Youtube. Length: 3:58. Great Quality. 1981 National Championship video tribute created by Marc Parrish FOR ALL ROOS.
1981 National Champions Scrapbook
Part 1 & Part 2 PDF files. Adobe Acrobat recommended. Download may be required for best viewing, as images may not be sized correctly when embedded. Click the download buttons above found on the embed containers.
Imaged newspaper articles, photos, books, and specials of the championship season collected by Marc Parrish. Special thanks to John Sniffen, David Norman, Clayton Oliphint, Don Parnell, and Concordia Cobber Dwight Hintermeister for their contributions.
MP4 format. Length: 33:16. Color. Fair Quality. Only version which shows Branum field goal hitting the crossbar. Digitized by Marc Parrish. Special thanks to Clayton Oliphint for the original Betamax(!!!).
For our friends in Minnesota whom I've invited to contribute, a tribute to the 1981 NAIA Champion Concordia Cobbers.
ESPN highlights: Concordia College @ Austin College. December 12, 1981.
Gene Branum indicated to Marc Parrish that highlights of the Championship game appeared on ESPN (then 2 years old). Marc contacted his high school friend and ESPN fantasy sports analyst Matthew Berry to track the footage down. Unfortunately, Matthew was unable to locate. He also indicated that the ESPN archives from 1981 are incomplete.
Channel 4 (KDFW) highlights: Concordia College @ Austin College. December 12, 1981.
Clayton Oliphint indicated to Marc Parrish that Dale Hansen of Channel 4 (KDFW) ran highlights of the championship game throughout the following week. Dale Hansen is now with Channel 8 (WFAA). Marc dropped by the Dallas studios of KDFW on his way to a Roo football game in October 2016, and recruited the assistance of Jay Soules & Victor Nguyen at KDFW in an attempt to locate. Unfortunately, Jay reported back the following:
"Marc: I searched our available news library (dates back to 1978 on videotape) and we do not have any footage of the game. Unfortunately our sports library prior to fall 1988 no longer exists due to water damage."
Austin College @ Panhandle State. November 21, 1981.
Marc Parrish contacted Panhandle State SID Justine Gaskamp in an attempt to locate game film. Ms. Gaskamp was very helpful, but was unable to locate game film.
35th Anniversary local and national media interest
Marc Parrish contacted KDFW (Fox-DFW), WFAA (ABC-DFW), KXAS (NBC-DFW), KTVT (CBS-DFW), Fox Sports SW, and ESPN by email about the 35th anniversary. Background information was provided, as well as video footage of Austin College, the championship game, and the "kick". As of December 12, 2016, no responses have yet been received.
On this day 35 years ago, a small college in North Texas won
a national championship in football.
It all seemed unlikely.Academically oriented non-scholarship schools with small enrollments
don't win national titles in football.And yet, against all odds, Austin College did exactly that on December
12, 1981 by winning the NAIA Division II national championship.
OK, technically a co-championship.After dominating conference, earning a
playoff bid, and advancing to the title game, our beloved Kangaroos tied the
Concordia Cobbers (Morehead, MN) 24-24.Both schools share the championship honors that year.
While the 1981 title game was the first trip to the finals
for Austin College, Concordia had been there before.The seniors on the 1981 Cobber team already
had one NAIA D2 championship under their belt as freshmen, when the Cobbers
downed Findlay College 7-0 in Ohio in the final game.Even more remarkably, 1981 was not even the
first Cobber co-championship.Concordia
rallied to a 7-7 tie in 1964 against Sam Houston State to earn its first title.
In 1981, there would be yet another rally for a tie.The Roos found themselves down 10 late in the
4th quarter.A TD cut the deficit to
3.The defense held.And one final Roo drive began to determine a
winner.That drive methodically made its
way into Cobber territory.
But it stalled.
With 78 seconds left, the Roos faced a 4th-and-11 at the
Concordia 40.Coach Larry Kramer
considered going for it.His kicker,
however, begged for a chance to be sent in to tie the game with a field
goal.From 57 yards.
Gene Branum had kicked an NAIA playoff record 53-yard field
goal in the quarterfinals against Panhandle State.And now, with everything hanging in the
balance, Kramer relented and sent Branum in to do the near impossible."Just like practice, Gene", said
holder Jim Vice.
