Playboy's Pigskin Preview

Football is the most dynamic and exciting spectator sport in America. Baseball is suffering from hardening of the arteries. Boxing is dead, a victim of bad scriptwriters and poorer actors. Wrestling has long since become pure show business. One of the things that gives college football such vitality is the element of change. The game is constantly being improved, new coaching techniques are being introduced, new offensive and defensive systems are being invented. Small schools grow big; traditional patsies acquire new power and prestige. Conversely, yesteryear's football factories are being cut down to size by drastically raised academic entrance requirements. The population explosion is vividly affecting college enrollment and, in self-defense, college administrators are rapidly upgrading scholastic standards.

From the spectator's seat, the most noticeable expression of college football's growth and ferment is seen in the frequency and extent of rules changes. Last year there was a semireturn to platoon football, an effort on the part of the rules committee to please everyone. As it happened, it pleased no one and all sorts of awkward game situations developed, with most teams taking dozens of deliberate game-delay penalties in order to switch platoons. Many other teams continued to play the old-fashioned game with most players coached to play both offense and defense, there by suffering a great disadvantage. Some coaches, seeing the hand writting on the wall, made belated attempts to convert to platoon ball halfway through the season. The result of all this was that last year was the kookiest season in anyone's memory, with dozens of sure powerhouses folding up like punctured balloons and many so-so squads emerging into greatness. The difference was the readiness with which teams such as Notre Dame, Arkansas and Alabama adapted to platoon play, while other teams--Auburn and Indiana among them--didn't make the transition smoothly.

This year all but the smallest squads will use separate offensive and defensive platoons. Since most of the better players have been accustomed to going both ways, the coaches will have the knotty problem of deciding who plays on which platoon. This will be a difficult decision, indeed, because a truly outstanding player is generally as valuable on offense as on defense. He may even be as valuable a lineman as a back. For example, Mike Garrett and Rodger Bird are perhaps the most talented defensive halfbacks in college football--and we have them listed as such on our All-America aggregation--yet both have gained a major part of their fame for offensive exploits. John Niland, the massive lineman from Iowa, has been playing guard though he has the delineations and talent of a pro tackle. Most coaches won't be sure who is playing what position until September practice is well under way, and then they will assemble their platoons just the way we did: by finding the 22 best players available and distributing them according to their skills. And now, on to the predictions.

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If quarterbacks could be bought, the market in pinpoint passers would be sky-high in the East. At nearly every major football foundry east of the Alleghenies the coaching staff is frantically searching player rosters for quarterback talent. Syracuse, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Buffalo are particularly barren of signal callers. All the other teams have at best only ordinary garden-variety quarterbacks; the possible exception is Holy Cross, which found a dazzling sleeper last year in Jack Lentz.

Therefore, the Eastern crown could go to whoever wins the quarterback treasure hunt. Syracuse, however, might just forget the passing and simply run over people. With Playboy All-America halfback Floyd Little and halfback Mike Koski running behind a talented offensive line led by center Pat Killorin, the Orangemen will be almost unstoppable on the ground. Penn State finds itself in the same situation: no quarterback but a strong running attack made up of a flock of fast halfbacks and soph fullback Roger Grimes, who is the most exciting new runner to show up on Mt. Nittany in a decade. All this locomotion will be sprung loose by a formidable offensive line led by tackle Joe Bellas, who is probably the leading lineman in the East.

Boston College has just about succeeded in establishing itself as a major Eastern power. Losses from graduation are severe, but there is so much good manpower left on hand that Boston fans won't notice much difference. This is supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Eagles, but by midseason they may have their strongest and biggest team in history.

Army and Navy appear to be in bad shape. Serious losses from last year have cut deeply into both squads; the new switch to two platoons will sorely tax manpower resources, and inexperienced and unproven quarterbacks will replace the graduated Stichweh and Staubach. (Staubach, by the way, may turn up heaving passes for the Quantico Marines.) About the only success-determining factors at variance between the two teams are schedule (favoring Army) and coaching (a major plus for Navy). As usual, the Army-Navy game will probably be a tossup, with the luckier team winning.

The main problem at Pittsburgh--even more serious than a green squad and questionable quarterbacking--is the schedule. You have to read it to believe it. If the Panthers break even this year, it will be the neatest trick at Pittsburgh since Salk beat polio. Rutgers is coming back and so is Holy Cross. Crusader quarterback Jack Lentz ran berserk last year despite assorted broken ribs, so with his health restored he may lead Holy Cross to a fruitful season. Its main problem will be adjusting to new coach Mel Massucco without benefit of spring practice.

Colgate is basking in the glory of 1964, its most successful season in 30 years. And things look just as rosy this fall. The Red Raiders' vicious defensive platoon, which was primarily responsible for last year's success, is returning almost intact.

