Anybody remember this skeleton in the closet?

[JIHawg]

This came up as a group was watching the basketball games today-During a Hogs/Tulsa football game in the 70's in Fayetteville, the Hogs were having a bad day, and at halftime an assistant coach slapped a player in the locker room.  The team went into meltdown in the 2nd half and the game ended in a tie, 20 to 20, which led Frank to cancel the Tulsa series.  Nobody could remember the assistant coach or the player, although there were some pretty good guesses.  Anybody remember?

[piggly wiggly]

There were no ties with Tulsa in the 70's.  We did lose the '71 game 21-20.  I thought Tulsa cancelled the series because Ark. would not play home and home with them.

[rricha]

In 1976 steve cox kicked the winning field goal to beat arkansas.  steve later transfered to arkansas were he was an all american

[Oklahawg]

Claude Gibson was a coach at TU during the late 60s, early 70s. He died of a heart attack during the season, I think. I believe he struck a player at halftime of a UA game. Could be really off on that one.

[mikeirwin]

There were no ties with Tulsa in the 70's. We did lose the '71 game 21-20. I thought Tulsa cancelled the series because Ark. would not play home and home with them.

You are correct.
The coach who made that desision clearly thought Tulsa was a big enough program to demand that Arkansas come play them at Skelly.
His program never quite made it to that level.
He was fired.
The lesson ? Make sure you are big time before you start acting big time.

[idochog]

There were no ties with Tulsa in the 70's. We did lose the '71 game 21-20. I thought Tulsa cancelled the series because Ark. would not play home and home with them.

You are correct.
The coach who made that desision clearly thought Tulsa was a big enough program to demand that Arkansas come play them at Skelly.
His program never quite made it to that level.
He was fired.
The lesson ? Make sure you are big time before you start acting big time.

Mike, Thats some sound advice that ASU should follow!

[Theolesnort]

The only skeleton I remember is the grim reaper showing up and killing the Ark season when Jon Richardson broke two bones in his leg. The curse of the Ark running backs struck again cause Jon never was the same. The ghostly moves of Jon Richardson disappeared forever. By the way rricha was Jon a cousin of yours? Jon and Gloria were good friends of mine before I lost touch after he moved to Az.

[HornetHog]

Tulsa QB 1971.........? a stab in the dark....Drew Pearson - Dallas Cowboys WR

[gatecrasher]

The QB in 1971 (20-21) was Todd Starks. Drew Pearson had moved to flanker. We continued to play Tulsa for the next 20 years. The last game was in 1990. In 1991 Louisiana Lafayette replaced them as the Fayetteville game, then in 1992.....................the Citadel and the move to the SEC.

The Citadel....the Arkansas horror story of all time.

[rricha]

I never had the chance to meet the late Jon Richardson, I have always been asked if I was relateded to that set of Richardsons.  Jon was the first Black football player offered a scholorship to the University.  He paved the way for the future he did the unpopular thing and it worked for him.

[Theolesnort]

Jon was one fine young man. If he had not broke his leg we would be speaking of him with a little awe. He had some awesome moves before he was hurt.

[Jim Harris]

Claude Gibson was a coach at TU during the late 60s, early 70s. He died of a heart attack during the season, I think. I believe he struck a player at halftime of a UA game. Could be really off on that one.

He slapped TU receiver Drew Pearson around the entire halftime. Supposed he screamed, while gripping his chest, "Play like the NFL Hall-of-Famer I know you're going to be" and Pearson went out and helped beat the Hogs in the fourth quarter.

Actually, I made that up.