The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • Page 38

LINCOLN SUNDAY JOl RSrAL AND STAR October 16, 1960 This Fake Punt, Run by Thornton Boosted NU Snap goes to Thornton He gets good blocking Then dodges a tackier To gain 15 yards, make 1st down. Statistics Blockading Cadets Had It Up Worst Saturday' 'Their By Jim Raglin Army's football team takes a long time to lick its wounds after a loss. Following a Husker ap plied humbling Saturday, the Cadet grid troops were enclosed in a security clamp for 45 minutes. Only high brass cracked that barrier. When the curtain finally parted a touch, the dank quarters were 90 deserted and 100 despondent.

Sitting in a far corner was bespectled Dale Hall, joung Cadet coach. He seemed to be coming out of shock. "We played our poorest game. We couldn't score when we had the chances," he said. "But you have to give Nebraska all the credit in the world.

It was a very good team," he added, with some zest, indicating he wasn't just being polite. Emphasizing that he "had the worst seat in the house," Hall said Pat Happy By Don Bryant No heads were hanging in the Cornhusker locker room this week. Justifiably proud of their 14 9 licking of the Army Cadets, the Cornhuskers hooped it up back slapping, hand shaking, laughing and yelling. "Now, by golly, you've got something to write about today," Don Purcell, Nebraska's great end and All America candidate grinned. "Get on the typewriter and grind out those headlines." Tumble fumble of a punt on the NU 9 in the 2nd quarter to provide Army with its only touchdown.

The Cadets ground for the score to make it 9 0 after Blanda had kicked a 27 yard field goal late in the first period. The game had all the appearances of one of those afternoons when everything is going to go wrong when it started. Army took the opening kickoff and drove to the Husker 7 but Tyrone Robertson pounced on a fumble. Nebraska gave it right back on Bill (Thunder) Thornton's miscue at the NU 13, Nebraska's tremendous defense halted the Knights at the 4 and Archie Cobb whose sensational punting was to play a big part in the game kicked it out. George Kirschenbauer fumbled that one but two Huskers trying so hard dove for the ball and it eluded them and Army claimed it.

Again the Huskers buckled down and this time Blanda gave in and kicked a field Fischer and Archie Cobb were keys in the NU win. "The good Lord was with that punter that one pun; that died on our 4 yard line well, that ball was headed right into the end zone," Hall lamented. "Of course," he added, 'we fielded some kicks we shouldn't have." On the TD aerial from Fischer to Bennie 'Dillard. Hall said: "We just mis played it." On the fake punt when Ilusker Thunder Thornton picked up a first down, Hall reflected: "Wc had it scouted and were in a 6 2 2 1 defense, a normal defense, not one set up to return a punt. Still, he got through." "Nebraska's line was as good as any we have met (Army had met Penn State, California, Boston College and Buffalo it wasn't as deep as Penn State's, though," the ex West Point athletic ace said.

But ed since he was the first to reply. "The boss got us into this and I hope he's happy," mused one mule. "Just get this straight," insisted the other "We are mules. Not donkeys. Not jackasses.

I don't know about all the others at this game." Anyway, if it hadn't been for the generosity of an low an, the Army team wouldn't have had ft brayer. All That Pasture, Wouldn'tLet Us Graze9 Ones Husker halfback Bennie Dillard, the receiver on a beautiful 57 yard touchdown pass from Pat Fischer, quietly accepted congratulations. And fullback Thunder Thornton had his hand shaken several times for his perfect fake on the aerial stunner. Thornton dived into the line so convincingly that most of the Cadets converged on him, giving Fischer who executed a superb bootleg plenty of time to spot Dillard. Another gjal from the NU 17.

Blanda comes by his kicking naturally. He is the younger brother of George Blanda, the former great place kicker for the Chicago Bears. Fischer gave a sign of what was to come on the first play of the second quarter when he fielded a punt and took off up field. He broke past 10 Cadets but Jim Connors, cutting over on an angle, hauled him down on the Nebraska 48 after a 41 yard return. Nebraska was unable to move from there, however, and went back to its defensive work.

