RIP Jack Mildren

[pressboxer]

Former OU quarterback who later became lieutenant governor died Thursday from stomach cancer. He was 58.

Mildren was probably best known as the quarterback when Chuck Fairbanks made the midseason switch to the Wishbone in 1970. Mildren was an All-American in 1971, when No. 1q Nebraska beat No. 2 Oklahoma 35-31 on Thanksgiving Day in what many still regard as the greatest college football game ever.

 

[D-3 Fan]

Mildred was one of many players who helped put the OU-NU rivalry on the national map. Not only was he a great QB, but he went to become Oklahoma's Lt. Governor. He was doing a radio show with Versus' Ron Thulin up until his death last week.

What's interesting to point out is that Mildred was on the short end of three of the biggest moments in his life: his Abilene (TX) Cooper team lost to Austin (TX) Reagan when he was stopped on the 1-yard line at the gun; losing to NU in the Game of the Century; and losing the Governor's race.

Despite that, he went on to become successful after graduating from OU and Sooner Nation is in deep mourning.

 

[DemoChristian]

Last year I watched an ESPN Classic show on the Game of the Century. They talked about OU's last chance at the end and Mildren overthrew an open receiver for what probably would have been the game-winning touchdown.
Mildren said, "That ball was about five yards ahead of him, but each time I hear that story, he get closer and closer to catching it. The last time I heard it, it was just past his fingertips. I think maybe one day he'll catch that damned ball and we'll win the game."

 

[Boom_70]

Wow - in all the football I've watched perhaps the greatest game ever. The Nebraska drive at end with Jeff Kinney carrying the load was a real gut check.

What I remember most about that game was match up between Rich Glover - NEB MG and OKA C Tom Brahaney - both All Americans - Glover ate Brahaney up.

Mildren was a great option QB - very smart

RIP

 

[old_tony]

That Oklahoma team AVERAGED 472 rushing yards per game in 1971. I can say with reasonable certainty that that record will not be broken.

 

[Starman]

That was an absolutely awesome game -- the whole country was pointing toward it for about half the season.

I wish we would have college games on Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Friday, again.

What are they afraid of -- taking on the Detroit Lions game?? : :

 

[Blitz]

Wow - in all the football I've watched perhaps the greatest game ever.

What I remember most about that game was match up between Rich Glover - NEB MG and OKA C Tom Brahaney - both All Americans - Glover ate Brahaney up.

That Thanksgiving Day game, plus the ND/USC game a few years later with the great kick return and running by Ant.Davis sort of ingrained in me the importance (for me and in my life) of college football.
The Thanksgiving game, for me, was memorable for the backs - Johnny Rogers and Greg Pruitt. But I was only 6 at the time.
Still, I remember clearly us being in the new house and family sitting at, like, three tables spaced around the downstairs. That was a great, dramatic game.
The 70s had lots of good college games and memories for me.
---------
RIP Mr. Mildren

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Dan Jenkins wrote a wonderful piece for SI about the recruiting process featuring Mildren when he was a high school senior and the top prospect in Texas. It's in his collection "Saturday's America," long out of print, but check the local library, especially if you, as so many on this board are, a big college football fan.

 

[GuessWho]

I wish we would have college games on Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Friday, again.

What are they afraid of -- taking on the Detroit Lions game?? : :

Texas A&M v. Texas is moving back to Thanksgiving this coming season after having been on Friday for years.

 

[SlickWillie71]

RIP to the Godfather of the wishbone. I only wished I could have run it as well as he did in my Jr. High days......

 

[Boom_70]

Did not read at the time but Dave Kindred had a lead the pretty much summed up the game:"They can quit playing now, they have played the perfect game."

I would love to get a tape of that game. Rich Glover might have played the most dominant defensive football game I've ever watched.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

There is almost universal agreement with Boom's point that Glover had a fabulous game. OU scored 31 anyway. Mildren ran a pretty good offense.

 

[Football_Bat]

Two stories about Mildren's senior year in high school:

1. Barry Switzer (at the time OU's top assistant) actually rented a house in Abilene so he could recruit Mildren full-time.

2. At the end of Cooper's state championship game against Austin Reagan, the Cougars could've won with a field goal, but Mildren waved the FG unit off the field so he could win it with a TD. Of course, he was stopped.

 

[DemoChristian]

That was an absolutely awesome game -- the whole country was pointing toward it for about half the season.

I wish we would have college games on Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Friday, again.

What are they afraid of -- taking on the Detroit Lions game?? : :

Nebraska and Colorado play the day after Thanksgiving every year.

 

[D-3 Fan]

That was an absolutely awesome game -- the whole country was pointing toward it for about half the season.

I wish we would have college games on Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Friday, again.

What are they afraid of -- taking on the Detroit Lions game?? : :

Nebraska and Colorado play the day after Thanksgiving every year.

True, but for this midwestern guy, I'll do anything to have Nebraska and Oklahoma face off again on the Friday after Turkey Day.

Ole Miss and Miss. State plays either on Turkey Day night, the day after, or the Saturday after. Arizona State and Arizona traditionally square off on the Friday after, and Alabama St. and Tuskegee (?) duke it out (literally) on Thanksgiving Day. They had a hell of an on-field brawl a few years back.

 

[Boom_70]

That was an absolutely awesome game -- the whole country was pointing toward it for about half the season.

I wish we would have college games on Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Friday, again.

What are they afraid of -- taking on the Detroit Lions game?? : :

If you were lucky enough to see that game, from then on Thanksgiving football was spoiled because the bar was set so high.