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Started By
Message
October 25, 1969
Posted on 9/17/15 at 6:49 pm
Posted on 9/17/15 at 6:49 pm
Until recently I had no interest in sports blogs. In fact after I left college I had little interest in sports. Our daughter married a very nice man who is a big OSU Buckeye fan and over the last 10 years it got to be a male bonding thing with us.
I mentioned this part in another thread. After getting out of the Army in Feb. 1969 I enrolled in LSU in the Summer. I graduated in May 1972. When I got on campus I went to an orientation where Joe May, the track coach said he was short a couple of guys for the cross country team so I walked on and I stuck, I ran CC and some track for LSU until through the 1971 cross country season and it was a heck of a ride. I was also around the other teams, especially football since my main sport was a fall sport.
Before I get to real meat of this I think it is important to realize how good the 1969 Tigers were. I absolutely believe they were the best LSU team that didn't get a chance to play for a national championship. They averaged 35 points a game while allowing just 9. They allowed 39 yards per game rushing and 189 passing; just amazing stats especially for the time. Mike Hillman, the starting quarterback was probably the best qb at LSU ever up to that time. He completed 56% of his passes for 1180 yards. The second and third string quarterbacks, Buddy Lee and Butch Duhe weren't any slouches either and LSU completed 52% of their total passes for almost 1900 yards. Added to a formidable running game this gave the Tigers one of the most potent offenses in the country.
Before the Auburn game the coaches noticed that one of the Auburn cornerbacks loved to make tackles at the line of scrimmage and realized they might be able to take advantage of him. Coach McClendon believed in giving seniors who had payed their dues a reward. Jimmy Gilbert was the 4th string quarterback at the start of the season but McClendon gave him the chance to play tailback as well. Gilbert was the third leading rusher that year carrying the ball for 325 yards in 83 attempts that year so it was no surprise foe him to be dotting the "I" for LSU.
So LSU lined up in their base formation. Hamilton was to take the pass from Gilbert and Lonnie Myles, the walk on senior split end who would hold all the LSU receiving records at the end of the year was to decoy the other safety out of the play.
The LSU staff decided to run the halfback pass play from Gilbert to Andy Hamilton on first down when Auburn would expect it least, sure enough the Auburn cornerback bit on the run fake big time and it worked perfectly. Hamilton almost walked into the end zone just as planned.
I remember that play well, I was in the LSU student section half way up on the 25 yard line. I can remember almost being able to see the shock on that Auburn safety's face when he realized what was happening to him.
Sorry this is long, but it was one of the best football games I ever saw and if I'd gone to buy a coke I would have missed an iconic LSU play.
I mentioned this part in another thread. After getting out of the Army in Feb. 1969 I enrolled in LSU in the Summer. I graduated in May 1972. When I got on campus I went to an orientation where Joe May, the track coach said he was short a couple of guys for the cross country team so I walked on and I stuck, I ran CC and some track for LSU until through the 1971 cross country season and it was a heck of a ride. I was also around the other teams, especially football since my main sport was a fall sport.
Before I get to real meat of this I think it is important to realize how good the 1969 Tigers were. I absolutely believe they were the best LSU team that didn't get a chance to play for a national championship. They averaged 35 points a game while allowing just 9. They allowed 39 yards per game rushing and 189 passing; just amazing stats especially for the time. Mike Hillman, the starting quarterback was probably the best qb at LSU ever up to that time. He completed 56% of his passes for 1180 yards. The second and third string quarterbacks, Buddy Lee and Butch Duhe weren't any slouches either and LSU completed 52% of their total passes for almost 1900 yards. Added to a formidable running game this gave the Tigers one of the most potent offenses in the country.
Before the Auburn game the coaches noticed that one of the Auburn cornerbacks loved to make tackles at the line of scrimmage and realized they might be able to take advantage of him. Coach McClendon believed in giving seniors who had payed their dues a reward. Jimmy Gilbert was the 4th string quarterback at the start of the season but McClendon gave him the chance to play tailback as well. Gilbert was the third leading rusher that year carrying the ball for 325 yards in 83 attempts that year so it was no surprise foe him to be dotting the "I" for LSU.
