We end this volume of This Day in UTA Football History with the 1972 season. This really was the tale of two seasons. UT-Arlington started the year 0-6. The first five games were not close. The Mavericks opened the year with a 38-17 loss to Southern Mississippi, followed by a 21-3 loss to Oklahoma State, a 38-24 setback to Toledo, a 38-14 drubbing to TCU and 35-14 conference-opening defeat to Louisiana Tech. UTA lost by an average margin of almost 20 points in these games. It felt like the same ole, same ole of the past two seasons to UTA fans.
Then they started to get it. The following game against New Mexico State, only a 17-12 road loss, the offense started to click. In no coincidence, this was the game where star running back Dexter Bussey figured out how to be the star. The Oklahoma transfer ran for 146 on 21 carries for his first 100-yard game of the season. Sid Sims ran for 106 yards in that game as well.
It wouldn't be the last 100-yard game for either. Bussey ran for a program record 225 yards against Abilene Christian (that record still stands today) in a 36-22 win, 130 yards against West Texas State in a 20-7 victory, 114 yards versus Lamar in a 10-3 triumph. The only win where he didn't get over 100 was a 7-0 squeaker of Southwestern Louisiana, but the lone touchdown came at his doing
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Friday, November 24, 2017
Complete Load of ...
I needed to take a couple of days to let the pure emotion of UT Arlington's game against #25 Alabama sink in.
I need to first open with me saying how proud I am the guys fought through toughness. That road game sounded like a true test with the almost 12,000 in attendance. That's the only time I am okay with the Mavericks being outnumbered, the sixth man if you will.
But I'm going to come out and say it. In 160 plus posts on this blog you have never read the following statement. Those referees were such horse crap that they ought to be ashamed of themselves!
23 fouls to 13 isn't that big, but seven attempted free throws to 24. UTA made 31 out of 60 field goals to Alabama's 27 of 53. UTA won the FG percentage battle 51.7 to 50.9. UTA won the three-point battle in both shots made (ten to eight) and percentage (47.6 to 32). So offensively they were better. Translating that to the defensive side, UTA had the advantage. Add in the 33 to 28 rebounding margin and UTA clearly was the better defensive team.
I need to first open with me saying how proud I am the guys fought through toughness. That road game sounded like a true test with the almost 12,000 in attendance. That's the only time I am okay with the Mavericks being outnumbered, the sixth man if you will.
But I'm going to come out and say it. In 160 plus posts on this blog you have never read the following statement. Those referees were such horse crap that they ought to be ashamed of themselves!
23 fouls to 13 isn't that big, but seven attempted free throws to 24. UTA made 31 out of 60 field goals to Alabama's 27 of 53. UTA won the FG percentage battle 51.7 to 50.9. UTA won the three-point battle in both shots made (ten to eight) and percentage (47.6 to 32). So offensively they were better. Translating that to the defensive side, UTA had the advantage. Add in the 33 to 28 rebounding margin and UTA clearly was the better defensive team.
No Better Start
The young 2017-18 NCAA basketball season is barely a week old for the UT Arlington basketball teams. While it hasn't always been pretty, both teams sit undefeated to this point. It all started with homecoming wins on November 11.
And that leads me to the "it hasn't always been pretty" part. The men opened the season with high expectations as the preseason favorites in the Sun Belt Conference.Yes, there were a lot of losses with grind it out guys like Jorge Bilbao, Jalen Jones and Drew Charles gone. But with senior leadership from NBA-caliber players Eric Neal and Kevin Hervey, also known as the Sun Belt preseason player of the year, there is a lot of firepower. Those two, especial Neal on the point, make everyone better.
The big question mark going in was how the interior defensive play would shape up. After the homecoming game against Loyola Marymount, it was no clearer.
And that leads me to the "it hasn't always been pretty" part. The men opened the season with high expectations as the preseason favorites in the Sun Belt Conference.Yes, there were a lot of losses with grind it out guys like Jorge Bilbao, Jalen Jones and Drew Charles gone. But with senior leadership from NBA-caliber players Eric Neal and Kevin Hervey, also known as the Sun Belt preseason player of the year, there is a lot of firepower. Those two, especial Neal on the point, make everyone better.
The big question mark going in was how the interior defensive play would shape up. After the homecoming game against Loyola Marymount, it was no clearer.
Saturday, November 18, 2017
UTA FB Vol. 5 Gm. 12 - Winning it All
Hard for me to imagine a scenario where I go four games since last spotlighting the 1967 team, but that's how the scheduling works sometimes. I did cover them three times in five games in the first half of the This Day in UTA Football Series, but those were either big games or meant more than what the other seasons offered.
One of the notable things about this year's team was just how good they were.
The newly-named University of Texas Arlington Rebels were of a season in which they won a share of the Southland Conference Championship, but it was Lamar that owned the tie-breaker and they went to the Pecan Bowl in 1966.
