Playboy's Pigskin Preview

In the Dog Days of late August, thousands of brawny young men wend their way back to campuses to begin three weeks of head knocking before the first kickoff. At the same time, millions of football fans begin combing sports pages for some hint of what the coming season's tribal warfare will bring. Will the good guys beat the bad guys again (or at last)? Will ignominious defeats at the hands of the arrogant enemy be avenged? The suspense grows until the first referee's whistle blows and the battle is joined. Then, every Saturday for three months, millions of rabid fans savor the sweet taste of victory or endure the humiliation of defeat at no physical risk to themselves and with immeasurable therapeutic value. At least, so goes the theory of some tower-bound (text continued on page 118) psychologists who have recently decided that football contributes greatly to the mass mental health of the American population. This fascinating thesis runs thusly: While modern man's intellect has enabled him to build a highly technical and civilized society, his body and emotions are best fitted for cave dwelling. Modern man smiles sweetly at his neighbor while he burns inside with restrained hostility and tension. Grandfather Piltdown went out and clubbed a sabertooth to death every now and then or he went charging off to ravage a neighboring tribe, thereby satisfying his combative instinct. Purged of his natural hostility, he could live between battles in sweet tranquility.

Alas, civilization (according to this theory) has made its inroads. Open warfare has become too risky, physical combat with one's neighbors is considered uncouth, and landing an order is an infinitely more efficient way to stock a larder than pursuing venison on the hoof. So modern man sits in his air-conditioned office, boiling with unexpressed hostility.

Enter football. Millions of desk-bound fans participate vicariously in a battle that has all the vital criteria. It is hand-to-hand combat with a respectable number of participants getting hurt and with even a little bloodletting. It is a fight between us and them (ribbon clerks who never saw the inside of a university can identify with a local team as thoroughly as can the most dedicated alumnus); colorful and almost religious tribal rites precede each battle; the winners bask in the glory of triumph and the losers wait until next year.

Each summer, as we study the feverish preparations for these tribal conflicts, we are bemused by some of the colorfully and appropriately (or inappropriately) yclept combatants. We regret that we cannot report that Georgia punter Spike Jones and UCLA defensive back Wayne King are consummate musicians, nor that fullback Hunter Husband is pursued by scores of University of Alabama coeds. Wyoming tailback Jim Kiick is not a punter, nor is Virginia Tech end Ken Barefoot. UCLA halfback Paul Derflinger is not a passer, either; but with much aesthetic satisfaction, we can report that Clemson tackle Wayne Mass weighs 275 pounds, that Texas sophomore lineman Deryl Comer indeed has a promising future, that Penn State defensive lineman Steve Smear is a vicious tackler and that Bucknell rookies Dave Vassar and Bill Radcliffe are (you guessed it) tailbacks.

And now let's take a look at the various teams around the country.

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Syracuse has been the big muscle in Eastern football for so long that it's hard to believe it will ever be different. But if the big Orange is ever to be deposed, this should be the year; and the coup d'état should be executed by either Penn State or Army. The Nittany Lions, reaping the rewards of a rebuilding program, will mix a host of seasoned vets with a bumper crop of rookies, the most valuable of whom probably will be sharpshooting field-goal kicker Don Abbey. The Army team will be almost a carbon copy of the gritty young outfit that astonished the country last year by coming from nowhere to win eight games and Coach-of-the-Year honors for Tom Cahill. In fact, the Cadets should be even more potent on offense. With precocious passer Steve Lindell teaming with split end Terry Young, Army should field its most exciting team since the hallowed days of the "lonely end."

But let's not count out Syracuse yet. Although last year's great offensive line has departed, along with Floyd Little (who may never be replaced), returning is Playboy All-America fullback Larry Csonka, who charges into the line like an enraged buffalo and whose fierce blocking will help halfback Oley Allen (the new number 44) take up some of the slack caused by Little's departure. Also, coach Schwartzwalder has at last come up with a nifty quarterback in sophomore Rick Panczyszyn, who should give the Orange an effective passing weapon for the first time in years.

Eastern football is on the upswing. Nearly every major independent will be beefier this year; but since they play one another, there may not be too much difference in the results. Navy, Buffalo, Boston College, Boston University and Holy Cross all should field vastly improved teams, but the most dramatic improvement should be at Pittsburgh. Last year, new coach Dave Hart inherited a pathetic crew that was small, slow and maladroit. The '66 season was a traumatic experience for all hands. But the Panthers have a windfall in this year's crop of sophs, who are many, large, fast and talented. (New tailback Denny Ferris will be a game breaker.) Result: Many of last year's first-stringers will be third-team spear carriers. The bleak part of the Pitt picture is that the schedule is the toughest in the land. Victories will still be scarce.

