Trivia question for bruin fans

This topic has 7 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 1 month, 1 week ago by GTrojan2.

Viewing 3 reply threads

Author

Posts
- January 27, 2026 at 12:41 am #9172
  
  GTrojan2
  Participant
  
  Can you name the starting qb on ucla’s only national championship team?
- January 27, 2026 at 1:03 am #9173
  
  saturdaysarebetter
  Participant
  
  I’ve never been a Bruin fan, although I like Rick Neuheisal but was it Gary Beban under Tommy Pothro? I thought I’d look after I wrote that, and I would have guessed wrong.
  - January 27, 2026 at 1:11 am #9177
    
    SC Gator
    Participant
    
    C’mon, man. Gary Beban never won no stinking national championship.
- January 27, 2026 at 1:10 am #9176
  
  SC Gator
  Participant
  
  Do you mean the actual quarterback, who was a blocking back in the single wing, or the tailback?
  
  I believe the tailback was Bob Davenport.
  
  I think UCLA was the last major college team to switch from the single wing to the T formation. They switched in 1962. I was in high school. A buddy — let’s call him UCLA Gator — and I went to the season opener, against Ohio State. The season opener was on …………..October 6. UCLA still did the serpentine out of the huddle, which was kind of cool.
  
  The point of this story is that on the first play from scrimmage from the T formation, Kermit Alexander ran for a touchdown of around 54 yards. We watched the fourth quarter from the UCLA student section, where we were meeting up with my buddy’s sister for a ride home.
- January 27, 2026 at 1:38 am #9180
  Butkus51
  Participant
  Trick ? Bruddah GTrojan. UCLA ran the single wing, even though their was a QB (really a RB who blocked a lot). SW O had so many formations it who confuse D with the different backfield. When I played in HS (54-57) dat’s what we ran. We only passed da ball maybe 8-10 times, but it went mucho yards, caused the D was not expecting it. It was a great O, but the OL were athletic, moved well, great blockers (170 lbs to 200 lbs), with pulling G. the QB, TB, FB and even the wingback were hard, tuff runners.
  
  UCLA backfield: Primo Villanueva, Gerry McDougall (these 2 would interchange as QB, TB), Bob Davenport-TB
  
  See the various formations.
  
  https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=41ca82403af5db06&udm=2&fbs=ADc_l-aN0CWEZBOHjofHoaMMDiKpaEWjvZ2Py1XXV8d8KvlI3vWUtYx0DZdicpfE1faGYemg2KC4yuMPyQlIvlWqq2At2yMvCZgi_bwXXU0sv2NZz1ci8vvXN7qvH5d5H0L2gzDVa8EQXPOe03G6oWgM1i7mQuRVJZMw63JPM9jizs0p2p0CKnW3p6_iMTGuk3xLMjYD_G_SYUdHsIciM1dHUgViogBHUA&q=single+wing+football+formation&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj4wLT8x6qSAxVQBu8CHU1vGagQtKgLegQIFRAB&biw=1237&bih=610&dpr=1.5&aic=0
  
  Bruddah GTrojan, great topic and post. Brought back wonderful memories… Cheers
  - This reply was modified 1 month, 1 week ago by Butkus51.
  - January 27, 2026 at 2:15 am #9182
    
    GTrojan2
    Participant
    
    Butkis, a qb in the single wing was a quarter of the way back from the line, hence quarter back. The 1954 ucla qb of there national championship team was Terry DeBay. It’s a great trivia question, which you and SC Gator were cognizant of, but didn’t know his name.
  - January 27, 2026 at 3:24 am #9183
    
    Butkus51
    Participant
    
    No I understand the term QB for da single wing O. It was not the same position as today’s QB. SW QB = blocked, ran, and even passed. Hell all 4 guys in da backfield ran with the ball, TB, FB, WB and QB. The passer’s were da TB, FB, sometimes da QB. Dat’s where the confusion happened, the D did not know who was gonna pass or run.
    
    There were mucho shifting and formations. The backfield would interchange positions a lot, again confusing the D. The 4 backfield players were all very good runners, fast, and good blockers-a big requisite). Can’t block, you are not in the backfield of a SW O.
    
    I played TB/HB, FB, QB and even WB. I lead our team in rushing yards and 2nd best passer on the team. Our 2 ends were A+ blockers with good hands. Da most important OL were the 2 guards, who had to pull. Da center was da strongest, he had to stop da NG from disrupting the backfield. Tackles were drive blockers.
    
    We did a lot of single reverse and dbl reverse. On reverse plays, we would passed da ball a lot, confusing the D. In da SW O, all players had to be in tip top condition… Cheers
  - January 27, 2026 at 5:42 am #9187
    
    GTrojan2
    Participant
    
    Yep, I was a ucla fan back in 1954, and loved the serpentine move out of the huddle. Oklahoma had the best running offense I ever saw though. Their problem was too many turnovers.
Author

Posts

Viewing 3 reply threads

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.