Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Buckner by captai By SCOTT DERKS Sports Editor First the ACC title, then the Peach Bowl, and for Don Buckner and Pat Watson the honor of team captains. "I couldn't believe it," Buckner said. "I thought I was the last one to get it. I didn't have any hopes. When it was announced I was speechless. Then Coach Dietzel announced the news about the Peach Bowl and everyone went wild." "I knew we had the team. You dream of this kind of thing then really can't believe it when it all comes true. The whole team--it was never like this before. "We were just a bunch of guys playing for each other. We workea harder this year than any year I've been here," the senior said. This year has seen Buckner on the side lines several times due to injuries. An injury against Ten nessee prevented the 195 pound Co-cap tai Presider commer The entire University Corn Fighting Gamecocks. After ti ey are champions in the A "' 4eserved. \ Only the players and the c ki'nd of organization and ef1 this championship. I am con the University who physica players on our football tearn week, they strive for perfecti team while building stai toward the end of a gruelling face the same curricula ar other University students. Our coaches select appr< each year. These young mi and the ability for.satisfac These coaches spend over season in training the t< strategies. The most significant thing and his staff is that I would any son of mine. They devel real sense, all too rare in A men outstanding in scholar physique, and understandil limitations. For these reasons and r championship is a victory which we can take great p extends its influence far chminsi e Every member of the UnI faut,administration, tri Carolinian - stands taller wl Winners accomplish far harder, take bIgger risks, Down through the ages this ners, not losers. We have established Caro of winners, let us all v acknowledged champion in Go, Go, Gamerneksl flail surprised in honor middle guard from playing in the Wake Forest game. "I'm from Tennessee," Buckner said, "and when I came to Columbia four years ago I made this my home. I just sort of hated Tennessee and after we got there we knew we could beat them. "Before the game I decided that I was going to play as if this was the last game of the season, even though we lost I'll always remember that game. We really shot Tennessee down." Another game that will live in Buckner's memory is the Maryland game. "I was captain and it was homecoming and we all knew we had to win it for Carolina and ourselves. "It really felt good when some of the guys told me, 'We are going to get that game ball for you.' They really played their hearts out." The state title comes up tomorrow with Clemson and as Buckner said, "It is a bowl game in itself." n Buck ner t Jones ids team munity shares our pride in the 75 years of Carolina football, ?CC! And that honor is richly :oaching staff really know the rort that went into achieving fident there are no students in Ily work as hard as the fine .Six and often seven times a ion as members of an efficient na they will not lose, even game. At the same time, they id homework assignments as >ximately 40 football players an have the highest potential :tory academic performance. 80 hours a week during the eam and planning winning I can say about Coach Dietzel be proud to have them coach op the kind of man that is, in a merica today. They produce ship, teamwork, competition, ng of their own abilities and more the.winning of the ACC worth celebrating, and one in ride. Ike our Fighting Gamecocks yond the coaches and players. versity community - students, ,stees, alumni - and John Doe hien he Identifies with a winner. more than losers. They try and have more confidence. world has been built by win linians as winners. In the spirit vork to make Carolina the everything it attempts to do. Thomas F. Jones President the Uo the victor goes.. Jiated by The Ga he many tomorrovy season. Bowl Dec 1 did iI short Gamecock Country--Home of Columbia." While the other stadiums in the ACC were hungry for crowds, Carolins Stadium was filled to capacity at every game. Credit Paul Dietzel with this. He is such a colorful personality that the crowds come to see him as if a magnetic force pulled them there. But the exciting brand of foot ball offered also had something to do with it. too. Paul Dietzel conveys to the public a most favorable image. He is suave, something new to people of South Carolina. He is extremely poised and neatly groomed. He is the type of coach who wears the white hat. He's the favorite. He's the nice guy. All other coaches are the heavies when they meet Dietzel on the girdiron. na Football )Ort by T Suggs stymied finds the weekend ailing his forest last Deacs ai to Coach Paul Dietzel is congrati his wife, Anne, after one of t wins Carolina recorded this Dietze in oui By BRUCE HONICK Sports Editor Paul Dietzel has accomplished what he set out to do four short years ago: win the ACC title and receive a bowl bid. But the 46-year old Ohio native still isn't completely satisfied. "I don't think we're ever satisfied," Dietzel said, "but we're gaining ground. It could be better, but it could also be a lot worse." While at Carolina his ability to win friends and influence people has paid off. His public relations efforts to turn Columbia on to the Fighting Gamecocks have been nothing short of phenomenal. Billboards declaring, "Welcome to Columbia--Home of the Fighting Gamecocks" were part of Dietzel's public relations coup. Give him another few years and the the billboards may read, "Welcome to Caroli A special rej Quarterback Tommy Suggs going a little rough after c own numer. aans.ake U c/u - Tom Normars mecocks play Clemson and then comes the Peach 30 to close out the season. all years He has the ability to com municate with his players because It wasn't too long ago that he was a player himself. His younger age, as compared to most coaches, has been an invaluable aid in his role as teacher and coach. He 'has taken the Gamecocks from rags to riches in four short years. The road has been rocky, filled with more disappointments than glory. But everything comes to those who wait. Paul Dietzel waited and now he is going to the Peach Bowl in Atlanta Dec. 30 with the ACC champions. Dietzel 's exuberance rubs off on his players. They have more guts than anything else. They run on sheer courage with just enough talent thrown in to make a winner. The Gamecocks are a product of Paul Dietzel, a coach accustomed to winning. 