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The 1975 College All-Star Game |
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Same result: The pro champions always win. And it rained as usual Friday night, dampening an otherwise fine spectacle for 54,562 fans in Soldier field. No matter how dry the weather has been in the Midwest, the All-Star game is the old drouth-breaker.
So the Pittsburgh Steelers, who looked like Art Rooney's inept Steelers of old for most of the game, shook themselves loose for a 21-14 victory over a feisty bunch of All-Stars.
"We're the National Football league champions," said Joe Gilliam, the quarterback who finally roused the Steeler offense for the tie-breaking TD in the final quarter.
"Sure, we expected the All-Stars to play aggressively against us, and they did. We just had to execute properly, get off the ball and call the right patterns. When we did, we won the game."
Gilliam took over from Terry Bradshaw, who led the Steelers to the NFL title last year with a smashing Super Bowl victory over the Minnesota Vikings, at the start of the final quarter. The All-Stars had a 14-7 lead thanks to a 28-yard TD pass from California's Steve Bartkowski to Harvard's Pat Mclnally and a blazing 88-yard punt return by Western Kentucky's Virgil Livers.
Gilliam tied it-by hurling a six-yard TD strike to Rocky Bleier with 10:19 to go. Then, with 4:16 left, he directed another drive that was climaxed with his 21-yard pass to Frank Lewis, who put a great move on defensive back Richard Wood to score the big one.
Who said nothing ever changes? Well, it's true the pro champs now have won 11 straight over the collegians, and that's a 30-9-2 edge since the mid-summer classic began in 1934.
But this game may have been the last of the College All-Star games by this format. It ended the contract between the NFL and the sponsoring Chicago Tribune, but the latter is hoping to keep its big charity extravaganza alive in one way or another.
The contest also may have been the last of this type for John McKay, Southern California's highly successful coach who directed the All-Stars for the second time. His team lost a respectable but boring 14-3 decision to the Miami Dolphins In 1973, and last year's game was canceled because of the NFL player's strike.
"Those fumbled snaps from center and some holding penalties took away our offense in the second half," said McKay, unusually close-mouthed and forlorn after the loss.
"No, I don't think we were physically tired, but we were mentally tired when our offense made those mistakes. Sure, the Steelers have a very good front four, but there are other good front fours.
"I wasn't surprised that Bradshaw had to pass that much in the first half (he hit 12 of 16 for 125 yards in that time). Chuck Noll is a pretty smart coach, and If you can't run, you have to pass or else kick the ball."
McKay said Bartkowski, who hit his first four passes and then wound up with only 7 completions in 18 tries for the game, was handicapped somewhat because two of his top receivers were injured early.
McInally, who made a beautiful catch and run for the first TD, suffered a broken leg bone when tackled on the goal line. Then Purdue's Ron Burton, who caught a 48-yarder to set up that score, was lost because of a pulled hamstring.
The All-Stars could pass, but their rushing was well contained from scrimmage. They had zero yards on the ground in the first half and wound up with 19 yards rushing in 18 tries. Running against Mean Joe Greene, L. C. Greenwood, Ernie Holmes and Dwight White was about as dangerous as trying to cross Chicago's Michigan Avenue at rush hour.
It was a highly charged All-Star team, however.
McKay had 22 first-round draft choices. They outhit the Steelers on both offense and defense in the first three quarters.
"Physically, we got the h— kicked out of us," admitted Chuck Noll, Steeler coach. "I never saw us so decimated physically, and I guess that came from taking a team too lightly.”
"The All-Star game plan was to knock our heads off, and they succeeded admirably. However, I was proud of our team for having the stuff to score two touchdowns in the last quarter and pull it out." |
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Charles Phillips (USC) rushes to hug Virgil Livers (W. Ky) who scored on a spectacular 88 yard punt return. |
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Randy White (top) of Maryland and Mike Fanning (bottom) of Notre Dame get Bradshaw. |
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One of the modern realities that ended the College All-Star Game, players were just too valuable to risk injury. Here Steve Bartkowski of Cal and Pat McInally of Harvard celebrate their TD hook up that resulted in McInally's broken leg (being held by physician).
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CHICAGO,
Aug. 1 (AP) Nothing has changed much with the College All-Star game.
Reports say McKay will
coach USC for the 1975 season, then announce he is taking over the new
Tampa team in the NFL. He refused to say those are his plans here Friday
night. Among USC's foes this fall is Iowa at Iowa City Oct. 4.
