There is an excellent biography on Bud Wilkinson and his winning, coaching career at Oklahoma: "The Undefeated," JIm Dent. A good portion of the book covers Wilkinson's days at the U under Bernie Bierman.
I found the following excerpts in Chapter 3 "The Curse" of interest and which sound familiar with today's coaching questions and football program at Minnesota. The chapter starts with the nationwide portrait of Oklahoma in 1945 following the Dust Bowl days, Steinbeck's novel "The Grapes of Wrath," and the conclusion of World War II:
In January 1946, Oklahoma's president, Dr. George Cross, addressed the school's regents.
'"Gentlemen,"' he began. "'I think that every man in this room knows why we are here. The war is over and our state's upside down. We must make sure that this does not translate into a down-ward spiral for this university."'
"'Men,"' Cross said. "'There is only one way to get this state back on track, and that's football, football, football."'
"To fortify the university and boost self-confidence statewide, Oklahomans would need a kind of beacon to guide them and it was Cross's hope that Memorial Stadium Field, home of the Oklahoma Soners, would come to represent that light."
"'Men, just think of how they feel in South Bend, Indiana, every Saturday afternoon. Think about West Point in late September with the leaves changing. Think about Harvard and Yale on a frosty November afternoon. Think about Frank Leahy at Notre Dame and Red Blaik at Army and Bernie Bierman at Minnesota. Where can we get ourselves one of those men."'
The regents supported the president's vision and soon thereafter they hired Jim Tatum; however, it was Tatum's assistant, Bud Wilkinson, that impressed the group. Tatum left Oklahoma following the the 1946 winning season for Maryland, where he enjoyed a stellar career, a national championship and utlimately was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Wilkinson succeeded Tatum and became a coaching legend.
The book details the importance of administrative support and commitment to a successful football program. We know that has not always been the case with a number of the presidents at the U during the past fifty years. The appointment of the next president next year will be an important one for a wide range of reasons, including the U's football place in the Big Ten and the national scene.
Go Gophers!!
I found the following excerpts in Chapter 3 "The Curse" of interest and which sound familiar with today's coaching questions and football program at Minnesota. The chapter starts with the nationwide portrait of Oklahoma in 1945 following the Dust Bowl days, Steinbeck's novel "The Grapes of Wrath," and the conclusion of World War II:
In January 1946, Oklahoma's president, Dr. George Cross, addressed the school's regents.
'"Gentlemen,"' he began. "'I think that every man in this room knows why we are here. The war is over and our state's upside down. We must make sure that this does not translate into a down-ward spiral for this university."'
"'Men,"' Cross said. "'There is only one way to get this state back on track, and that's football, football, football."'
"To fortify the university and boost self-confidence statewide, Oklahomans would need a kind of beacon to guide them and it was Cross's hope that Memorial Stadium Field, home of the Oklahoma Soners, would come to represent that light."
"'Men, just think of how they feel in South Bend, Indiana, every Saturday afternoon. Think about West Point in late September with the leaves changing. Think about Harvard and Yale on a frosty November afternoon. Think about Frank Leahy at Notre Dame and Red Blaik at Army and Bernie Bierman at Minnesota. Where can we get ourselves one of those men."'
The regents supported the president's vision and soon thereafter they hired Jim Tatum; however, it was Tatum's assistant, Bud Wilkinson, that impressed the group. Tatum left Oklahoma following the the 1946 winning season for Maryland, where he enjoyed a stellar career, a national championship and utlimately was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Wilkinson succeeded Tatum and became a coaching legend.
The book details the importance of administrative support and commitment to a successful football program. We know that has not always been the case with a number of the presidents at the U during the past fifty years. The appointment of the next president next year will be an important one for a wide range of reasons, including the U's football place in the Big Ten and the national scene.
Go Gophers!!