University of California Davis - El Rodeo Yearbook (Davis, CA)

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Kenny Kuykendall, with ball, being tackled after a gain in the Southern Oregon game. AGGIES 0 - OCCIDENTAL 26 Opening the '49 season under the new head coach, Ted Forbes, against a strong Oxy eleven, the Mustangs realized their weakness in pass defense and lack of punch in the offensive. The game was played in the Oxy stadium and the kickoff was at 8:00 pm. The Mustangs received the Tigers' kick and were forced to punt without making a first down. Oxy took over and the great passing arm of their quarterback got Iimbered up. In three passes, he went 80 yards for the first score of the game and Oxy led 7 to 0, after making the conversion. It was all Oxy the first half with two more touchdowns to their credit, both through the air. The Mustangs looked good in ground defense only and stopped the hard-running attack of the Tigers and threw them for long losses time after time. In the second half the Aggies' offensive play was a little better and three times they got within the Oxy 20-yard line but iust didn't have the punch to put it over. Again the Mustang's defensive was the bright spot with the marvelous line play led by D. Cannon and defensive backfield play of Sharp and Johnston. Once again the passing attack connected and the score went 26 to 0 and this was to be the final tally. Though the Aggies learned a great deal from this game, it was very costly in that several players were iniured. Lyle Johnson was lost for the whole season with a broken shoulder, Frank Saviez was out for a month with a mutilated nose, and Arch Dessert was out one week with a kidney injury. Coach Forbes worked hard with his boys the next week and showed them where pass defense would be stronger, moved up the backfield so the plays were quicker, and got the team inspired for the Stanford Braves. WM Chuck 'Aldine leo Anagnos Jim Anderson John Bugbee Halfback Guard End End

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1.. n i no ,1 ,4 . If . V a Chuck Aldine of the Aggies tries in vain to catch a Diaz pass which has iust been deflected by 0 Stanford Brave defender. AGGIES 14 - STANFORD BRAVES 6 Against the strong Stanford Braves and an even stronger wind, the Mustangs made their 1949 home debut. The 2:00 pm. kickoff saw Collins boot a long ball which put the opponents deep in their own territory. The Stanford boys, facing a strong wind, had to keep to the ground and for awhile it looked as if the big but slow backfield was going to be too much for the Mustangs. With their goal line at their backs, the defensive linemen dug in and stopped the Red machine on their own twenty. Here the Aggies took the ball and after making a first down, Bill Diaz let fly with a 35-yard pass to Stan Robertson who ran the final 30 for the first home field touchdown of the season. Frank Saviez Ghe nose'Q with a swing of the foot made the score 7 to O. The Braves were next to score but were losing their spirit as the hard-hitting Aggie line was getting a taste of blood. Such players as Leavitt, Ray, Strain, Ryder, Martin, Cannon and Lehman were making bone-crushing blocks and tackles which resulted in seven fumbles for the Stanford team. The Aggies' offensive started to roll with Collins taking the brunt of it carrying the ball 15 times for a 4-yard i average. Twice more the Mustangs moved within scoring distance but it took Diaz to punch it over and make victory sure. The wind was so strong that even going with it pass receivers were overshot and as a result the game was one of few scores but many exciting and breath taking ground plays. The final gun found the Aggies ahead 14 to 6. Don Cannon Bl Collins Tackle Fullback Archie Dessert I Center