The snap was solid and the hold was true.The kick sailed south through the cold
Sherman air for an eternity, dropping slowly towards the back of the end
zone.None of the thousands in
attendance at Louis Calder stadium uttered a word.
The ball smacked the cross bar and bounced through.Of course it did.
The game was effectively over.After a few desperation plays, Concordia
intentionally let the clock run out to avoid any disaster deep in its
territory.Austin College had just
become the 10th college in the state of Texas to win a national championship in
football.And with the possible
exception of the 2006 Rose Bowl, none of the other Texas schools could claim a
championship won so dramatically.
When your humble author arrived on campus in the fall of 1988, the mythology
surrounding the 1981 team and "the kick" was already very
strong.Ask AC alumni today and they'll
tell you all about the kick.It was 143
yards long.The kicker was the great
grandson of Paul Bunyan himself.And the
ball hung on the cross bar for a full minute before the ghost of Pete Cawthon
blew it over.
That mythology was aided in part by the success of my team,
the 1988 Roos.The 1988 AC team was
arguably the second best squad of the Kramer-Tjeerdsma era, and hopes were high
that this group might just replicate the success of their 1981 counterparts.They certainly gave it a shot.The 1988 squad won conference and advanced to
the playoffs, but fell to eventual champion Westminster on a bitterly cold day
in Pennsylvania.
It's really, really hard to beat an NAIA power like
Westminster on a frigid Pennsylvania field.But not impossible.Just ask the
1981 Concordia Cobbers, who upset the Titans on the road in the 1981 semifinals
to earn a trip to Sherman.In fact,
without that Cobber upset, the 1981 Roo season might have ended on the exact
same Titan field as the 1988 Roo season.
I've always compared the 1981 national championship game to
one played 13 years earlier in Cambridge, MA.In 1968, a dominant Yale team traveled to Harvard in what would turn out
to be one of the most famous matchups in the history of the rivalry.Yale held a 29-13 lead with under a minute to
play.Yet miraculously, Harvard scored a
TD and 2-point conversion, recovered an onside kick, scored a second TD, and on
the final play of the game converted a second 2 point conversion to tie Yale.
The famous headline of the Harvard Crimson the next
day?"Harvard beats Yale,
29-29".
That sounds about right."Austin College wins national championship, 24-24."
The video is a tribute to Austin College, the 1981 team, the
championship, and the kick.It was
created for all Roos.This entire post,
the writing, and the reflections to come are a celebration of both teams.Over the past few months I have spent time
finding as many folks as I could who were on the field that day, in the hopes
that they would be inspired to tell their story.
While I love to tell a good AC sports story, I could never
do this one justice compared to those who were actually on the 1981 teams or
those who were in the stands on that frigid December day.If you were there, please tell your story in
the comments below.I can promise you
that there will be many others besides myself who will be glued to your words.
One of the joys of sport are the "moments".After a lifetime of work and a season of
preparation, outcomes come down to mere seconds.The jump shot.The at-bat.The birdie putt.The
tiebreaker.And of course the field
goal.These moments can at times break
our hearts.But they can also be sources
of celebration and pride that last a lifetime.The “kick" is one of those moments.
I love the success of the 1981 Roos.I love the conference championship.I love the playoff run.And I love the national title.But more than anything, I love the
“kick".The kick is joy.And it does not solely belong to the 1981
team.The kick belongs to all Roos.
It’s Friday afternoon, and Austin College Homecoming weekend is here! Time for another “Roo Tale”.
Well, sorta. :)
As some of you might be aware, over the past year I’ve been telling stories of Austin College Sports
from 25, 50, and 100+ years ago. They are a lot of fun for me to
write, and hopefully they are an enjoyable read as well. There are many
more to come. For those interested in reading all Roo Tales to date,
visit the archive:
But for me personally, all of them ultimately take a back seat to the
best tale of them all. The story of the 1981 NAIA D2 National Champion
Austin College football team.
