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Hurricane Win Over Porkers
8/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 1, 2005
Tulsa, Okla. - Arkansas Boys No Match for the Spectacular Machine That Faced Them; Boehm Scored First Touchdown in Opening Few Minutes of Play
By Harry Gilstrap
Tulsa World
Scoring on the second play after the opening kick-off, the University of Tulsa's 1930 Golden Hurricane swept to an easy 26-to-6 victory over the red-shirted Razorbacks from Arkansas yesterday, dedicating Skelly field, the magnificent new $300,000 stadium, in the most impressive form.
Elmer C. Henderson's amazing array of veteran and freshman backfield talen simply ran wild through and around the invaders from the hills of Fayetteville, and the score affords no adequate idea of their real superiority over a team which was, it must be admitted, much weaker than usual.
From the first minute, when Uptmoor of Arkansas returned the kickoff to his 17-yard line, Ledbetter fumbled on the first thrust at the black-and-gold forward wall, a Tulsan recovered, and Billy Boehm of Coffeyville slithered off right tackle and crossed the line, it was all Tulsa.
`Cowboy' Kyle.
It was the versatile, spectacular attack of a half-dozen brilliant ball carriers which really carried the day for the Hurricane, but credit must go to the linemen, too, for they spiked the Razorbacks' desultory attempts at offense throughout, except for a few moments early in the third period, when the Porkers counted their touchdown, and for occasional spasmodic spurts by the eccentric "Cowboy Kyle", the galloping blond ghost who was by all odds Arkansas' best back, despite his tactical errors, one of which paved the way to the second Tulsa score.
Tulsa had a real Hurricane sweeping in devastating fashion over the emerald turf yesterday, and the twisting runs of Capt. Chet Benefiel and Billy Boehm, the Coffeyville twins, the knifing off-tackle thrusts of Ishmael Pilkington, and, late in the game, some splendid running by Frank Green, a freshman sensation from California, kept a crowd of approximately 10,000 in an uproar. The line, with Tiny Griffiths, the big recruit center, and Homer Reynolds, veteran guard, performing yeoman service, opening big holes through which the fast backs slid easily, often apparently untouched.
The Hurricane scored in every period except the third, when the Razorbacks braced and carried the game into Tulsa territory for awhile.
Tulsa Reserved See Action.
Razorback running plays, excepting those thrill-producing sprints by Kyle, never happened during the other quarters. Two dashes by the bare-headed cowboy, one of them for 25 yards, a freak pass which bounced from the clutching fingers of an Arkansas end into the hands of Uptmoor, Porker back and three plays in which Jack Dale gained 21 yards, placed the ball where Ledbetter could bang from the Tulsa one-yard line for the visitors' touchdown.
The Arkansas passing game worked at times, but more often was smothered by an alert Tulsa defense.
Late in the game Coach Henderson sent in a regular parade of substitutes, and they seemed just as effective as the regulars. Even Don Bailey, who's name was removed from the official hospital list only Friday, saw action.
Three of the four Tulsa touchdowns came at the very start of the downs came at the very start of the first, second and fourth periods.
Green Scores Third.
After the Hurricane had scored sensationally in the first minute of play, there was a short punting duel. Then, from the Arkansas 48-yard line, Boehm skidded around right end for 18 yards. Benefiel shook his way through tackle to the Porker 19-yard line and when he attempted to pass to Boehm, Kyle, standing only a yard from the goal, intercepted the toss instead of grounding it.
Boehm returned the Arkansas punt to the 24-yard line and on the first play of the second period the elusive Benefiel wriggled through left tackle, cut back beautifully and sprinted across the goal stripe. Beattie made a second place kick good and the score was 14 to 0.
Late in the third period, after Arkansas had scored once and driven deep into Tulsa territory, Green, Pilkington and Benefiel, alternating for gains of seven, eight, 14, 10, 20 and six yards, came within six yards of the last marker and as the last quarter opened Greer banged his way through the surging line to score the third touchdown.
Score Called Back.
The last score followed the interception of an Arkansas pass by Nicklaus, Tulsa reserve lineman, a few moments later Benefiel made 20 yards in a pair of thrusts at the line and Pilkington added 11. Ish then dashed 18 yards to cross the line, but the play was called back and the Hurricane penalized for off-side play. Attempting to pass, the Hurricane lost the ball on downs at the 5-yard stripe.
Then Green, the freshman from the far west, intercepted a Razorback pass and raced 33 yards around left end, untouched, for his second touchdown.
Coach Henderson was happy last night. The game revealed pretty clearly that his veterans are just as good as ever and that they are to have plenty of valuable help from the new material. Besides the excellent work of Green and Griffith, Fred Nicklaus and Bill Volak, a pair of freshman lineman, turned in very pleasing performances.
The figures show that the Hurricane outplayed the Porkers in every department except three. Arkansas gained more yardage by passing, but that was because 19 passes were attempted to only seven for Tulsa. The Razorbacks punting average was better by a yard. The only serious superiority of the visitors lay in their returns of kickoffs and punts, in which they totaled 132 yards, largely due to the efforts of Kyle. Tulsa returned for kicks for 36 yards.
The Hurricane almost doubled Arkansas' yardage from scrimmage.
Chet Benefiel was the biggest ground-gainer, reeling off 133 yards from scrimmage. Kyle was next with 90, and the Cowboy ran back kicks for 88 yards and added 12 on passes to make him total yardage 190, the best of either team.
Milan Creighton, the Razorback captain, played a good game in the line for the visitors.
The big electric scoreboard and the loud-speaker system added much to the fans' enjoyment of the afternoon.
Special thanks to the Tulsa World for the reprint of this story.
