Evening star., 1940-12-25
Maroons Are Almost
Another Edition Of
Tennessee Eleven
Coach McKeen and Aides
All Products of Vols
Fumous Head Mentor
BY MORTIMER KRIEGER.

STATE COLLEGE, Miss, Dec. 25.-
Mississippi States best football team
in the history of the school-and the
second in four years to play in the
Orange Bowl-will be Georgetown s
foe on New Year Day.
The Maroons are a carbon copy
of Maj Bob Neyland's unbeaten,
united Sugar Bowl team at Ten
nessee.
Allyn McKeen, end on Neyland's
1926 and 1927 Volunteers, brought
his teachers system along when he
took over here two years ago. He
also brought Murray Warmath, Ten
nessee's assistant line coach, and
Bowden Wyatt, great Vol end Of
1898.
With only minor variations from
Neylands single Wingback balanced
line, the 35-year-old McKeen brought
his 1889 club through with only two
losses. each TO, and went through
1910 unbeaten. A TT tie with Au-
burn was the only bad spot.
Came to Fore in '35.
The Maroons first achieved ma
tional renown in 1885, when they
licked Army and Alabama under
Maj. Ralph Sasse. The following
season State went to the Orange
Bowl to play Duquesne. The Dukes
won, 1912, on a last-period pass
play which covered 80 yards.
Two lean years followed, and after
the 1888 Maroons won only two ma
jor games and dropped six, McKeen
was brought in from West Tennes-
see Teachers College, where his club
was undefeated and united.
Little Tennessee" they called his
1889 Maroons. Now they're a top
team in their own right.
They flash a varied attack that
is liable to spring a pass that looks
like an end run, line buck that
looks like pass, or sneak that
doesn't look like anything because
you can't see the ball.
States versatility makes an op-
ponent's lot especially uneasy. When
Louisiana State stopped Harvey
Johnson's running plays, his punt
ing put the Tigers into a hole. Then
Billy Jefferson went in and threw
three touchdown passes for a 22-7
victory.
Capable Passing Attack.
The Maroons rely mostly on run
ming plays, but they can use the air.
ways. They completed SO of 1913
passes for TIA yards and II touch
downs, had only seven intercepted.
DoWnfield blocking is so good that
a ball-carrier seldom has to make
his own way Wilbur Dees. block
ing back. ran one kickoff back 80
Yards and another more than so Just
by chugging along the path cleared
by his mates.
johnson is the ace triple threat
tailback. but was sixth on the squad
in individual scoring. That shows
team balance Twelve men made the
seasons touchdowns. -Four got five
apiece and three of those four were
second stringers.
The tailbacks. johnson and his
210-pound relief, jefferson. do most
OF the ball carrying, passing and
kicking. but Wingbacks Walter Craig
and John Black have rolled up sub
etantial yardage on reverses. Full
backs Toxic Tullos and Charles Yam
cev are the plungers.
But even States drum maiorette.
pretty Bobbin VAUGHN. probably
could gain ground with that power
full State line clearino the wav It
opened holes for 2,056 yards gained
in 463 rushes.
Tough Nut to Crack.
Meanwhile, the forwards Welded
only sos net yards in $50 running
plays. and threw would-be passers
for 1873 yards of losses to boot. Op-
posing backs lost more than thev
gained trying the left side of that
big wall, which is made up of Buddy
Elrod, all-America end: Can't:
Hunter Corhern. second all-America
guard, and John Tripson. a fine
tackle. Craig, defensive left half on
the first team. did not make tackle
on running plav all season-no
opponent ever got into his territory.