We are two months removed from the
35th anniversary of the national championship game, when the Kangaroos
dramatically fought the Concordia Cobbers to a draw in Sherman. The tie
earned both schools a national co-championship. On December 12, 2016, I
plan on adding a few words of my own about the game and the national
title, from the perspective of an AC student who arrived on campus in
1988 when the mythology of the 1981 team was strong.
I’ll also be
posting a tribute video to the 1981 Roos. It’s about 80% done and ……….
I ain’t gonna lie, it’s pretty doggone good. I no longer have a need
for my Rocky IV soundtrack. To start my day, I just queue up the 1981
Roos video and I’ve got all the motivation I need before heading into
work. And it wasn’t even that difficult. I mean, at the end of the day
this story pretty much just writes itself, doesn’t it?
But the
main reason for this particular Roo tale to come is pretty simple. I
think it would be a whole lot of fun to get everyone who was on the
field and in the stands on that cold December day back together again to
talk about the season, the game, the championship, and of
course………..”the kick”.
I’ve communicated this idea to AC athletic
director David Norman (of the 1981 Roos). Coach Norman likely thinks
I’m way over the top with all of this, and of course he would be right
on the money. :)
I’ve also been in contact with Concordia Tri-captain Dwight
Hintermeister (of the 1981 Cobbers), who is helping me round up all of
the Cobbers who might be interested in telling their stories as well.
Thanks Dwight!
Just as important is to get the stories from the
fans who were there that day. My former boss of 16 years, Mr. John
Cotton (AC ’84), was there. We spent more than a few days talking about
this game instead of doing I.T. work for the University of Texas.
Priorities, people. ;)
Also, my good friend Kevin Krause who graduated with me in 1992 was
there as an 11 year old. Kevin’s father Ken Krause is a former Roo
football player from over 50 years ago. John was kind enough to
introduce me to Bill Magers at City Limits during Legends last summer;
looking forward to meeting other ’81 Roos as well.
And there are
probably a lot of Roos my age who were not there, but were heavily
influenced by the folk tale that was the 1981 season and final game.
Their stories should be included as well.
So this post is the
beginning of a big roundup. I need your help! There are probably lots
of folks who should be included and tagged that I just have not yet met.
The fact that I don’t know them shouldn’t stop us from finding and
including.
This post is public, and can be shared far and wide.
Anyone highlighted below is a tagged Facebook (FB) friend. Anyone not
highlighted below is someone on FB who has yet to accept a friend
request from me. Please encourage them to accept or send me a request
if they would like to tell their story. Also, please encourage anyone
not on the lists below who is on FB and would like to tell their story
to PM me and send a friend request. I will update the lists below as
more come in over the next two months. Then I’ll tag everyone on
December 12th.
Old gridiron warriors are like veterans. They can
sometimes be reluctant to tell their stories. But doggone it, often
the tales are too good and they need to be told. The amazing season of
1981 just cries out for storytellers.
The 1981 NAIA D2 National Co-Champion Concordia Cobbers:
Reid Christopherson, Bob Michaelson,
John Solheim, David Rosengren, Greg Brolsma, Brian Kirkhorn, John
Burns, Mark Wanner, Bruce Rimmereid, John Teeling, Mark Tommerdahl, Doug
McMillan, Dwight Hintermeister, Bruce Winter, Kris Lahren, Lee Crum, Craig Simmons, Brad Larson, Greg Richardson, Donald Klatt, Thomas Dessaint, Stuart Alger, Cobber Sid (Concordia Athletics Page)
For those of you at Homecoming this weekend, have a great time. I
won’t be there, but will be in the Outback with some other Roos two
weeks later to see AC take on Southwestern. If you happen to be at that
game, stop on by and say hello. We’ll chat next to the south goal
post…….my favorite goal post. ;)
See y’all in December. Go Roos!
Austin College vs. Concordia Pregame Ceremonies, December 12th, 1981.
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
Coach Bob Mason and President Harry Smith at the start of the 1981 NAIA D2 National Championship Game in Sherman, TX.
I've lived through eight presidential elections since December 12,
1981. If I'm fortunate, I'll see another eight. Go vote if you have
not done so.
AC Coach Larry Kramer and William Jewell Coach Vic
Wallace meet at midfield before the NAIA D2 semifinal at Louis Calder
stadium on December 5, 1981. William Jewell came into the game as an
undefeated conference champion.