At this point, Harvard appears to be the class of the Ivy League, but if past seasons are any weather vane, the Ivy race will be a wild exercise in improbabilities before the year is out. The Crimson is richly endowed with backfield stars, and if coach Yovicsin can put together an offensive line and a good defense (his specialty), it will be a rosy autumn in Harvard Square. Neither Dartmouth nor Princeton looks quite as strong. Dartmouth's problem is a leaky defense that cost the Indians three games last year. However, quarterback Mickey Beard and end Bob MacLeod should form one of the better combinations in Eastern football. Princeton suffered heavy losses--including the entire backfield--from last year's undefeated team, but the Tigers and their snazzy single wing will still overpower most opponents. Cornell will be a contender for the Ivy title if a host of good sophomore linemen come through. Yale has the highest all-time won-lost percentage in college football, but appears to be in danger of losing that distinction this year to Notre Dame. The Yalies are green and especially thin down the middle, and have the problem of adjusting to the new coaching regime of Carmen Cozza, an especially tough task without the benefit of spring practice. Brown has an outstanding quarterback in Bob Hall, while Columbia is suffering the torments of adjusting to the loss of Archie Roberts, who is simply irreplaceable. Pennsylvania, under new coach Bob Odell, is on the way up, and this year may unveil a few surprises. The Quakers are deep in experienced returnees and good sophomores, and with halfback Bruce Molloy leading the way, Penn is our nomination for top spoiler of the Ivy League.

Gettysburg, with three magnificent quarterbacks in Jim Ward, Dick Shirk and Mike Darr, should again dominate the Middle Atlantic Conference. Last year's almost unprecedented collapse of Delaware isn't likely to happen again, however, so look for the Hens to be back in the thick of the title race. Bucknell has one of the top players in the country in end Tom Mitchell. Temple had its best year since 1945 last season, and with a little luck could do as well in 1965.

Massachusetts so completely outclasses every other team in the Yankee Conference that the only battle is for second place. That honor is likely to go to Maine this year.

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Every year the same drama is played out in the Big Ten. The principal actors vary, but the plot is always the same: Some team is the consensus pre-season choice to win the Conference championship, something goes wrong along the way (injuries, ennui, a few fumbles) and the team that couldn't lose does, and one of the predicted also-rans picks up all the marbles and the Rose Bowl bid. Last year, Illinois' juggernaut somehow got scuttled; the year before, it happened to Northwestern. In fact, only once in the last two decades has a consensus pre-season favorite actually won the Big Ten title. That was Ohio State in 1961.

Despite this, we still have to go along with everybody else in tabbing Michigan to repeat as champion, since we have a tenacious belief that somehow logic still has a place in this game. Certainly the Wolverines deserve the role of favorite. The major loss from last year was quarterback Bob Timberlake, but soph Dick Vidmer looks so good that Timberlake may not be missed. Carl Ward at halfback is unexcelled in the league and Playboy All-Americas Bill Yearby at tackle and Tom Cecchini at linebacker will help give the Wolverines an awesome defense. If coach Bump Elliot can get Michigan safely past Purdue (the only blot on last year's record), it should be the top team in the country.

Not far behind Michigan is Iowa. The Hawkeyes had a relatively dismal record last fall, but a scant dozen points on the scoreboard separated them from greatness. The spectacular aerial offense is back, including Playboy All-Americas Gary Snook and Karl Noonan. The running game has been beefed up and last year's leaky defense has been shored up. Best of all, the schedule is favorable, so look for the Hawkeyes to be the big surprise to everyone but us. For this spectacular comeback, and for fielding one of the most exciting teams in the country, win or lose, our Coach-of-the-Year accolade goes to Jerry Burns.

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For longer than anyone can remember, Purdue has been often the bridesmaid but never the bride. The Boilermakers have never visited the Rose Bowl, the only Big Ten team except Indiana to have been denied this honor. Yet Purdue seems perennially to be in the thick of the Conference championship race, and this year is no exception. Coach Mollenkopf will field the traditional bruising line. Halfbacks Minniear and Teter return, and so does brilliant passer Bob Griese, who will be throwing to a clutch of great receivers led by end Bob Hadrick. The Boilermakers are so strong physically that they may just grind everybody else underfoot. Significantly, the only teams that defeated Purdue last year--Notre Dame, Michigan State and Minnesota--play this season in Lafayette. Maybe that's an omen that the Year of the Boilermakers has arrived at last.

One advantage that Minnesota enjoys year after year is the coaching of Murray Warmath, who may be the country's leading expert at getting the most from available material. The Gophers have the same line problems they had last year and all first-string runners have graduated, but otherwise things are looking up in Minneapolis and you can expect Warmath--as always--to field a much stronger team than his resources would seem to permit. John Hankinson is a better quarterback than most people realize, and Playboy All-America Aaron Brown is probably the top defensive end in the country.

Never in Woody Hayes' 14 years at Ohio State have the Buckeyes been so blessed with quarterbacks. Woody has shown signs lately of abandoning his distaste for passing, so this may be the season for Ohio State to graduate from Pleistocene football. The Buckeyes look better on offense, but the defense--except for splendid linebackers Tom Bugel and Dwight Kelley--will be largely green. There will be an interesting side issue to the Ohio State-Iowa game this year that may make it something of a grudge match. Woody's pugnacious proclivities got the better of him at the Big Ten Coaches meeting in May. He hurled off his coat and, with yards of shirt front quivering with irate passion, stationed himself like an inflated John L. Sullivan before Iowa Athletic Director Forest Evashevski. Evy, who reached adulthood years ago, quietly declined the invitation. But the whole episode will be lovingly remembered during the Hawkeye-Buckeye game, on November 13, which could very well determine the championship.

