1961 Dallas Texans season

1961 Dallas Texans season
1961 Dallas Texans season
Owner	Lamar Hunt
General manager	Jack Steadman
Head coach	Hank Stram
Home field	Cotton Bowl
Results
Record	6–8
Division place	2nd AFL Western
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
AFL All-Stars	HB Abner Haynes; LB Sherrill Headrick; LB E. J. Holub; DE Mel Branch; TE Chris Burford; QB Cotton Davidson; G Bill Krisher; C Jon Gilliam; DT Paul Rochester; DB Dave Webster
	← 1960; Dal. Texans seasons; 1962 →;

The 1961 Dallas Texans season was the 2nd season for the Dallas Texans as a professional AFL franchise; They finished the season with a 6–8 record and second-place finish in the AFL Western Conference.

The club moved its training camp to Lamar Hunt's alma mater of Southern Methodist University and started the regular season at 3–1 before hitting a six-game losing skid, the longest such streak of head coach Hank Stram's tenure with the franchise. One of those losses was a 28–21 decision in a Friday night contest at Boston (11/3) which featured a bizarre ending as a raincoat-clad fan knocked down a potential game-tying TD from Cotton Davidson to Chris Burford on the game's final play. The team rebounded to claim wins in three of its final four contests to finish 6–8, marking the club's second straight finish behind the Chargers in the AFL West standings.^[1]

Draft

Round	Player	Position	College
1	E.J. HolubE.J. Holub ¹	Center	Texas Tech
2	Bob LillyBob Lilly	Tackle	TCU
3	Jim TyrerJim Tyrer ^1,2	Tackle	Ohio State
4	Claude MoormanClaude Moorman	Offensive End	Duke
5	Jerry MaysJerry Mays ^1,2	Tackle	Southern Methodist
7	Fred ArbanasFred Arbanas ^1,2	Offensive End	Michigan State
8	John O'DayJohn O'Day	Tackle	Miami
9	Dick MillsDick Mills	Tackle	Pittsburgh
10	Jerry DanielsJerry Daniels	Tackle	Mississippi
11	Marvin TibbetsMarvin Tibbets	Halfback	Georgia Tech
12	Paul HynesPaul Hynes	Halfback	Louisiana Tech
13	Glynn GregoryGlynn Gregory	Halfback	Southern Methodist
14	Curtis McClintonCurtis McClinton ^1,3	Halfback	Kansas
15	Ed NuttingEd Nutting	Tackle	Georgia Tech
15	Roy Lee RamboRoy Lee Rambo	Guard	TCU
16	Aaron ThomasAaron Thomas	Offensive End	Oregon State
17	Jarrell WilliamsJarrell Williams	Halfback	Arkansas
18	Ron HartlineRon Hartline	Fullback	Oklahoma
19	Frank JacksonFrank Jackson	Halfback	Southern Methodist
20	Bob LaneBob Lane	Offensive End	Baylor
21	Dick ThorntonDick Thornton	Quarterback	Northwestern
22	Ed SharockmanEd Sharockman	Halfback	Pittsburgh
23	Lou ZivkovichLou Zivkovich	Tackle	New Mexico State
24	Pat DyePat Dye	Guard	Georgia
25	Ray RamseyRay Ramsey	Quarterback	Adams State
26	Danny HouseDanny House	Halfback	Davidson
27	Bob SchloredtBob Schloredt	Quarterback	Washington
28	Bill StineBill Stine	Guard	Michigan
29	Lonnie CaddellLonnie Caddell	Fullback	Rice
30	Cedric PriceCedric Price	Offensive End	Kansas State

Personnel

Roster

1961 Dallas Texans roster

Quarterbacks

Running Backs

32 Jack Spikes P/FB
33 Billy Pricer HB
32 Bo Dickinson HB
22 Frank Jackson HB

Wide Receivers / Flankers

28 Abner Haynes WR / RB / KR
82 Charlie Barnes WR/FL/E
42 Johnny Robinson HB / WR
88 Chris Burford WR / E

Tight Ends

81 Max Boydston E / TE
88 Tony Romeo TE

Offensive Linemen

Defensive Linemen

86 Paul Miller LDE
75 Jerry Mays DE
89 Luther Jeralds LDE
72 Paul Rochester DT
76 Walter Napier DT
71 Ray Collins RDT
87 Mel Branch RDE

Linebackers

54 Ted Greene LLB
69 Sherrill Headrick MLB
35 Smokey Stover LLB
55 E.J. Holub LLB
69 Sherrill Headrick MLB

Defensive Backs

48 Duane Wood LCB
18 Don Flynn LCB
44 Edward Kelley RCB
45 Dave Grayson RCB
18 Don Flynn SS
25 Dovie Nix DB
32 Jack Johnson DB
21 Dave Webster DB
40 Paul Hynes DB

Rookies in italics

^[2]

Preseason

The Texans began the preseason with four consecutive victories before falling in the final exhibition game in San Diego.^[1]

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	August 5	New York Titans	W 39–28	1-0	Cotton Bowl	Not reported
2	August 12	Denver Broncos	W 31-13	2-0	Midland, Tx	10,000
3	August 18	at Buffalo Bills	W 35-26	3–0	Boston University Field	11,166
4	August 25	Denver Broncos	W 29-27	4-0	Farrington Field (Fort Worth, TX)	21,700
5	September 3	San Diego	L 10-31	4-1	Balboa Stadium	15,232

Regular season

The Texans fell from contention after dropping six straight games in mid-season.

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
1	September 10	San Diego Chargers	L 10–26	0–1	Cotton Bowl	24,500	Recap
2	Bye
3	September 24	at Oakland Raiders	W 42–35	1–1	Candlestick Park	6,700	Recap
4	October 1	Houston Oilers	W 26–21	2–1	Cotton Bowl	28,000	Recap
5	October 8	at Denver Broncos	W 19–12	3–1	Bears Stadium	14,500	Recap
6	October 15	at Buffalo Bills	L 24–27	3–2	War Memorial Stadium	20,678	Recap
7	October 22	at Houston Oilers	L 7–38	3–3	Jeppesen Stadium	23,228	Recap
8	October 29	Boston Patriots	L 17–18	3–4	Cotton Bowl	20,500	Recap
9	November 3	at Boston Patriots	L 21–28	3–5	Boston University Field	25,063	Recap
10	November 12	Buffalo Bills	L 20–30	3–6	Cotton Bowl	15,000	Recap
11	November 19	at San Diego Chargers	L 14–24	3–7	Balboa Stadium	33,788	Recap
12	November 26	Oakland Raiders	W 43–11	4–7	Cotton Bowl	14,500	Recap
13	December 3	at New York Titans	L 7–28	4–8	Polo Grounds	14,117	Recap
14	December 10	Denver Broncos	W 49–21	5–8	Cotton Bowl	8,000	Recap
15	December 17	New York Titans	W 35–24	6–8	Cotton Bowl	12,500	Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

AFL Western Division
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	PF	PA	STK
San Diego Chargers	12	2	0	.857	6–0	396	219	L1
Dallas Texans	6	8	0	.429	4–2	334	343	W2
Denver Broncos	3	11	0	.214	1–5	251	432	L7
Oakland Raiders	2	12	0	.143	1–5	237	458	L6