Austin College would win 33-28 and advance to the national championship game.
AC Coach Vance Morris was a William Jewell teammate of Bill Snyder in
the late 1950s. Both were lured to AC by Kramer in the mid 70s, before
Snyder departed and eventually made his way to Kansas State. Coach
Morris was still around in 1981 though, and helped the Roos defeat his
alma mater. Kramer would finish his coaching career as a Big XII
assistant to Snyder in Manhattan, KS.
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
Politics is important. Politics is a noble cause. And in America, politics never ends. Nor should it.
But the mind needs respite. The soul craves sanctuary. And sport provides.
Sport is where we know that the battle is honorable, and the outcome
just. It is what we wish life to be. Which is why we always come back. I
hope the story of the 1981 Roos provides that refuge this month.
William Jewell was famous for its trick plays, and in desperation they
pulled one out of their bag.
Down 5 in the final minute and facing a 4th
& long, the Cardinals tight end took the hand off and ran a
misdirection sweep, hopefully to TD glory and a semifinal playoff win.
The Roos were not fooled.
Coach David Norman (#7), Randy Sims (#66), Jimmy Curry
(#2), and others on the Roo defense were waiting. Turnover on downs.
Celebration. Game Over. On to the NAIA D2 National Championship game.
Hey Young Roos, check it out! And you thought Coach Norman was just your Athletic Director...........
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
Bill Magers charges, and the Roos knock off Trinity in Sherman during the National Championship season of 1981.
I have my Roo buddies; so does my former boss of 15 years John Cotton.
When he'd head up to Sherman from time to time, I'd ask him who he'd be
seeing.
"I'm gonna go see the Mayor!"
I knew who he was talking about. Bill has moved on and is no longer the
Mayor of Sherman, but he's still the Mayor to me. John was kind enough
to introduce me to Bill at City Limits earlier this year.
Trinity
is AC's oldest rival, but you would not have known it in 1981. The Roos
knocked off the Tigers twice that year, and the seniors on that
championship team were lifetime 7-0-1 against those other Presbyterians.
AC ends their season in San Antonio tomorrow against Trinity. Go Roos!
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
Yes young Roos, we had planes in 1981...
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
Facing
a fourth-and-long in the waning seconds, Larry Shillings finds an open
Clayton Oliphint, who plows across the goal line for a game winning TD.
Austin College defeats Sul Ross 17-14 on Homecoming day. The win allows
the Roos to catch the first place Lobos in the TIAA conference race.
We are all familiar with the "kick". But without this TD, there is no
conference championship, no playoff appearance, no national
championship, and.................there is no "kick".
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
The Parrish boys are College Station boys, just like the Fedora boys.
We are A&M Consolidated Tigers. Along with many others, my folks
arrived in the mid-70s, as Brazos County began to benefit from OPEC oil
politics.
And so it was with pride that I offered my Dad a little
AC Roos / AMC Tigers trivia on a random weekend in the 1990s. He one
upped me.
"Hey Dad, did you know AMC Tiger Larry Fedora was a member of that AC championship team?" "I did. Did you know their QB was a Bryan Viking?" “You're kidding."
College Station kids around 1981 would cheer for our struggling AMC
Tigers, but we'd also watch our neighbors in Bryan with awe. The Vikings
won state titles in basketball, had numerous playoff runs in football,
and provided instant classic matchups with rival Temple. The Merrill
Green era produced some tremendous athletes, many of whom would head to
nearby Texas A&M to compete. Curtis Dickey, Rudy Woods, and Rod
Bernstine are just a few.
Larry Shillings
belongs in that group. I was too young to ever see him compete, but
other friends and family were not. The 1981 Roos, like most AC teams,
were composed primarily of fellas in and around the Metroplex. But the
secret sauce of the championship team? My home. Brazos Valley, baby.
While he gave a lot to high school fans in Bryan, I'm glad he saved his
best stuff for Sherman. Looking forward to meeting you one day Larry.
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
I'll take amazingly prophetic Gene Branum headlines for $100, Alex...
