Evening star., 1946-12-11
Johnson's Career Was Model for Nations Youth
|TidweII Of Auburn
Is King Of College
Ground Gamers
BY the Assoeiaied Press

NEW YORK, Dec. n.-TraW
Tidwell. Auburn's hard-workine
freshman, is the ground-gainine
king Of college football for 1946.
Closing with a terrific burst ir
his last two games, Tdwen out
distanced his closest pursuers and
replaced Bob Fenimore Of Okla
homa A. and M, who had reigned
for two years as the individual
offensive leader Of the collegiate
gridirons.
Statistics released today by the
National Collegiate Athletic Bu-
reau show that Tidwell not only
topped the country In combined
yardage gained on the ground an6
in the air, but also was the No.
passer on the basis of total COM
pletions and the seventh best ball
carrier.
Rudy Gittle Doc) Mobley o,
Hardin Simmons emerged as the
ball-carrying champion, recaptur-
ing the honor he first won in 1912
with a record-breaking perform
ance.
LIS Yards in 10 Games.
Tidwell, who threw or carried
the ball 339 times to be far and
away the workhorse of the country,
accounted for total of Its yards
in Auburn's 10 games. He COM
pleted 10 of 158 forward passes for
total of 943 yards, and picked up
772 yards on 1Sl running plays.
Thus the yearling star person.
ally provided for 81 per cent Of his
teams total gains Of 2,828 yards
and was the key man IN more than
half Of the 674 plays which Auburn
used in 10 games.
He Is only the second freshman
to win the individual offensive title
and with colleges due to return to
the three-year rule he. may be the
last. The other was Bob Hoernsch-
meyer OF Indiana, who gained 1,648
yards In 1943.
TidWelPs total was considerably
short of the record of 2,187 yards
set by Frank Sinkwich of Georgia
in 1912, but was the second highest
of the last four years. Fenimore
gained 1,758 yards in 1914 and 1,641
last year.
Layne Is Runnerup
Bobby Layne of Texas finished
the season as runnerup to Tidwell
in both forward passing and total
offense. Layne completed II of lao
passes for a total of Ills yards and
added 1913 yards on 81 running plays
for a total gain of 1,453 yards.
Harry Gilmer of Alabama, rum
Inerup IN 1945, finished third this
year, although his total of 1,427
yards was only 80 short Of his COM
bined effort for 1945. Gilmer also
was fourth among the passers with
SO successful tesses in I60 attempts
for $50 yards. 4
America Charley Trippi Of
Georgia finished fourth In the conn
bined running passing rankings
with 1886 yards and Bob Chappuis
of Michigan was fifth with 1,265.
All told, IA players gained more
than 1000 yards, new high. The
highest previous number was II in
1912.
Mackrides PAGES Tossers.
Although he completed only 56
passes, Bill Mackrides of Nevada led
the throWers in total yardage with
], ,254 and in touchdown heaves with
17-not including Nevada's post
season game at Hawaii. Victor Clark
of Texas Mines was tops in passing
accuracy, completing 81 of lot for
a percentage of $40.
Total cffense-Tidwell, Auburn, LIS
yards in 33S plays; Layne, Texas, l,453 in
isan. 1856 in iso; Moblsy. Hardin Sim
mons, 1892 in 227: Wedemeyer, st.
Marys,. 1928 in 204: Justice, North Carr
I.Is4 IN I4a; Roberts, chattanoosa, i.Is3
Rushing-Mobley. Hardin-simmons, l..
noogs. moo Ills IN 1ss: a; Justice. S. North % Caro-
lima, 943 in 131: Golding, Oklahoma. 902
in I26: jackson, Yale, 500 in 134; Steph-
bur burn. T72 in ISL; Trippi. deorgis, 744 in
Army. 712 in l23.
completlons) s)-Tidwei, Auburn. 40 compile
tions II uss attempts e. for s4s yards:
Alabama, SO in 100 for $50; Thomoson.
s!ssippi. 81 in ia for M s4i: Clark. Texas
81 in is5 for so7: Demoss. Purdue. sS
in 122 for S14; Working, washington and
Lee; SO II Jos for 741; Mackrides, Nevada,
Hockey nfnGInnce