Navy hasn't had a winning season since 1963, and the Middies are sick of losing. A spate of new speedsters will hypo the attack; passer John Cartwright and flanker Terry Murray are a potent aerial combo; and the Navy defense will always be adept under coach Bill Elias.

A year ago, Boston College had great expectations for an all-winning season, but the Eagles turned out to be aerially inept and fell flat. This year, the passing will be much improved, both lines will be deep and experienced, and last year's hopes could be realized at last.

Either Boston University or Holy Cross could be the surprise of the East. Both are loaded with experience and good rookies. Colgate will be as strong as ever, except that the Red Raiders will break with tradition and show more expertise on offense than defense, thanks to the passing and running of quarterback Ron Burton. Rutgers will be more experienced than a year ago, but depth will be a serious problem, due to an unusually lackluster crop of sophs.

The Villanova squad is deeper and more talented this year and should be able to carry over its momentum from last season, when it won its final five games. The schedule is much tougher in '67, however, so a better than breakeven season is doubtful, unless new coach Jack Gregory introduces something unexpected.

Anyone who tries to preguess the Ivy League race is courting intellectual disaster; but since predicting the unpredictable is our big shtick, we'll try. We suspect, on the strength of last year's results, most Ivy fans expect Harvard to take it all this fall, with Dartmouth and Princeton finishing close behind. But we doubt it. Although speedster Vic Gatto returns and the defense will again be rugged, Harvard lost half its starters and, more important, the Crimson won't be able to bushwhack unsuspecting opponents, as they did in '66. Dartmouth and Princeton suffered serious inroads from graduation. Both teams have some supersophs on tap, so either could regain potency by season's end. At Dartmouth, new quarterback Bill Koenig will be particularly outstanding.

With the foregoing in mind, it looks from here as though Yale will have the best shot at the '67 Ivy crown. Shrewd coach Carm Cozza hits the jackpot with 35 returning lettermen, and brilliant quarterback Brian Dowling should be healthy at last, thus doubling the Yalies' offensive potential.

Cornell must rebuild an offense depleted by graduation; but if the rookies come through, the Big Red will have much to say about who winds up on top. Columbia, Brown and Pennsylvania will all be somewhat stronger this year, but all still have a long way to go. Brown lacks size and speed, Columbia suffers from lack of depth and Penn is hamstrung by a porous defense.

Coach Tubby Raymond has managed to generate so much enthusiasm in his Delaware Hens that they should again dominate the Middle Atlantic Conference, although both Temple and Gettysburg will still offer strong challenges. Bucknell will be much improved, but Lafayette will suffer from lack of a skilled quarterback. Worth mentioning is the fact that Hofstra has a prize soph runner named Jim Thorpe.

The top two teams in the country last year (if we can believe the wire-service polls) were Notre Dame and Michigan State; and both teams, indeed, had everything it takes to be great. But this year there is a vital difference between the two squads: Although both lost a half-dozen players of All-America caliber, Notre Dame's replacements should be almost as good as the losses, while Michigan State isn't nearly so fortunate. Although the Irish lost runners Nick Eddy and Larry Conjar, veterans Ron Dushney, Bob Gladieux and Rocky Bleier, plus newcomers Jeff Zimmerman and Ed Ziegler, should comprise an adequate stable of horses. Notre Dame's most serious losses were in the middle of the defensive line; but four talented and monstrous rookies--Mike McCoy, Bob Jockisch, Jay Ziznewski and Duane Poskon--will team with Playboy All-American Kevin Hardy (who has been moved from tackle to defensive end) and veteran Eric Norri to give the Irish a front defensive line that will average over 265 pounds. New linebacker Bob Olson will take up much of the slack left by departed Jim Lynch, and soph tackles Charles Kennedy and Terry Brennan (no relation) will add heft to the offensive line. But the bright spot in the Irish autumnal landscape is the aerial attack, which we predict will be the most explosive in the history of college football. Coach Ara Parseghian himself, who always has an uncommon and refreshing lack of deviousness about his team's prospects, tells us frankly that his air attack will play havoc with opposing defenses. Terry Hanratty and Coley O'Brien, who will alternate at quarterback, are both All-America caliber, and the Irish have so many outstanding receivers that the passers may go buggy deciding to whom to throw. The biggest threat to Irish fortunes is the schedule. Last year's team faced only three squads that were even vaguely in their class; but this season, no fewer than six opponents are brimming with power and will give the Irish a bloody scrap. The Miami game at the end of the season should be the Game of the Year.