Fall 1988. I cheer on my 1988 Roos as they attempt to replicate the
success of the 1981 Roos. Didn't you hear? National Champions. "Dramatic
field goal by Gene Branum." Gene Branum, Gene Branum, Gne Brnm...
Spring 1989. I sign up for a fraternity. Start memorizing the founding
fathers or else. Repeat a gazillion times. "Start with this guy, Gene
Branum." Gene Branum, Gene Branum, Gne Brnm...
Summer 1989. I head home for College Station. Mom greets me at the
door. "Sorry son, left your father. Headed west with Gene Branum." Gene
Branum, Gene Branum, Gne Brnm...
OK, one of those might not be exactly true.
Gene Branum (#10) and Dwight Hintermeister (#73) accept individual
honors after the National Championship game on December 12, 1981. Game
MVP? Captains? Someone in Facebook land will have to reveal the answer.
Dwight, I'm going to do one last round of Facebook messaging to the
Cobbers I've identified, so that more friend requests will be accepted
and I can tag on 12/12. No obligation for them of course. The post will
be public, so all Cobbers can comment even without accepting a friend
request. Would love for as many Concordia folks as possible to tell
their stories and have their co-championship honored.
Also, I'm
working on a little Cobber tribute video too. Granted, not gonna be
nearly as good as the Roo video. But it feels appropriate to me and hope
you enjoy. Found the Cobber fight song on the web!
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
A Happy Thanksgiving holiday weekend to you all!
It’s the
oldest lesson in sports, yet it’s the one most frequently ignored.
Never, ever give your opponents bulletin board material.
Austin
College journeyed to Goodwell, Oklahoma to take on Panhandle State in
the first round of the NAIA playoffs. The Aggies were an undefeated
conference champion playing at home.
Panhandle State had a size advantage. They were big, bigger than the
Roos, and way bigger than Rory Dukes……….Austin College’s sure-handed,
speedy, tough, yet diminutive receiver. At the pregame meal, the
snickers and chuckles began. And the seething Roos heard them all.
“Poor Aggies”.
The motivated Roos came out guns a blazing. By halftime, AC held a 21-0
lead thanks in part to two Larry Shillings-to-Rory Dukes TDs. A second
half comeback by Panhandle made things interesting, but an NAIA playoff
record 53-yard field goal by Gene Branum put the game out of reach.
That NAIA playoff record kick only lasted a total of 3 weeks. Somebody should go find and tell that story. ;)
With the win, the TIAA had finally notched its first ever NAIA playoff
victory. The Roos came home for a semifinal matchup with William Jewell
in Sherman. Like Panhandle State, the Cardinals were also an undefeated
conference champion. Unlike Panhandle State however, the Cardinals had
just knocked off defending NAIA champion and #1 ranked Pacific Lutheran
(WA). National Championships are never easy.
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
Greg Garrison scores, and the Roos beat defending TIAA Champion McMurry in Sherman.
The Roos would later defeat McMurry again in Abilene, clinching a conference championship and earning an NAIA playoff birth.
The newly reformed TIAA had not had much success in the NAIA playoffs,
as one conference champion after another bowed out in the first round.
Tarleton fell in 1978. The Roos lost in Kansas in 1979. And McMurry was
sent packing in 1980.
After the
game in Abilene, McMurry coach Spud Aldridge did something very
uncharacteristic. He spoke to the Roos in the visiting locker room, and
asked them to win it all...........for the conference.
Over the
final 7 games, Austin College faced 4 undefeated foes. None would win.
However, 3 of the 4 came up short at the friendly confines of Louis
Calder stadium. 1 perfect opponent would have to be defeated on the
road. The Roos prepared to travel to Oklahoma.
"Thanks" for "giving" the Roos the pep talk Coach. I suspect they did you proud.
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
The Roos were behind in 6 games during the 1981 season, and the
national semifinal against William Jewell in Sherman was no exception.
Finlay Woodruff (#82), Fouad Faris (#40), Mackey Clark (#54), Stuart
Oliphint (#43), and Jeff McCord (#29) on punt coverage early in the
game.
Don Tafelski (#21) and Jason Schiflett (#5) block a WJ punt
in the first quarter, leading to a Clayton Oliphint TD which erases an
early Cardinal lead.
