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OPEN DAILY
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
5/22/1953
Alabama safety Hootie Ingram and lineman Ed Culpepper have been chosen as the Southeastern Conference's pre-season best defensive back and best blocking lineman. Alabama, coming off its 61-6 win over Syracuse in the Orange Bowl, is selected as the team to beat in the SEC followed by Georgia Tech and Ole Miss. |
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Coach: Doc Pollard (Darthmouth) Record: 5-1
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Captain(s): Washington Moody
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Another new coach, J.W.H. "Doc" Pollard, ushered in his Alabama career and he led his troops to a 5-1 season which included season ending wins in Birmingham over Auburn (10-0) and Tennessee (51-0). The lone loss was an absolute massacre as Vanderbilt routed Bama 78-0 in a contest Pollard had tried to postpone or cancel because seven of his 11 players were injured. Vanderbilt would have none of it and handed Alabama its worst ever defeat.
By the time the Auburn game arrived, Alabama was back in full force and in the game Coach Pollard unveiled his new offense, the "Military Shift." It was a maneuver used at Dartmouth where Pollard came from, but one never seen in the South. Auburn Coach Mike Donahue was apparently so incensed with this military formation, he threatened to cancel the series.
Pollard apparently perfected this formation in secret practices. The best description of the play is: the entire line, except the center, would take their position behind the line of scrimmage and join hands. Then the men would return to right or left side of the line, resulting in an unbalanced line.
Burks was the star of that win, kicking the first field goal scored in Birmingham and then scoring the game's only touchdown on a 65-yard punt return. The field goal was worth four points and the TD five. Quarterback Emile Harmon kicked the extra point.
Burks was the first Bama idol, having a poem titled "Farewell to Burks" written about him and published in student publications. |
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Notes: Wins over future bitter rivals Auburn and Tennessee ease the pain of the worst loss in school history, the 78-0 pounding by Vanderbilt in Nashville. |
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