MARCROFT'S MEMORIES
For 37 years—longer than ESPN or the Internet—Bill Marcroft
BFA'52 has been the eyes and ears of Ute fans. Marcroft was the source
for the latest information on Utah football and basketball. From the
days of Jack Gardner to those of Rick Majerus, Mike Giddings to Urban
Meyer, Marcroft has seen virtually all of the great and not-so-great
moments of Utah sports.
"Bill Marcroft is without a doubt the greatest Ute fan around," says
Crimson Club director and former Ute quarterback Frank Dolce BS'93,
Marcroft's football broadcasting partner for the last ten seasons. "He
loves the U and Utah athletics. He's always genuinely willing to share
time with fans, players, and friends.
Indeed, Marcroft is an ironman of broadcasting. He has called 38 NCAA
basketball tournament games involving the Utes, including the 1998 national
championship game, as well as six Utah football bowl games. He's missed
only six Utah basketball games in his broadcasting career: four from
a bout with Legionnaires' disease, one when he had to broadcast a Utah
Stars game, and one when his flight was delayed due to an ice storm
(though he arrived in time to do the post-game show).
"Bill is the Chick Hearn of Utah Athletics," says Manny Hendrix, director
of athletic relations and former star Ute guardBS'94, referring to the
voice of the Los Angeles Lakers for 42 years. "What I love about Bill
is his way of making an average to below-average player great and making
regular plays spectacular. His passion for Utah athletics is unequalled."
So who better to ask about standout Ute moments? Marcroft's memories
of Utah athletics could fill volumes. Still, "It's not the great plays
that I remember most," he says. "Associating with the great
players, great teams, and great coaches is what I've enjoyed most."
The Early Years.
"Your first love is the one you remember the fondest," says
Marcroft of the 1969-73 football and basketball teams. "The Special
Events Center opened in 1969 and I grew quite close to many of the basketball
players like Mike Newlin BS'71, Kenny Gardner BS'73, Walt Hawkins BS'73,
Jim Mahler ex'72, and Early 'Peaches' Laster BS'72. They were my 'first
love.'"
The 1969-70 basketball team eventually reached the second round of
the then 16-team National Invitation Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
Though Marcroft didn't call the game, he still remembers its international
flavor. "The Soviet Union sent their national team to play college
all-star teams from different states. The Soviets came to Utah undefeated,
having beaten teams from New York, Indiana, and Kentucky. Newlin and
Gardner were the featured players for the Utah All-Stars, The Soviets
were huge favorites, but the Utah team stayed with them. The Soviets
led by one with seconds remaining and Utah got the ball. Newlin hit
the shot and the Utah All-Stars were the only team to beat the Soviets
on that trip."
Marcroft's reaction? "I vaulted over the front row and ran onto the
court. I was a pure fan that night. Those were 'my guys'."
Marcroft also has a soft spot for the 1969-73 football teams coached
by Bill Meek, with players like Steve Marshall ("possibly the
best athlete to ever play at Utah"), Lance Robbins BS'74, Scott Robbins
BS'72, Steve Marlowe BS'80, All-American Steve Odom BS'74, and quarterback
Don "Brownie" Van Galder BS'74.
The 1972 game with then-WAC foe Arizona stands out. "It was the
greatest comeback in NCAA history," Marcroft notes. "Utah
was down 27-0 after three quarters. Van Galder passes to Odom for two
touchdowns to cut the lead, but Arizona starts a time-consuming drive.
Then Marshall intercepts a pass and makes an incredible runback for
a touchdown. It's now 27-21. Utah holds on defense, gets the ball, and
starts a drive. With no time outs left, Van Galder dives in the end
zone with 10 seconds left to win 28-27. Just an unbelievable comeback."
A GOOD Kentucky Memory.
In1977 the basketball team ended an eleven-year NCAA tournament drought
and made the first of what would be five tournament appearances under
coach Jerry Pimm. Led by the "JJ's"—Jeff Jonas BS'77
and Jeff Judkins BS'84—the Utes went 22-7 and advanced to the
Sweet Sixteen before losing to eventual Final Four participant UNLV.
But Marcroft remembers this team for something else: beating Kentucky.