Both Michigan State and Illinois will feature magnificent backfields behind thin green lines. The Spartans will be better in the air with quarterback Steve Juday and end Gene Washington forming a deadly passing combination. The Illini, however, will field an explosive array of runners who will set all kinds of records if an offensive line of creditable strength can somehow be fashioned. Playboy All-America fullback Jim Grabowski is the best in the land and he is joined by fleet halfback Sam Price, who will be hard pressed to protect his starting role from two young speedsters, Cyril Pinder and Ron Bess, who may be the best pair of soph backs at Illinois since Mickey Bates and J.C.Caroline.

Indiana has a new coach, John Pont, who was imported from Yale. The Hoosiers also have a healthy new injection of soph manpower, and a seemingly endless supply of optimism. After years of heartbreaking effort to claw their way up from the cellar of the Big Ten, Indiana seemed to be loaded last year. But even more bad breaks than usual and a fatal lack of depth killed their hopes. This time around, nobody will be expecting much from the Hoosiers, but they have bigger and better manpower than most opponents realize. If a good quarterback can be found to run the new wide-open offense, Indiana will sneak up on a few teams.

Both Northwestern and Wisconsin are in bad shape. Most of the big horses graduated at Evanston in June, and the transition from coach Parseghian to Alex Agase produced a bad recruiting year for Northwestern. So while the Wildcats will have one good first offensive team and a top-notch defensive backfield, the drop-off in potential after the first 22 players is precipitous. Wisconsin will be equally thin, with acute problems in the backfield where everyone went the diploma route. The Badgers will be tough to score against, but will have an impotent attack behind an inexperienced line.

Rumors have been circulated that the Notre Dame alumni decided not to give coach Ara Parseghian a yacht, since it has become well known in South Bend that Ara walks on water. But we fear the Irish boosters are in for a bit of a letdown this fall, because even Parseghian can't be expected to produce two miracles in a row. Last year's giants, John Huarte and Jack Snow, have both departed, along with most of the rest of the offensive platoon. Three unseasoned quarterbacks are vying for starting duties, and when a team has three starting quarterbacks, that usually means they don't have one good one. Notre Dame, it should be noted, has never had a good team without a great quarterback. Parseghian will depend largely on a vicious defensive platoon and superb running by Bill Wolski, Pete Andreotti and Playboy All-America halfback Nick Eddy. A new offensive line must be developed to spring all these fancy runners loose, and while there is a good starting nucleus in Playboy All-America guard Dick Arrington, South Bend side-line quarterbacks will settle willingly for a 5-4 season. The nationally televised game with Southern California at South Bend on October 23 should be the most eagerly anticipated fracas of the year.

Bowling Green will still be the giant of the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons will field a fabulous pair of fullbacks--Stew Williams and soph Tom Luettke. Each of these thunderers weighs 240 pounds, so expect Bowling Green to look like Ohio State used to look. Kent State should be the most improved team in the circuit. A gung-ho group of sophs with tremendous potential will push aside many of the returning veterans. Kent State is one of the largest universities in the nation (14,000) that is an athletic nonentity, but that's changing very fast. Both Miami and Ohio are a bit weaker than usual and rebuilding seasons are in order. The big gun at Ohio will be fullback Wash Lyons. Marshall's rise to power may be only temporarily interrupted this season, but good talent--although inexperienced--is present, so look for Marshall to cop the Conference title in a couple of years.

The ecumenical spirit is getting a workout at Xavier this year. The Jesuit school will field a very strong team, and one of the top rookies is tackle Milt Bley, a Jewish boy, who will be playing football on Saturday afternoon for a Protestant coach.

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Chauvinism--gridiron variety--knows no geographical bounds, and fans in almost any part of the country will assure you that the brand of football played in their vicinity is nonpareil. Over the years, however, the Big Ten has usually been assigned supremacy by the majority of observers. Recently, though, we think the power center has shifted southward. The top five teams in the Southeastern Conference are at least the match of the top five Big Ten teams, and unlike the recent past, the bottom half of the SEC no longer is composed of a collection of pushovers. Unfortunately, there are no matches--and haven't been for years--between the best of North and South. This fall Michigan plays Georgia and Florida meets Northwestern, in one-sided affairs, so nothing is likely to be proved.

Kentucky has been the center of one of the most dramatic rebuilding programs in many years. Only three years ago the Wildcats wound up a disastrous season with just 28 able bodies on the squad. Last year, after a massive recruiting and jungle-warfare training program, Kentucky was still thin in numbers but heavy in talent. On succeeding weekends they knocked off two of the top-rated teams in the country, only to fall apart again from emotional and physical exhaustion. This season, the story will be different. Virtually everybody returns from last year's volatile band, and they are reinforced by another bumper crop of super sophomores. The Wildcats may have the finest backfield in the land with Playboy All-America halfback Rodger Bird, fullback Frank Antonini and quarterback Rick Norton, who throws to wingback Larry Seiple and Playboy All-America end Rick Kestner.

