(This is one in a Louisiana Sports Writers Association series of stories on the seven 2000 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame inductees: Gary Barbaro, Ken Ellis, Jim Finks, Bobby Hebert, Kenny Konz, Audrey “Mickey” Patterson and Michael Sanders. They will be enshrined during ceremonies Saturday, June 24 in Shreveport. For more information, call 318-841-9808 or visit www.lasportshof.com on the internet.)
By Marty Mule’
New Orleans Times-Picayune
Kenny Konz put the glass slipper on Cinderella. In LSU’s fairytale season of 1949, Konz was the prince. An undersized back, even near the mid-point of the 20th century when two-way football was the norm, Konz was an integral part of one of the most amazing turnarounds in Southern annals.
The exclamation point of 1949 — the year LSU would forevermore refer as the “Cinderella season”’ — came in the regular-season finale against Tulane. The Tigers had been humilated 46-0 in 1948 by the Green Wave, and now Tulane, the SEC champion, was considered even better and was a solid touchdown favorite.
LSU coach Gaynell Tinsley felt — no, knew — his team would have to play a near-perfect game to have any chance. He got exactly that: a near-perfect game, one ignited by Konz, then a 5-foot-10, 185-pound junior.
In the opening minutes, Konz returned a punt 92 yards. From that point on, LSU played to its maximum, with Konz intercepting three passes in a 21-0 Tiger upset. Tinsley was moved to say a half-century later it was “not only the greatest game LSU played while I was coach, but the greatest game any LSU team ever played when you consider their ability and what they did.”
Described as “The SEC’s All-Around Best” by The Associated Press as a senior, Konz, who ran the 100 in 9.9 , noteworthy for the time, put in time at safety, cornerback, quarterback, halfback, fullback, and end. He kicked off, kicked extra points, punted, and ran back punts.
“He’s one of those special men who have made LSU football what it is,” said John Ferguson, longtime voice of the Tigers who saw Konz play. “Kenny wasn’t a big man, but he had a lot of ability and he played with a big heart.”
Before matriculating to LSU, Konz had only played six-man football at Weimar (Texas) High School. A fan from Baton Rouge named Rubin Moss used to hunt deer near Weimar, and would local games. Moss was impressed with Konz’ speed and skills, and told the Tiger coaching staff about him.
“I had offers from just about every school in Texas,” Konz said. “Six-man football is not 11-man football, but it does require quickness and skill, and I was a good athlete. They could see that.
” But my brother attended Texas A&M, and he was home every weekend, fiddlin’ around, not doing his schoolwork. And all those schools were within easy driving distance. I wanted to go some place where I was really away from home — but not so far that I couldn’t get back quickly if my family needed me. LSU fit the bill.”
Ferguson, along with sports information director Jim Corbett, was present at Don Lee’s Restaurant on Baton Rouge’s Third Street when then-coach Bernie Moore mulled over the pros and cons of giving a scholarship to a kid who had only played six-man football. “He finally decided to take a chance,” Ferguson said. “The rest is history.”
Tiger assistant Art Swanson called Konz, informed him that LSU had a spot for him, and to get on over. “I had to hitchhike to Baton Rouge,” Konz said. “But it was certainly worth it.”
The only one of 31 freshmen to make the varsity, Konz made his presence felt immediately in practice by running back a punt against the Tiger first string. The angry coaches ran the return over again, and Konz again ran the kick back. Then a third time. LSU coaches were mad, and the first-string embarrassed, but the Tigers had found a weapon.
Still, until 1949, LSU was pretty mediocre.
LSU was America’s most publized “David” in ’49. Coming off a horrendous 1948 in which the Bayou Bengals were 3-7, they lost two of their first four games before coming on to defeat three eventual conference champions (Rice, 14-7; North Carolina, 13-7; and Tulane) to finish 8-3.
The turnaround was so stunning that only a quick comparison with ’48 can correctly place it in focus. The Tigers were outscored 186-33 in five 1948 defeats (North Carolina, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, and Tulane). In 1949, LSU outscored those same five teams 136-34 and defeated each. Even a 35-0 trouncing at the hands of Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl, when midnight struck for the Cinderella team, couldn’t completely take the luster off the turnaround.
“Konz was pretty important to what we were able to do that season,” Tinsley said. “We had him all over the place, and he excelled. He left his mark.”
The next season, despite LSU’s 4-5-2 record, Konz was clearly among the South’s elite, turning in national attention-type performances in a 13-13 tie with Georgia and a 33-7 victory over Vanderbilt.
The MVP of the 1950 Blue-Grey Game, Konz was drafted No. 1 by the Cleveland Browns, though he had to put off pro ball for a couple of seasons while he served in the Air Force.
In a career on which he played on three NFL championship and four divisional title teams, Konz led or tied for the Browns lead in interceptions five of his seven professional seasons. He had almost a 40-yard punting average the one season he performed that duty, and led the NFL in punt returns with a 14.4 per attempt average in 1956, the year he was selected to the Pro Bowl.
After that season, Konz, who originally signed for $7,500 a year and eventually got to $25,000, went to see Coach Paul Brown about his contract, hoping for a raise. “You know, Coach Brown,” Konz said, “I led the NFL in punt returns.
“Paul Brown raised an eyebrow and said sternly to me,” Konz recalled, ” ‘What do you think I pay you for?’ ”
Konz sheepishly signed, and Brown obviously got his money’s worth.