So LSU lined up in their base formation. Hamilton was to take the pass from Gilbert and Lonnie Myles, the walk on senior split end who would hold all the LSU receiving records at the end of the year was to decoy the other safety out of the play.
The LSU staff decided to run the halfback pass play from Gilbert to Andy Hamilton on first down when Auburn would expect it least, sure enough the Auburn cornerback bit on the run fake big time and it worked perfectly. Hamilton almost walked into the end zone just as planned.
I remember that play well, I was in the LSU student section half way up on the 25 yard line. I can remember almost being able to see the shock on that Auburn safety's face when he realized what was happening to him.
Sorry this is long, but it was one of the best football games I ever saw and if I'd gone to buy a coke I would have missed an iconic LSU play.
This post was edited on 9/17/15 at 6:56 pm
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:04 pm to ArtW
Huh. Real neat story. I wasn't actually familiar with that moment. Must've been great getting to be a part of it.
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:05 pm to ArtW
Great story. Thanks for sharing it.
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:09 pm to ArtW
That was a great game. Final score was 21-20 due to George Bevan blockinf an Aubbie PAT if I remember correctly. We lost to Ole Miss and Archie something like 27-24 in Jackson for our only loss and didn't even get to go bowling thanks to Notre Dame.
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:12 pm to ArtW
George Bevan blocked an Auburn extra point that night to preserve the 21-20 victory.
This post was edited on 5/30/20 at 11:19 pm
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:15 pm to ArtW
I was there. awesome game. lsu had best d in country that year
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:20 pm to MondayMorningMarch
Game was at tiger stadium. the legend of archie started that night. tigers lost by 3... Blew out everybody else that year. would have played tx but nd was the choice... Tigers decided to skip other bowls.... Went 9-1
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:26 pm to Moonlight
It was a great game, LSU won, as was mentioned on that play and the Bevan block. Auburn recovered from the shock of the first play and behind a young quarterback named Pat Sullivan who would win the Heisman trophy a couple of years later Auburn roared back and nearly salvaged a tie. Interestingly Sullivan never defeated an LSU team.
George Bevan, an undersized middle linebacker is probably the least known LSU First Team All American.
George Bevan, an undersized middle linebacker is probably the least known LSU First Team All American.
This post was edited on 9/17/15 at 7:28 pm
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:31 pm to ArtW
Remember the game, my last full semester before graduation
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:36 pm to ArtW
I was also at that game. After four years in the USAF I was a student from the Spring of 1966 through the fall of 1970. It was a great time to be there.
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:39 pm to ArtW
quote:And then they played Archie.
I absolutely believe they were the best LSU team that didn't get a chance to play for a national championship.
quote:My dad talked to him at the last Washington Mardi Gras. He said a lot of the defensive players had limited minutes in the second half of the Ole Miss game because Cholly was "resting them." Same goes for Casanova, who played TB in the game and had over 100 yards rushing in the first half.
Mike Hillman
Hillman: "They weren't tired."
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:43 pm to Ike'70
It was also Pistol Pete's time.
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:54 pm to Ike'70
Good times, I turned 20 that day ftw.
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:54 pm to Ike'70
quote:
In 1969, LSU fielded four defensive All-Americans in linebackers George Bevan and Mike Anderson, defensive tackle Ronnie Estay, and defensive back Tommy Casanova.
