OCR Text |
Show IYiijc 14 Tlu: Thuruierbird Tfiesddv NovemBer 12, 1985 1 fi ; Coach under scrutiny; change may be at hand (continued from page The SUSC cheerleaders held a workshop Saturday to help high school squads in formations for the basketball season. Cheerleader workshop draws 55 prepsters The Southern Utah State cheerleaders held workshop at the Fieldhouse this weeekend where they helped 55 cheerleaders from six high schools in Utah and Nevada to improve their performance. The workshop included feats like the pyramid partner stunts and the two sideline cheers. The purpose of the cheerleaders invitational was to prepare the attending high school squads for the upcoming basketball season, according to SUSC adviser Gaye Thurston. Some schools who were to T-Bir- a participate pulled out because of bad weather, she noted. In attendance were Cedar, Juab, Beaver, Delta, Pleasant Grove and Valley high schools. Saturday night, four schools took part in cheerleading competition and Juab walked off with first place honors, followed by Beaver. Cedar Highs junior varsity squad took third and its varsity squad was fourth. The invitational was to raise funds for the SUSC cheerleaders, and according to Thurston, $350 was netted. end year with ds BY TODD ROBINSON With less than a minute remaining on a frozen turt, Colorado School of Mines assembled a four-plapassing drive for a TD to steal what had appeared to be the only Thunderbird road tie victory of the season and post a Saturday. The game closed out SUSCs history in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and may well have also signalled the end of the three-yea- r tenure of Coach Don Conrad. (See page I). Tiie game s first two quarters was a seesaw battle for the lead as it changed hands four times. The Orediggers were able to put points on the field goal with just 55 board first with a seconds remaining in the first quarter, but the tirst score of the second quarter was a dash by Bob Dyer to put SUSC on top The drive Orediggers retook the lead with an which put them on top 10-but with time running out in the half, the Birds dug deep and scored when Jeff McComb found Joe Wooten in the end zone for a pass completion with lead. just 46 seconds remaining for a The tie which should have been a win for the Thunderbirds was a hard pill to swallow since they maintained the lead throughout the entire y d 16-1- 6 d d 13-1- 0 3-5- mark -1 second half and had every reason to assume a victory. Though a tough Bird defense had held the Orediggers to low yardage and zero pass completions (until the final minute), the Bird offense was unable to penetrate the end zone and the only score in the second half was an Andy Parry field goal which came midway through the fourth quarter. final possession with time On the running out and the offense still unable to enter the end zone, Parry once again attempted a field goal which this time fell short of the mark and the ball was returned to the Orediggers with less than a minute remaining. After not having completed a pass the entire day, the chances seemed s!:m that Oredigger quarterback John Zugler would complete four in a row, one of them being a 31- - yard completion for a touchdown, but thats exactly what happened and the score was tied at 16. With a chance to win the game Oredigger placekicker Paul Wareham lined up for the point after attempt which was no good and the contest ended in a 6 tie The finished their season with a record and a record in conference play. The game was the last to be played in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Next season SUSC will enter the Western Football Conference. 16-1- 1) an emotional game so thats not a major factor in this investigation, though it may be a consideration. However, The Thunderbird has obtained a copy of a letter dated Nov. 4, in which RMAC Commissioner Paul W. Brechler recommended to the conference executive committee that it issue strong reprimands to the football programs at both SUSC and Mesa, with the assurance that any similar circumstances will deserve more stringent penalties. In the letter Brechler wrote that a situation of this type is a discredit to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and to college football in general. He also wrote that emotions and frustrations are factors in any football game, but coaches have the responsibility to teach sportsmanship and to emphasize good conduct by their players on and off the football field. The coaches must set an example and make a special effort to control their athletes at all times. However, Brechler also wrote that the whole incident was blown out of proportion by the news media. During the meeting Monday, Athletic Council members were shown copies of a report filed by referee Doug Deyo following the game against Mesa in which he rated SUSCs players and coaches below average and wrote that the Southern Utah head coach was very Italics his. unprofessional. Deyo also wrote that I think (I hope) the coaches helped restore order during the fight. Council Chairman A1 Tait confirmed that the council spent the bulk of the meeting discussing changes in the football program that may make it more competitive in the WFC, but refused to go into specifics for the record. Athletic council members agreed that a losing record is not, by itself, a valid reason for making a coaching change, but its the total program that is of concern, the source said. Although the council met behind closed doors, The Thunderbird has learned that there was little disagreement among council members about the need to evaluate a potential change in the football squads coaching staff. Lunt later emphasized that all major athletic programs at the college are evaluated annually. Conrad has been criticized by former and current members of the team for being unable to motivate his squad and for allegedly setting team rules but failing to enforce them. He has also been criticized because his team seemed to fall apart in the final moments of crucial games, allowing opponents to come from behind and win. One player, who spoke on condition he not be identified, said Conrad has a great deal of knowledge about football but lacks the communication skills to pass that knowledge on to his team. Last spring the college changed a policy that had placed head coaches on the tenure track along with members of the faculty. Under revised policy which is similar to po'icies at most major colleges and universities the head coach serves on a year-to- - An inability to motivate his squad is one of the knocks against Conrad , whos posted a 1414'1 record at SUSC. year bas at the pleasure of the administration. Should any change be made, the vacancy will first be advertised on campus for several days, and then may be advertised off campus. However, officials would be under pressure to name a replacement quickly so that recruiting for next years team could get under way. Conrad is a 1973 graduate of SUSC and lettered for four years for the Thunderbirds as a linebacker. He was among the tackle leaders for the team his junior and senior seasons. During his playing career he was also named as an NALA Seven and player. Before returning to SUSC as an assistant, he was an aide, then head coach at Cyprus High School in Magna, Utah. - |