Finlay
Woodruff (#82), David Adams (#70), Don Parnell (#65), Greg Cason (#57),
and Eddie Shuttlesworth (#53) push back the Cardinals DL and Larry
Shillings (#12) scores on a sneak. The TD would give the Roos a margin
William Jewell would not be able to overcome.
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
I have a rule. If a 1981 Roo likes or comments, I go out and find 'em. I think I'm all caught up.
A Larry Shillings to David Simmons (#44) screen pass puts AC up 9 in the second half against William Jewell. Greg Larson (#73) and Russell Roden (#26) blocking lead the way.
My good friend Wayne Whitmire
had a great idea yesterday. Submit this story to local (DFW) &
national (ESPN, Fox Sports) media. I'll be doing a little of that this
weekend, by emailing the story details plus content (yes, video of the "kick"). Great stories should be shared.
Gene Branum
has indicated to me that he will offer some words on the December 12th
online anniversary to come. I'm excited to read, and encourage all of
you to do the same. This story only gets better when those who were on
the field or in the stands write.
Pretty much daily posting for the next 12 days. If you don't like Roo football, you might want to unfollow me. :)
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
"If they didn't get their money's worth today, they can come back
next week", shouted Coach Larry Kramer after the Roos defeated William
Jewell at home and began preparations to face Concordia in the NAIA
finals in Sherman.
And if you didn't get your money's worth the next week either? Well, there just ain't pleasin' some people....
Paula Young Morris
posted a tremendous photo of Coaches Morris, Snyder, and Kramer at
Legends in 2012. See comments for the photo. Morris & Kramer are in that celebration picture somewhere; I think I have them spotted.
By 1981, Snyder had left UNT for Iowa with Hayden Fry, and was
preparing for a January 1st date with Washington in the Rose Bowl. Was
Coach Snyder in Sherman in December? My guess is no; Big Ten
championships make a busy coach's life even busier. But some of you may
know the answer.
Next week, it's all Roos & Cobbers.
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
Jimmy Curry (#2) closes in on the WJ quarterback in the NAIA semifinal game in Sherman.
Larry Shillings (#12) fires a bullet into the end zone, with the 1981
AC campus in the background. No IDEA Center, no Abell Library, and a
clear view to Baker Hall. I think I see Wayne Whitmire and Kelly
Carver's room.
Van Hargis (#25) scores on a screen pass to put the Roos on the board in the first quarter.
If you think this game is fun, wait till next week. ;)
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
In the 1981 quarterfinals, the Roos faced an undefeated conference
champion team that currently resides in its college's hall of fame.
In the 1981 semifinals, the Roos faced an undefeated conference
champion team that currently resides in its college's hall of fame.
The Concordia Cobbers came to Sherman to faceoff against the Kangaroos
for the 1981 NAIA D2 championship. The Cobbers were...........an
undefeated conference champion team that currently resides in its
college's hall of fame.
All this week, the greatest moment in AC sports history.
As a reminder, on Monday December 12th I will be launching a 1981 Kangaroos home page. The page includes:
(1) A National Champions tribute video (it's good!)
(2) A National Champions scrapbook (also good!)
(3) All game film accumulated to date
Please continue to send me additional content after December 12th. I'll add to the home page and will send out updates.
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more” – William Shakespeare
In the half century history of the Super Bowl, only one team has ever
erased a two-score 4th quarter deficit. The New England Patriots
overcame a 10-point Seattle Seahawks lead in the last period to win
Super Bowl 49 in Phoenix.
As the 4th quarter began on December
12, 1981 in Sherman, the Roos also found themselves down 10 to the
Cobbers. But a determined drive would soon put AC in the red zone.
In both games, the lead was cut to three on short TD passes to
receivers from Texas. For the Patriots, it was Brady-to-Amendola. For
the Roos? Shillings-to-Oliphint.
But time was slowly ticking away. The Cobbers now had the ball with
the lead late in the game, and the AC fans and sidelines were hoping,
cheering, and pleading for the Roo defense to force a three-and-out.
They got it.
Concordia’s punt was a touchback, and the Roos had the ball once more
at their own 20. One final drive, to decide a championship. Just like
Super Bowl 49 itself, that drive would end dramatically.
