Memories Of “The Big Shootout”
December 4, 2009 at 7:05am by HogBlogger
Filed under Arkansas Razorbacks, Football
In 1969, while watching a football game that my team was winning, I moved from the chair I had been sitting in for the first three quarters to lie on the floor to watch the fourth quarter.
A big mistake…one that I’ve regretted for 40 years now.
Thanks to the Arkansas Expats for reminding me of my big mistake. Thanks to my dad for forever burning the phrase in my memory of, “the day I learned to never care that much again.”
If you haven’t got a copy of the book, “Horns, Hogs, and Nixon Coming” in your personal library, you should. I had to make my third son read it after a bunch of his peeps showed up at our house in Texas jerseys to watch the Texas-OU game. (Our house has apparently been voted best combination TV and pool table.)
I paid the ringleader of the jersey escapade back the other day with a taste of some chipotle paste that stayed with him for a while and then hurt when it left. It’s important to pass knowledge onto your kids and build memories. It’s also fun.
Notice there’s no black trim on the jerseys. Arkansas will never be a power in football again if the black trim on the jerseys is not eliminated. Just sayin’. Remember the chair. Little things in life can be very important.
To see what happened on the first play of the 4th quarter, check out this video by a Burnt Orange fan. Go Hogs!
More:
- Terry Frei: 40th Anniversary of “The Big Shootout”
- David Whitley: After 40 Years, Still the Game of Century
- ArkansasExpats.com: Q&A: Terry Frei on The Big Shootout, Part One
- Brandon Marcello: The Game of the Century: A Q&A with Terry Frei
I had never seen that though I’ve been a Razorback all my life. Grew up in the north to Arkansas parents and that happened when I was 3. Graduated from Arkansas in 1991.
Man that’s painful. One of the commenters at youtube pointed out a clip on that big run at the beginning of the 4th quarter. It’s at about the 30 yard line. Not to be bitter or anything.
What’s with the Texas cheerleader doing handsprings down the middle of the field after the 4th down pass later? Reminds me of the old saying, “Only thing that comes out of Texas is steers and queers.”
There is a clip. I heard Darrel Royal say once that this run wasn’t included in their highlight film for the year because the clip was so obvious. I personally think it is a bit iffy.
There are a few other controversial plays. Frei’s book does a good job of discussing those.
This highlight clip leaves out any mention of the Arkansas drive prior to the last Texas touchdown. The Hogs were in field goal range and took a shot to the end zone to Dicus. He was open, but the ball was thrown behind him and intercepted. It was the first sprint out pass in Bill Montgomery’s career that was intercepted. You’ll see in the film that his second came on the last Arkansas drive of the game as the Hogs neared field goal range.
It was the interception in the end zone that changed Coach Broyles forever (see GolfHog comment below). Had we ran the ball to the middle of the field on 3rd down and kicked a field goal Texas would have been two scores behind and the game effectively over.
The game turned on one of the great plays in the history of college football. Like the Rodgers punt return, every fan of that era vividly remembers the 4th and 3 catch. I still don’t believe that Street dropped that in over two well placed defenders. You can’t say that team didn’t have a defense. They shutout their last 5 opponents and held the vaunted wishbone to 15 points; those on a broken play and a desperation throw. Even though we had season tickets (I saw many games in the old stadium as a boy beginning with Light Horse Harry,) we watched from home that day. As you say HogBlogger, I don’t think I ever cared about football as much again after that day. I was so nervous before the game. The whole season just drug by as we waited for December, in fear every Saturday that the Hogs would slip up.
It was a great call by Darrell Royal, a guy who understood football alot like Bobby Petrino. It was a wonderfully played game with huge plays by both teams. As good as life is in the SEC, the teams of that day were so much more complete, more competitive, without scholarship limits and with guys like Bear Bryant and Wilson Matthews making fanatics out of the toughest and most talented. They played some sophomores but, it was a game for juniors and seniors.
And, of course, it is the day that has haunted Arkansas Football for 40 years. It destoyed Frank; turning one of the great young coaches in college football into a shell of the man that created Brittnum to Crockett and Montgomery to Dicus, finally turning Joe Ferguson into a wishbone QB, retiring ahead of his time, and running off Lou Holtz in favor of the flexbone, then Danny Ford. It took a fan base weary of calls by Texas officials into a bunch who didn’t think they could ever get a break, doomed and destined to the stumble fumble and the Reggie Fish muffed punt.
We are on the threshold of a new era in Razorback football. The old ghost will be laid to rest. But, it is nice to have this anniversary to send her on her way, and remember a day, just before 4th and 3, that the Razorbacks played to win, by any means available.
Absolutely awesome comment! You thoughtfully recapped at lot of history very nicely. Thanks for taking the time to write it up.
Comment of the Year. Thanks Golf.
GolfHog,
Really good stuff. I was only 3 in 1969, so I have no real memory of the game, other than some of the talk and excitement surrounding it.
I do know we were a dominating team, along with Texas, in that era.
Your right about laying the old ghost to rest. I hope the new era will be just as memorable for Hog fans as the old one was.
I was there with Lil’ R at my side——all be it in a fetal position—-and it was unbelievable in every respect. Arkansas played Texas off their feet, to everyone’s amazement, right until Street made his famous run at the start of the fourth quarter. This game truly changed the dynamic and mentality of Arkansas football. It is my hope and desire that we move on past this crushing experience and embrace the future with enthusiasm.
A day that will live forever in the minds of old guys like me. It was the day that I decided to never get that involved in the outcome of a football game again. The hurt and pain is just not worth it. I still follow the Razorbacks but I don’t let myself get so involved that it hurts so bad when we don’t win.
we will always be second tier to teams like Alabama and LSU. That in it’s self hurts but it’s true
My mother hated football. She never watched a game until December 6, 1969. She cried for an hour afterwards. She has not watched a game since.