Louisiana State and Florida both look nearly as rich in talent as Kentucky. The main difference between the two is that LSU's forte is defense, while Florida will field a wild offense centered around brilliant passer Steve Spurrier. The Gators plan to throw 30 to 40 passes a game. Except for Playboy All-America safety-man Bruce Bennett, the Florida defense will be mediocre, and coach Ray Graves hopes it is good enough not to be the cause of his team's losing, because it certainly won't be the cause of any victories. Louisiana State will also have a fancy passer in quarterback Pat Screen, who will be chucking to end Doug Moreau, one of the best in the land if he recovers fully from shoulder surgery. The Tigers' defensive unit--led by Playboy All-America tackle George Rice--will be, as usual, nearly impregnable.

Despite their severe graduation losses, it is risky to presume that both Alabama and Auburn will have bad seasons. The main difference is that Alabama still has a good quarterback in Steve Sloan, who will take up some of the slack left by departing Joe Namath. Also present is sophomore Ken Stabler, who is so loaded with talent that he may soon make Namath's departure seem less tragic. Auburn, on the other hand, lost nearly all of 1964's brilliant offense, and no one is in sight to replace Sidle and Frederickson. With Playboy All-America linebacker Bill Cody bolstering a rugged defense, no one will run up much of a score on Auburn, but unless a host of hot new backs are unearthed, the Plainsmen will have a modest season.

Tennessee and Vanderbilt may be the two most improved teams in the South. The Vols surprised even themselves with their expertise after abandoning the heavy single-wing offenses to go along with last year. Both Tennessee and Vanderbilt should field better offenses to go along with last year's rock-ribbed defenses, which return almost intact. Joe Graham is perhaps the best tackle in Tennessee history. Vanderbilt this year begins to enjoy the fruition of a three-year rebuilding program, and should wreak vengeance on some tormentors of recent years. Quarterback Charles Fulton of Tennessee and fullback Jim Whiteside of Vanderbilt will be two of the top sophomores in the South.

Ordinarily, a season with even a single loss is considered cataclysmic at Ole Miss. Last year the Johnny Rebs were loaded with the deepest and best material in school history, and a banner season seemed guaranteed. So what happened? Gettysburg revisited. This spring, coach Johnny Vaught completely dissembled his imperfect war machine and has put it together again with a slew of shiny new recruits and a front line of proven vets. A new spirit and fire power will be present, but the cream-puff schedules of recent years are no more. The Rebels will be fearsome by the end of the year, when all those sophs become battle hardened. But meanwhile, playing Kentucky, Alabama and Florida on succeeding Saturdays will be like walking death row.

Mississippi State, with burly fullback Hoyle Granger and a possible sleeper in junior college transfer quarterback Bill Buckner, may be one of the surprises of the year. Georgia was the shocker squad of the South last season, but the Bulldogs can't hope to sneak up on anybody this time. Tulane, preparing for its last year in the Southeastern Conference, is still deeply involved in a major rebuilding campaign, results of which probably won't show until 1966, when the schedule eases a bit. This season, however, the Green Wave faces a discouraging series of powerful teams, and victories will still be scarce.

The whole Atlantic Coast Conference, with the notable exception of Maryland, seems to have fallen on bad days. The powerhouses of yesteryear, such as Duke, North Carolina and Clemson, are feverishly rebuilding, but this year they don't seem deep enough to adjust to the demands of platoon football. Maryland, however, may redeem some prestige for the Conference. The Terps have tremendous running strength, hordes of experienced veterans and super sophs Ernie Torain and Bill Van Heusen.

Virginia could also explode. The Cavaliers have three excellent quarterbacks and the best backfield in the Conference, featuring the two Davises, Robert and Roger. Duke will launch thundering rookie fullback Jay Calabrese, and if coach Bill Murray can find enough tallent to adapt to platoon football, some of the glory of the past may be recaptured. Neither North Carolina State nor Wake Forest will have the element of surprise working for it this year, so last season's astonishing performances aren't likely to be duplicated. Look for new fullback Andy Heck at Wake Forest to take up some of the slack left by the departure of Brian Piccolo. Severe graduation losses will cripple North Carolina, and if professional baseball scouts succeed in wooing away brilliant quarterback Danny Talbott, the Tar Heels will be in even worse shape.

George Washington, capitalizing on the consummate skills of Garry Lyle, the first Negro quarterback in the Southern Conference, will be virtually unbeatable. Lyle does everything better than anyone else, and if he stays healthy, only Cincinnati and West Virginia will threaten the Colonials. West Virginia, having rejoined the prestige ranks after several seasons' absence, will probably repeat last year's performance. This time, though, it won't surprise anyone.

East Carolina, tutored by wily Clarence Stasavich, has been cutting a clean swath through small college circles in recent years and has now joined the bigger boys. The Pirates will be better than ever, but tougher competition will take its toll.