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
“Believe you can and you're halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
I was a senior at Austin College 10 years after the championship. As I
made preparations for a Jan Term in Mexico, I stopped by Roo QB John
Talley's house to watch some NFL playoffs. My Oilers were taking on John
Elway and the Broncos in Denver.
Things looked good. With a
1-point lead late, Denver faced a 4th-and-6 deep in its territory. One
stop, and Houston was on its way to the AFC Championship. But John Elway
had other plans. With nobody open, Elway took off left and just barely
converted to keep the drive alive. A David Treadwell field goal won it
for Denver.
As the minutes
ticked down, the final Roo drive marched methodically into Cobber
territory. But it ran into trouble. At the Concordia 46, Austin College
faced a 4th-and-4. One stop, and the game was over. The anticipation on
the Cobber sidelines was visible.
The Roos ran an option left, and Greg Garrison was available for a pitch.
Shillings darted for daylight as if the season depended upon it. The
Cobbers caught up to him, but it was too late. First down just inside
the Cobber 40. Drive alive. Game alive. Season alive. National
Championship alive.
The Roo drive was halfway there, but would advance no further. However, Shillings’s run had put Austin College in Gene Branum’s field goal range…….by inches.
Just like Jim Vice of the Roos, the holder of that game winning David
Treadwell kick in Denver was the backup QB. Gary Kubiak is known for a
number of things, including leading his Texas Aggies to an Independence
Bowl victory……….on December 12, 1981.
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination” – Tommy Lasorda
“With that kind of courage, how could I turn him down? I waved at him
and said ‘Go ahead’.” – Austin College Coach Larry Kramer
“In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take” – Author unknown
Coach Dale: All right, listen up. Here's what we're gonna do. Jimmy,
they'll be expecting you to take the last shot. We're gonna use you as a
decoy. Buddy, you get the ball, give it to Merle on the picket fence.
He's gonna take the last shot. All right, let's go. What's the matter
with you guys? What's the matter with you?
Chitwood: I’ll make it.
At the time of Gene Branum's
kick, only 25 men had ever kicked a field goal longer than 57 yards in
the modern college game. 14 of the 25 would end up kicking
professionally on Sunday. None of their kicks directly impacted the
outcome of their games.
To see the kick in all of its glory, wait until Monday’s tribute video. You’ll be glad you did.
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
“Adversity causes some men to break; others to break
records.” – William Arthur Ward
“Football is a game of inches and inches make the champion.”
– Vince Lombardi
“It was one HECK of a kick.” – Legendary Concordia Cobbers
Coach Jim Christopherson
“You find out life's this game of inches, so is football.
Because in either game - life or football - the margin for error is so small. I
mean, one half a step too late or too early and you don't quite make it. One
half second too slow, too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need
are everywhere around us. They're in every break of the game, every minute,
every second. On this team we fight for that inch.” – Tony D’Amato, Any Given
Sunday
Today’s writing comes from the
1981 ACKnowledge Special about the Championship season.Is this your writing John Sniffen? It’s great stuff. But tomorrow’s writing is my favorite.
Today’s photo is also
great.But tomorrow’s photo is also my
favorite.In fact, it took me 35 years
to see tomorrow’s photo.Thanks to
Clayton Oliphint, that wait ended.
Maybe that wait will end for
some of you too.
To see the kick in all of its glory, wait until Monday’s
tribute video.You’ll be glad you did.
I'll be posting these photos sporadically over the next
month until the 35th anniversary. See you on December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
It's a game of inches...
“They made the center crossbar
so that it extended from end to end at the middle of the frames.” – Exodus
36:33
“Go up to the land flowing with
milk and honey.” – Exodus 33:3
To see the kick in all of its
glory, wait until Monday’s tribute video.You’ll be glad you did.
I'll be posting these photos
sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on
December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
Akers pays a tribute to crossbar Branum...
I’ve actually been thinking about this story for some time…
While walking around Louis Calder stadium, I began to wonder about Branum’s
view. What was he looking at, standing at midfield, focused, waiting
for the snap, stepping forward, putting foot to ball, and directing a
pigskin to a crossbar from roughly 60 yards away from where I’m
standing?
