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The University of Mississippi Athletics
FRIDAY FLASHBACK: Ole Miss - Long Beach State 1971
9/24/2010 | Football
Sept. 24, 2010
FRIDAY FLASHBACK rewinds to some of the memorable Ole Miss games from the past. This week features the Rebels' only other game against a team from the Golden State.
Rebels Pass First Test With Cal State Sacking
By: Lee Baker
Jackson Daily News
Ole Miss won easily but not without effort opening the 1971 campaign with a 29-13 dumping of Long Beach State.
That was enough to raise hopes among the Rebel loyalists who turned out 33,500 strong at the Mississippi Memorial Stadium here Saturday.
The margin was big enough to, provide a sense of security through the Rebels' first game under new head coach Billy Kinard, but the 49ers from California displayed both power and sudden thrusting enough to provide many moments of anxiety.
Truthfully, the difference was that if Ole Miss had any trouble keeping the varied 49er offense in check, it was nothing compared to the fashion in which the Rebels were penetrating the Long Beach defense.
Sophomore quarterback Norris Weese and Kenny Lyons took turns in directing the Ole Miss assault which piled up 437 yards.
Lyons, a 6-2, 190 pounder from Biloxi, who saw little service last year with the freshman due to injury, fired three touchdown passes-to Bill Barry, Burney Veasey, and Riley Myers- to enjoy the greater success, flashing a form which reminded watchers of the departed Archie Manning.
Lyons would dart and dodge about on his sprint outs, eluding would-be tacklers before unloading his bombs.
Cloyce Hinton kicked field goals of 24 and 36 yards as well as three points after to rank as the Rebs' top scorer.
A safety was provided when Jim Stuart and Steve Burkhalter caught 49er quarterback Jim Fassell in the end zone.
Long Beach scoring came on a 44 yard sprint by Terry Metcalf in the third period and 9 yard pass from Randy Drake to Chuck Davidian in the fourth. Terry Logue kicked the lone point after.
Possessive Long Beach moved from its 24 following the opening kickoff to the Ole Miss 32 before an ineligible receiver penalty cooled the thrust with the 49ers settling for a 51-yard field goal try by Terry Logue- way short.
Thereafter, the Rebs began giving lessons in grinding out yardage as the 49ers seldom touched the ball before Ole Miss got on the scoreboard with 1:07 left on Cloyce Hinton's 24 yard field goal.
The Californians had the ball more often but did even less with it as the Rebels became evermore effective defensively, and Lyons came on to apply a booster to the scoring.
Successive penalties for holding and illegal receiver had left Long Beach on its six when quarterback Jim Fassell, hopefully looking for a receiver deep down field, was knocked out of his reverie and down in the end zone for a two-point safety by Jim Stuart and Steve Burkhalter, a pair of eager-beaver sophomores.
The 49ers thereupon had to kick to Ole Miss and Lyons, yet another fresh face up from the frosh, spear-headed a 40-yard scoring thrust in nine plays. The last a 14-yard pass to split end Bill Barry, all alone and liking it in the end zone.
When the Californians, aborting a nicely moving drive with a fumble lost at midfield, Preston Carpenter recovered on the 45, and Lyons did it again.
This time just five plays with the payoff an Archie Special- twice spinning out of tackles before launching a 29-yard pass to tight end Bernie Veasey, quite as open as Barry had been in the same right side area of the scoring zone.
Statistically at halftime, the 19-0 Rebel advantage hardly could e found, Ole Miss on top in first downs on 12-10, 75-57 in passing yardage, 87-75 rushing yardage.
But the lost fumble and the 67-15 penalty yardage difference exerted profoundly upon the 49ers putting anything too threatening together.
Weese directed a second opening push that reached the California 19 before a couple of his passes missed connection, leaving Hinton to do his thing again- a 36 yard three-pointer.
Long Beach finally began crunching in expected fashion pounding for three first downs to midfield, before unleashing the razor- Metcalf shaking loose on the right side and angling left with a untouched 44 yard scoring spring.
Punt exchanges followed before Lyons came in to get something going from a short kick opportunity, rolling from the 49ers' 46 to the 16 when the period ended.
Two plays later Lyons came rolling out wide right under heavy pursuit before arching the a pass that Riley Myers gave a joyous grab for Kenny's third TD pass.
After Hinton's point after, the margin was 29-7 Rebels, but the Long Beach wasn't packing its gear.
With a few things figured out about the Reb defense, the 49ers came 90 yards in 8 plays, the payoff for their for their second 6 a nine yard Drake to Chuck Davidian but the try for run for two, Metcalf was halted.
All too shortly another 49er threat developed after a 43 yard Fassell to Davidian pass moved Long Beach to the Rebel 20, only to have Paul Dongieux intercept a pass, and ended that- and with time rushing on, obviously not even with a miracle would the visitors catch up.
Last prospect for a score went awry about a minute from the finish when a 47 yard Hinton field goal attempt was wide.