Among Southern independents, Georgia Tech will monopolize the limelight. The Yellow Jackets are never very far from greatness, and this looks like a fateful fall. The two-platoon system is made to order for coach Bobby Dodd, and he has lots of horses to fill out the ranks. The schedule--a most unusual situation at Tech--is weak this year, so look for the Jackets in a major bowl game on January 1.

Florida State will probably be the most unbalanced ball club in the nation this fall. We saw its spring game, and we have seldom witnessed a more fearsome defense or a more unspectacular offense. A popular prediction in Tallahassee is that the Seminoles will play ten scoreless ties this year. Playboy All-America Jack Shinholser mans the middle guard spot in a defensive line that is so unyielding it broke down and cried when Kentucky finally scored after four tries from two yards out last year--with the Seminoles leading 48 to 0.

The saber-toothed Tigers of Memphis State had their fangs pulled in the first game last season with Ole Miss, and they never recovered from the shock. Recovery isn't likely this year, either. Quarterback Billy Fletcher may turn out to be the most spectacular player in the South. but the Tigers face the toughest opposition in their history.

Some team will probably beat Nebraska before the season is out, but looking over the schedule, we can't imagine who it will be. Last year was supposed to be a rebuilding campaign in Lincoln, but the Cornhuskers knocked off everybody except Oklahoma and wound up sixth in the nation. Nebraska now looks deeper, faster, bigger and more experienced than ever, and if complacency can be avoided, the Huskers should be favorites in every game.

The rest of the Big Eight Conference is remarkably well balanced. Missouri seems to have the best shot at the runner-up spot, but much depends on whether two outstanding halfbacks--Charlie Brown and Ken Boston--sufficiently recover from severe injuries sustained during spring practice.

Oklahoma appeared loaded before the season began in 1964, but somehow all that talent never quite jelled, and now most of it has graduated. Playboy All-America linebacker Carl McAdams is a terror on defense, but the rest of the manpower is spread rather thin. Over in Stillwater, the picture is a mirror image of the Sooner situation. Oklahoma State is well on its way into the big time, and the Cowboys have more and faster horses in the corral than they've had in years. Coach Phil Cutchin is determined to make Oklahoma State a major power and he seems about two years away from doing just that. Colorado and Kansas State are on the way back, too, although Colorado appears to be further ahead of schedule. The Buffaloes have suffered three straight 2-8 seasons, but this year the manpower shortage has improved from tragic to merely acute. If the new rules don't further drain their personnel resources, look for the Buffs to stampede a few times. Kansas features Bob Skahan, one of the most elusive roll-out quarterbacks in the flatlands. He will be ably supported by a trio of good runners, so the inimitable Gale Sayers won't be missed as much as fans fear. But the Solid Kansas defense of yesteryear is being de-emphasized in favor of a wide-open passing game. Lack of depth will be a problem and the schedule is rugged; a break-even season, therefore, will be highly respectable. Just as Oklahoma State is challenging Oklahoma, Kansas State is discarding the poor-relative role and threatens to displace Kansas as the state powerhouse. Kansas State's largest squad ever will take the field this fall, and the results should show on the score-board.

Arkansas, like Nebraska, is loaded with veterans from last year's magnificent squad. The Porkers can hardly be expected to repeat their all-winning 1964 performance, but--again like Nebraska--they should be a solid favorite in every game. Coach Frank Broyles has simply been outrecruiting his competitors in the Southwest, and there seems to be no limit to the available manpower. A solid quorum of last season's all-winning crew is joined by an undefeated freshman crop. Unless the Razorbacks simply get bored with winning, we see no reason for them to lose to any team.

It is unthinkable in the Big Country that Texas under coach Darrell Royal should ever have a less-than-spectacular season. However, the bad guys--university academicians--have been playing a dirty trick on the good guys--athletic administrators--by drastically raising the academic requirements of the university. Coach Royal moans that half of his present squad would never have qualified for admission to the university by this year's entrance requirements. It seems grossly unfair to Texas' beef-baron and oil-magnate supporters to expect a ten-second halfback to be able to read Chaucer and integrate an equation, but that's the way it is these days. Whatever the reason, the Longhorns look leaner this season, so don't be surprised if they run into trouble along the way.

Most dramatic improvement in the cactus country is expected from erstwhile Conference door mat Texas Tech. The Red Raiders have been assembling the materials for a major insurrection for several years and the results are beginning to show. The principal weapon in the Texas Tech arsenal is halfback Donny Anderson, who runs like a wild horse. Perhaps a pleasant portent of impending prestige is the fact that the Red Raiders play seven games at home this year. The last time that happened--in 1938--they went to the Cotton Bowl.

Southern Methodist may challenge Texas Tech as interloper of the year. Last season we chose SMU as a dark horse, but a dismaying series of academic misfortunes and injuries deprived the Mustangs of seven starters between spring practice and the autumn opener. Since most of these players have returned and are part of the most promising squad in years, the Mustangs are again ready to break loose, so they're our out-on-a-limb pick for the year.

Rice lost so much of last year's abundant talent that few people will consider the Owls a real threat in 1965, but don't sell them short. Coach Jess Neely's teams have wound up in the first division of the Conference race 19 of the 25 years he has been coaching at Rice.

