Ok- lahoma to shreds in the second quar- ter . Jimmy Harris postponed touchdowns by tackling Dove and later halfback Howard Cook in the Sooner secondary. Dove double-re- versed for a touchdown. Later, on a pitchout off Coach Ward's T-forma- tion, Stransky crossed the goal stand- ing with only 36 seconds left in the half. McDonald shot through to block Stransky's conversion . This proved to be an important play. However, the Sooners trailed 19-6 and appeared doomed to defeat. In the Sooner dressing room at the half, Wilkinson hadn't come in. "Everybody was getting antsy," Joe Rector recalls . "Then Jerry Tubbs yelled `Sit down!' and we all sat down . Nobody panicked . Finally Bud walked in. His face was white. "'Men, take off those OU jerseys,' he told us. `You don't deserve to wear the colors that the people who played ahead of you wore while building that fine Oklahoma tradition.' He'd warned us all week that we weren't practicing well after the Notre Dame victory." President Cross, who frequently vis- ited the Sooners' halftime sessions re- calls that Wilkinson, gradually be- coming calmer, told his team to put the first half out of their minds and start a new ball game when play re- sumed. They were not to try to catch up. The second half would be a new game that they were capable of win- As always in shirt and tie, ning by three touchdowns if they put Wilkinson watches intently from the sidelines . their minds to it. He finished his com- The battle's turning point came on were the best I ever played with at mentary with the remark, "Here's one only the fourth play of the last half. taking a handoff at full speed." man who thinks you can still win." Colorado had kicked off over the Ok- With the line blocking magnifi- "He left the dressing room to let us lahoma goal. Oklahoma had the ball cently, the Sooner drive lengthened. think about it," remembers Buddy on its own 28, fourth down, 2 to go . McDonald's 11-yard burst with a Oujesky . "Our senior leaders took Quarterback Jimmy Harris decided to pitchout put them over the center over." Tubbs and Ed Gray, the cap- gamble, going for the first down . "Let's stripe. McDonald's 22-yard cutback tains, arose. "Okay," they said, "let's block," Harris warned his huddle . earned a first down on the Colorado go out and get it done ." "This might be the ball game ." 15 . Soon the Sooners were on the Buf- "And when our guys decided they Clendon Thomas got it on a slashing falo 6, fourth down and 1 to go . could do it, we went down on the field," 3-yard buck behind blockers Bill Tubbs, Sooner center, brought word Clendon Thomas remembers . "I don't Krisher, Tom Emerson and John Bell. back that Colorado was loaded in a mean to sound cocky but we knew we "I knew that Clendon could hit the goal-line defense . Harris called the op- could do anything we wanted to do. hole and cut fast," Harris explains his tion run or pass . McDonald threw to Nobody could beat us. Nobody could choice . "He was big and fast and easy Thomas in the end zone for the handle us. Get out of our way!" to hand off to. He and Bob Herndon touchdown .

