Great Article on the history of the Wishbone...

[CMA 5.110]

I never knew Coach Royal helped the Sooners learn it. What could have been if he had said "no".....

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...hbone-offense-50-influential-college-football

 

[mb227]

Article is replete with mentions of a particular WORSTER...that alone should make it required reading. As well as the fact that there are references to the natty.

Did not know we taught it to the land thieves though...guess back then nobody ever thought we would be in the same conference and we would only have the impact for one game annually instead of the prospect of them running rough-shod over the same conference at some point in time...

 

[Clean]

Good read. It brings back a lot of memories. My first year at UT was '69. Cal, OU, and Arky played us close that year (and ND in the bowl), all the rest of the games were blow outs.

Royal probably still loved his old alma mater when he agreed to let Bellard teach Switzer the principles of the wishbone. The rivalry had been pretty civilized up to that point under Bud Wilkinson and then Fairbanks. It didn't get nasty until Switzer took over.

 

[blonthang]

The rivalry had been pretty civilized up to that point under Bud Wilkinson and then Fairbanks. It didn't get nasty until Switzer took over.

Wilkinson hailed from Minnesota; Fairbanks from Michigan.

Switzer, born Arkansas, raised Arkansas, played for piggy.

Maybe had some effect.

 

[Clean]

Switzer, born Arkansas, raised Arkansas, played for piggy.

The bootlegger's boy alright.

 

[ViperHorn]

Wilkinson hailed from Minnesota; Fairbanks from Michigan.

Switzer, born Arkansas, raised Arkansas, played for piggy.

Maybe had some effect.

Shows the effect of a single branch family tree.

 

[WorsterMan]

I know this story well but always a good read. Do wish DKR had not been so kind sharing the Wishbone with ou sucks.

 

[SabreHorn]

Anyone ever consider the possibility that if Coach Royal didn't share it, OU might have hired Emory Bellard instead of Barry?

 

[WorsterMan]

Anyone ever consider the possibility that if Coach Royal didn't share it, OU might have hired Emory Bellard instead of Barry?

Good question.

So, do you think Bellard would have cheated like the Bootleggers Boy and been as successful with the 'bone at ou?

I don't.

 

[SabreHorn]

When the OU job came open, Mackenzie went to Coach Broyles to ask him if he would support him or the job. Coach Broyles told him "yes, as long as you don't ask any of my assistants to go with you".

Mackenzie got the job, and true to his word, he did not ask any Arkansas assistants to go with him. However, damn near every Arkansas assistant asked Mackenzie for a job. Most of Mackenzie's staff were previously Arkansas assistant, so I doubt Emory would have meshed into that group.

While the Aggies cheated under Bellard, no one has ever been as organized or creative in recruiting and cheating as Barry.

I have told by some members of that OU staff that Mackenzie was the best coach they ever worked with.

If Emory goes to OU, and Joey Aboussie doesn't hump the puppy, we probably would have signed Scott Hill (we were his first choice prior to his official visit to Austin), which would have made things a whole bunch different in Norman during the late 70s and 80s.

 

[Buck-Horn]

The Villa Capri was “party central” for many of us in the early 70’s....lots of hangover memories! I’ll never forget the torture of the OU blowout in 1971 that forever changed the course of the RR rivalry....and ultimate doom for DKR. Switzer is a leading member in the college POS hall of fame!!

 

[Horn87]

The Villa Capri was “party central” for many of us in the early 70’s....lots of hangover memories! I’ll never forget the torture of the OU blowout in 1971 that forever changed the course of the RR rivalry....and ultimate doom for DKR. Switzer is a leading member in the college POS hall of fame!!

man, that is where my folks stayed for my graduation in '87----partied there too, although DKR did not show up (but would have been welcomed)

 

[ViperHorn]

man, that is where my folks stayed for my graduation in '87----partied there too, although DKR did not show up (but would have been welcomed)

but did Willie show up?

 

[Horn87]

but did Willie show up?

if he did, my folks may have been evicted....

 

[Horn2RunAgain]

The wishbone actually was "invented" in Fort Worth,... in 1955 I think. ...I played against the thing in 1968 or 1969 and I can't recall if it was Monnig, or Stripling Jr high that ran it. The bone they ran didn't run the triple option as I recall. Just a basic offense, but effective. They trounced us iirc.

It wouldn't surprise me if bellard never knew of the Fort Worth bone, his concoction didn't resemble what we played against. I read a DMN article about thirty years ago about the birth of the Fort Worth wishbone formation, brought back some memories. Can't recall the coach's name but he was somewhat revered back in the day.