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1961 Wichita Shockers football team

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1961 Wichita Shockers football
Team portrait from Parnassus 1962
MVC champion
Sun Bowl, L 9–17 vs. Villanova
ConferenceMissouri Valley Conference
Record8–3 (3–0 MVC)
Head coach
Home stadiumVeterans Field
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Wichita $ 3 – 0 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
North Texas State 1 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 1
Cincinnati 1 – 2 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Tulsa 1 – 2 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1961 Wichita Shockers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Wichita (now known as Wichita State University) as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1961 college football season. In its second season under head coach Hank Foldberg, the team compiled an 8–3 record (3–0 against MVC opponents), won the MVC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 230 to 189. Wichita finished the season with a 17–9 loss to Villanova in the Sun Bowl.[1]

The team played its home games at Veterans Field, now known as Cessna Stadium. Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells was a sophomore end on the team.

Schedule

[edit]
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 16at Toledo*
W 12–79,200[2]
September 23at Arizona State*
L 7–2130,000[3]
September 30Cincinnati
W 21–1311,519[4]
October 7at West Texas State*
W 41–3415,000[5]
October 14at North Texas State
W 26–14[6]
October 21New Mexico State*
  • Veterans Field
  • Wichita, KS
W 42–2711,260[7]
October 28Tulsa
  • Veterans Field
  • Wichita, KS
W 9–711,770[8]
November 4Oklahoma State*
  • Veterans Field
  • Wichita, KS
W 25–1310,115[9]
November 11Drake*
  • Veterans Field
  • Wichita, KS
W 26–139,130[10]
November 18at Dayton*
L 12–23[11]
December 30vs. Villanova*
L 9–17[12]
  • *Non-conference game

Statistics

[edit]

The team gained an average of 194.9 rushing yards and 156.0 passing yards per game. On defense, the Shockers gave up an average of 211.6 rushing yards and 95.4 passing yards.[13]

Wichita's two quarterbacks, Alex Zyskowski and Bill Stangarone, ranked first and second in total offense in the Missouri Valley Conference.[14]

  • Zyskowski led the conference with 1,038 passing yards. He completed 57 of 108 passes (52.%) with four touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a 129.1 quarterback rating. He also tallied 87 rushing yards for 1,125 yards of total offense.[13][14]
  • Stangarone, who played at both quarterback and halfback, tallied 701 yards of total offense. He completed 25 of 44 passes (56.8%) for 293 yards with three touchdowns, one interception, and a 130.7 quarterback rating. He also led the team in rushing with 408 rushing yards on 71 carries for a 5.7-yard average.[13][14]

Wichita also had four of the top six scorers in the Missouri Valley Conference. Stangarone tied for the conference scoring crown with 42 points on six touchdowns and six points after touchdown. Alvin LeBlanc ranked third in the conference with 34 points (five touchdowns, four points after touchdown); end Ron Turner ranked fourth with 26 points (four touchdowns, two points after touchdown); and Dick Stephens tied for fifth with 24 points (four touchdowns).[14]

Ron Turner was the conference's leading receiver with 24 catches for 341 yards and four touchdowns. Jim Maddox ranked second on the team and third in the conference with 16 receptions for 235 yards, an average of 14.7 yards per catch. Other receivers included J.R. Dumler (four receptions, 160 yards, 40.0-yard average) and Alvin LeBlanc (10 receptions, 140 yards, 14.0-yard average).[13][14]

Frank Butz was the team's punter, kicking 40 times for 1,406 yards, an average of 35.2 yards per punt.[14]

Alvin LeBlanc led the team with four interceptions returned for 63 yards, an average of 15.8 yards per return.[14]

Awards and honors

[edit]

Six Wichita players received first-team honors on the Associated Press 1961 All-Missouri Valley Conference football team: quarterbacks Zyskowski and Stangarone; ends Ron Turner and Jim Maddox; center Leroy Leep; and guard Charles Wright. Tackle Gene Dempsey was named to the second team. Alvin LeBlanc, Richard Stephens, and Adolph Wilson received honorable mention.[15]

Players

[edit]
  • Rich Ashcroft (#36), halfback, 170 pounds
  • Jerry Crain (#75), tackle, senior, 215 pounds
  • Gene Dempsey (#72), tackle, 205 pounds
  • J.R. Dumler (#44), fullback, 180 pounds
  • Alvin LeBlanc (#24), halfback, sophomore, 187 pounds
  • Leroy Leep (#53), center, 190 pounds
  • Jim Maddox, end
  • Bill Parcells (#87), end, 205 pounds
  • Bill Stangarone (#15), quarterback, 172 pounds
  • Dick Stephens (#42), halfback, sophomore, 175 pounds
  • Ron Turner (#83), end, 196 pounds
  • Adolph Wilson (#34), fullback, junior, 188 pounds
  • Charles Wright (#64), guard, 210 pounds
  • Alex Zyskowski #12), quarterback, 185 pounds

[16]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "1961 Wichita State Shockers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  2. ^ "Wichita Sneaks Past Toledo, 12-7". The Plain Dealer. September 17, 1961. p. 6C – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Arnott Duncan (September 24, 1961). "Sun Devils Beat Wichita 21-7 In Opener: McFalls Sparks Attack". The Arizona Republic. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Shockers Leading Bearcats 12 to 7: Fumble, Aerial Build WU Lead". The Wichita Eagle and Beacon. October 1, 1961. p. 1B – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Wichita Hands Buffs First Defeat, 41-34". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 8, 1961. p. 4 (section 4) – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Wichita tromps North Texas 24–14; Keeps conference lead". Great Bend Tribune. October 15, 1961. Retrieved November 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Abe Perilman (October 22, 1961). "Wichita Thrashes Aggies 42-27: Shockers Gain Revenge for '60". Las Cruces Sun-News. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Bill Hodge (October 29, 1961). "Air Attack Works for Shockers: Wichita Annexes Mo-Valley Crown". The Wichita Eagle. pp. 1A, 1B – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Bill Hodge (November 5, 1961). "Shockers Drop OSU with 45-second 'Blitz': Wichita Cops 25-13 Victory Before 10,115". The Wichita Eagle. pp. 1A, 1B – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Bill Hodge (November 12, 1961). "Late-rallying WU Drops Drake, 26-13". The Wichita Eagle. pp. 1A, 1B.
  11. ^ Joe Burns (November 19, 1961). "UD Shocks Wichita In Finale, 23-12". Dayton Daily News. p. IV-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Chuck Whitlock (December 31, 1961). "Villanova Line Halts Wichita, 17-9: Heads Up Defense Key Factor". El Paso Times. pp. 1A, 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b c d "1961 Wichita State Shockers Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g "Zyskowski, Turner Earn Valley Titles". The Wichita Evening Eagle and Beacon. November 21, 1961. p. 3B – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "6 WU Players On All-stars". The Wichita Morning Eagle. November 27, 1961. p. 6B – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Tentative 3-deep Lineups". The Wichita Eagle. September 15, 1961. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.
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