The Yucca, Yearbook of North Texas State Teacher's College, 1940 Page: 205

                                
Siscomen Take Opener
The Eagles opened what looked to be a promising season
when they shaded the Abilene Christian College Wildcats, 9
to o. Playing at night on the new Sweetwater field, the North
Texas squad avenged the one-touchdown defeat that they
received at the hands of the same team last season by scor-
ing a touchdown early in the second period and then adding
a field goal.
Johnie Riola, senior quarterback from Temple, sparked
the Eagle offensive drives, while Bill Sheffield and Devere
Walker in the line, and Walter Parker in the backfield were
the mainstays on defense. Riola's punting was probably the
highlight of the game as he repeatedly kicked out of bounds
virtually at the Christians' goal line.
Starting early in the second period, Riola took to the air
and was never halted until he successfully crossed the Wild-
cat goal line. Late in the third quarter, Riola tossed a 40-yard
pass to Covin, who carried the leather to the Christians'
io-yard line before he was downed. After three attempts at
the A. C. C. forward wall, James dropped back and booted
the ball between the uprights for the final score of the game.
Abilene offered only one scoring threat, that being at the
closing minutes of the first half. A long pass was good
for 22 yards. Another pass was ruled complete when an
Eagle pushed an intended pass-receiver. A third heave car-
ried the ball to the Eagles' 6-yard line but the Eagle for-
ward wall held there and the ball went over on downs.
Seventeen men were award-
ed letters for outstanding
performances in the 1939
Eagle grid campaign. Re-
ceiving gold footballs with
a cut diamond set in a green
"T," the men are pictured
at the right as follows: first
row: Vineyard, James, Mc-
Intyre, Sheffield, Riola, Wil-
liams; second row, Devere
Walker, Anderson, Riggs,
McDaniel, Payne, Nail; and
third row: Covin, Doyle
Walker, Phillips, Parker,
Clay.
The senior men, Parker,
Devere Walker, Riola, Phil-
lips, Payne, Vineyard, and
James, also received letter-
sweaters.

Captain Leon Vineyard

LONE STA
Team
North Texas
Sam Houston
East Texas
S. F. Austin
San Marcos
LEADING
Player, School
White, East Texas
James, North Texas
Barnett, Sam Houston

R CONFERENCE CHART
W.    L.   T.    Pet.    Pts.
4     0    0   I.000     80
2     I    I     .625    42
2     2    0     .500    45
I    3     0    .250     I2
o     3    I     .I25    I3
CONFERENCE SCORERS
Points   Player, School
65    Brown, Sam Houston
34    Rogers, East Texas
24

Op.
28
24
38
47
57
Points
21
19