“The harder the conflict, the
more glorious the triumph.” – Thomas Paine
“Joy is a divine gift…” – Pastor
Clayton Oliphint
“Celebrate good times, come on”
– Kool & The Gang
December 12, 1981 was a big day
for Texas football.
In Texas high school football,
G.A. Moore and the North Texas community of Pilot Point advanced to the state
title game, where they would later when the championship.Last night, the family of 1981 Roo Bill
Magers and the North Texas community of Gunter advanced to the state title game
in Dallas.Go Gunter!Go Roos!
In McAllen, Texas State defeated
North Dakota State for the NCAA D2 National Championship.North Dakota State is located just a few
miles from Concordia.
In Shreveport, Texas A&M
defeated Oklahoma State to win the Independence Bowl.The Aggies go bowling this month against Roo
Bill Snyder and Kansas State.
In Dallas, Tom Landry, Danny
White, and the Dallas Cowboys were preparing for an NFC East clinching win
against Philadelphia at Texas Stadium the following day. Today, Jason Garrett, Dak Prescott, and the
Dallas Cowboys are also preparing for an NFC East clinching win tomorrow.
All big events, and the Dallas
Morning News sports section ran stories on all of them.But in the end, only one story can be “page
one, top-of-the-fold”.See all the joy in
the comments below.
To see the kick in all of its glory, wait until Monday’s
tribute video.You’ll be glad you did.
I'll be posting these photos
sporadically over the next month until the 35th anniversary. See you on
December 12th. http://bit.ly/2ep3Y5N
"Those kids
made a heck of a coach out of me." - Larry Kramer
“Enough tribute can never be paid to Larry Kramer. He was a
force of pure will. He put a lasting imprint on those of us fortunate enough to
play for him.” – Gene Branum
“Coach Kramer made champions and men out of us one at a
time but figured out how to get us all to play as one champion.” – Van Hargis
“I've often been asked in the years since Lake
Placid what was the best moment for me.Well,
it was here.The sight of young men of
such differing backgrounds now standing as one.Young men willing to sacrifice so much of themselves all for an unknown.”
– Coach Herb Brooks, in “Miracle”
"I feel as happy as I did when I was at Nebraska and
we won the Orange Bowl.It's the exact
same feeling.Football is the same
wherever you are. The field is always 100 yards long. The same feeling is
there, whether you are playing in a small stadium or whether there are 100,000
people in the stands." – Larry Kramer, as retold by Russell Roden
“You can come to AC and win
championships, it just won't be in front of 50,000 people.” – Coach Larry
Kramer, to Larry Shillings
“Buddy.Hold this
under the backboard.”
- 15 feet.
“15 feet. Strap, put Ollie on your shoulders. Measure this from the rim.”
- Ten feet.
“Ten feet. I think you'll find this is the exact same measurements as our gym
in Hickory. OK, let's get dressed for practice.” – Coach Norman Dale, in “Hoosiers”
This post is dedicated to Austin College Coach Larry Kramer (1942-2014). Herb Brooks & Larry Kramer are both Minnesota natives, and Coach Kramer’s defining moment at AC came against a team from Minnesota.
The 1981 Kangaroos were picked
to finish third…………in conference.They
finished first…….in the nation.
Thanks to all of you for letting
me tell the best AC Roo Tale ever told.It’s been a lot of fun for me, and I hope you enjoyed.I’ll have a few final words tomorrow, but at
this point I am just as interested in reading.If moved to write, thank you in advance.
The 1981 tribute video,
scrapbook, and game film are all ready to go.They’ll be hosted on a new “Roo Tale” blog to be posted tomorrow.On this blog, you’ll also be able to read
older Roo Tales already written, and newer stories still to come.Roo Tale suggestions are always encouraged.
For those interested in
financially supporting, there are also giving links to both “Austin College”
and “AC Athletic Enrichment”.Go Roos.
As for the guys on the 1981
team, I’m looking forward to crashing your next reunion.You can count on me lobbying for a future
Roo-Cobber flag football OT anniversary extravaganza.Maybe we should finish this thing. :)