Michigan State will also field a devastating offense, but the Spartans will be more earth-bound than the Irish. Quarterback Jimmy Raye is a brilliant executor of the pass-run option; and if fullback Bob Apisa's knee surgery is successful and if snazzy new halfback LaMarr Thomas comes through as expected, the Spartans will be as nearly unstoppable as last year. The defense, however, is another story. Soph tackle Tody Smith may help fill some of the vacuum left by the departure of his brother Bubba (not to mention George Webster, Charley Thornhill and two other defensive first-stringers); but stopping the other team may be the big problem in East Lansing this year.

Another important factor affects Spartan prospects: Last year Purdue was the only Big Ten team whose power even approached that of Michigan State. But this year, Illinois is really loaded, Wisconsin and Minnesota are tremendously improved and Purdue looks just as strong, despite the loss of Bob Griese.

Before the first kickoff, Illinois looks like the class of the Big Ten. Contrary to popular belief, the now-infamous slush-fund scandal hasn't hurt the Illini at all. On the contrary; it has left them with a strong emotional impetus. New coach Jim Valek is a shrewdie and he inherits a squad that is deep, experienced, talented, big and burning with a desire for vindication. The Illini have enough good runners to populate three Big Ten backfields. In fact, last year's first-string fullback, Carson Brooks, is being shifted to defensive guard. The sophomore crop is the best in memory and many of last year's returning starters may lose their jobs to rookies. If Valek can find a good outside speedster who can turn the corner (soph Dave Jackson may be the man), the Illini will have no apparent weaknesses and should be virtually unbeatable.

Purdue fans who expect Bob Griese's departure to trigger a team collapse can stop holding their collective breath. The entire defensive unit is back intact; four of the top five runners and three of the four top receivers return; and new quarterbacks Mike Engelbrecht and Mike Phipps are first-class. Playboy All-America halfback Leroy Keyes can do everything, including pass, and he will again play both ways. If last year's undefeated freshman team can furnish enough talent to shore up the pass defense (a fatal flaw that cost the Boilermakers the '66 game with Notre Dame), very few teams will cross the Purdue goal line.

Look out for Wisconsin. After three years of brooding and building, the Badgers are about to break out. New coach John Coatta inherits a hungry and talented squad that was much better than last season's three wins would seem to indicate. Rookies Mel Reddick at end and Stu Voigt at halfback are two of the most exciting players to grace the Madison milieu in 20 years. The Badger receivers should be spectacular and Chuck Burt will again be the top thrower, with two good replacements waiting in the wings. The most serious graduation inroads were in the interior lines, but the replacements are grade A. With all this in mind, we nominate Wisconsin as our out-on-a-limb surprise team of the year.

Minnesota is bulging with muscle. Lack of success last season was attributable to an impotent offense; but the quarterbacking will be greatly improved and new runners Jeff Nygren and Jim Carter will add much muzzle velocity to (continued on page 240)Pigskin Preview(continued from page 120) the ground game. Defensive end Bob Stein, if he can stay healthy, will be one of the best in the land. Murray Warmath is still the most resourceful college coach in the country; and with a little luck, the Gophers could wind up in the Rose Bowl.

Except at end and quarterback, the Ohio State offense will be green and thin. Consequently, the airways (heresy!) may be the major avenue of attack. One of two promising new running backs (Dave Brungard or Ray Gillian) may blossom, however, and save the day for coach Woody Hayes. The defense will be as solid as ever, and Woody isn't likely to tolerate two losing seasons in a row; so look for the Buckeyes to upend some of the classier teams. Best candidate for this honor is Illinois, which takes on the Buckeyes a week after playing Notre Dame.

The Michigan team will be but a shadow of its former self. Graduation gutted the offense, leaving only passer Dick Vidmer and a couple of linemen. The entire defensive backfield will be new, also. Although the replacements are able, the rawness will show and the Wolverine war machine will sputter, especially during the first half of the season.