1984 FALL 25

to his left and spied Thomas running laterally across the end zone . Harris hit Thomas in the corner with a per- fect pass good for 16 yards and the game-clinching touchdown . Harris kicked goal. Oklahoma 27, Colorado 19. "That Colorado crowd was a wild one," remembers Doyle Jennings . "They kept shelling us with snowballs and coke-bottle tops. We were glad we wore helmets . Colorado had cleaned the snow off the field good, but after the game the field was so snowy from those snowballs that it looked like fresh snow had fallen ." After the game Wilkinson had high praise for Ward's Coloradans. He said, "Their offense is by far the mostpotent we have encountered this season . They are a sound, poised, courageous team." The Buffaloes proved it that season by finishing 8-2 and defeating Clemson in the Orange Bowl. At Ames, Iowa, the weather was good and the field dry, and the Sooners laced the Cardinal and Gold 44-0 . Ok- lahoma started the fracas by twice crisscrossing its halfbacks with pleas- ing results. First Harris pitched to McDonald, who ran wide to the right then handed off to Thomas coming back wide to the left to the Cyclone 22 . Five plays later McDonald bucked it over. Three minutes later Harris re- versed the strategy . This time he pitched to Thomas going wide to his Quarterback Jimmy Harris with the ball and center Jerry Tubbs running inter- left . Thomas handed off to McDonald ference were a familiar sight to fans of the 1955 and 1956 national champions . coming back wide to the right. Tom Emerson blocked the end, and Jerry "Jimmy pitched it to me," McDonald end zone . That tied the game, 19-19. Tubbs flattened the defensive remembers . "The Colorado players On the extra point Tubbs snapped halfback so neatly that Tommy ran were in my face . Clendon was so wide the ball perfectly to the kneeling the distance without being touched . open . I said to myself, `Okay, boys, McDonald . The Sooner line protected Oklahoma led 13-0 . come and get me. Here goes the ball .' stoutly . Tommy fielded the ball and With only 28 seconds left in the half, I was elated. Nobody was within 3 set it up. Harris booted it squarely be- the Sooner starters came into posses- yards ofClendon!" Harris kicked goal. tween the posts to give Oklahoma a sion on the Iowa State 45. It didn't Now the Buffalo lead had been cut to 20-19 lead . seem possible to score in such a short 19-13. Billy Pricer said, "Dennit Morris time . But Harris somehow fitted four "I was never so tired in my life," was hurt, and I had to play three quar- plays into 26 seconds . On the first, his remembers Jerry Tubbs. "A winning ters. And after our third touchdown I screen pass was slapped down by tradition gives you so much pride. You had to kick off. Bud had told me, `If Chuck Latting of the Cyclones . Then reach down and get a little bit more." you're tired, tell us and we'll get some- Harris passed to Don Stiller for 14 Clendon Thomas added, "That pride body else in.' I walked to the sideline. yards, and Stiller rolled across the was started by the guys 'way back . `Coach,' I said, `I'm pooped .' sideline to stop the clock. Harris Then it rubbed off on us. We played "Bud grinned . He reached over and pitched to McDonald who skirted the to win. None ofus wanted to be on the patted me on the rump . `Go ahead and Cyclone left flank for 15 more and was team that ended the winning streak ." kick off and go down and get the tackled out of bounds with only eight In the third period Harris skipped tackle,' he said. Damn! That pat on seconds left . back 18 yards with Dowler's punt . The the rump lifted me sky-high . I did kick On the fourth and final play Harris Sooner line began blocking with pur- off and go down and get the tackle . I flicked a pass to Stiller for 16 yards pose and savagery . From the Buffalo could have played another full quar- and a touchdown with McDonald 11, Harris pitched the ball to ter." blocking out an opponent on the goal. McDonald running wide to the right. The fourth period began. Tubbs and Joe Rector, sophomore right end, Tommy faked a pass and with a surge Pricer contained the Buff attack with was the surprised recipient of a of speed dove past a tackler into the smashing linebacking . Harris rolled battlefield promotion that left him un- 26 SOONER MAGAZINE

Line coach Gomer Jones hugs tackle Ed Gray following the Senior right end John Bell earned nicknames like "Mad 1956Sooners'40-0 triumph overNotreDameatSouthBend . John" and "Herman the German" for his aggressive style.

