Join us on the 6th of each month for the newest blog in our series on hawg-tales.com. Feel free to make comments and suggestions for subjects that you would enjoy seeing. Be sure and tell your friends about us, so they can also take part. Thanks for your support. Be sure and Like us on Facebook at hawg-tales.
Keep the history alive!
Keep the history alive!
Bill Montgomery 1969 Sugar Bowl (Click to enlarge) In Razorback football when you think of #10, do you think of Brandon Allen or do you think of a quarterback named Bill Montgomery who played during the late '60s and 1970? Hailing from R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton, TX, Montgomery joined the Razorbacks in the fall of 1967 as a freshman. No games ever stood out more importantly to him than the TEXAS games, although he would never win one during his 33 games or three years of eligibility. Winning 28 of these could never replace a win over the Longhorns. This was a period during his tenure that Texas was mounting their 30 game winning streak. It was a period that the Hogs would face Longhorn quarterback James Street who would never lose a game. Other than the Texas loses, the Hogs would lose only to Stanford (28-34) with Jim Plunkett (Heisman Trophy winner) in 1970, and as #3 would lose to #13 Mississippi (22-27) with Archie Manning in command during the 1970 Sugar Bowl.
On September 21, 1968, the Montgomery era would begin against Oklahoma State at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Entering the game, his first play from scrimmage was a pass that travelled 70 yards to Max Peacock. The pass fell incomplete, but the die had now been set. The Hogs had always been a run oriented team, but under Montgomery they would become more balanced with receivers like John Rees and Chuck Dicus. Now with the threat of the pass, the field would open up for the Hog run attack. This season would see a sophomore and junior laden team go 10-1 while defeating Georgia 16-2 in the 1969 Sugar Bowl.
Perhaps the most famous and documented game for Montgomery and Razorback football history was the 1969 "Big Shootout" played on a cold, rainy December 6th day in Fayetteville against Texas for what would go on and determine the National Championship. Arkansas would lead 14-0 until the start of the fourth quarter, when on a broken play Texas quarterback James Street would score the touchdown and ensuing two point conversion making the score 14-8. After being dominated for three quarters, Texas now found themselves behind by just six points.
With slightly over six minutes left in the game, Texas would once again strike after a long pass play on fourth and three from their own 43 yard line, to tight end Randy Peschal who would move the ball to the Hog 13. Two plays later, Jim Bertlesen would make a two yard dive into the end zone giving the Longhorns their first lead in the game at 15-14.
After the touchdown, Arkansas had one last drive to regain the lead. Montgomery and the Hogs were able to move the ball from the twenty down the field to the Texas 39. At this point, a pass intended for receiver John Rees was picked off by Longhorn Tom Campbell at the Texas 21. With less than a minute left in the game, the Longhorns would only have to run the clock out and capture the game at 15-14. Of all the passes thrown by Montgomery throughout his career, this was the one that would haunt him for years and that he would wish he could take back more than any other. As the sky opened and the rain fell, it only symbolized the feelings of Hog fans everywhere. This was without a doubt the biggest loss ever faced during the history of Razorback football.
During his three years of eligibility, Montgomery would throw 337 completions for 602 attempts while passing for 29 touchdowns. His 4,590 yards places him in the all time top 10 of Hog quarterbacks for career passing yards. In 1997, Montgomery was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the 1960-69 Offensive Arkansas All-Decade Team, as well as its All-Century Team. As a senior in 1970, he was selected as a first team All-SWC player. After all of this, he was not drafted to the pros and has stated that he "wouldn't cross the street to go to a NFL game, but would go 500 miles to an Arkansas game". Count me in, I tend to fully agree with him. He may have been born in Texas, but his heart will always be in Arkansas. GO HOGS!
On September 21, 1968, the Montgomery era would begin against Oklahoma State at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Entering the game, his first play from scrimmage was a pass that travelled 70 yards to Max Peacock. The pass fell incomplete, but the die had now been set. The Hogs had always been a run oriented team, but under Montgomery they would become more balanced with receivers like John Rees and Chuck Dicus. Now with the threat of the pass, the field would open up for the Hog run attack. This season would see a sophomore and junior laden team go 10-1 while defeating Georgia 16-2 in the 1969 Sugar Bowl.
Perhaps the most famous and documented game for Montgomery and Razorback football history was the 1969 "Big Shootout" played on a cold, rainy December 6th day in Fayetteville against Texas for what would go on and determine the National Championship. Arkansas would lead 14-0 until the start of the fourth quarter, when on a broken play Texas quarterback James Street would score the touchdown and ensuing two point conversion making the score 14-8. After being dominated for three quarters, Texas now found themselves behind by just six points.
With slightly over six minutes left in the game, Texas would once again strike after a long pass play on fourth and three from their own 43 yard line, to tight end Randy Peschal who would move the ball to the Hog 13. Two plays later, Jim Bertlesen would make a two yard dive into the end zone giving the Longhorns their first lead in the game at 15-14.
After the touchdown, Arkansas had one last drive to regain the lead. Montgomery and the Hogs were able to move the ball from the twenty down the field to the Texas 39. At this point, a pass intended for receiver John Rees was picked off by Longhorn Tom Campbell at the Texas 21. With less than a minute left in the game, the Longhorns would only have to run the clock out and capture the game at 15-14. Of all the passes thrown by Montgomery throughout his career, this was the one that would haunt him for years and that he would wish he could take back more than any other. As the sky opened and the rain fell, it only symbolized the feelings of Hog fans everywhere. This was without a doubt the biggest loss ever faced during the history of Razorback football.
During his three years of eligibility, Montgomery would throw 337 completions for 602 attempts while passing for 29 touchdowns. His 4,590 yards places him in the all time top 10 of Hog quarterbacks for career passing yards. In 1997, Montgomery was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the 1960-69 Offensive Arkansas All-Decade Team, as well as its All-Century Team. As a senior in 1970, he was selected as a first team All-SWC player. After all of this, he was not drafted to the pros and has stated that he "wouldn't cross the street to go to a NFL game, but would go 500 miles to an Arkansas game". Count me in, I tend to fully agree with him. He may have been born in Texas, but his heart will always be in Arkansas. GO HOGS!
Join us next month, as we once again recall tales of the games, players, and coaches from the past.
Send us your name and e-mail address to receive a reminder of "hawg-tales" each month plus a FREE copy of the 1960's 45-rpm records in mp3 format to play on your computer, tablet, or smart phone. They make a great gift for any Razorback football history buff. Don't forget to let us know where you are from. WPS!
* Some spam filters send our reminders to the spam folder, so please check your spam folder periodically to see if we ended up there!
