Evening star., 1953-01-02
Texas Gamble Pays Off
As Switch in Defense
HumbIes tennessee
BY the Asseeiotsd Press

OA114AO, GX., Jdu. Z.-E6Sy.
going Ed Price gambled with his
defense-and changed it into an
aweSome thing that humiliated
Tennessee far more than the 1910
score indicated yesterday in the
18th annual Cotton Bowl.
For Prices 10th-ranked football
team stole Tennessee's thunder as
the country's top defensive team
limited the Volunteers to just 46
yards passing and hurled them to
q minus IA yards rushing.
The sudden switch of q so-So
defense to an amazingly efficient
unit prompted the Tennessee
Coach Bob Neyland to exclaim: II
knew Texas had a good offense,
but didn't know the defense was
that good"
Neyland brushed aside talk Of
bad breaks.
I'VE got beat badly" he said,
adding that Texas was by far the
best team Tennessee had faced
this season and one Of the "best I
have SEEN"
Had Linemen Sweating.
Sweat poured off Prices face as
he stood backed in a steaming
training room under the giant
bowl. A good part Of the 75,504
who saw Texas score safety in
the first quarter and touchdowns
in the second and final periods
waited outside to acclaim the
Southwest Conference champions.
I'VE changed our defense-had
the linemen slanting and slicing," "
Price said in explaining how his
line crashed through to spill Ten
nessee backs almost every time
they got the ball. Until yester-
days game. Texas linemen had
charged straight ahead.
I'VE could afford to gamble
with our defense" Price went on,
"but not our offense." -'.'t+
Ochoa Outstanding Back.
That offense gained total OF
301 yards-269 of it on the ground
And Dick Ochoa, Texas bruising
fullback, picked up 108 of these
yards as well as the label. Games
outstanding back" His team
mate. Harley Sewell, rugged
guard, was voted the outstanding
lineman.
But why did Price \ change his
defense?
I'VE saw pictures of the Duke
game" said Carlton Massey, hard
charging Texas defensive end.
1.-THE Duke players were slicing
and ripping Tennessee to bits.
Duke won that game, TO. and
Price decided to see If the same
style could work against Neyland's
team twice in season.
There really wasn't much ex-
citement to the game. It was all
Texas, and the crowd sensed it
after the first quarter-when
Tennessee handled the ball on just
two offensive plays. Two of these
backflred. The first resulted in
q Texas safety. Massey. Pod Price
and Sewell smothering Dave Grif-
fifth in the end zone. He tried
to run the ball out after juggling
1t on an attempted punt.
Texas Threatens Frequently.
Time and again Texas threat
ened. out fumbles or the Ten
nessee defense cheated it of a.
touchdown. Only in the second
period, when Glib Dawson ran a
yards around end to climax a
22-yard drive and in the final
quarter when Billy Quinn smashed
over from the 1-foot line did the
LonghornS score touchdowns.
Dawson converted after each.
A tumble by Ray Byrd was COW
cred by Clifford Polk to start
Texas first touchdown march.
Another tumble, this one by Pat
Oleksiak, was covered by Jim Ros-
ser to set up the 26-yard second
scoring drive.
But Texas stayed deep in Ten
nessee's end of the field almost all
Of the game and it kept control
Of the ball 80 per cent of the time.
Tennessee, which like Texas
drew down $4,000 as its share
Of the gate. didn't make a really
serious threat.