1969 LSU Fighting Tigers
1969 LSU Tigers football
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
AP #10
1969 record 9–1 (4–1 SEC)
Head coach Charlie McClendon
Home stadium Tiger Stadium
1969 SEC football standings
LSU 35 vs aTm 6 W
LSU 42 @ Rice 0 W
LSU 63 vs Baylor 8 W
LSU 20 @ MiamiU 0 W
LSU 37 @ UK 10 W
LSU 21 vs Auburn 20 W
LSU 23 @ Old Mrs 26 L
LSU 20 vs Alabama 15 W
LSU 61 vs Mississippi St 6 W
LSU 27 vs Tulane 0 W
Final rankings AP
#8 Old Mrs 8-3-0
#10 LSU 9-1-0
#14 UF 9-1-1
#15 Tennessee 9-2-0 (SEC champions)
#20 Auburn 8-3-0
Un-ranked:
UGA 5-5-1
Vandy 4-6-0
Alabama 6-5-0
UK 2-8-0
Mississippi St 3-7-0
LSU team players drafted into NFL following 1969 season:
Eddie Ray Running Back 4 83 Boston Patriots
Godfrey Zaunbrecher Center 11 286 Minnesota Vikings
George Bevan Defensive Back 17 421 Buffalo Bills
This post was edited on 9/17/15 at 8:16 pm
Posted on 9/17/15 at 7:59 pm to blueboy
McClendon played 60-80 players in every game. There were some sound reasons for that and a lot of the time it payed big dividends,
As far as Casanova rushing for 100 yards against Auburn....I doubt it. I just checked the 1969 stats. Casanova rushed for 101 yards on 24 carries in 1969, and I mean all of 1969.
As far as Casanova rushing for 100 yards against Auburn....I doubt it. I just checked the 1969 stats. Casanova rushed for 101 yards on 24 carries in 1969, and I mean all of 1969.
This post was edited on 9/17/15 at 8:00 pm
Posted on 9/17/15 at 8:00 pm to ArtW
Auburn was the first team that year that I'd ever seen with mesh jerseys. Pat Sullivan was quarterback. Both teams came in undefeated. it was a big time game.
Posted on 9/17/15 at 8:20 pm to vjp819
Bump for the 1969 LSU College Football National Champions as awarded by 2015 future to past iBlog online sports blog/news/rant.
Posted on 9/17/15 at 8:25 pm to SamuelClemens
In 1970 LSU went 9-3-0 overall, 5-0-0 in the SEC and won the SEC championship while finishing the season ranked #7.
Following the 1970 season Mike Anderson was drafted as a Linebacker in the 9th round pick number 216 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Part of the Steel Curtain.
1970 LSU Fighting Tigers SEC Champions
Lost the Orange Bowl to Nebraska 12-17
The 3 losses were to #2 ND in South Bend 3-0,
#3 Nebraska in Miami 17-12, and to un-ranked aTm in BR 20-18.
Beat #6 Auburn @ Auburn 17-9, #16 Old Mrs in BR 61-17, and #19 Alabama @ Alabama 14-9.
Following the 1970 season Mike Anderson was drafted as a Linebacker in the 9th round pick number 216 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Part of the Steel Curtain.
1970 LSU Fighting Tigers SEC Champions
Lost the Orange Bowl to Nebraska 12-17
The 3 losses were to #2 ND in South Bend 3-0,
#3 Nebraska in Miami 17-12, and to un-ranked aTm in BR 20-18.
Beat #6 Auburn @ Auburn 17-9, #16 Old Mrs in BR 61-17, and #19 Alabama @ Alabama 14-9.
This post was edited on 9/17/15 at 8:34 pm
Posted on 9/17/15 at 8:29 pm to ArtW
I talked to Jimmy Gilbert's dad the night before the game, and he told me what the first play would be. To be honest, I forgot about it until Jimmy took the pitch. What a fabulous play!
Jimmy was a childhood hero of mine. He tried (in vain) to show me how to run the option when I was in junior high. Years later, I followed him as the Bastrop High quarterback, but I never did it as well as he did. Great player, great guy, great family.
Jimmy was a childhood hero of mine. He tried (in vain) to show me how to run the option when I was in junior high. Years later, I followed him as the Bastrop High quarterback, but I never did it as well as he did. Great player, great guy, great family.
Posted on 9/17/15 at 8:36 pm to SamuelClemens
Solid thread from a relative youngin (class '98)
Geaux Tigers!!!
Geaux Tigers!!!
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