SUGAR BOWL

Author:
SI Staff

MISSISSIPPI

Coach Johnny Vaught arrived at Mississippi in 1947 and forthwith converted the Rebels into a perennial Southeastern Conference contender. This year Ole Miss wound up second in the tough SEC behind bowl-ineligible Auburn and thus earned its fourth major bowl bid in six years. The Rebs are a fast, relatively light split-T team, using flankers liberally. Their running average of 305 yards per game was one of the best in the country this year. Yet the offense tends to bog down close to the goal line when the going is tough. Defensively, Ole Miss with its 5-4 basic alignment is superb, having yielded only eight TDs all year, but is vulnerable to the long pass. The first two units are about the same offensively, but the second is weaker on defense.

MEN TO WATCH

Ray Brown
15 QUARTERBACK
6 ft. 1 in., 190 lbs.
Greenville, Miss.
As the SEC leader in total offense, he must be watched both as a passer and runner. He is a truly adept ball handler and will frequently fool both the spectator and TV camera. Does team punting. Tackles hard on defense but can be outrun and fooled with good pass patterns.

Jackie Simpson
68 LEFT GUARD
6 ft., 202 lbs.
Memphis, Tenn.
This All-America is just about the ideal college guard—too big to be overpowered yet small enough to move quickly. As defensive linebacker he has been in on nearly half his team's tackles this year. He starts plenty of fumbles with his arm tackles and recovers a lot with his alert reactions.

Jim Woodruff
32 RIGHT HALF
5 ft. 10½ in., 177 lbs.
Batesville, Miss.
This 19-year-old sophomore has inherited the starting assignment of the Rebs' great Billy Lott, who broke his collarbone against Tennessee. He is very fast and an elusive hip-swinger who is hard to get a solid crack at. He may hurt the team a bit on pass defense through lack of experience.

Gene Hickerson
79 RIGHT TACKLE
6 ft. 2 in., 225 lbs.
Memphis, Tenn.
One of the best SEC tackles, he is quicker and faster than many backs. His hair-trigger charge from scrimmage gives him a huge advantage on offense. His blocking can be heard in the stands, but also watch him occasionally trap a defensive guard or tackle. Slides expertly with the play on defense.

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ROSTER

FIRST UNIT

15 Brown, LH
23 Reed, HB
32 Woodruff, LH
42 Hurst, FB
51 Crain, C
61 W. Hickerson, RG
68 Simpson, LG
75 West, LT
79 G. Hickerson, RT
80 Williams, RE
82 Templeton, LE

SECOND UNIT

10 Franklin, QB
30 Lovelace, RH
33 Taylor, RH
41 Flowers, FB
53 Pruett, C
64 Churchwell, RG
67 Cooper, LG
71 Smith, LT
74 Sanders, RT
85 Jenkins, RE
88 Grantham, LE

PLAY TO WATCH
Rollout pass is an Ole Miss weapon, used to loosen defenses for running attack. Quarterback (1) fakes handoff to fullback (3), then rolls to his right. Both guards (6 & 7) pull out as if to lead run but stop to give pass protection. Left half (4), who is flanked wide, is deep receiver on his side with left end (8) available in close. Right half (2) is short receiver on his side with right end (5) going deep.

TEXAS

Coach Darrell Royal's amazing success can be traced to the development of two nearly equal units. The second unit may be superior on offense to the first, but the starters have an edge in experience and defense. The Longhorns are a grind-it-out team, seldom scoring on long gainers. The running game is sound, the passing is well above average and the punting is good enough so that the quick-kick is an effective weapon in the Texas arsenal. An aggressive defense, which plays what Royal calls "jaw-to-jaw" style, is agile and tough and accounted in large measure for the 641 yards in penalties Texas had during the season, more than any team in the Southwest Conference. Although 12 members of the first two units are sophs, by now they play like seniors.

MEN TO WATCH

Walter Fondren
24 QUARTERBACK
5 ft. 11 in., 170 lbs.
Houston, Texas
Good runner, likes to fake inside belly hand-off, then roll back and pass to ends crossing. He is weak against passes on defense. As team punter, if not rushed, he likes to wait on punts to allow coverers to get downfield. He likes to quick-kick. Must be tackled high to stop.

Rene Ramirez
46 HALFBACK
6 ft. 2 in., 180 lbs.
Hebbronville, Texas
A sophomore, Ramirez did not figure very heavily in the Longhorn picture early in the season. Now he is the team's best running back and its best passer, particularly dangerous on a run to his left with the option of a pass (he is left-handed) or a run. Good on defense.

Bobby Lackey
22 QUARTERBACK
6 ft. 3 in., 200 lbs.
Weslaco, Texas
A big, strong sophomore who spells Fondren, Lackey likes to run with the ball and does so very well. Has a very strong arm, throws long passes well and is a fine kicker. He is dangerous on fakes to one side and a bootleg in opposite direction. He is also strong pass defender.

Garland Kennon
76 TACKLE
6 ft. 2 in., 230 lbs.
Center, Texas
Texas' best tackle, Kennon is big, aggressive and quick. He often stunts with Don Wilson, the linebacker on his side and will shoot through any gap offered by the offense. He is especially strong on defense against plays going to the opposite side. A dependable blocker in Texas' split-T.

ROSTER

FIRST UNIT

24 Fondren, QB
25 Alvis, RH
31 Allen, FB
41 Blanch, LH
50 Del Homme, C
53 R. E. Lee, RG
62 Wilson, LG
76 Kennon, RT
79 Seaholm, LT
81 Doke, LE
86 M. Lee, RE

SECOND UNIT

22 Lackey, QB
30 Smith, LH
33 Dowdle, FB
46 Ramirez, RH
55 Parkhurst, C
66 Shillingburg, RG
68 Anderson, LG
70 Wes Wyman, LT
75 Will Wyman, RT
84 Stephens, LE
85 Bryant, RE

PLAY TO WATCH
The versatility and quickness of Texas Quarterback Walt Fondren are used to full advantage in this play. Here Fondren (1) fakes to Allen (3), the fullback, to pin defensive linebacker, then drops back quickly for the pass. His first receiver is offensive right end (4), who has been freed by left end (5) who is crossing over to lure safety and right half (2), who pulls wing back with him on fake.

ILLUSTRATION

TEN PHOTOS

DIAGRAM

December 23, 1957