Baylor's main gun will be quarterback Terry Southall, and once again coach Bridger's Bears will throw the ball all over the landscape. But the squad will be very green, albeit eager, so a winning season isn't in sight. The same situation exists at Texas Christian, except that the Horned Frogs don't even have a proven quarterback. Texas A&M is starting from scratch with a new coaching staff headed by Gene Stallings, who will attempt to bring Bear Bryant's hard-nosed style of play back to College Station.

The Missouri Valley Conference is perhaps the most underrated circuit in America. Last year Tulsa gave some indication of this by systematically dispatching all opponents--except fellow Conference member Cincinnati--and then dismantling Ole Miss in the Bluebonnet Bowl. Even without the incomparable Jerry Rhome, Tulsa will again be all-powerful. Three excellent passers are on hand to fill Rhome's shoes, and the defense, led by mountainous tackle Willie Townes, will be one of the staunchest in the nation. Tulsa's athletic program is proliferating at a rapid rate, so look for the Hurricanes to be a permanent power on the national scene.

Cincinnati boosters are still doing a slow burn over the team's being ignored by both the pollsters and the bowl committees last year, after scuttling Tulsa and going on to an 8-2 season. The Bearcats may get their chance again this fall, because most of the muscle and speed is back. The Tulsa game should be a real Donnybrook. Wichita, under new coach George Karras, will try to get back in the title race. Both North Texas State and Louisville, having fallen into disrepair, will attempt to reassemble their football machines. Louisville is launching a major rebuilding program to give its football team the same national prestige its basketball team enjoys.

Houston quit the Missouri Valley Conference a few years ago in order to move into big-time football circles. So far, it has been the rest of the MVC that has moved into the national spotlight, while Houston has come upon evil days. This year, however, will mark the beginning of a rise for the Cougars. All home games from now on will be played in the Astrodome, and to celebrate this auspicious occasion, coach Bill Yeoman has assembled the classiest aggregation in Houston's recent history. A major point of interest is new halfback Warren McVea, the most sought-after high school player in America a couple of years ago. Reports on him are so lavish we hereby nominate him our Sophomore Back of the Year.

Coach Bobby Dobbs left his post as head man at Calgary in the Canadian pro league to lead Texas Western out of the football wilderness. He is changing the Miners from a defense-minded crew to a wide-open hell-for-leather passing team. Results should begin to show very soon. West Texas State will feature soph Spencer Washington, the Southwest's first Negro quarterback.

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The concerted quest for power that began several years ago among the West Coast teams has reached culmination. The perennial rivalry with the Big Ten has until now been a rather one-sided affair. Although the ludicrous decision to send Oregon State instead of Southern California to the Rose Bowl last New Year's Day resulted in a rather embarrassing disparity of power between the representatives of the two conferences, the top Coast teams can now play anywhere with equanimity.

This year there are four Coast teams of such singular potency that the only variance in their prognosis results from schedule differences. Either Oregon, Washington, Standford or Southern Cal will be capable, with a few breaks, of going undefeated. Oregon's toughest games are conveniently sandwiched between breathers, so the Ducks have the best chance to finish with an impressive won-lost record. Coach Casanova has 17 of his first 22 players back from last year's team that lost only two games, and with all that ability and experience on hand, the Webfoots will be very hard to stop.

Washington is almost never out of the top national rankings for longer than a year at a time, so look for the Huskies to be back in the spotlight again this year. Last season's rebuilding efforts have paid off. Unlike what he's done in the past, coach Jim Owens will concentrate more on scoring than on keeping the other team scoreless. New quarterback Tod Hullin will heave the ball far and frequently. If the largely rookie defensive unit can meet the test, Washington could field one of the better Huskies contingents in recent years. The nationally televised game with Ohio State on October 2 will tell the story.

Stanford should have its best team in a decade. The Indians have momentum from 1964, when they won three of their last four games. They also have halfback Ray Handley, a real whiz kid, and depth at all positions. Standford plays all three service academies, and they couldn't have picked a better year to do it.

Southern Cal's non-Conference schedule will make an improvement over last year's 7-3 record exceedingly difficult, but the Trojans still have a good chance of getting back into the Rose Bowl.Playboy All-America halfback Mike Garrett--probably the best runner in the country--is teamed with halfback Rod Sherman, who suffers very little in comparison. A fancy new quarterback, Pat Mills, was discovered in the spring game, so the Trojans are off to the wars as well armed as ever.

If these first four teams are cofavorites, then our dark horse must be California. The Bears lost fabulous Craig Morton, but a new quarterback, Dan Berry, has been unearthed who could be the key to success. Cal's defensive forces--last year's vulnerable point--will be much improved, Playboy All-America tackle Stan Dzura is not only the top lineman on the Coast, he is also the most unusual. Dzura, who looks like a fugitive from Central Casting, never played a game of football in his life until he was a sophomore in college. He went to Cal from Hawaii on a basketball scholarship, grew too big for that game, and was corralled by the football coaches. Despite missing all those years of coaching and experience, his ability is such that he terrorized opposing teams last year and should be even more fearsome in '65.

