have been the main factor that contributed to the Bisons losing season. The first game of the schedule was one of the bright spots of the year. Travelling to Jackson, Tenn.. the Bisons took on the Lane College Dragons. With five previous wins over the Dragons, the Black and Gold made it six in a row with a 12·6 victory. Starting off the season with a win placed a perspective on the games to come as something to really look forward. The next performance even made the light at the end of the tun· nel look brighter. Week number two meant a trip to Bear country to take on NCAA Division I·AA, Southwest Missouri State. Played at Springfield, Mo., the contest was ex· citing from start to finish. After the Bears jumped out to a 21 ·7 lead, the Bisons came storming back with three field goals by Steve Hunter and the defensive wizardry of safety Bruce Baldwin. The final margin was 21·18 with the Bears prevailing. 'The boys played their hearts out, and all we need· ed was just a little more time," Prock said after the game. 'There was no doubt in anybody's mind that we came to . play:' The first home game of the season brought Southeastern Oklahoma to Alumni Field. The Savages boasted an outstanding quarterback in senior Steve Hodge and a close, explosive game was expected. Witnessed by the Parent's Night crowd, the contest turned out to be the 'Steve Hunter Show' as the barefoot kicker connected on five field goals to break a Bison record and place him atop the list for kick scoring in the nation. Add to Hunter's performance an outstanding job by junior runningback Tony McCoy and quarterback Kyle Blickenstaff and it all added up to a 36·28 Bison victory. McCoy gained 161 yards on 32 carries and scored a touchdown while Blickenstaff com· pleted 11 of 27 passes for 178 yards and a score. Second ranked Northeast Oklahoma was scheduled next and the Redmen made mincemeat of the Bisons. Playing in Tahlequah, Okla., NOSU dropped the Bisons by the score of 35·10 and evened Harding's record to 2·2. "Northeast Oklahoma is, without a doubt, one of the best teams we'lI play this year," Prock commented of the Savages. "We made our share of mistakes, but they are just plain awesome." Mistakes, indeed, played an important role in the game as the Bisons turned the pigskin over six times. Arkansas Tech ventured to Searcy to take on the Black and Gold in the fifth week of the season and opened the con· ference slate. With the second ranked passer in the nation, the conference's leading ground gainer of 1980 and the Ale's top receiver, one could easily say that offense was the watchword for 1981 version of the Wonder Boys. The Wonder Boys won. 34·14. but not before Blickenstaff broke the record for passing yards in a game with 275 and total of· fense in a game with 300 yards. He also established the record for passes completed in a contest with 22, and freshman tight end Mark Adkison tied the mark for touchdown receptions in a contest with two. Week number six brought loss number four when the Bisons hosted livingston University out of Alabama. The Tigers. a member of the NCAA Division II , outlasted the Herd. 19·0, in a rain soaked battle. Following an all day downpour previous to the 7:30 p.m. kickoff, the field was surrounded by a constant ring of water that went as far as ten yards on the playing field and virtual· Iy covered both endzones. Next on the schedule, Henderson State hosted the Bisons in an important conference game. The Reddies entered the contest as the fifth ranked team in the country and if they were to stand a chance at reaching the top spot, they would have to upend the Bisons. They did just that, in proper fashion, with a 46·13 shellacking and eventually reach· (c:oofd) 4 - Counny of l'ubIidry CJf/'J« 1981 FOOTBALL RESULTS Harding 12 Lane College Opponent 18 Southwest Missouri State 36 Southeast Oklahoma State 10 Northeast Oklahoma State 14 Arkansas Tech University o liVingston University 13 Henderson State Univ. 29 Univ. of Ark.·Monticelio 10 Southern Arkansas Univ. 22 Ouachita Baptist Univ. 6 Univ. of Central Arkansas 6 21 28 35 34 19 46 31 14 31 14 I. BURSTING through an open hole, fullback James Joyce chums for yardage while Mark Adkison forces a defender away and Kyle Blickenstaff watches from behind. 2. FOOT· BALL TEAM. From Row: Ragsdale·Grad. Asst., Thrasher·Manager, LeDoux, McCoy, M. Peacock. Trahan, Mayes, Baker, Carson, Clep· per, Chase, Bertschy. Harriman, Joyce, Whitson. Trainer, Webb· Trainer. Second Row: Nickerson·Grad. Asst., Dicken·Grad. Asst., Brown, Fullerton, Maturi, Teasley, Kent. Brumley, Murrah, White, Hubbert, Hunter, Walls, Parrish, Hill, Gerbholz. Gentry-Grad. Asst. . K. Thompson·Grad. Asst. Third Row: Johnson·Coach, Prock·Head Coach. McDowell, Flowers, Hoppe, Frazier, Valls. Bartee, Caton, Lowery, McAfee. Adkison. Mar· tin, Nannie. Shenker, Baldwin. Tribble·Coach, R. Peacock·Coach, Citty· Team Doctor. Back Row: Buttram, Jones, Shumate. Roddenberry, Jackson, Frantz, Clark, Winn, Poston, Staggs, Bffckenstaff, Kirkland, Carlin, Glommen, J. T. Thompson, Kohlbrand, Dry. Cross. 3. FRESHMAN reseroes DaVid Fullerton, Mike Chase and Joe Carson watch their teammates from the sidelines and paliently await theiI:tum to play. 4. ALL·A/C KICKER Steve Hunter con· nects on one of his many field goals out of the hold of Don Shumate. Football·285
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==