COMMENTARY

Crews shifted gears in the open field

— Of all the touchdowns I saw Donald Crews score for the Southern Arkansas Muleriders some 60 years ago, the two that most impressed me didn’t even count

This was 1951, the year SAU finished its climb from a junior college to a four-year school. In a 9-1 season, the Muleriders lost only to McNeese (La.) State. They swept their seven Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference opponents, with only Arkansas-Monticello keeping it competitive in a 19-7 first-place showdown Thanksgiving night.

SAU’s other lodge brothers had been blown away: 41-0, 35-13, 27-0, 35-14, 35-13, 42-14.

After a lengthy midseason practice (Coach Elmer Smith favored those kind), he called time and placed a football on the 20-yard line. “OK men,” he told the regular offensive unit. “You are 80 yards away.Score a touchdown and we’ll end the practice.”

Quarterback Louis Sanford backed up about 10 yards. Never touched, Don Crews blazed through a tired secondary for an 80-yard practice touchdown. Players started glancing at the coach.

“Too easy,” Smith said while placing another football on the 20-yard line. “No passing this time. You may be here all night.”

Crews swept to his left. The defensive end waiting for him slipped down. An 80-yard pass had been followed by an 80-yard run. Elmer Smith laughed. “Let’s go in,” he said. “I’m cold.”

Donald Crews, 83, died Saturday at the Northeast Louisiana War Veterans home ar Monroe from complications of Lewy Body Disease.

Of Elmer Smith, Crews said long after his college days were over: “I didn’t have any trouble with him at all.

“Everybody knew he was tough, but like in 1951, I think it was Thursday night and after just a few minutes, he stopped practice and asked, “Men, do you think you are ready?

“What are players going to say? Sure, Coach, we’re ready.Then Coach Elmer said, ‘I think you are, too. You’re dismissed until Saturday.’ That week, I think we scored42 points against Ozarks.”

Smith recruited Crews from DeQueen High School where he’d played football, basketball, track and baseball. In college, at 5-9 and about 160, he concentrated on football and track. He once ran 9.9 in a 100-yard dash in a Louisana Tech meet, but usually his 100 times were 10.1 or 10.2.

Most of Smith’s upperclassmen went both ways; Crews at wingback and safety, Grady Cathey at tailback and defensive halfback, Doyle Wallace at offensive and defensive end, etc.

Crews made All-AIC his senior year, although he was possibly minus yards. No matter; his punt returns, kickoff returns, pass receptions and interceptions always kept the other team nervous.

I don’t recall seeing him caught from behind. In football, I’m not sure he ever was.

Sports, Pages 18 on 12/04/2012

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