nerved . "I was playing behind John ler on the 10 and diving into the end restoration of their leadership in the Bell and Timberlake," recalls the zone to evade the last one . The play national polls, the Sooners struck off rookie from Muskogee, "It was my illustrated the great determination touchdown after touchdown . As so first road trip, and I thought I was with which the rangy Sooner pivot often happened, they did it largely going to sit on the bench and watch played . with defense . Four times they inter- the whole ball game. But in the last tung by a curious AP poll cepted Tiger forward passes three minutes Bell was ejected by the that dropped them into sec- (McDonald 2, Harris 1, Coyle 1), and officials, and Timberlake sprained an ond place in the nation, each time these led to touchdowns . ankle, and before I knew it I was in though they drew 92 first Once Missouri came storming back there, and I wasn't ready. place votes to 58 for top-rated Tennes- with a 36-yard run by Hank "I played lousy. Going down on a see, the red-jerseyed Sooners were in Kuhlmann around the Sooner left punt, I ran into Tubbs, fell, and lay an exasperated mood when they flank. Kuhlmann seemed loose for a there, resting . I thought of something spread across the field to receive the touchdown until McDonald sprinted Vince Lombardi once said, `Fatigue opening kickoff against Missouri . It across and knocked him over the makes cowards of us all.' It was a great was the first time in six weeks that sideline, turning him a complete flip. lesson for me. After that I always Oklahoma had been forted up athome . When only 12 seconds remained in the heeded Bud's insistence that every- Oklahoma promptly fumbled that first half and the Sooners had the ball body should be ready mentally ." opening kickoff back to the Tigers on on the Missouri 41, Harris, as usual, As the last halfstarted, Tubbs made the Sooner 30 . However, Billy Pricer laughed off the odds and spiraled a a play that sparkled like a new silver and Jerry Tubbs wrecked the Tiger long touchdown pass to Don Stiller to dollar. Iowa State had reached the plays. Ed Gray rushed the passer so beat the gun . At that point ofthe cam- Sooner 30 after completing a pass. hard that he threw wildly . On fourth paign Harris' seasonal record was 20 Quarterback Charley Martin tried down Missouri went for it, but John completions in 28 throws for .714 per- another . Tubbs intercepted it and Bell rocketed through and tackled cent, though many of his pegs were headed up the field. He ran the first quarterback Jimmy Hunter for a 13- running throws delivered while going 15 yards like a fullback, bowling over yard loss, giving the Sooners posses- to his left . two tacklers. Then he adopted the tac- sion on their own 43 . Early in the second half the stadium tics of a halfback, outsprinting all his Then the game went down its logical public-address man announced that, pursuers, cutting away from one tack- groove . Wanting the victory badly and back East, Tennessee had beaten Mis- 1984 FALL 27

"Gilmour Dobie had coached University of Washington teams that won 39 straight games, the all-time national record. The Sooners had tied it with their Nebraska victory. Could they break it in the last game of the season?"

Destined to play major roles on future teams were several left, outstanding lineman in the nation as a senior, who co- sophomores of '56, such as All-America centerBob Harrison, captained the '58 Sooners with right end Joe Rector, right.

sissippi 27-7. Goaded by the informa- touchdown pass to Thomas, inter- back on his heel, he fired the ball down tion, the Sooners turned it on and cepted two Missouri passes, and pre- the fairway to McDonald, who made a scored five more touchdowns, though vented a Tiger touchdown when he leaping grab and scored. Bud suited Wilkinson used five full teams. capsized Kuhlmann with the sideline 55 men and played them all. The final score, 67-14, distressed tackle. New goals awaited Oklahoma every Wilkinson. "I've been thinking all Concluding Wilkinson's first decade week they played, yet the biggest of night about the size of the score," he as head coach undefeated in confer- all confronted the Sooners at Stillwa- told me Sunday morning. "We were ence play, the Sooners subdued Ne- ter. Gilmour Dobie, like Wilkinson a all fired up. You can't ask your boys braska 54-6 at Norman, rushing 506 former Minnesota quarterback, had to turn it off." An unusual coach, Wil- net yards and passing 150. With Ten- coached University of Washington kinson spent all day molding those nessee extended a bit while conquer- teams that from 1908 through half of slick Sooner powerhouses and then ing Kentucky 20-7, Oklahoma pulled 1914 won 39 straight games, the all- worried all night because they had further ahead in the AP and UP polls time national record, Stone Age or done so brilliantly whathe had taught to determine the national champion. modern, in . The Soon- them to do. With 1 :43 left in the half, Oklahoma ers had tied it with their Nebraska McDonald had another dashing day. fans had the thrilling situation they victory. Could they break it in the last Although he played less than halfthe so enjoyed, Jimmy Harris versus the game of the season? battle, he rushed 136 net yards, av- stadium time clock. Could Jimmy take Ineligible for bowl play,' the Soon- eraging 12.3 a carry, and twice trod the Sooners across the goal, 43 yards ers closed their year against Ok- just inside the white chalk of the away, in 1 :43? Jimmy did it so quickly lahoma A&M at Stillwater. A few sideline for thrilling 58- and 23-yard that he punched out the stadium 'The Big Eight contract with the Orange Bowl touchdowns . He also pegged a timepiece with one blow. Rocking prohibited consecutive appearances. 28 SOONER MAGAZINE

