Brooks
(Continued from Page 11)
Brooks. "I’d like to have them win
more than one or two conference
games, and to have them know
they haven’t conceded anything to
anybody.”
Comerback Reggie Grant is
one senior who sees his role very
clearly. “We re the foundation for
the future. The freshmen that are
here now are going to reap the
benefits of what we start," he said.
“It's been a traumatic experience
for me, going through three
coaches, because we never had
the leader in the head coach.
There’s the difference this year.
"Rich Brooks has more control
of the program," Grant added.
“He is the man, and he controls
what happens in the program.
Coach Read didn’t."
Dick Arbuckle, now head coach
at Sheldon High School, coached
defense for Don Read last year.
When comparing regimes a while
back, he saw some differences.
“The new staff has more money,”
he said. It s the old story — one
staff has to fight like a dog to get
financial support, and the new
staff gets everything plus.”
It’s an advantage that Brooks
and his staff are putting to good
use. “We've been recruiting all
summer long," said Brooks.
‘We've been all over, and there
should be some great players
there for next season."
Despite getting a late start in
recruiting this year, the new staff
managed to lure Junior College
standouts Willie Blasher and
Kenny Bryant, along with fresh
men Dan Daly, Vince Goldsmith
and Gary Beck, among others.
"This year, that talent being
utilized,” said Grant. "Before, it
wasn't being utilized. Hell, we had
the backs to run with the ball — of
the six we had, four were junior
college All-Americans — but it
was wasted talent, because
coach Read was going to pass.
It's all right to throw, but at some
point you're going to have to put
the ball on the ground."
It was said last year that the
Ducks would "live or die through
the air," and it doesn't take a
genius to call the result. But Ar
buckle, for one, feels the pressure
was placed on the coaching staff
and the team
"All the publicity that sur
rounded the wide-open business
was a concoction by the new ath
letic director to sell tickets,'’ he
said. "The pressure came from
having to fill the stadium and get
more money coming in."
“Dr. Caine and Dr. Boyd are try
ing," said Grant. “Football sup
ports the University. Not just odd
dollars and cents, but real big
money. It’s all economic; if you
produce, you're successful. It's
like a job.”
An old investment rule says that
you have to spend money to make
money. And the administration
had to spend a little to snatch their
coaching staff from Cal, UCLA,
Washington State, Idaho and
two large junior colleges. "All the
coaches are trying to do,” says
Brooks, "is to make each player
the best player he can be.”
"The philosophy is that you
have to pay the price to win,” said
Grant. ‘‘Coach Brooks is the
leader, and if you produce he will
take care of you. Coach Read
tried to take care of everybody,
and didn’t have the control that
Coach Brooks does.’’
At the outset, it may sound
somewhat autocratic to take care
of only those who put out, but after
all, Brooks is rebuilding a pro
gram. “The coaches will perform
the job in the way that they do to
win — you have to do the job,’’
said Brooks. “It helps if a relation
ship develops, but the main thing
is teaching these guys technique
and their assignment.
"If a player hates me and plays
good, that’s the way it is,” he con
tinued. “If he does things my way,
then he can think I’m an ass.”
Not many do.
“I thought the change was'
wrong at first," said Henderson.
“But now I’m the first to retract that
statement. The coaches are all
class individuals.
“And,” he added with a tired
smile, “I’ve worked harder this fall
than anytime before.”
Which, in essence, is what the
administration and staff are look
ing for. "It seems like they’ve
commited themselves to win
ning,” said Arbuckle, “and if they
don’t pull the rug out from under
him, I sincerely hope Rich Brooks
can do the job.”
Thus the season begins minus
the proclamations of the past. And
to the casual observer, the promo
tion might seem a bit mundane.
Running Back Dennis Bullock
doesn’t think so. ' Coach Brooks is
more realistic, and so are we,” he
said. We won’t go to the Rose
Bowl; it’s not going to happen
overnight, but we will be strong
and you won’t see anymore 53-0.”
You’d certainly hope not. After
that loss which sent the Ducks on
their way like a punch-drunk
fighter, even the billboard at
Sambo’s could only say “oops.”
This year Rich Brooks would
prefer to let his team do the talk
ing. On the field.
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