Evening star., 1953-12-20
Shift al Quarterback
And Fu|Iback Came
After Tie With Pitt
Bv MevreII WhittIesev

There's an old saw in base
ball that says the best ball clubs
are strong up the middle"
meaning catcher, second base
Shortstop and centerf1eld.
That holds true for a split-T
football team, too, Jim Tatum
was saying yesterday, the day
before the Maryland coach leaves
for Miami and the Terps' Orange
Bowl date with Oklahoma on
New Years Day.
Up the middle in the split-T
setup is center, quarterback and
fullback. Oklahoma changed
two of those three positions
after losing to Notre Dame and
being tied by Pittsburgh, and
Tatum says that's the reason the
SoonerS won their last eight
games.
Tatum was worried about his
own -the-middle strength be-
fore the season started, except
for Bernie Faloney at quarter
back But John Irvine developed
at center beyond the highest ex-
pectations of the coaching staff,
and Ralph FELTON, proved to be a
brilliant fullback.
Strengthened Other Positions.
What's worrying Tatum is that
the Oklahoma switches not only
gave the Sooners improvement
and depth at quarterback and
fullback. but that the changes
strengthened other positions too.
Coach Bud Wilkinson started
the season with Buddy Leake at
quarterback and Max Boydston
at fullback. Leake had won ALL
American mention at left half
back the previous season. but
Bud believed he would be Eddie
CroWder's successor at running
the team.
However. Leake suffered a per-
sonal loss in his family, then his
wife had a baby. and with his
added responsibilities he ap-
parently didn't have the neces-
sary time for fulfilling the quar-
terback duties. In the Notre
Dame game alone, which Okla
homa lost. 1921. the Sooners
had seven fumbles and three
pass interruptions from the quar-
terback position.
Leake was back against Pitt,
but he was replaced the fol-
lowing week when Oklahoma
defeated Texas. Now he's second
or third string left half. One of
the Maryland coaches said the
other day, after watching movies
OF an Oklahoma game, that
Leake must be the best reserve
halfback in the country.
BOydStOn Moved To End.
Boydston wasn't setting the
world on fire at fullback, and at
the same time the Sooners had
developed a weakness ate right
end. So before the Texas game,
Boydston was moved to end.
Tatum says he doesn't believe
there's a better all-around end
In the country today.
Oklahoma now has four quar- !
terbacks. While Faloney's knee
injury could cripple the Terps. /
Oklahoma is not as dependent on
any one quarterback. Gene Ca
lame is the No. l man, but be-
hind him there's Jack Van Pool. |
Pat O'Neal and Bob Santee. All /
had starring role in at least !
one game.
Calame doesn't pass much, but
he's had only one intercepted. !
He's the Smoothie of the Sooner
quarterbacks and starts the
games. Calame carried the ball
81 times more than Faloney. and
had about the same average,
both under yards.
However, offenSe is not CAL
ame's strongest point, Okla
homanS think he's one of the
best defensive quarterbacks in
college football. He was the de-
fensive right end in his freshman
and sophomore years. He's pretty
good under pressure. too. Okla
homa has been inside the oppo-
nentS' 20-yard line "a times un-
der Calame. and 20 times they
scored.
Sophomore at Fullback. /
With Boydston at end, Will
kinson moved Bob BurriS, a
sophomore, to the No. l fuliback
spot. With his comparatively
late start. Burris finished the
season as the teams second
best ground gamer with $50
yards and sc average. The
other two fullbacks are juniors.
Jerry Donaghey who carried for
209 yards and a IA average.
and Chuck Baker, who carried
only six times.
Right half is the only posi-
ton in the Oklahoma backfeld
that hasn't undergone a change,
and that's because Larry Grigg
Is there. Grigg was the nations
third leading ground gamer with
814 yards rushing, and scored
Is touchdoWnS.
Bill Farley, the Notre Dame
assistant coach who was here
for the O'Donnell trophy pre-
sentation this week. told 1atum
and others that the Oklahoma