Tulsa World: OU great Crowder dies at 77

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OU great Crowder dies at 77
He was an All-American Bud Wilkinson-era QB.

By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Published: 9/11/2008 2:11 AM
Last Modified: 9/11/2008 3:27 AM

He was an All-American Bud Wilkinson-era QB.

NORMAN — Eddie Crowder, the All-American quarterback who lent his own brand of Sooner magic to the Bud Wilkinson era and later helped Colorado to new heights as football coach and athletic director, died late Tuesday at 77. Crowder had fought a blood disorder the last few months, and the Boulder Daily Camera reported he was weakened recently by a fall in his Boulder, Colo., home.

"God almighty," a shaken Jimmy Harris said when informed that the quarterback who preceded him under Wilkinson had died. "Nobody was better than Eddie Crowder, I've got to say."

Reactions from Sooners of Crowder's era — he backed up Claude Arnold on OU's 1950 national championship team before starting in '51 and '52, and he returned to OU to coach under Wilkinson from 1956-62 — indicate that sufficed on and off the field.

"Eddie was known as 'The Magician' because he perfected those fakes to Billy Vessels and Buck McPhail," said Jay O'Neal, who platooned with Harris as quarterback from 1954-56. "It was something else."

"He was one heck of a quarterback and an excellent leader. Eddie was so confident," said J.D. Roberts, who played with Crowder before going on to win the Outland Trophy in '53. "We knew that when he called a play, it was the only one to run."

Crowder was smart and skilled. Besides orchestrating a backfield with fellow All-Americans Vessels and McPhail, he threw for 661 yards and 11 touchdowns against just four interceptions in '51 and '52.

"I remember going to the OU-Texas game (in '52) as a high school kid from Breckenridge, Texas, and hearing the name Eddie Crowder for the first time," said Jakie Sandefer, an OU halfback who would play for Crowder in '56-58.

"He jumped all over them with a couple long passes, and we went on to beat the living hell out of them (49-20)."

Crowder went 16-3-1 as a starter while leading OU to back-to-back Big Seven Conference titles. He was the New York Giants' second-round draft pick in 1953, but having fallen under Wilkinson's influence, he pursued a coaching career instead.

"I have heard many of the former Oklahoma players talk about how much Eddie was like his coach here, Bud Wilkinson," Barry Switzer said. "His strengths were his intelligence and personality."

Players swore by Crowder just like they did Wilkinson, even as years passed and Crowder left Norman to build the modern-day Colorado athletic program as Buffaloes football coach from 1963-73 (he led the Buffs to 10 wins and the No. 3 ranking in '71) and athletic director from 1965-84.

Crowder was a business associate of O'Neal's, and best man at his wedding. He was best man at the wedding of OU teammate Merrill Green, far removed from a rougher first impression.

"We had lost to Eddie's team in the state finals," Green said, referencing the 1948 state football championship Crowder helped deliver to Muskogee, "so I had worked up a pretty good dislike for that smart aleck from Muskogee by the time I got to OU. It tells you a lot that we then became close friends.

"I really feel like I have lost a brother."

Harris feels similarly.

"My wife and I went to Eddie's induction into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame (in 2003)," Harris said. "Even then he told me, 'Hell, I always wished I were as good an athlete as you.' I told him, 'You made All-American. That's something I never did.'

"The last time I saw him was a year ago at Claude Arnold's house," Harris said. "We were all kidding each other about how we needed to have a get-together of all the old Sooner quarterbacks before we all die out. Jack Mildren's gone, and now Eddie. It kind of shakes you up.

"Eddie was a tremendous player, and a very dear friend."

Guerin Emig 581-8394
guerin.emig@tulsaworld.com By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer

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