One of the notable things about this year's team was just how good they were.
The newly-named University of Texas Arlington Rebels were of a season in which they won a share of the Southland Conference Championship, but it was Lamar that owned the tie-breaker and they went to the Pecan Bowl in 1966.
UTA FB Vol. 5 Gm. 11 - Ending the Season
Since we last looked at the 1961 season, the Arlington State College Rebels had just lost to McMurray. That started a mini-slide where they would lose two of three. The following week, they rebounded to a 19-14 road win at Trinity, but lost at home to Abilene Christian, 17-15 the week later.
Those last two teams would be a staple of the Rebel schedule. Both the Tigers and Wildcats first played ASC in 1960, and would do so til the early 1970's. All three were founding members of the Southland Conference.
That always made me wonder if there were other teams invited who declined to join the SLC. Louisiana Tech appeared frequently on the Reb schedule. Northeastern Louisiana, now Louisiana-Monroe did too. We they invited and declined? I don't know that we'll ever know. I have never been able to find any definitive answers. Those things are hard to find, even today.
UTA FB Vol. 5 Gm. 10 - Too Little...
In last week's installment of This Day in UTA Football History, the 1972 UT Arlington Mavericks started the season 0-6 before claiming their first win. 1978 is about as twin as twin could get. There are so many parallels between the to that it is hard to keep straight. Both seasons featured similar starts, ends, records and game dates. Opponents were similar and exactly the same in some games. Two of the non-conference opponents were the same and four of the five SLC games were the same. They lost a non-conference game against an opponent on the road that I'm convinced would have been a home win (see the season opener here). The offenses were run first and starred a running back with All-America potential and NFL-staying power.
And all my gripes from last week apply here as well, mostly.
For the first time since 1967, UTA played more than one September home game. Sadly, the September curse didn't lift and the Mavs lost an 18-10 affair to West Texas State and met the eventual conference champions to open the conference season, a 28-21 setback to Louisiana Tech.
UTA FB Vol. 5 Gm. 9 - Starting a 180
I've been fairly vocal in how the UT Arlington athletic department really screwed up the jump to the highest level of college football. In an effort to conserve space and not rehash old arguments, I just want to let the 1972 season to this point speak for itself.
Coming into this installment, UTA was 0-6. They started the first four games on the road, at Southern Mississippi (38-17), Oklahoma State (21-3), Toledo (38-24) and TCU (38-14). No September home games.
Then the first home game was against the pre-season conference favorites Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs showed why they were pegged number one with a 35-14 win in front of 7,300 at Arlington Stadium. While that was a number that was really good for the team during the tenure at the stadium, it would look quite empty in a baseball-shaped facility for 35,000. It would also be the highest attended game of the year (Note the attendance of today's game).
The final opponent prior to today's game was New Mexico State. It was a road loss 17-12, and was more akin to what they Mavericks were capable of doing. Had they played more even opponents, and played more in Arlington, there would have been far greater success in the 1970's.
Coming into this installment, UTA was 0-6. They started the first four games on the road, at Southern Mississippi (38-17), Oklahoma State (21-3), Toledo (38-24) and TCU (38-14). No September home games.
Then the first home game was against the pre-season conference favorites Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs showed why they were pegged number one with a 35-14 win in front of 7,300 at Arlington Stadium. While that was a number that was really good for the team during the tenure at the stadium, it would look quite empty in a baseball-shaped facility for 35,000. It would also be the highest attended game of the year (Note the attendance of today's game).
The final opponent prior to today's game was New Mexico State. It was a road loss 17-12, and was more akin to what they Mavericks were capable of doing. Had they played more even opponents, and played more in Arlington, there would have been far greater success in the 1970's.
UTA FB Vol. 5 Gm. 8 - Looking for a Streak
I'm gonna be real honest with this post. I have a hard time developing interest in the 1961 season. I'm not sure exactly why, as they were one of only five teams in the 27-year history as a University football team to record a .700 winning percentage. In reality though, the Arlington State College Rebels weren't playing for much other than pride. There were no conference championships on the line, as they were fresh up from the junior college ranks.
Perhaps it was the success of this year and the prior (9-2) that prompted the search for schools to form a new conference, but as it was, there wasn't anything in 1961. There were no bowls, postseason teams, or pride points other than the individual games.
There also was a lack of star power. You'll be hard pressed to find Allen Anz (QB), Freddie Arnold (RB) or Wayne Crowley (E) in many references to the UTA football program, but they were yearly leaders in their respective categories for this season.
Perhaps it was the success of this year and the prior (9-2) that prompted the search for schools to form a new conference, but as it was, there wasn't anything in 1961. There were no bowls, postseason teams, or pride points other than the individual games.
There also was a lack of star power. You'll be hard pressed to find Allen Anz (QB), Freddie Arnold (RB) or Wayne Crowley (E) in many references to the UTA football program, but they were yearly leaders in their respective categories for this season.
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