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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 10, 1946)
1946 Season Sixth hi Oregon for Oliver Plans for Future In Other Fields (Continued from page one) “We wish him well in his new ac .ivities, whatever they prove to be, rncl are sure that the institution, ind particularly his players, will give him a rousing farewell season ly playing some fine games he re riainder of the year.” Anson B. Cornell, athletic man ager, in his statement concerning he resignation said, “I hate to see Tex leave, but inasmuch as he has nade up his mind I wish him all the tuccess in his future ventures.” Oregon’s faculty representative o the Pacific Coast conference, Or ando J. Hollis, dean of the law school, said, “I was greatly sur mised to learn of Mr. Oliver's res gnation. I don’t know what his fu „ure plans are, but I am sure that f he remains in the coaching field le lias a bright future ahead of him, is he is generally regarded in the °ar ific Coast conference as an out standing student of the game of ootball.” Oliver came to Oregon in 1938 ollowing a successful coaching stay at the University of Arizona, tie entered the Navy following the 1941 football season, and was re eased from duty late in the summer >f 1945. He immediately returned o Eugene and took over the coach ng reins of the 1945 Webfoot team: No football teams were fielded by iregon during the war years with ..he exception of 1942 when John Warren, freshman coach, guided he Webfoots through an eight hs me schedule. Dpener Announced Basketball Coach Howard Hob son announced yesterday that the opening games of the 1946-47 bas ketball season will be played in McArthur court against the Uni versity of British Columbia No vember 29 and 30. Iports Staff: Bill Stratton Bernie Hammerbeck Wally Hunter A1 Pietschman Elwin Paxon Bob Whiteley Shyster Gridders Still Unchallenged By BOB WHITELY Fenton Hall Correspondent “Everyone is afraid to play us,” beamed head coach Don Walker of the Legal Eagles, law school foot ball aggregation, “as our open chal lenge for a joust on the turf has not been accepted by any organization as of today. Our line-up of gridiron stalwarts was enough to make wim men weep and strong men shiver from an attack of the vapors.” Chief Trainer “Sparks” Helger son in an eleventh hour communi que dolefully announced that the squad would be without the servic es of its outstanding end, “Uncle” Bulgy Meldrum, along with their triple threat scat-back, “Crazy Legs” Carmaechal. The latter was partaking of a light scrimmage ses sion in the Pi Phi back yard and surreptitiously slipped on a de licious apple necessitating medical attention. Helgerson stated that he will be ready to go in a few weeks, but so far his face hasn’t responded to treatment. Law school president, Hay Cutler, has moved up from Coach Walker’s junior varsity to amply fill Carmaechal’s shoes. “I have had so many requests from undergraduate girls to put out a booklet containing pertinent data and pictures of our squad, that I am contemplating putting out a picket-sized “brochure” containing all the necessary information,” vol unteered Coach Walker. “Just like the big boys,” inter rupted line coach Marcus Winkler. Contrary to existing reports, the law school six will not .play with their traditional green visors on, as they would interfere in their com plex shifting huddle that is reminis cent of a Strauss waltz. Coach Walker released the names of ad ditional squad members including: A1 “Gumshoe” Gray, “Humper” Hinkle, James Nelson and Jesse James. “I guess that we are too potent for the average competition,” sighed Coach Walker, “but honest, we won’t play rough. Our challenge is still on the blotter.” Record of Oliver-coached Teams Considered Good The 1946 football season at Ore gon has been the sixth for Tex Miyer. He is the 22nd coach in Ore oci's 50 year history in collegiate notball and this year ties a record *—becoming the fourth coach to •irect the VVebfoot teams for six ears. Oliver’s record at Oregon has >een good. His teams have beaten he University of California four hues in six games, Idaho twice in wo games, Washington State three imes in six contests with one tie, dontaaa in the only game played, ISC once in four times with one tie, ICLA twice in five games. Wash lgton twice in six games, College f Pacific in their only meeting, and Iregon State once in a half dozen ttempts. The Beavers have the best record against Oliver-coached teams, and yet have won one game by one point, two by five points and one, the first, by 14. Oregon's victory in the series was by the widest margin, 20 points, in (910. Tex came to Oregon from the iniversity of Arizona, where his teams won 32 and lost 11 in a period of five years. Before entering the collegiate coaching field he had an outstanding record at both San Diego and Santa Ana high schools. At the outbreak of World War II, Oliver entered the Navy. His first assignment was to coach the power ful 1942 St. Mary’s Pre-Flight team that nosed out John Warren's Ore gon varsity in the final seconds of the game, 10 to 9, in Portland. He then was assigned the tremendous job of establishing the physical training program for the 70,000 officers and men of the Atlantic Fleet Air Force. After his tour of duty in the Atlantic he moved to the Pacific where he was physical train ing officer for the air bases in the Central Pacific. At Honolulu he set up an eiglit team football league and at the end of the 1944 season, he coached the Navy All-Stars to a 14 to 0 win over the Army in the Poi Bowl. Tex served with the artil lery in the first war, and he is the only pre-war head football