You Can Run With Blocking (circa 1962)

what makes a football champion a good team good coaching lots of hard work a great deal of natural ability any or all might be the answer our champion under discussion now is Dave Hoffman of Iowa State University he is the 1961 national collegiate total offense leader Hoffman ran and passed for a total of 1638 yards in nine games during the 1961 season he represented better than 70 percent of the cyclone offense he was called the nearest thing there is to a one-man gang in football many words have been written about what makes him a great player he passes he runs and he defends with a class of a champion written all over him what makes it possible probably the best man to checked with would be Dave Hoffman all big 8 halfback and a member of several all-america squads picked for 1961 what's a Scotsman what makes him one of the nation's top backs on near cents to be a 1962 all-american first I would say that coaches as I heard out Iowa State has a finest coaching staff in the u.s. today go to clay Stapleton has been feinted me a lot on the football field and off the football field secondly good conditioning training hard work on the field and off the field both mentally and physically finally but not last of all I'd like to say it it was a blocking I've had this year and 10 men up front have done a tremendous job for me I would say without a doubt anybody can run the ball but it takes a real man to get out there and block for him now let's follow Hofmann through some of his clutch performances - the total offense crown for 1961 the Drake game was one of the toughest in years midway in the fourth period the Cyclones had only a six to nothing lead coach clay stapled him twice and his veteran tailback in two spot action to build that lead after the Cyclones lost one touchdown on a penalty the next goring effort was on a pass this time there was no doubt about the action Hoffman collected the pass from Center and hit Larry montreuil for the second Iowa State score and a 13 to nothing lead things were a bit more comfortable for the yangshin cyclone fans of Hoffman gave them even more security after Ozzie clay picked up three yards to move the ball to the Drake 25-yard line in came Hoffman again this time dick Limerick was his target and he hit the speeding wing back just right to let him Nick the corner of the end zone and pushed the store to 19 to nothing heading to show he could hit a small target as well as the wide open when Hoffman drilled the past Larry Hennis for a two-point conversion Hartman was a real standout in the Oklahoma State contest Oklahoma State's Dave Hanna punted to captain John Cooper and the cyclone later returned the punt to the Oklahoma State 40-yard line Larry montre got in the open and Hartman put it right into his arms with bit limerick paul sullivan and dave Clayburgh blocking Cottman follows them into the end zone for a 7 to nothing lead over the cow pose Oklahoma State tied the score not in the third period Hoffman put Iowa State on top to stay dick Limerick dance the loaning Jim clapper and Dave Hoover set up the blocks the Hopman use for a seven yard gain then when Oklahoma State had all of his receivers covered Hoffman had to take a three-yard loss but he quickly made that up with some despair watch the blocks is set up by clapper Hoover and Salone after that Hoffman was on his own at Oklahoma Ronnie pain sooner putter got off a bad wooden the Cyclones had the ball of the Oklahoma 17 yard line after one play Hoffman and Joe Burton teamed up on a brilliant pass play that put the ball on the 1-yard line the set up destroying push by Dave Hoover on the very next play at Kansas the Jayhawks at a seven to nothing lead in the second quarter with just 26 seconds left to play in the half Iowa State got the ball and covered 36 yards for a touchdown and had three seconds to spare Hoffman also demonstrated the twin blocking is not available he is still a dangerous runner he first picked up nine yards of the Kansas 27 then with fine protection he dropped back to pass at Larry montreuil on the Kansas eight yard line with time almost gone Hoffman and Monterey team up again with that same pass protection giving him all the time he needed Hoffman waited until Monterey had reached the end zone Monterey was covered by two Jayhawks Hoffman flipped it to a clear spot Monterey stepped in to get it the Cyclones at a 7-7 ballgame and three more seconds of playing time than they needed against Missouri Hoffman mixed his passing and running to bring the Cyclones a score in the fourth period Dave join forces with Larry montre again he connected with a big end for an 80 yard dinner got the ball on the tiger 24 Paul Sullivan supplied the key block for Hoffman as he gained three yards around right in with a 10 men up front giving him good protection Hoffman went back to pass he let montre outmaneuver the Tiger defense then connected with another touchdown that the kids in the end zone made some pretty good moves getting out of montrezl way Hartman had his greatest day against Kansas State rushing and passing for 311 yards and a record of 271 yards on the ground it all started when k States John drew punted to Hoffman at the Iowa State 24 yard line Hoffman returned the ball 5 yards and then really went to work three of the ten men up front were Bill Smith clapper and JW Burton with these three men throwing some key blots Hoffman cut loose for a 71 yard scoring run tied the score against the Wildcats Hoffman is most low rudder along with all of his other assets it was a beautiful run but the show was far from over just to point up his versatility Hoffman got together with montre again after Limerick Smith and clapper had led him to a four-yard gain over right tackle Hoffman was ready to throw once more he spotted montre and cut loose montre was having a bit of trouble with defence man Ralph mcfillin and finally shook him off to take the passes for there was still one big play left for Hoffman before the day was over drew putted once more and Kansas State's Darryl elder downed it on the cyclone 31 the past from center Clayburgh and clapper provided the first blocks and then Randy kid and Hopman team up for the res kid said he could tell where Hoffman was by watching the defenders eyes as he kept running straight at him to let Dave set up the block a 69 yard scoring John at Boston College the passing was more effective with dick Limerick doing the catching Hoffman picked up a yard against the big bust in college line with nearly impregnable pass protection Hoffman again waited until Limerick could outfox the defense and then fired to him on the BC 45 the Big C said he back added 10 more yards before being pulled down that was too good a play not to repeat so Hoffman passed a limerick again this time dick out fought his defender took the ball and went in for the score against Nebraska Cottman turned in one of the greatest individual runs of the year first he hit burden for a 7 yard pass play to the 50 yard line then with two fine blocks in the line by rays stuffy and Salone he went to work first he ran over the linebacker and then started to maneuver here is a champion who can use his blockers and also run on his own effort in the fourth period of the Nebraska game it was hot men and Limerick teaming up again after an incomplete pass to JW Burton Hoffman by Limerick free at midfield for another pass completion Limerick had a block from Steve Stewart and then worked his way to the six yard line on his own it took two more passes for the Hopman Limerick combination to bring the Cyclones another score but they were equal to the task the final pass covered the six yards and left the Cyclones bring their total to 13 points for the game there's no question it appears but that Dave Hoffman had all summed up real well good coaching hard work and fine blocking by the 10 men up in front of him it also takes a mighty fine football player to make full use of all these ingredients it takes a champion