Evening star., 1954-09-13
Oklahoma Readying
Two Lines Prior 10
Tough Early Games
By The Asseeiaied Pres.

NORMAN, Okla, Sept. l3.-
Oklahoma, in the midst OF a
hurry-up rebuilding job on its
No. 4 ranked football team Of
last season, has a do-or-die
urgency in. getting ready for the
toughest part of its schedule in
its first three games.
Not that the Sooners lack
talent, but Coach Bud Wilkinson
is a perfectionist who wants
nothing but the best. even In
the opening game. Wilkinson,
who stepped in with a two-team
system last year to replace the
outlawed platoons, has 19 letter.
men back and a stable of fine
prospects,
However, Wilkinson is striving
for duplicate of his two lines
of last year, which were almost
equal and made the difference
in the Sooners' TO upset of
Maryland in the Orange Bowl.
Wilkinson has a habit of sched-
uling the tough games first and
Oklahoma opens with California
September 18 in a nationally
televised game, then follows with
Texas Christian University here
and Texas at Dallas.
Rated Among Top Teams.
Tackles, guards and halfbacks
are Wilkinson's problems and
while he has plenty of prospects,
the Sooners must be ready to
play week earlier than usual.
Oklahoma could produce sew
eral of the. Nations outstanding
players this year, or couple
OF key injuries could turn the
Sooners into the biggest dis
appointment of the season. AL
ALBANIA is the only team in the
Nation that has been in the
final AP poll of the top 10 teams
for the past six years.
In preseason conjecture. Ok
lahoma is rated among the top
teams and one big reason is
Buddy Leake. In his freshman
year in 1851, Leake led the Big
Seven Conference in scoring and
appeared to be on his way to
q brilliant career. He was ham
dicapped in his sophomore year
with an injury and last year
alternated at quarterback and
halfback. The last two years
he mas been the No. l extra
point kicker in the Nation.
Wilkinson is counting heavily
on Leake at left half and in
early practices he appears to
have picked up where he left
off in his freshman year, not
only m running, but also in
passing and kicking.
Gene Calame, who did most
of the signal calling for Okla
homa last year, will return at
quarterback and Bob Burris. a
rugged 187-pounder will be at
fullback
Right Half Big Question.
The big question in the back
field is the right half slot. Tom
Carroll, an outstanding kicker,
may get the assignment, but he
is bothered by an injury. Bob
Herndon, a senior, is also rum
ming in that position filled SO
ably last year by Larry Grigg.
The Sooners lost the heart of
their two forward walls with
three of the four tackles gone
Roger Nelson, Dick Bowman and
Doc Hearon, along with ALL
America Guard j. D. Roberts
and Melvin Brown, another
guard.
Oklahoma ends and center
spots seem to be the strongest
points. Wilkinson has two wing
men. either of whom could be an
All-America. in Max Boydston
and Carl Allison. Kurt Burris
at center and Tackle Don Brown
are returning starters. Wilkin-
son, however. is toying with the
idea of shifting Burris to a guard
post and fill his center position
with Gene Mears. another who
saw considerable action last
season.
To fill the guard slots are Bo
Bolinger and Cecil Morris,
juniors, who move up after doing
a fine job as understudies last
year. Bob Loughridge. junior.
likely will be the other starting
tackle.