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Novemln*!* 14, 19.S4
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SPCCTS < I TL< < I
BY A. S. ■ I S
Jimmie Kitts, who came to Hb^ftton with a repu
tation as a basketball coach, but who was quite un
known in football circles, is leading the Rice Institute
Owls through one of the best seaaons they have ever
enjoyed. The football-mad Houstonians are supporting
the Rice team, and they now l>oast the best team in
the Southwetern Conference—incidentally one of the
best in the South. The Owls have such outstanding
^stars as William *‘BiU” Wallas, John McCauly, Percy
r Arthur, Frank Steen and Sylvester. The conference ;
leaders have won all their conference contests, and
have beaten such strong teams as Creighton and Pur
due. Their decisive win over the Boilermakers put
them on the football map and under the Eastern eye.
The Owls have a good chance to go through the season
undefeated* since the only team that has made aSerious
threat toward marring their record is L S U, Who play
ed them to a 9-9 draw.
The Owls have never won a football crown in the
Southwestern Conference, although Rice has had some
strong teams in its history. The championship-seeking
Owls will invade Aggieland Saturday in hopes of re
venging a numl>er of decisive defeats suffered at the
hands of the Aggies, including two that cost Rice
championships. It was in 1917 that the two teams met
on Thanksgiving day as undefeated teams. The Owls
were favorites to win the contest yet the Cadets hand
ed them a 10 to 0 l>eating on Kyle Field, bringing out
such stars as “Little Hig” Higginbotham, Jack Mahan,
and Woodrow Wilson. It was ih 1924 that the Owls met
the underrated Aggies at College Station and were !>eat<.
h en.
This year Rice invades Aggieland with the best
team she has ever Ixiasted, and a team that has de
feated Texas University, S M U, Arkansas, Creighton,
Purdue, Loyola, and tied L S U. They are favorites to
win the game. However, both Coach Kitts and Rice fol
lowers know that the game will be a hard-fought af
fair and the Rice outlook on the game is not charac
teristic of the dope that goes with it. The Owls whip
ped S M U 9 to 0 in Houston at the opening conference
engagement of the season. The OWls stopped the Pony
running attack in that game, although pass fumbles
^ost the Mustangs two touchdowns yet the Owls could
not stop the S M U passing attack. The Kittsmen took
to the air in the last four minutes of play to defeat
the Texas University Ismghprns 20 to 1$ in a wild
game at Houston. I^ast week on an invasion into Ar
kansas the feathered Monarchs had difficulties in de
feating the Razorbacks 7 to 0. The game was played
largely in Rice territory, indicating that the Arkansas
IV,
offense was as effective against th^ Owls as It was
against the Aggies when the Cadets and Hogs battled
to a 7-7 tie here November 3. * 1
S M U has a very strong team and despite heA de
feat by Rice and the tie sutYered at the hands of the
Steers many critics still believe that ^ M U has the
strongest team in the Conference. The Ponies beat the
Aggies 28 to 0 last Saturday, when they had a perfect
day at passing. In Austin November 3 the Mustangs
tied the Steers 7-7, but the game that w'as played is
not told in the tie score as the Steers were completely
out-played. October 27 the Morrison-and-Bell-coached k
^ v | J f
clan went to New York and humiliated the Fprdham
Rams 26 to 6 in a game played in the rain. Although
the remainder of the S M U schedule shows Arkansas,
Baylor and T C U yet to play the Ponies are not likely *
to lose another game. t j
T C U cannot be counted out of the race sinfe only
the Razorbacks have been able to render a verdict
ovtr them. The Frogs have as gtx>d a passing and run
ning combination as any team in the conference. Sam
Baugh can pass with any of the backs in the confer
ence, although he cannot Ih* classed with Bob Wilson
and Joe Jack Pierce who are in a class to themselves,
Both Baugh and Jimmie l^awrence give the Froggies a
first rating in drive and plunge from the liackfield, and
the Toads ably supported on the line by Darrell
Lester and Company. The Christians have the greater
part of their load yet to bear since they take Texas,
Rice, and S M U in the next three consecutive weeks.
They are the three strongest teams in th£‘conference,
and tl*\Toads must take them in order to remain in
the rai*e. | / , * ^ I j
The Longhorns made^a go<K} showirtg in the East
early in the season by taking the Irish of Notre Dame
for a 7 to 6 trouncing and then came hack to the South-"
’west with wry little success. After honoring Jack
Chevigny, Steer coach, for his victory over his former
mites at Notre Dame he lost tui Centenary, Rice, and
^ied the Southern Methodists. The victory over Baylor
was the first since the Steers downed the University
of Oklahoma Sooner* in Dallas. ' [. 4 *
The Longhorns an* a stronger team today than
they were when they lost either of their games. At
that time they were playihg without fhe Services of
Bohn Hilliard, and part of tne time without Jack Gray.
When they meet the Frogs i**xt week they will swing
their full strength. Such stars as Hilliard and Jurecka
in the back field, and Coates, Sanger and Gray in the
line will make a great difference in the Texas side of
the ledger.
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