This will be Dee Andros' first year as head coach at Oregon State, and he has some big shoes to fill in replacing departed Tommy Prothro, winningest coach on the Coast the past ten years, who moved on to UCLA. Although Andros proved what he can do at Idaho, the toughest schedule in Oregon State's history should keep the Beavers out of the Conference race.

Bert Clark is beginning to put together a major power at Washington State, but it will be another two years before it comes into its own. This fall more than half the squad will be rookies, and good ones, but it will take time to mature all this talent. This is still a learning year, so the Cougars won't show much improvement. Wait until 1967.

UCLA is really starting off at the bottom. New coach Tommy Prothro seems to have a lot of confidence that he can field a good representative team, but no one knows why. The ranks are thin and there is no quarterback in sight to replace the departed Larry Zeno.

Figuring out the fortunes of many Western teams is particularly difficult because of the large numbers of junior college transfers that give these squads fresh infusions of manpower each year. The Western part of the country--particularly California--harbors great numbers of junior colleges that field football teams, and the best of these players go on to senior colleges where, with so much experience behind them, they can often step right into a starting line-up. For example, Utah this year would seem to be headed for a dismal autumn, because almost the entire starting line-up has graduated from the best team in the school's history. But junior college transfers and sophs may take up much of the slack. Still, the Utes can't be expected to repeat last year's performance. Arizona, Arizona State and New Mexico are similarly suffering from wholesale losses, so this should allow Wyoming--which seems stronger than ever--to move in on the Conference championship. Brigham Young is also on the way up. The outlook for the Cougars is brighter than in recent years, although the severity of the opposition will probably preclude any improvement in the won-lost record this season. At Arizona State, coach Frank Kush has had remarkable luck with young teams in the past, so the Sun Devils might surprise us. Much of Arizona's severe losses--25 lettermen have graduated--will be alleviated by the presence of new halfback Brad Hubbert, a sensational rookie who played four years of football in the Marine Corps before deciding to pursue higher education (and an eventual pro contract). New Mexico's hopes are pinned to quarterback Stan Quintana and a huge delegation of junior-college transfers, led by fullback Carl Jackson.

Both New Mexico State and Idaho will field fine teams. Idaho's Ray McDonald will probably be college football's best fullback by the time he graduates, and this year his explosive running will make the Vandals a power to reckon with. New Mexico State is so rich in experienced players that the only shortage will be trainers and managers. Utah State, of all the schools in the West, will probably profit most this year from an influx of exceptional talent from junior colleges. The Aggies will have one of the biggest lines in college football, and halfback Roy Shivers may turn out to be the classiest runner in the desert country.

The Air Force Academy, suffering from a cheating scandal that has virtually wiped out the Falcon football squad, finds itself in a situation almost identical to--and as tragic as--that brought about by the cribbing catastrophe at West Point a few years ago. Twenty-nine of thirty-eight lettermen have been lost, and only a bare handful of upperclassmen are available. The only blessing in an otherwise bleak picture is the presence of a splendid sophomore contingent. Woefully green at first, the flyboys will undoubtedly get better as the season wears on, but prospects for a good season are far from bright.

We'll make one last prediction, and this one we are sure of: With virtually every coach in the country putting greater emphasis than ever on the offensive phase of the game, 1965 will see the emergence of a flock of brilliant passers--neophyte quarterbacks whose names are now barely known, even in their own schools, but who will be national heroes by December.

Possible Breakthroughs: Tulsa 8--2; West Virginia 7--3; Michigan State 6--4; Ohio State 6--3; Missouri 6--4; George Washington 9--1; Cincinnati 8--2; Wyoming 8--2; Bowling Green 8--1.

The All-America Squad

(All of whom have a good chance of making someone's All-America team.)

Ends: Moreau (LSU), Mitchell (Bucknell), Twilley (Tulsa), Malinchak (Indiana), Hadrick and Long (Purdue), Jeter and White (Nebraska), Palm (Oregon), Morin (Massachusetts), Washington (Michigan St.)

Tackles: Bellas (Penn St.) Singer and Shay (Purdue), Graham (Tennessee), Brown (Tulane), Townes (Tulsa), Hines and Phillips (Arkansas), Pettigrew (Stanford), Taylor (Cincinnati)

GUARDS: Gagner (Florida), Battle (Georgia Tech), Miller (Iowa), Barnes (Nebraska), LaGrone (Southern Methodist), Richardson (UCLA)

Centers: Killorin (Syracuse), Dittman (Navy), Tobey (Oregon), McKissick (Utah), Hyland (Boston College)

Linebackers: Nobis (Texas), Kelley and Bugel (Ohio St.), O'Billovich (Oregon St.), Hansen (Illinois), Goss (Tulane), Clarke (Army), Lynch (Notre Dame), Vincent (LSU)

