The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 61, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 6, 1973 Page: 6 of 10
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Rice's optimistic Owls have everything but experience
by BILL BELL
Either all the sportswriters
in the state of Texas or all the
Rice coaches and players are
Avrong. In every poll published
in the state (except, of course,
the widely respected Arbuckle
Poll), Rice has been picked last
or next to last. Last week at
the annual SWC Press Tour,
however, A1 Conover and his
cocky Owls uniformly stated
that they will finish higher than
anyone expects.
Certainly, after a surprising
5-5-1 record last year, the Owls
have hail a much better chance
to familiarize themselves with
Conover's system. They seem to
feel themselves more confident
in the team's ability, and some
are even beginning to use that
long-lost word "depth".
Why then, do the sportswrit-
ers pick the Owls to finish so
low?
First of all, the Owls lack
experience, especially at quar-
terback. Fred Geisler and fresh-
man blue - chipper Tommy
Kramer are one-two, but neither
has played a down of college
football. Few really doubt the
potential of these two superb
athletes, but how much will lack
of experience hurt them? A1
Conover insists that quarter-
hack is one of the team's
strong points.
Secondly, the Owls are thin
: ' offensive line and defensive
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line, positions that demand big
men with a lot of stamina. A1
Conover says the lines will be
adequate, even if he has to go
down to the bus station to find
linemen.
Third, is the tough sched-
ule. 6 of the first 7 teams Rice
plays are pre-ranked in the top
20. That many powerhouses in
a row are bound to wear down
a team both physically and
mentally. A1 Conover looks on
the schedule as a challenge and
a privilege. Others looking at
the schedule may think A1 Con-
over is crazy.
Finally, the Owls this year
are going to have to rely on
freshman if they hope to have
a winning season. As of last
Wednesday, thirteen freshmen
had been promoted to varsity.
And that is a lot of freshmen
to have to count on.
If things go well, look for
one major upset by the Owls,
and one game blown. The Owls
should finish the season about
5-6 overall with a 4-4 SWC
record (counting UH). If things
go great we may have a win-
ning season, but if things go
bad, pray for rain.
A rundown of the team, by
position:
Offensive Backs
At quarterback Rice has two
top-quality athletes that can
run as well as pass. But neither
could be called "seasoned". Bruce
Geisler is No. 1 right now, but
Conover will go with freshman
Tommy Kramer if necessary.
Claude Reed, from last year's
freshman squad, is the depth.
Gary Ferguson and John
Coleman will anchor the run-
ning backs. Both started last
year, and while neither has ex-
cellent speed both are adequate
runners. For a little excitement,
Conover says that freshman
Ardie Segars from Far Rock-
away, N. Y. may add that
dynamic extra-breakaway speed
that the Rice running attack
has lacked for so long.
Offensive Line
The wide receivers have got
to be the team's forte. Ed Col-
lins at split end plans to be
All American. Flankers Carl
Swierc and Ron Arcenaux have
all the tools to be really superb.
In fact, the team is so deep at
wide receiver that the team
will go with Ed Lofton as a
third wide Receiver until the
going gets tight. In short, yard-
age situations, either Mike
McGiwo, Larry Brune, or Larry
Medford will come in to block.
The interior line will see
talented, inexperienced Randy
Eggemeyer at right tackle,
with returning lettermen Mike
Goode at center, Tommy God-
dard and David Vandiver at
guards, and Sammy Johnson at
left tackle. But behind these
five Conover will be looking at
a solid row of inexperience.
The offensive line can't afford
injuries.
Defensive Line
This year the Owls have gone
to the Oklahoma 5-2 defense.
This means that the Owls
coaching staff has discovered
Cornelius Walker. The big (6'2",
2(50 lh. nose man is counted on
to do great things in the way
of destroying opponents, and
Conover insists that he is a
good as anyone else in the con-
ference.
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The defensive tackles will be
Bryan Davenport and Jody
Medford. These two have poten-
tial but are, as yet, unproven.
Look for sophomore Torn Moore
to help a lot at tackle. At de-
fensive ends massive inexperi-
ence resides but Larry O'Neal
and David Snelling are counted
on to do the job.
