Days to kickoff: 15
Our Tar Heel Tiger's Auburn Minute is brought to you by the number:
15 HAPPY MAILON KENT DAY!!!
Mailon Kent was the Tigers starting quarterback in 1962. He led Auburn in passing that year, airing it out for 748 yards and 6 TDs against only 2 INTs. Kent was slated to return as starting QB in 1963, his senior season. To his misfortune, he suffered a knee injury shortly before the season. By the time he was healthy, Jimmy Sidle was on his way to an All-American year at QB. However, fate had not forgotten the senior leader.
When Auburn and Alabama met on a brutally cold day, November 30, 1963, the 9th ranked Tigers were 8-1 with their only blemish a 13-10 loss to Mississippi State in the game’s final 30 seconds. Sixth ranked UA-T was also 8-1 with a sophomore QB.
Bammer defenders dogpiled Sidle in the first quarter, knocking his breath out and injuring his ribs. Mailon Kent was sent in for the injured Sidle; "It was freezing cold and I wasn’t even warmed up," Kent said later. He promptly completed a 3rd down pass for 12 yards and a first down. That was good enough to get Woody Woodall in FG range as Auburn took a 3-0 first quarter lead.
Sidle would return to play, but when Auburn had 3rd and goal from UA-T’s 8 yard line in the 3rd quarter, it was once again time for Mailon Kent to shine. He grabbed his headgear and sprinted out to the huddle. The Tiger signal caller calmly threw a TD pass to Tucker Frederickson to put the game out of reach. To quote a contemporary SI article, “It was sufficient because End [and Captain] Howard Simpson and his buddies were on Alabama's mistakes like greedy children.”
James Mailon Kent, Jr. has been the owner of Mailon Kent Insurance Agency in Birmingham, Alabama for over 20 years. He has been a director of Superior Bancorp since September 1998 and has served as Vice Chairman since December 1998. His son was an excellent baseball player at Auburn who was named to the All-SEC team in 1999.
----------
Sources: Auburn Football Media Guide, Phillip Marshall, Sports Illustrated, Superior Bancorp
----------
HONORABLE MENTION:
* One of my favorite Auburn players when I was a youngster, halfback Mickey Zofko. My first Auburn jersey was a #15 in his honor. In 1969, his junior season, Mickey led the Tigers in rushing, kickoff returns, and all-purpose yardage. In the Bluebonnet Bowl drubbing at the hands of Houston (that was yet another game that ripped my heart out), it was Zofko -- not Sullivan -- who completed Auburn’s only TD pass of the night. It was a 36-yard halfback option to Connie Frederick. After graduating from Auburn, the Melbourne, Fla., native spent four years in the NFL, mostly with the Detroit Lions.
* (Jay G. addition) Clifton Robinson: Played from 1997-2000. Moved to tailback in 1999, despite being a diminutive slot-type receiver, and begged Tommy Tuberville for a move back to wideout. Tuberville told him there were no other options.
Let’s hear some #15 shout outs. There’s plenty for everyone.
Mailon Kent was the Tigers starting quarterback in 1962. He led Auburn in passing that year, airing it out for 748 yards and 6 TDs against only 2 INTs. Kent was slated to return as starting QB in 1963, his senior season. To his misfortune, he suffered a knee injury shortly before the season. By the time he was healthy, Jimmy Sidle was on his way to an All-American year at QB. However, fate had not forgotten the senior leader.
When Auburn and Alabama met on a brutally cold day, November 30, 1963, the 9th ranked Tigers were 8-1 with their only blemish a 13-10 loss to Mississippi State in the game’s final 30 seconds. Sixth ranked UA-T was also 8-1 with a sophomore QB.
Bammer defenders dogpiled Sidle in the first quarter, knocking his breath out and injuring his ribs. Mailon Kent was sent in for the injured Sidle; "It was freezing cold and I wasn’t even warmed up," Kent said later. He promptly completed a 3rd down pass for 12 yards and a first down. That was good enough to get Woody Woodall in FG range as Auburn took a 3-0 first quarter lead.
Sidle would return to play, but when Auburn had 3rd and goal from UA-T’s 8 yard line in the 3rd quarter, it was once again time for Mailon Kent to shine. He grabbed his headgear and sprinted out to the huddle. The Tiger signal caller calmly threw a TD pass to Tucker Frederickson to put the game out of reach. To quote a contemporary SI article, “It was sufficient because End [and Captain] Howard Simpson and his buddies were on Alabama's mistakes like greedy children.”
James Mailon Kent, Jr. has been the owner of Mailon Kent Insurance Agency in Birmingham, Alabama for over 20 years. He has been a director of Superior Bancorp since September 1998 and has served as Vice Chairman since December 1998. His son was an excellent baseball player at Auburn who was named to the All-SEC team in 1999.
----------
Sources: Auburn Football Media Guide, Phillip Marshall, Sports Illustrated, Superior Bancorp
----------
HONORABLE MENTION:
* One of my favorite Auburn players when I was a youngster, halfback Mickey Zofko. My first Auburn jersey was a #15 in his honor. In 1969, his junior season, Mickey led the Tigers in rushing, kickoff returns, and all-purpose yardage. In the Bluebonnet Bowl drubbing at the hands of Houston (that was yet another game that ripped my heart out), it was Zofko -- not Sullivan -- who completed Auburn’s only TD pass of the night. It was a 36-yard halfback option to Connie Frederick. After graduating from Auburn, the Melbourne, Fla., native spent four years in the NFL, mostly with the Detroit Lions.
* (Jay G. addition) Clifton Robinson: Played from 1997-2000. Moved to tailback in 1999, despite being a diminutive slot-type receiver, and begged Tommy Tuberville for a move back to wideout. Tuberville told him there were no other options.
Let’s hear some #15 shout outs. There’s plenty for everyone.
posted by Jay G. Tate at
9:56 AM
16 Comments:
DL knows the GIS coordinates for Villa Rica
THT fast on the trigger.
that's what happens when you hit the "back" button after reading JGT's excellent MA article.
Let's hope DL doesn't hit another button ;-)
Yepp, i'm toast.
Clifton Robinson, oh well, i'm not winning this one I can see.
twitter update about this thread forthcoming.
nice work THT. love the selections!
HAPPY MAILON KENT/MICKEY ZOFKO DAY!
I can't believe they actually scheduled practice for 4:20.
You said this was indo. Smells like outdo.
Not to be confused with outro. Ha!
Again, I'll name Reggie Slack back up Frank McIntosh.
Senior McIntosh, Soph Corey Lewis and Freshman Stan White battled to determine Slack's replacement in 1990.
This comment has been removed by the author.
who's talking bout endo?
has Snoop taken over this thread?
THT - do you have an online source for player's numbers?
The "Hack Fight" is now the latest post.
Hi coosa - sources for jersey numbers =
personal recollection (the least accurate of my sources),
Hotties,
old Gloms (available online via AU Library)
Google - not much help here.
Thanks THT; I got several from the old days I want to give a shout-out, but I don't remember the numbers very well.
What about QB Bobby Walden? He played during the mid-80s around the same time as Pat Washington.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home