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By Joe Gulick
Avalanche-Journal
When Tech hosted the University of Texas at Arlington in its 1984 season opener, it was the second and final time the Red Raiders played the Mavericks.
The first was way back on Nov. 13, 1943, and UTA won 34-14. Tech fared much better on Sept. 15, 1984 — the day this Dirk West cartoon was printed — with a 44-7 victory. UTA ended its football program after the 1985 season.
Tech coach Jerry Moore had just hired two notable assistant coaches who made a number of changes to the team . Spike Dykes, who would later coach the Red Raiders for 13 seasons beginning in 1988, was the defensive coordinator. Former Tech quarterback and assistant coach Tom Wilson had returned as offensive coordinator. He had been head coach of the Texas Aggies for more than three years.
The Bear was talking about Baylor’s game against Brigham Young in Utah a week earlier. The Bears were whipped 47-13.
Notice the Maverick is trampling a “Moore Excitement” poster. That was a slogan of the time at Tech, but Moore’s five-year record of 16-37-2 did not live up to it.
However, Moore found success at Appalachian State University, where he compiled a 167-70 record in 19 seasons through 2007 and has won national championships in the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly Division 1-AA, the past three years. The 69-year-old Moore still coaches the Mountaineers, whose 34-32 upset of fifth-ranked Michigan in Ann Arbor in 2007 is one of the greatest college upsets of all time.
Previous Dirk West Cartoons
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