Disaster struck on what had nearly been a golden play minutes earlier. Fischer fielded a punt close to Husker goal and fumbled it. Alert Al Vanderbush grabbed it at the Husker 9. Fischer left no doubt that he was furious with himself for fumbling on the play. It took just 3 plays for the Cadets to score with Al Rushatz, a nifty fullback, crashing over from the one.

Just minutes earlier Nebraska lost another scoring chance when center Mick Tingelhoff, alertly defending against a Blanda pass, had the ball intercepted with the goal in sight, but he dropped the ball after juggling it for 4 steps. Then Nebraska put on its best offensive display of the year. Fischer, who is just beginning to find out how good he can be at quarterback, rolled out to the right and faked a pass at the NU 22. As the Cadets dropped back, Pat scurried up the East side lines. Again he threaded inrougn 10 Cadets and again Connors caught him from the side aftpr a fii.va side after a 64 yard dash.

But this time the Huskers were to go all the wav. Thornton bulled for 5 and Dillard picked up 6 on two carries to the Army 3. Thorn ion made a yard. Fischer got the touchdown on a keeper to the right, jumping inside the Army ifn lac Kie to cave into the ena zone. Meade's kick made it 9 7 at halftime.

Nebraska, which hadn't tnea a pass the first half, still had something up it's sieeve. Much to the delight of the fans, the Huskers showed they meant business with 3rd down and 14 yards to go at the NU 28. They sent back tobb. But it was a fake with the ball going to Thornton. The Toledo, sophomore barreled his way to the Husker 43 for the important first down.

That's when Fischer took to the air. His first try was incomplete. But the second one was perfect. He faked a handoff to Thornton and the battling fullback ran a perfect fake into the line where the Ca Whoop The Scarlet quarterback, his usual tired self, got a backslap from Coach Bill Jennings and grinned: "It's a lot easier when we win. I don't get quite so tired.

Looking up, Fischer said, "I told you we'd beat some one pretty good, didn't Kidded about not being able to throw such a long pass, Pat snorted: "Aw, I can throw that far all right. My trouble is that most of the time I can't see the receivers. It takes time to become a good passer, I Big One dets were waiting. Fischer, however, still had the ball, neatly hidden behind his hip. Dillard had sped right down the middle and when Fischer took a look, Dillard had gained a step on the Army safety man.

Fischer threw and Dillard hauled it in on the Army 25. There was no catching him from there to the goal. Meade kicked the point and the final score of 14 9, Ne braska's total recorded in 5 of the last 7 games, was on the board. But there was much more to come. Army drove to the Husker 6 but two Blanda passes were knocked down.

Another drive was stopped when Blanda was rushed and fumbled with soph end Larry Donovan of Scottsbluff grabbing the ball. Cobb began to drive the Cadets nutty, too. He punted one of his favorites which rolled dead on the Army 4. Short minutes later he kicked one to the Army 10 and then one to the 25. There were just 4 minutes left in the game when Army got the one at the 25.

They meant business. Blanda passed to end Paul Zmuida for 25 yards and then to end John Ellerson for 11. The clock kept moving as the Cadets inched toward the NU goal. Then two sophomores did it. Donovan put a terrific rush on Blanda, hitting him before the ball was thrown, and soph guard Dwain Carlson grabbed tne loose ball at the Husker 46.

With just 1:30 left Nebraska tried to run out the clock as lr.nTii, uw uai Plays and then ran wide for an 11 yard loss The officials, however, stopped the Huskers in triumphant parade from the Held and informed them tnere were 2 seconds left. That gave Blanda time for one more play and he lofted a long pass into the end zone. But it was too far and the receivers were covered. iu ena me game. The triumph was just what the doctor ordered for both the Huskers and their fans wno have been wanting a uiruier.

