Broyles relives Texas, LSU failures in 1960s.

At age 84 legendary Arkansas Razorback coach and athletic director Frank Broyles can still hit a golf ball 250 yards and regularly shoots below his age. I've seen it.

In my judgment, Coach Broyles is Arkansas' greatest treasure. This "Mumbleshed Moment" is an amazing reflection on what impact a couple moments here and there have had on Coach Broyles, the Razorbacks and the state. Even though the "Mumbleshed" is designed to be a fun forum for discussing not-so-successful moments, it still stings when revisiting some of these events. Coach Broyles was willing to sit down with the Mumbleshed Man and describe his "Mumbleshed Moments" over a long, illustrious career.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Broyles: "Our '62 team was ranked second in the nation and would have been undefeated and rank No. 1 until Texas drove 88 yards in 10 minutes, scored and beat us with about 30 seconds left in the game. In '65, we were playing for a chance to win back-to-back national championships in the Cotton Bowl against LSU.

"In my judgment, we would have won the game if our quarterback, Jan Brittenum, had not gotten injured. LSU upset us 14-7 in the '65 Cotton. We had been ranked No. 2 behind Michigan State, who lost, so we would have vaulted right up as national champions with a victory over LSU.

"In '69, we led Texas the entire game and they hit a deep drive-saving fourth-down pass and scored with about three and a half minutes left in the game. We could have won four national championships in an eight-year period."

Mumbleshed Man: "Coach when you go back to that '69 game, was there any one detail that might have been a difference-maker?"

Broyles: "Well, I can't say, because that would be pinpointing a player."

Mumbleshed Man: "I understand."

Broyles: (More about the '69 game) "We were ahead 14-8 with about seven minutes to play on their 15-yard line (third down). Do we set up for a field goal? A successful kick and we win the game. Do we try to score and then kick the field goal if we're not successful? Or do we just give up our third down and attempt the field goal?

"[The coaching staff] debated all the options. Should we try to hit ]Chuck] Dicus for a touchdown? Chuck and the coaching staff thought he could get open. Or do we just run a quarterback sneak to the left to put the ball right in front of the goal post because three points is just as good as a touchdown?

In the back of my mind I knew our first team snapper was injured so our backup would have to snap the ball.

"The coaching staff debated and debated during a timeout and we decided to go for it. If Dicus was open, we hit him for a touchdown. If not, we kick the field goal from the right angle of the field. We throw an interception on a great defensive play by Texas. We stopped them after the interception with about six minutes on the clock, but Texas drove 65 yards and scored with 3:58 on the clock. It knocked us out of another national championship. "I've had my disappointments, yeah ..."

Mumbleshed Man: "After 40 years it still stings when the memories of that game come up."

Broyles: "Tough to talk about it ... oh yeah. Every time you lose a game, you go back and replay it. After the fact, one could always make better or different decisions. I can tell you what happened in every game we lost. I can't tell you what happened when we won. When we won, I'm getting ready to play the next game. When we lose, I'm trying to correct it. A defeat lasts a lifetime.

When I was coaching, I would give illustrations of my coaching points of what can happen to you, things that did happen to us, and things we could have avoided if we'd have been more mentally alert and better mentally prepared.

"In athletics there are two secrets to being a success. They have to do with good preparation ... mentally and emotionally. If you are not emotional about what you are doing, you're not going to reach your full potential."

Mumbleshed Man: "This emphasis on preparation would be a great solution to keep a lot of people out of the Mumbleshed."

Broyles: "There is no substitute for good preparation in anything."

MUMBLESHED GOLF TIP

YOUR NOSES MUST BE ON THE SAME ANGLE AS YOUR SPINE AND RIGHT HAND AT IMPACT.

ON LINE

Frank Broyles talks more about his "Mumbleshed Moments" in football and golf at arkansassports360.