2 284· Football Tough Schedule Brings Hard-Luck Year - DarrdJ T rum All things considered. the 1981 ver· sion of the Harding Bison football team had a relatively successful campaign. Most people would not consider a record of 2·9 and a conference account of 0·6 as being very successful. These numbers, however. do not do justice to the season's accomplishments. Of the nine games lost, one was an eight point difference. one was four pOints, one was three and another two. Add to that the fact that five of the losses were to NAIA top twenty teams and two others were to NCAA Division I·M and Division II squads and the record doesn't look quite as bad as at the first glance. Individual performances during the season were prosperous as well. No less than ,'eleven personal marks were established during the slated schedule. Others gained notable praise for their statistics compiled throughout the year. Four Bisons received top honors from the Arkansas Intercollegiate Con erence coaches in their respective positions and were awarded AIl·AIC distinction. Thir· teen others were nominated for the prestigious team. The season began with hopes of great improvement from the 3·8 team the previous year. Only six seniors returned to lead the corps and all were relatively seasoned veterans. They were Lafe Caton and Klay Bartee. co-captains for the team. Roy Kirkland. Dain Clark. Nicky Valls and Charles Cross. Obvious· Iy. leadership was partly the responsibili. ty of the fifteen juniors on the team. And youth once again loomed as a problem as 29 freshmen made up exactly half of the team. Still , the coaches entered the season with an optimistic attitude. "All of the teams in the AIC will be improved. including the Bisons, with the possible exception of UCA (University of Central Arkansas. a hands down winner of the conference in 1980)," head coach John Prock said before the season. His speculation was exactly correct. Four of the conference teams were ranked in the final NAIA poll for the season. an ac. compllshment not attained by any other conference in the country. That could
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