Thank God for OJ Anderson in the 70s

[TemplarCane]

I'll never, ever forget Brodsky's 80yd TD as long as I live...Right past Penn St sidelines....Dove into the Endzone....I remember it rained for 3 quarters....Who would've thought I was watching UM History....might have been 35,000-40,000 in the OB...

This was the game that made me a Canes fan for life. Cousins were at UF, and FSU was good. But there was something about Miami I liked. I grew up in Tampa, so maybe it was a ‘Miami’ thing. I was a Jim Kelly fan as well (and still am, of course).

 

[TheMatador]

Of the pre 70s old timers I think Hendricks and Mira would translate to todays game and be monster players.

Disagree. George himself said to a group of us on the eve of the '89 ND game that he "couldn't play today." That was a group of us sitting in the lounge in the Holiday Inn across from campus.

We talked for probably hours. He told us old war stories about his '49er days. He spoke a lot about being mentored by Y.A.****le.

One other topic was his talking about a young player, Solomon Moore, the son of former Dolphin Wayne Moore. Solomon's UM career was cut short by diabetes.

So you have it from the horse's mouth. George was just too short for today's game.

As far as Ted Hendricks: I'm skeptical about whether Ted would be fast enough for a LB in today's game. I watched some pro highlights of Ted a few months back and I had the impression that today's game is a whole lot faster and players are much, much quicker. Hard to tell from watching filmed highlights but I just had that reaction. Certainly, with that frame and height maybe Ted could put his hand on the ground and be a DE.

Instead of a DE in a 3-4 I think he might be suited more for a DE in a 4-3.

 

[TheMatador]

70s were painful. I was at the UT game. Woody Thompson was on the team and had a decent year. Couple other players of note too, Rubin Cater, Gary Dunn, are some that jump to mind. Back then we would have a few players equal to the good teams but not enough and no depth. UT had Roosevelt Leaks. If I recall he fumbled a ball in open space that help us along.

Dennis Harrah was probably on the team then, too.

 

[TheMatador]

I have clear memories of canes from 1951 and forward. Because of family breakup in the early 50s, I didn’t go to any games until 1955. I just wore out the Herald and News sport sections with the old sequenced photographs. I followed Miami High as much as I did the canes. Jim Dooley was a hero in my house, as much for being from Miami High as he was for being a cane. Anyway, from 55 on I practically lived in the OB. In 1960 I saw 22 games in the OB, and that was before the Fins. Anyone here remember the Miami Bombers?

I don't remember the Miami Bombers, but I do remember the semi-pro Bucktown Buckaroos (Bucks for short).

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6206788/bucktown_bucks_david_nelson_1984/

In the early '80's, UM had a JV football team that would scrimmage the Bucks.

I'm too young to know first-hand about Miami's first pro football team, I remember my father telling me about the Miami Seahawks, which was in a sense the forerunners of the Indianapolis Colts.

http://miami-history.com/miamis-first-pro-football-team-1946/

In the '40's, the All American Football Conference (AAFC) was competition to the NFL. The Cleveland Browns came from the AAFC and we're a power in the early 50's NFL.

Otto Graham might have been the best passer in the league and the old Browns offense, designed by Paul Brown, was passed down to Week Ewbank, a Browns assistant, from Brown. Ewbank implemented it with Colts and Johnny Unitas. Don Shula was on that team. I think Ewbank took that offense with him to the Jets and Namath at QB used it to beat Shula's Colts in that great Superbowl upset. Shula brought the offense with him to the Miami Dolphins and Schnellenberger was the OC. That offense arrived at UM with Schnellenberger and ultimately was supplanted in 1989 with Erickson's one-back offense.

The offense has seen some great QB's, including Graham, Unitas, Griese, probably Namath, and Marino, not to mention the UM guys, Kelly, Kosar, Testaverde, and Walsh.

The last coach to use it at UM was Gary Stevens who was UM OC under Schnellenberger and Jimmy Johnson.

I remember the old sequenced photos. I vaguely recall the photos of Jack Losch's 90 yard TD run in '54, I believe. That was notable in UM history because we were not known for what they used to call breakaway backs until maybe the '70's. I think that stood as a UM record for years.

We had fast guys in the '60's--Don Clancy, Vince Opalsky and Bobby Best--but they rarely seemed to break long runs.

 

[TheMatador]

@TheMatador Didn't he used to sell Nice UM Beer Huggies at tailgates??

No idea what you're talking about.

 

[Rellyrell]

Not to thread jack but I also feel like mentioning Chuck Foreman.

Perhaps the most Canes story about Chuck Foreman is this. He was the franchise player the Minnesota Vikings for several years. In his prime the Vikings brought in a D tackle that had just been cut from another team. That D tackle was on the field for the Florida flop. Chuck Foreman went into the GM's office and told him if they signed that guy he would retire on the spot. That gator DT was cut.

Its all about The U.

Another Cane that should be in the HOF. Completely looked over.

 

[TheMatador]

Another Cane that should be in the HOF. Completely looked over.

Chuck was a Maryland guy, just up the road in Frederick. I've met a few of his relatives. I think his son Jay might have been on the Nebraska team that beat us in the OB in around '94.

He had some great years at Minnesota but perhaps not enough. Those Vikings teams were terrific, but they got beat by the Dolphins in the SB.

 

[Rellyrell]

Chuck was a Maryland guy, just up the road in Frederick. I've met a few of his relatives. I think his son Jay might have been on the Nebraska team that beat us in the OB in around '94.

He had some great years at Minnesota but perhaps not enough. Those Vikings teams were terrific, but they got beat by the Dolphins in the SB.

I agree, but back then:
-NFL Rookie of Yr
-5x NFL Pro Bowl
-1st running back to catch 70 balls and led the entire league in receptions as a RB in 75
-3x NFC Conference Champion
-Top 100 all time in all 3 major statistical category for RBs

His career was cut short due to injuries, so he only he played 7 seasons!

I’m not old enough to have seen Chuck play, but I’m a Canes loyalist and I follow all Canes careers both past (before I was born) and current. My father was a big Chuck Foreman fan and he agrees that both he & Roger Craig should be in the Hall b/c not only do both have solid resumes, but they revolutioned the game. There would be no Marshall Falk, LT, Kamara, Hunt, Duke, etc w/o those guys.

I’m of the believe that if Gale got in, then Chuck should be in and I’m a even crazier Bears fan.

 

[SFbayCane]

Is the Otis Anderson on UCF any relation to the Ottis Anderson we're discussing here?

 

[fraggle]

I always enjoy these old timer threads. Most of this stuff happened before I was born or when I was still a baby so I always learn something new. I remember Ottis Anderson in the NFL playing for the Giants but I never got to see him play for Miami. Good stuff. Thanks for sharing the stories and videos.

You cannot imagine how great it was to set the college record with 58 straight home wins....going to the OB was like an automatic great day because we expected and got win after win. In that streak we bit a bunch of number one teams unlike the previous holder - Alabama- who played their home games against Auburn on a neutral field. One of the best was beating number one ranked FSU 20 to zip. With 58 wins it would take volumes to go over how great it was. The OB was special with its bad plumbing, urine all over, people stomping on the metal base, when Roth (sp?) was the Ibis...incredible.