You couldn't ask for much more heart tingling one man mis. The triumph, which NU losses to Army in 1928 and 1957, sends Nebraska's season's record to 3 2. It is in the Big 8 and now 2 1 in the rugged non conference assignments which also saw a win over Texas and a loss to Minnesota. Next week it will be a trln to Colorar to take on the Riif. faloes who battered Iowa State Saturday 21 6.

Things don't et anv easier but the Huskers are. getting tougher each week. Army will agree to that. First JDawm (Total 1 Army Neb. ny lusting JA By Passing a By Penalties Rushing (Number of Kashas) Number Yards Gained Number Yards Lest 1 Net Yards Gained 1M Ferward Passim (Number Attempted) fj Number Completed ...11 Number Had Intercepted 1 Net Yards Gained 14 Total Plays (Rushes and Passes) Yl Total Net Yards fgi Punts (Number) 5 Average Yards 41.S Kickofft (Number) Average Yards So Kirk Returns Number Punt Returns 3 Yards Punt Returns Yards Kickoff Returns S3 Interception Returns (Number) a Yards Return a Fumbles (Number) V.

Ball Lost On Downs Penalties (Number) 4 Yards Penalised 3 Field Goals (Number Attempted) 1 Number Successful 1 4 1 15 IS 141 1 1 57 198 7 3i.t 4 44 4 84 34 1 4 1 4 Huskers Continued from Page ID. But the Husker defense, giv ing ground grudgingly and re fusing to let Cadet receivers get behind it, tightened up as the goal line got nearer. And when the issue was in doubt, the Huskers held. In fact, if it hadn't been for early errors, the Huskers might well have won this one much easier as they stuck to their conservative operation. The Huskers, so eager to prove themselves against this eastern power, missed several opportunities in the early going.

Nearly every time the defense was equal to it. This was, therefore, almost complete display of Corn husker defense. Nebraska got to run just 15 plays to Army's 47 in the first half and the game totals showed Army trying 77 plays and NU just 38, not even half an many. The statistics were equally favor of Army with the Cadets getting 18 first downs Nebraska's 5. But the difference wasn't that noticeable in the game.

Army had chance after chance, but it took a Fischer Smarts! on Army passer guess you just have to relax yeah, just relax. That'i what I did on that one. Thun der made a good fake and I had a lot of time." Purcell, who turns a phrase just as well as he turns a play in, was asked how he liked playing against Army's "lonely end," and grinned: Real Intimates "Well, let's say I gave him some company this afternoon. In fact you can say we were real intimate on numerous occasions. "We stopped them in the flats, where they've been hitting before.

"Nebraska fans sure can't complain about our pass defense now," Percy contin ued. "I liked playing the 'lonely yeah, I enjoyed Halfback Pat Clare, who worked with Purcell most of the game in defending Army's wide set end, said the 4 defensive strategy went according to form. "It was just the way we planned to do," Pat said. "Percy was supposed to take him hen he went short, and I had him when he went over 18 yards. I guess it worked pretty good." Punter Archie Cobb, whose boots once again played a key role in the battle plan, got numerous back slaps, too.

"iney were just bouncin right for me today, I guess, ne arawied. When Jennings came pver to shake hands, Cobb grinned and said: "Coach, I got a leal poocher today." ii He as referring to the punt which dropped dead on the Army 4 late in the game. Jennings explained that "poocher" meant "taking a little off the kick and trying to make it drop where 'you want it." Husker fullback Noel ifor tin, who returned to action after a lengthy layoff because of an injured knee, escaped further injury, Late in the game, he'xan off the field after racking up an A my ball carrier and chortled: "Man, that feels good again!" In the locker room Martin said, 'I feel fine and I'm ready to go now." One of the defensive heroes was sophomore end Larry Donovan, whose heaw rush on Army quarterback anaa caused a fumble. wmun iNeoraska recovered in the final minute. "I was just lucky, I guess," Larry smiled.

