FOOTBALL

USC Picture Of The Day

John McKay (right) and former USC star tailback Jon Arnett (middle) at the 1961 spring football game. Photo courtesy USC Digital Library

In 1961, John McKay a spring game between the Trojans and an NFL team composed of former USC players.

Jon Arnett told me he decided not to play and serve as a coach because he thought he might get hurt. He was right. Hal Bedsole, who is in the College Football Hall of Fame, told me he played quarterback for one play and got crunched by Marlin McKeever and Mike Henry.

Two weeks later, Bedsole was in severe pain and an X-ray revealed he had three holes in his stomach. He underwent surgery that night.

McKay never had another game with pro athletes again.

17 thoughts on “USC Picture Of The Day”

      2. MG-
        You would welcome whitetrash22 back after he left you in the barracks taking bullets!!?? I hate you, but I’m just saying…..

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      1. Everyone, please excuse FU. During his childhood, his Aunt Matilda made him don a pageboy haircut, and wear Wizard of Oz red shoes, along with pink ribbons in his hair. And on top of all that, called him Princess. So he is a bit mixed up and angry at the world.

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  5. Coach McKay initial did that to make his players tougher, and it helped him realize he needed faster, and bigger players. He learned quickly that his teams would never beat ND with smaller, and slower players. Bottom, line he wanted to compete for national championship year after year, and realized he had to have the best talent in the country to do that.
    Mckay, would put Clay Helton on the first bus out of town if he was still the AD. Helton, would say the Mckay era is not what we are today, but bless his soul. If Helton, had a choice he would rather compete against Jr. High level flag football teams who aren’t allowed to play physical, and sadly just do enough to match up with other Pac 12 South teams who also play finesse football.
    Clay Helton, does not want to compete against the best in the country it is quite obvious. Mr. Helton, I recommend you take a look at some film from the team’s in 60, and 70’s SC had great athletes at every position not just wide receiver and QB.
    Has the game changed a little bit, but it is still who has the biggest, fastest, and best skilled players who play a physical brand of football like Mckay’s teams did. The true problem is not that the game has change it’s SC has changed in the wrong direction starting with the Head Coach, and a gimmick air raid offense.

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