Pecan Bowl
1969
Arkansas State 29
Drake 21
The Herald of Arkansas State University
December 16, 1969
By Richard Woods
Wayne
"Bubba" Crocker of San Marcos, Tex, and Clovis Swinney of Jonesboro were
named most valuable offensive and defensive players in Arkansas State
University’s 29-21 Pecan Bowl victory over Drake in Arlington, Tex. on
Saturday.
The win was the first Pecan Howl victory for ASU in two tries.
Crocker, who replaced quarterback James Hamilton after he suffered an injured leg in the first period, set the Indian offense rolling toward a victory early in the game.
The contest was the last college game for Crocker, a perky 156-pound Texan.
"It feels just great. The whole team played a fantastic game. Everyone played his hardest. We were determined to win the Pecan Bowl," remarked Crocker after reaching Jonesboro Saturday night.
The modest senior failed to point out that he passed for two touchdowns, ran one and scored a diving two-point conversion.
The fiery quarterback and "Most Valuable Offensive Player" in the Pecan Bowl proved his underestimated and overlooked capabilities as he coolly picked the Bulldog defense to shambles.
Crocker, who completed five of eight passes in the first half, cracked the stubborn Drake defense with 2:47 left in the opening quarter. Rolling left, Crocker hit sophomore tight end Steve Lockhart at the A-State 40 and the 6-3. 214-pounder from New Orleans, La., completed the 75-yard jaunt in a footrace with Drake's Mike Carden. The conversion by Mike Everett made it 7-0.
Terry Whiting, a sophomore from Gillett, then put the Tribe in striking distance with a pass interception at the A-State 41. Eleven plays later, Crocker flipped an eight-yard scoring strike to tight end Virgil Peyton with 5:22 left in the half. Crocker, with the help of a Drake penalty, squeezed in for two points.
It took the revived Indians offensive machine only 33 seconds to close out the first half scoring. Linebacker Butch Murray picked up Drake fumble at the Bulldog 28 and, two plays later, Crocker, with Calvin Harrell blocking, swept right for the third A-State touchdown. Mike Everett booted the extra point to increase the Indians' advantage to 22-0 at halftime.
Mike Grejbowski began to un-limber his talented throwing arm in the third quarter for Drake. The 195 pound sophomore, who missed nine straight passes at one stretch, put the Bulldogs in scoring position for the first time midway in the period on a 27-yard strike to Bob Rogers at the ASU 31.
Six plays later, tailback Scott Sharpe went in from the two with 9:40 left. A two-point conversion failed, and the store was 22-6.
On its next possession, Drake needed only six plays to cover 78 yards with Grejbowski’s 1 -yard storing loss to Duane Miller making it 22-12. Bob Chase's kick shortened the Indian lead to 22-13.
A 35-yard pass from Crocker to Lockhart put the Indians in striking distance early in the fourth period at the Drake 45.
Tailback Johnnie Carr carried the Indians to the Bulldog three. From there, Harrell knifed through to score. Everett's PAT set the count at 29-11.
With time running out, Drake swept 59 yards in eight plays for its final score. It took the Bulldogs four plays to crack the Tribe's staunch defense. A one yard scoring pass from Grejbowski to Rogers caught the Indians by surprise on fourth down. Tight-end Dave Herbert caught a second Grejbowski aerial to make the final score 29-21.
Bubba Crocker plunges into the Drake defense.
Calvin Harrel caries against the Bulldogs.
Crocker, a replacement quarterback, was the hero of the Pecan Bowl and the season for ASU.
Attendance- 7,500
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
ASU- Lockhart 75 yard pass from Crocker (Everett kick)
Second Quarter
ASU- Peyton 8 yard pass from Crocker (Crocker run)
ASU- Croker 5 run (Everett kick)
Third Quarter
DU- Sharpe 2 run (pass failed)
DU- Miller 51 yard pass from Grejbowski (Chase kick)
Fourth Quarter
ASU- Harrell 3 run (Everett kick)
DU- Rogers 1 yard pass from Grejbowski ( Herbert pass from Grejbowski)
Individual Statistics
Rushing
ASU- Harrell 34-160, Carr 9-49
DU- Sharpe 19-60, Rodgers 3-16
Passing
ASU- Crocker 6-11-176
DU- Grejbowski 15-37-269
Receiving
ASU- Lockhart 2-110, Harrell 1-42, Johnson 2-16
DU- Miller 9-192, Rodgers 5-63