"Kentucky had just opened up Rupp Arena and Utah was invited to
play in the Kentucky Classic in mid-December," he says. "We
battled Kentucky down to the wire. We're tied 68-68 with eight seconds
left and Utah has the ball.. Judkins has been the big star, so Kentucky
bottles him up. Jonas drives, then kicks off to the right wing to Earl
Williams ex'79, who is not known as a shooter. As Williams goes up,
27,000 people are screaming. When it goes in at the buzzer, I look at
the official. And when the official raises his hand that it's good and
the game is over, I scream 'It's good!' and all 27,000 people stop screaming.
And all you hear is this one voice, me, screaming. We beat Kentucky
for their first loss ever in Rupp Arena."
It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over.
Marcroft says that "possibly" his favorite basketball game was the 1985
Utah-Wyoming WAC tournament game in Salt Lake City. "Lynn Archibald
was the Utah coach and Jim Brandenburg was the great Wyoming coach.
Wyoming was leading by one.We miss a shot and foul Fennis Dembo with
one second left. An unbelievable situation. Utah calls time. Brandenburg
was planning for foul shots. But Utah only has four team fouls, so Wyoming
has to inbound. But Brandenburg's assistants are too afraid to tell
him, so they don't set up a play. The kid from Wyoming fires the ball
out of bounds untouched, so Utah gets the ball back with still one second
on the clock. Manny Hendrix comes off three picks, gets the ball, fires
it while he's turning and hits it. Utah wins the game despite being
down by one point with one second left and not having the ball. I just
kept screaming, 'He made it!'"
Most amazing about Hendrix' shot is the number of people who supposedly saw it. The announced crowd was 5,890. "I'm not trying to discredit anyone," says Hendrix, "but the number of people who have told me they were there is a lot more than those who actually were there."
Block Party
Coach Ron McBride's tenure at Utah had plenty of great memories
for Marcroft, but one of his favorites happened in 1990 during McBride's
second game.
"Utah's playing Minnesota, at Minnesota, and we are tied at 29,"
Marcroft recalls. "Minnesota's got a 25-yard chip-shot field goal
attempt to win it on the last play. Had it been on national television,
the camera would have been on Minnesota's coach, but since we were televising
the game back to Utah, the camera was on McBride to see his reaction
if the kick was made and Utah loses the game. But Utah blocks the kick
and Lavon Edwards BS'92 returns it 91 yards down the sideline. McBride,
with the came on him, is trying to go stride for stride with Edwards
on the other sideline. It's one of the all-time great pieces of footage.
It's been immortalized on tape just like the play involving the Stanford
band." Utah won 35-29.
Free(dom) At Last.
The Utes visited Anaheim for the Freedom Bowl in both 1993 and 1994.
In 1993, they lost to USC 28-21. The next year, led by All-American
defensive end Luther Elliss ex'95 and quarterback Mike McCoy BS'95,
the Utes came in at 9-2, seeking a top-ten ranking against a tough Arizona
Wildcat team.
"One of the weirdest games ever," Marcrof rememberst. "Utah only
had 75 yards of total offense. But Utah's defense was absolutely phenomenal.
And Arizona's 'Desert Swarm' defense was the nation's best. With about
four minutes left and Utah down 13-9, Cal Beck returns a kickoff 72
yards to the Arizona 5. But the Utes can't punch it in. On fourth and
goal, McCoy scrambles towards the sideline, is in the grasp of a big
Arizona lineman, and launches a wobbly pass toward the end zone. Kevin
Dyson BS'98 is standing in the end zone and makes a spectacular catch,
snatching it away from a defensive back, giving Utah its first bowl
victory in 30 years." The Utes finished No. 10 and No.8 in the two final
1994 major polls.
As for the future, Marcroft anticipates more great memories. "I'm
looking forward to working with Urban Meyer," he says. (See textbox
below.) "He's bringing a lot of excitement to the football
program. And I like the new recruiting class that Majerus is bringing
in."
And as for moving away from the microphone? Don't count on it anytime
soon. "I'll be here for as long as they'll have me," Marcroft says.
—John Fackler BS'89 BS'94 MprA'95 is director of business
relations at the Alumni Association and a passionate Ute fan.
|