1969 be Gamecock .The Gamecocks beat the d clinched the champnionship. zmps4 Watson for capt By SCOTT DERKS Sports Editor Pat Watson's election to the post of captain for the 1969 Gamecocks is "something I had always wanted." "That honor plus the bowl game are the greatest things ever," Watson said, "I couldn't be more proud. "I thought we were through, we just figured we didn't have a chance for a bowl. Monday was like a dream, two things like that in one day." When they made the an nouncement it was like a family of four-old kids who had just discovered there was a Santa Claus. For the scrappy defensiveback the year has been rewarding as any senior year can be, but it has not been without its disap pointments. "I remember the Georgia game, I really thought we were going to Co-captain That was that was By BRUCE HIONiCK Sports Editor Playing Duke was reason enough for Gamecock fans to be en thusiastic about the Sept. 20 season opener, but pre-season picks in national magazines gave the Gamecocks the nod for top con ference honors and this added to the excitement. Duke boasted the throwing arm of junior Leo Hart. Carolina had Warren Muir and Company, which included Tommy Suggs, Fred Zeigler and Rudy Holloman. Hart was brilliant, but the Gamecocks were able to eek out a 27-20 win. The Tar Heels of North Carolina gave Carolina some tense moments, but the better team won out. 14-6 as Gamecock fans wit nessed a rather dull ball game, a rarity with Dietzel's teams. For three quarters the Georgia Bulldogs, nationally ranked and boasting several All-Americas. knew they were in a ball game. A Billy DuPre field goal seconds before the endl of the first half had Carolina behind by. only four points. The fourth quarter was all Georgia as Bruce Kemp blasted the Carolina defensive line at will. The final score was 41-16. but the game was closer than the score indicated N C. State was the consensus pick to with the ACC along with Carolina. who received con siderable at tention. The Gamecocks knew they had to stop the Wolfpack it they intended to win the ACC title. They did. beating State. 21-16. VPI had dropped four in a row before Carolina met them in Blacksburg. The Gamecocks were never in trouble until a third string qluarterback rifled a TD pass with three minutes remaining to give the Hlokies a t wo point lead. Billy DuPre stepped in for a field goal try after Tommy Suggs guided Carolina to wit hin field goal range. The 47-yard boot by D)uPre with nine seconds left gave Carolina the win. 17-1t6 as the 28.000 fans rubbed their eyes in diselaief. koped ain s job beat them. Then it was like a big ruin after we lost. It seemed the biggest bubble burst in our face, I just knew we were going to win." Personal triumphs have been few, he says, but recalls the Wake Forest game a year ago as his greatest day on the field. Even though Watson came up with four interceptions in the first half for an ACC record, Watson modestly maintains, "It. wasn't any great plays by me; the linemen on two occasions put on a great rush and the quarterback just threw short--right into my hands. I didn't have any choice but to catch it." Last week against Wake Forest Watson blocked an extra point attempt by Wake Forest, the first time the Gamecocks have ac complished that this year. He also came up with an interception to stop a Wake drive. His personal achievements have been few, he says, but the records continue to contradict him. 'J Watson the year (whew!) liomecoming at Carolina was a ioyous occasion as usual. but a 17-0 wiln over Maryland( added to the merriment. Th'lis was the first and onily shutout by the Gamecocks this season. Bowl bids wer'e on the Gamecocks' mind as they flew to Talahassee for a meet ing with the Seminoles of Florida State. perennial headache for the Gamecocks in a game that Coach Dietzel had trouble (evaluating the next day. Bill Peterson's Seminoles. withl the help of an unheralded sophomore. Magalski managed to hand Carolina their second loss in seven starts. 34-9. The Florida State game put bowl hopes that a nyone'i migiht ihave had out of reachl The Gamecocks knew they had thleir hlands fuill ev~en before they left for Knoxville thle following wee'k Tennlessee was rantked thlird inI tile natiOnl. but the G amecoc 'ks gave( the Vols the biggest fighlt they had( expeWrie.nced all season. losinlg 29 14 i'or three quarters the Tent nlessee Hiomecoming crowd wat chiedI in st unnedl si lenlce as Carolina Ahloved Tennessee all over tile field Two inltercept ions and( a fumble in the fourth p)eriod put the end1( to ary upset hlopes and Carolina had to be contented wit h a moral victorv Wake Forest was nlever a tilleat as the( G;amec(~ocks stopped thlem. 24 6 Since ('lemnson fell to Northl Carolina the same af ternoon. the G;amecocks won for hemselves the first (championship in the history of tile school. Tile following Monday it was annrouncedl thtat Carolina was to be the host team in the Peach Bowl Dec. 30, The next day it was made knlown that West Virginia would be their opponents. What a year! But Clemson is tomorrow