days before that game Vernon Snell, long-time sports editor of the Ok- lahoma City Times, asked Sooner seniors how they felt about their final tilt against the Aggies . Pride came into Jerry Tubbs' face when the question came to him. "I only hope I'm able in life to be in an organi- zation with as much unity and spirit as this team. I'm taking away so much more than I can ever repay," he said. yron Searcy, Oklahoma's rangy part-Indian tackle, who scaled a slim .203 and wore a burr haircut, likened the Oklahoma team's flaming spirit to a biblical passage in Matthew: "And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain." "It's that second effort you learn at Norman that's so important," he said. "In high school I think I made a real good first effort . But at Oklahoma it's the second effort they're most interested in. They go on the theory that everybody will make a good first effort ." Tom Emerson, the 6-foot, 4-inch tackle from Wilson, a serious, studious zoology major, grew taut for a moment when reminded that the Aggie game was the last of his life for the Sooners . "I truly hate to see it come," Emerson said slowly. "Somehow I foresee emp- tiness after it's over . These years have passed by so fast . It's a shame we couldn't bow out at home ." On offense All-America halfback Tommy McDonald could do it all-run, pass, But the Sooners didn't bow out catch and throw blocks like this one which upended Nebraska's Clarence Cook. badly at Stillwater . They drove the opening kickoff back to a touchdown. Fullback Billy Pricer burst through, cut back, and ran 37 yards to score. The Aggies tried a pass, but Jay O'Neal leaped for it, scooped it off his shoestrings, and ran 63 yards down the sideline for another touchdown . In the final moments Wilkinson in- serted an all-senior team that marched 77 yards to the Aggie 2-yard mark . Ed Gray, the tackle and co-cap- tain, faced Harris in the huddle with a challenging grin. "I've never scored," he said. "It's my time ." Adjustments weremade, and Harris called the play . Gray and Clendon Thomas traded positions, Gray going to right halfand Thomas into the line . "If you think I didn't block for him after all those times he'd blocked for me, you're crazy," Thomas said later. McDonald leaped into one ofthe guard spots. "On Gray's play, I was the center," says Billy Pricer. "The ball was snap- ped . Old Beaky came over the top. He was carrying the ball like a girl, with both points exposed, front to back . His '56 freshman halfback Brewster Hobby had decided to skip college to try lbr a whole arm was wrapped around the professional baseball career until Wilkinson sold him on getting an education.

1984 FALL 29

Jerry Tubbs, the Walter Camp Award outstanding player in the nation, and Edmon Gray, co-captains of Oklahoma's 1956 national champions, receive the Grantland Rice Award. At right are Wilkinson and Look magazine sports editor Tim Cohane.

