KU-MU Gamer

By Earl Morey - Journal-World Sports Editor Nov 20, 2004

Originally published: 11-21-1960

All that officially remains of the 1960 football season for Kansas University is the Nov. 28 honor banquet at the Union Building, when the new Big Eight Conference champions will be given their gold footballs, jackets and other presents … but unofficially there some tremendous memories.

And oh, those memories! A 23-7 victory over previously unbeaten and bowl-bound Missouri before a stunned, highly partisan MU crowd of 43,000; victory over the nation’s No. 1 team; the first clear-cut conference football title for the school since 1930; a 7-2-1 record that is the school’s best since the 8-2 of 1951. In 1946 and 1947, KU and Oklahoma tied for the league title, but this year’s flag is all Jayhawk.

KU went into Saturday’s Columbia game a 7-point underdog, but it dug out the victory with vicious line play and hard-charging backs. In retrospect, MU never really got in the game.

Missouri’s vaunted sweeps with three and four blockers leading the carrier, and the Tiger’s sweep pass, were stopped cold. MU managed only 61 net yards on the ground.

The Jayhawks fumbled away their first three possessions, but refused to lose their poise, knowing full well they owened the Tigers as compeltely as they had ever owned an opponent. MU allegedly was the team with unshakable poise and power. KU shattered that myth.

Bert Coan was the war-horse for KU, with 67 yards on nine carries, and Doyle Schick was next with 39 yards on 15 efforts. And John Hadl still was the do-everything back who kept the Tiger defenders loose.

Bur cornermen Schick and Curtis McClinton, along with Gib Wilson, were the men who earned most of the MU plaudits. “We couldn’t whip the cornermen,” MU coach Dan Devine moaned.

MU couldn’t whip the fired-up Kansas lines either, and often it was a nine-man line that completely thumbed its nose at the Tiger aerial game. Experts had said MU’s lines would pound KU into submission. That must have irked the KU forwards.

Names like Fred Hageman, Elvin Basham, Benny Boydston, Larry Lousch, Mike Fisher, Larry Allen, Sam Simpson, Kent Staab, Bill Burnison, Duke Collins, Dick Davis, Jim Mills, Andy Graham and Mike Deer will haunt the Tigers for a long, long time.

Defensive coach George Bernhardt did his job brilliantly, as did defensive backfield coach Bill Pace and scout Tom Triplett.

This was the “big” game for Kansas, the third time the squad had faced the nation’s No. 1 team in the same year, and Bernhardt elected to force the defense from the inside out, keeping MU backs running towards the sidelines and not allowing the deadly cutbacks. With jayhawks handling their assignments perfectly, MU was stopped without a first down until almost mid-way in the third quarter.

Kansas scored first, a 47-yard field goal by Roger Hill in the third period, Roger’s first successful field goal in his college career. The defensive specialist cracked, “I knew it was good just as soon as I looked up.”

“What a way to end a career,” grinned senior Schick, who Saturday started his 30th varsity game for Kansas.

“This erases the memory of last year,” said quarterback Hadl, who missed the winning TD in 1959 by less than a foot as KU lost 13-9.

“Hey, we’re the champs,” shouted senior end Sam Simpson. “The wait was worth it.”

“Boy, I’m glad I’m just a sophomore,” remarked end Andy Graham. “Just think, I’ve got two more years to look forward to.”

“Feels just great,” said junior guard Benny Boydston. “This is wonderful,” came back quarterback Rodger McFarland, a youngster who did a tremendous job guiding the Jays to a touchdown. Kansas can’t go to the Orange Bowl because of the NCAA one-year probation, but the seniors on the squad said they didn’t mind that one bit.

“We won the championship, and we won it by beating the hell out of Missouri,” said Schick.

Missouri coach Devine said the better team won, and he’ll get no argument from the Kansans. On this given day, Missouri never really had a chance.