"It was just yne ot those things. I guess I was just the right place at the right time. I don't know if I hit his arm', or what, but I guess I hit him." ARMY Rlch A. ButeeJ "A1 Vanderbush. Charlet Rlrtt EndsRobert Zmuida Fuellhart.

Paul Quartrrbsrks Gteii BlumhardL Blanda, Richard ikkert Connors Fullbacks Alfr.4 Pappaa Rushats. Ctearo NEBRASKA tork. Pick MrD.l7 TVmnra Silt Lett Ta( klra Al 1 Lrlt Guards Tvrnnn rell Cooper Crnlers Mlrk TlnaHhoff, Dob FYicke Right iuard Kosier. Gary Toogood Car (son. Dirk Archia Cobb.

Roland BlaW Knds Doa Pat Salem QuartfrbacksPat Pibr. Jnh. man. Han Mad tft Halfbarki fnt rtr tia. lard, Gene Ward Riant Half bark rt uilbarka Thunil a fkuniu.

tv.ii... Asked if Army had been stopped as many times this year close to the goal as they were by NU Saturday, Hall replied: "We have never been that close and not scored, not only this season, but ever before that I can remember." I'd say we didn't have It players 100 ready to put the ball over the goal line," he added. He singled out his line backing ace, Al Vander bush, for praise. "He must have played a great game and he 'didn't get much help," said the native of Kansas. The only time Hall could muster a smile was when former Point pals dropped by or when he recalled his prep days with another ex Kansan.

Even those high school memories brought a wince from Hall. Recalling one game "I got 3 ribs cracked it was the only injury I ever got in athletics" (which included a distinguished stint 'at West Point). There were no player comments, since there were practically no players left in the locker room by the time the press and well wishers (non brass) were admitted. Officials: Referee, Jmevh Paulson; Umpire, Adolph Sambarskj; Lineman, John Lloyd; Field Judge. George rorbes; Back nde.

William Osborn. Score quarters: Nebraska 7 7 014 Sconitf summary: Time gone Score 1st 12.30 Army Blanda Field Goal 127 yai ds 0. A 3 2nd 9 15 Army Rushau (1 run) PAF Pass irom Blanda to Connors No Good a. A and M. 3S Nebraska Fischer (2 run) PATMeade kick good 7.

A 3rd 8 Nebraska Fischer to Dillard (57 pa PAT iM a kick 14, A 9 Oh, That Huskers put squeeze a in to hard then some guy in gray hopped up on my back, people started yelling and I wished I was back in Iowa." That's only one side of the story. "What got me was that pasture, all green and inviting, and they wouldn't let me graze. This just ain't a mule's world." Saturday was a hectic milestone for the pair of matched mules loaned to the Army football team by James Thai las of Council Bluffs, la. The pair were used by Cadets to sub for the regular mascots, who spent a simple, leisurely afternoon back at West Point. There are 3 official Cadet mule mascots 2 regulars and a spare.

Saturday's riders were Rod Grannemann of New Haven, Mo. and Ron Hines of Ama rillo, who do the duty at all Army games. "These are nice animals, but they don't get up and go Ilk the ones st the point," said Rod. He and Ron admit to having been "kicked about quite a bit" as mule jockies. The Navy (Husker ROTC version) got into the act with Billy the Goat, borrowed from the city zoo to heckle the Cadets.

It didn't disturb anyone except its handlers. And a Navy blanket draped over the goat was snatched by a pair of West Pointers in a brief half time scuffle. Back to the mules: An appeal for a pair of mules to help the Cadet cause drew responses from 3 states Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. Thallus pair were select Mule Men Two Council Bluff, mules, drafted by the Army for the occasion, toured the West Stadium track during the game. They were ridden by a pair of West Point "mule riders," who left the real Army mules back at the Point.

Army also had its cheerleaders to lead the large delegation of brass, area cadets and rooters in the vocal renditions. 43iNb jf KiiSSu ff? l) fCf If aneE vot wmkf: Dm Nosl Martia at.