center of the ball . After he scored, he was 90 wins, seven defeats, and three They placed second in team defense wouldn't give the ball to the referee. ties in regular season play for .927 per- with 193 .8 yards a game yielded, sec- On the sideline Wilkinson was laugh- cent. His bowl record was 4-1. ond in pass interceptions with 26 or ing his head off." klahoma's statistical feats 423 yards, fourth in interception "You've been playing me at the in 1956 were almost end- avoidance yielding only five intercep- wrong position for four years," Gray less . In offense, the Soon- tions in 100 throws, fifth in punting told Bud when the coach sent in ers led the country in total with 40 .7 yards averaged, eighth in another unit. The Sooner seniors yards with 481 .7 net a game, in rush- rushing defense with 138.3 yards wanted Bill Harris, senior end from ing with 391 a game (national record), yielded, and eleventh in pass defense Ardmore, to try the extra point, but and in scoring with 46.6 points a with 55 .5 yards yielded a game . somebody erred on the snap, and Bill game . They were second in kickoff re- Clendon Thomas led the nation in didn't have a chance to get the ball off turns with 24 .5 yards average per run- scoring with 18 touchdowns and 108 the ground. But he was in there with back ; second in own fumbles lost with points ; McDonald was second with 17 his group atthe end. Final score, 53-0 . 32; third in most yards penalized, 76.3 and 102 . McDonald placed fourth in Thus the Sooners won their third a game ; and ninth in punt-return de- interception returns with six for 136 national championship in six years fense, holding opponents to 6 yards yards. Pricer punted 11 times for an under Wilkinson . They measured each runback . They averaged scoring average of 48 .6, but the Sooners didn't Tennessee 104 first-team votes to 48 seven touchdowns a game, garnering kick enough to qualify him for the na- in the AP poll and outdid the Vols 26-5 a total of 70 in the 10 contests . tional minimum . Only one other man in firsts in the UP coaches poll . Wil- The Sooners submitted their finest in the country had a better average . kinson's career record with Oklahoma national defensive showingof all time . Oklahoma won the foremost-player 30 SOONER MAGAZINE

Tommy McDonald finished second in bal- loting when he and teammate Jerry Tubbs split the vote.

prize of the times when the nation's Later he and I spent a week together ABOUT THE AUTHOR: No one coaches voted center Jerry Tubbs the with the College All-Stars, and he was knows more about the Wilkinson era Walter Camp Award as the outstand- everybody's choice there for captain." in Oklahoma football history than ing player in the nation. No interior Wilkinson's football lettermen were Harold Keith, sports information di- linesman had ever won it before . then graduating at a 90.6 percent rector from 1930 to 1969, who witnes- McDonald won the Robert W. Maxwell pace, with his powerful 1949 team sed all of Memorial Award and also the Sport- having graduated every one of its 178 the games Bud coached ing News Award. McDonald and nineteen senior lettermen, his 1951 at OU. The author of a number of Tubbs knocked each other out of the team having graduated all seven of award-winning books, including the balloting for the Heisman Trophy, its seniors, and his 1954 team having definitive work on the first 25 years of Tommy finishing second, Tubbs graduated 12 of 13. The 13th man on Sooner football, Oklahoma Kickoff, fourth. Four Sooner players were that squad, Tom Carroll, lifted his out- Keith personally interviewed 61 former selected on All-America first teams: fit to a perfect rating three years later players and others who had a role in Tubbs, Krisher, McDonald and Gray. when he took two degrees simultane- the Wilkinson story in the preparation McDonald's admiration for Tubbs ously, one in petroleum engineering, of this book . still runs high today. "He was a the other in geological engineering. coach's dream," the halfback praised, Of his 1956 team Wilkinson said in "smart, great competitor, great at- his alumni letter, "I hope Gomer and titude, great agility, excellent speed. I will be coaching for a fair number of He'd do anything the coaches asked . years, but I doubt if we will ever be Forty-Seven Straight : The Wilkin- He wasjust plain old Jerry. He wasn't associated with a group of seniors, or son Era at Oklahoma, cocky. He was everything that typified a squad, with a finer balance of per- 384 pages an Oklahoma player -humble, com- sonalities or a more wholesome at- with 94 illustrations, is available in passionate, unselfish, ready to lay his titude towards the game than those bookstores or from the University of life on the line for that football team. who played for Oklahoma in 1956 . Oklahoma Press, Attention: Market- We all liked him so well that These are the basic reasons why our ing Department, 1005 Asp Avenue, we wanted him to be our captain. team has played well ." Norman, OK 73019. .$19.95

1984 FALL 3 1