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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 Jim Tatum'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 Jerry Tubbs 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 Don Stiller 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, 1984 FALL 19 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 Sam Lyle, Bud's assis- After the Orange Bowl 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 (Dick Gwinn)."The half. Clendon Thomas, 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 .