Backs: Ward (Michigan), Granger (Mississippi St.) Handley and Lewis (Stanford), Griese (Purdue), McDonald (Idaho), Lyle (George Washington), Harris and Kristynik (Texas), Wolski (Notre Dame), Unverferth and Barrington (Ohio St.), Lentz (Holy Cross), Norton and Antonini (Kentucky), Spurrier (Florida), Bowman and Sloan (Alabama), Juday (Michigan St.), Davis (Virginia), Dennis and Clay (Mississippi), Shivers (Utah St.), Glacken and Calabrese (Duke), Williams (Bowling Green), Lane and Roland (Missouri), Hubbert (Arizona)

Sophomore Back of the Year: Halfback Warren McVea (Houston)

Sophomore Lineman of the Year: Guard Tommy Keyes (Mississippi)

Top Players: Little, Killorin, Brown (Syracuse); Bellas, Kunit, Grimes (Penn St.); Hyland, McCarthy (Boston C.); Clarke, Champi, Braun (Army); Dittman, Norton (Navy); Crabtree (Pitt); Paske, Illg, Clark (Colgate); Lentz (Holy Cross); Brown (Villanova); Poles (Buffalo); McCluskey, Grant, Leo (Harvard); MacLeod, Beard (Dartmouth); Maliszewski, Savidge (Princeton); Ratner (Cornell); Howard, Gronninger (Yale); Hall (Brown); Molloy (Penn); Ward (Gettysburg); Van Grofski (Delaware); Mitchell (Bucknell); Landry, Morin (Massachusetts); DeVarney (Maine).

Top Players: Eddy, Arrington, Wolski, Lynch (Notre Dame); Yearby, Cecchini, Ward, Detwiler, Vidmer (Michigan); Noonan, Snook, Niland, Miller (Iowa); Hadrick, Long, Griese, Singer, Shay, Minniear, Teter (Purdue); Brown, Hankinson, Gillingham (Minnesota); Juday, Washington, Lucas, Jones (Michigan St.); Unverferth, Barrington, Kelley, Bugel (Ohio St.); Grabowski, Custardo, Hansen, Pinder, Bess, Price (Illinois); Malinchak, Beisler (Indiana); Banaszek, Rector (North-western); Richter, London (Wisconsin); Williams, Rivers, Luettke (Bowling Green); Lyons, Turner, Parr (Ohio U.); Peddie, Philpott (Miami); Good (Marshall); Burch (Toledo); Spear (Dayton); Hart (Southern Illinois).

Top Players: Bird, Kestner, Norton, Antonini (Kentucky); Rice, Moreau, Vincent (LSU); Bennett, Gagner, Spurrier, Casey (Florida); Crane, Bowman, Sloan (Alabama); Graham, Mitchell (Tennessee); Hindman, Dennis, Clay, Keyes (Mississippi); Granger, Folliard (Mississippi St.); Cody, Gross, Rice (Auburn); Spalding, Whiteside (Vanderbilt); Patton (Georgia); Goss, Brown (Tulane); Hickey, Absher (Maryland); Davis, Pincavage, Kowalkowski (Virginia); Glacken, Calabrese, Murphy (Duke); Cox (South Carolina); Heck, Nesbitt, Grant (Wake Forest); Wood, Talbott (North Carolina); Lyle (George Washington); Sullivan, McCune (West Virginia); Turner (Virginia Military); Pearce (William & Mary); Hughes (East Carolina); Battle, Carlisle, Snow (Georgia Tech); Shinholser, Spooner (Florida St.); Weisacosky, Biletnikoff (Miami); Satcher, Purvis (Southern Miss.); Fletcher (Memphis St.).

Top Players: Duda, Churchich, Jeter, White, Barnes, Strohmyer (Nebraska); Lane, Roland, Van Dyke (Missouri); McAdams, Schreiner (Oklahoma); Garrison (Oklahoma St.); Skahan, Shinn (Kansas); Harris (Colorado); Matan (Kansas St.); Hines, Phillips, Williams, Lindsey (Arkansas); Nobis, Harris, Kristynik, Lammons (Texas); Anderson, Lowery, Porter (Texas Tech); Christopher, Latourette, Vining (Rice); White, Roderick, Lagrone (Southern Methodist); Southall, Hayes, Wilson (Baylor); Horak, Campbell (Texas Christian); Wellborn (Texas A&M); Townes, Twilley, Daugherty (Tulsa); Taylor, Fugere (Cincinnati); Waskiewicz (Wichita St.); Sanders (North Texas St.); Guerrant, Post, McVea (Bouston); Allen, Funk (West Texas St.); Hughes (Texas Western).

Top Players: Brundage, Oldham, Tobey, Palm (Oregon); Bramwell, Jordan, Forsberg (Washington); Handley, Lewis, Pettigrew (Stanford); Garrett, Sherman, Thomas (Southern Cal); Dzura, Foster (California); O'Billovich, Brothers (Oregon St.); Eilmes, Sheron (Washington St.); Richardson (UCLA); Alleman (Wyoming); Hawkins, Johnson, Hoover (Arizona St.); Hubbert, Pazerski, Malloy (Arizona); Quintana, Hettema (New Mexico); McKissick, Woodson (Utah); Nance (Brigham Young); Memefee (New Mexico St.) McDonald (Idaho); Shivers (Utah St.); Foster (Colorado St.); Heckert, Jackson (Air Force).