Linebackers John Kelley and
Richard Hollas played a lot last
year and are both solid ball
players. Kelley, however, has an
injury problem, and Rodney
Norton, also a letterman, will
play a good deal. Behind these
three, however, are a converted
running back and a freshman
hopeful.
owlook
The defensive secondary is
prolbably the best in the confer-
ence. Bruce Henley is another
potential AllrAmeriean at safe-
ty, needing only five intercep-
tions to tie the SWC career
record. Preston Anderson is a
stellar player at strong safety
(or monster man). The corners
will be .held down by return-
ing lettermen Cully Culpepper,
Kerry Cooper and Don Bern-
hausen.
The Owls could have a good
year, because the talent — if
not the depth or experience —
is available. But depth and ex-
perience are two big if's, and
the Owls are going to require
a lot of luck.
Distorted "Children"
still makes points
"Big- time college football—a bone-shattering, gut-
wrenching inside account of what it's like to be Satur-
day's Children." That's covering the new book by Giles
Tippete, and — you're right — it's about Rice football.
Specifically this book covers the 1971 football season,
when the Owls under Coach Bill Peterson struggled to a
3-7-1 record. According to the preface, Tippete followed
the team and sat in on the coaches' private discussions.
The book pretends to be an inside'account of a foot-
ball team, exposing the internal politics, brutality, frus-
tration and dedication that go into the game. Unfortu-
nately, Tippete destroys his journalistic objectivity by
overdramatizing and distorting the sensational aspects
of football, while dismissing the inequities with banal
rationalizations.
Coach A1 Conover summed up his ideas succinctly in
this statement: "That book is trash" (followed by re-
ferences to fourth-graders writing better). The book is
fast-reading, and maybe even interesting — but it's not
going to win any Pulitzer.
Saturday's Children should interest any Rice fan,
particularly those who knew players on the 1971 squad.
Also, the book is essentially true in the sense that most
of the incidents recorded actually happened. Take the
picture Tippete gives, however, with a grain of salt. He
had to work hard to make a 3-7-1 season sound interest-
ing, and it did involve muckracking.
Finally, Tippete makes one point which states a sad
truth about the state of college football: "... if (foot-
ball) is a sport, it's not intended to be a fun one; it's too
intense a proposition to be viewed that way." Somehow
college football has strayed a long, long way from the
ideal of amateur athletics.
—bill bell
Wrestlers rustle for talent
Believe it or not, Rice ""Uni-
versity has a wrestling team.
Last year the Rice Wrestling-
Club edged out SFA for fif-
teenth place (out of sixteen) in
the Texas Collegiate Conference
which includes such schools as
U.T., Pan-American, Richland,
North Texas State, Letourneau,
and Conference champions Tex-
as A&M.
Rice, starting late in the sea-
son, with a young, inexperi-
enced, undermanned, terribly
out of shape, but well-dressed
team, wrestled some tough
matches (two with the state
champs) and finished the reg-
ular season with a perfect dual
meet record of 0-3, but quali-
fied four men for the Confer-
Richard Pontier
ence Tournament. Ken Lacey
finished fifth at 167 lbs., Bruce
Morgan took home fourth at
126 lbs., Bob Joyce captured
eighth at 134 lbs. and team cap-
tain Rob Sisk took fifth at 150
lbs.
A. full eight-meet schedule is
now being worked out and the
season is scheduled to begin
Dec. 1 with Texas A&M and
end Feb. 2 with the conference
meet. Practice will begin Nov.
5, so, if you have any wrestling
experience, they want to talk
to you. Attention grads and
faculty members: if you have
any coaching experience they
NEED to talk to you. Contact:
Rob Sisk, Rm. #207 Richard-
son College or phone 522-5502.
UfiarcTsw
HAIRSTYUNG FOR MEN
Lamar Towers • 2929 Buffalo Speedway • 622-2287
the rice threshejr, September 6, 1973—page 6
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Jackson, Steve. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 61, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 6, 1973, newspaper, September 6, 1973; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245168/m1/6/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.