coach i ntlie conference who served with the armed forces. MARCHIE SCHWARTZ ... is shown (standing) with his 1946 Stanford grid squad that has been one of the surprise teams of the Pacific Coast conference this season. The Indians have two wins under their belts—Idaho and Clipper Smith’s highly touted USF Dons—and this weekend the Indians tangle with UCLA, current favorites for the PCC flag. (Courtesy the Oregonian.) Webfoots Scrimmage Behind Closed Doors Coach Tex Oliver held a secret practice session last night as he pushed the University of Oregon VVebfoots through their paces in preparation for the oncoming Uni versity of Montana Grizzlies. Thus far this week Oregon’s jun ior varsity squad has been running Montana plays against the varsity with success. Coach Doug Fessen den’s style of T-formation razzle dazzle, as demonstrated by John Warren’s JV squad has proved po tent. Head Coach Oliver’s biggest problem in the Saturday tussle is expected to be the Montana back field, which is considered one of the fastest quartets on the coast. Bij* Johnny Reagan, Grizzly half back who played ball against the Webfoots in 1941, has been used sparingly this year which gives some idea of Montana potency in the backfield. According to Backfield Coach Ben Winkelman, who scouted the Montana-Eastern Washington Col lege of Education game last Satur day, the Grizzlies play an inspired brand of ball. If Montana has a weakness, it is in line reserves. Coach Fessenden can throw two backfields of equal strength at Ore gon. Hayward ratones Jake Though Oregon’s All-American left half Jake Leicht is still on the injured list, there is hope that he will see action against the invaders from Missoula. The leg injury that Leicht received in the season open er with the College of Pacific has been getting the attention of famed Colonel Bill Hayward. Webfoot ob servers are hoping that with one of Colonel Bill's wire and glue protec tors Leicht will be able to play. Right Guard Jim Berwick is still ailing from his early season scrim mage injury and probably will not be ready by game time. Left end Dan Garza, another ball player with a bad leg is also in doubtful condi tion. Reserve fullback Bob Sanders is the only injured back. Though the Webfoots are well stocked in the point after touch down kicking dpeurtment, with Jake Leicht and Jim Newquist, still another kicker was added when left guard John Kauffman was used as converter in practice. Kauffman showed proficiency in Pipkin Peuietv... S^iad Sckland Tall, blonde haired Brad Ecklund leads the list of centers for the Ore gon football team this year. Brad has been a starter in all the games thus far and has consistently shown his ability as an outstanding center both on the offense and defense. Big “Shoes” Brad is a tower of strength in the line and one of the men that Tex Oliver could count on at the beginning of the season to deliver the goods. He is especially apt while on the defense where he assumes the line backing position, making the center of the Duck line one of the hardest spots to pene trate. An ex-marine with almost four years of service to his credit, Eck lund received valuable experience with the Jacksonville Air Station in 1943 and 1944 before he wTas sent overseas. One of his team mates on this service eleven was Oregon’s potent blocker, Duke Iversen. While playing for Don Farout’s team, both these men were picked for the mythical first-string of the all-Southeast ern servioe conference. Both boys were later chosen for the third string of the All-American ser vice teams. ' While with the marine corps, Ecklund saw duty in the South Pacific and on Okinawa where he was attached to the 2nd Marine divi sion. He was discharged November 27, 1945. Frosh in 1941 Besides the experience with the Marine team, Brad played one year with the undefeated Frosh club of 1941 and had high school ex perience with the Milwaukee, Ore gon, Maroons. In his opinion Oregon’s one-point the art ot place kicking when he added an extra point in a scrim mage against the junior varsity. In the punting department Ore gon's Webfoots are expected to hold their own against the Grizzlies. At last reports the Webfoot fullback has an average of 43 yards per punt this season, which is one of the high est in the nation. Brad Ecklund victory over the California Bears didn’t show the true facts. He be lieves that the Ducks showed the needed fight and consistent playing to forget the statistics that gave the Bears the edge. “It was a rough game; we had good blocking and tackling, plus spirit that was tops,’' was his opinion of the contest. He views the Montana game pessimistically and does not think that they will be a pushover. In fact, he expects them to be just as tough as the teams Oregon has faced so far. The Pacific Coast Conference Is a hard-hitttng and full-of-surprises league in his estimation. He pointed out that you don’t know who to watch out for. The men who receive the ballyhoo are good, but there is usually some unsung player that gives just as bad a time, and who hits and blocks just as hard. Played Baseball Football is not his only interest in the athletic world. He enjoys play* ing baseball and was a member of his high school team. He also played while he was in the service. Along with his sports mindedness are his hobbies, which include hunt ing and fishing. Like all the other grid men who list hunting as one of their favorite pastimes, Brad is un able to sojourn to the mountains this year to engage in the yearly hunting season. Two more years as center are on Brad’s slate as he is now a sophomore in physical education with plans of graduation listed (Please turn to parje six) ,