The 1965 College All-Star Game
In
1965 Otto Graham coached his eighth consecutive team of College
All-Stars, graduates from college football programs from around the
nation. Graham would go on to begin a professional coaching career with
the Washington Redskins in 1966, but would return to the All-Star game
in 1969 and 1970. Playing for Graham that year against the Cleveland
Browns were Notre Dame’s John Huarte (MVP),
Dick Butkus of Illinois,
Roger Staubach of Navy, Craig Morton of California, Fred Biletnikoff of
Florida State and Bob Hayes of Florida A&M. The game was played on
August 6 before a crowd of 68,000 at Chicago’s Soldier Field as a
soaking rain fell for two and a half periods, but the contest still
managed to live up to expectations. Roger Staubach suffered a dislocated
shoulder in the second period and had to leave the game. Craig Morton
was brought in to replace him but with little result. Graham then sent
in 1964 Heisman Trophy winner John Huarte, who completed 9 straight
passes (10 of 13 overall) with two touchdowns. Outstanding middle
linebacker Dick Butkus made tackles all over the field and was never far
from the ball.
The scoring began in the first period with a 45-yard punt return by the
Browns’ Walter Roberts. Two plays later, Jim Brown carried 7 yards for
the touchdown. Lou Groza kicked the extra point. Thirty-seven seconds
into the second quarter Chuck Mercein of Yale booted a 36-yard field
goal to make the score 7-3. Later in the second period, Stan Sczurek
recovered a fumble for Cleveland in the end zone after teammate Jamie
Caleb blocked an All-Star punt. Groza kicked the extra point. Groza
later kicked a 30-yard field goal to put the score at 17-3 at the half.
In the third quarter a 23-yard punt return by LeRoy Kelly set up a score
for the Browns the first time they had the ball in the second half. A
ten-yard pass from Frank Ryan to Gary Collins scored and Groza kicked
the extra point. The All-Stars’ Coach Graham inserted John Huarte into
the game at this point. Huarte drove his team 80
yards
in ten plays culminating with a 5-yard pass to Mercein for the score.
Mercein then attempted the point after but it was blocked. The fourth
period produced a repeat performance by Huarte who took his team 80
yards in 7 plays and Lance Rentzel of Oklahoma caught a 5-yard pass
running it in for the touchdown. Mercein’s extra point was good. The
Browns, somewhat alarmed, proceeded to sit on the ball for the remaining
four minutes of the game, which ended with the score 24-16.
Coach Graham, in response to newsmen after the game was quoted in
Sports’ Illustrated as saying, “I know what questions you’re going to
ask. Why didn’t I put Huarte in sooner? Well that’s the way we had them
listed: Staubach, Morton, Huarte. But I’ll be second-guessed about this
for months.” Interesting to note, the Browns blitzed only once all
evening, but that blitz knocked Staubach out of the game.