The slow and tedious job of rebuilding a winning team proceeds apace at Indiana and Iowa, and both squads should show noticeable improvement this year. Both backfields will have good talent. At Indiana, two new quarterbacks--Harry Gonso and John Isenbarger--are such good athletes that one of them will be shifted to halfback, and veteran Terry Cole may yet turn out to be the best fullback in the Big Ten. The defense will be beefier and more agile, but raw. In short, the Hoosiers will be deeper and abler, but green. So will Iowa. The Hawkeyes were dismally inept last year, especially on defense. The defenders will be older and meaner this fall and the offensive line, manned by blue-ribbon sophs, will be bigger and stronger. Quarterback Ed Podolak and tailback Silas McKinnie are the big guns; and if they can get some blocking from the novice linemen, they could take Iowa a long way back to success.

Northwestern seems to be this year's have-not in the Big Ten. Coach Alex Agase, a wily and resourceful Assyrian assembler of football machines from assorted spare parts, will have to tax his ingenuity to come up with a working offense this season. The problem is simple but not so sweet: a dearth of interior linemen and no ends. But Alex will probably find some bodies somewhere, as he did last season, when he was faced with similar poverty pockets.

The entire Mid-American Conference will be stronger this fall, with the glaring exception of Miami, where serious quarterback problems may be crippling. In desperation, rookie defensive halfback Kent Thompson has been switched to quarterback; however, prospects for continuing the traditionally strong Miami passing game aren't bright. Look for the Redskins to run a lot this year, but not well enough to hold off the challenges of other M.A.C. teams.

Western Michigan and Kent State seem to be the best bets to unseat Miami. Both squads return virtually unscathed by graduation. Coach Bill Doolittle has made winning an addiction at Western Michigan and is so rich in good talent this year that an unbeaten season is a distinct possibility. Kent State looks nearly as strong. Luck and injuries can't possibly be as bad this year as last. Kent State partisans insist that Don Fitzgerald is the best running back in the country; but if a thin offensive line isn't shored up by opening kickoff, he may not get a chance to prove it.

Bowling Green will abandon the traditional plodding infantry attack and will fill the air with footballs. Sophomore middle guard Joe Green may be the finest athlete ever to enroll at Bowling Green and will help make the Falcon defensive line nearly impregnable.

Toledo and Ohio University should be very much improved. Both squads are deep in experienced returnees and are blessed with bumper crops of rookies. The sophs will help Ohio University field an explosive and versatile offense (keep an eye on new passer Cleve Bryant), but a wicked schedule may prevent the Bobcats' win column from getting too healthy. Toledo's record, however, should be vastly improved if the Rockets can break last year's habit of perpetrating big mistakes at exactly the wrong time. Opposing coaches say middle guard Tom Beutler is a demon and warn their teams to run away from him. Marshall should be stronger, thanks to the defensive squad; but unless coach Charlie Snyder can find some offensive backs, the Thundering Herd won't exactly trample anybody to death.

Dayton, a perennial door mat, amazed fans last year by putting together a blazing halfback offense and winning eight games. The Flyers should be even stronger this season if talented coach John McVay can mold a solid defensive unit. Xavier lost the heart of both its offense and defense and the quarterback spot has been proclaimed a disaster area.

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Hurricane warnings are up all over the South. Virtually the entire Miami squad, which wrought havoc among opponents last year, returns, fortified with such classy newcomers as quarterback David Teal and runner Vincent Opalsky, who threaten to displace veterans on the starting unit. The Hurricanes are so deep in talent at all positions that this should be Miami's greatest team. Charlie Tate has done a fantastic coaching job since he took over in 1964 and his efforts come to full fruition this season, for which we nominate him Playboy Coach of the Year, Playboy All-America defensive end Ted Hendricks is Miami's all-time greatest player and Jimmy Cox may be the best offensive end in the South. All in all, the Hurricanes should improve over last year, when they knocked off three major bowl teams. Look for the Notre Dame game to be a real Donnybrook.

Tennessee is Miami's major competitor for the honor of being the best team in the Southland. Like Miami, the Vols return most of the big guns from last year's potent offense. Playboy All-America center Bob Johnson and former defensive demon Joe Graham anchor an offensive line that should be the best in the South. Dewey Warren, Charles Fulton, Richmond Flowers and Bob Mauriello could prove to be the most explosive backfield in the country. The Vols may have some defensive problems, due to the graduation of a brace of brilliant linebackers, which have become a tradition in Knoxville. But Tennessee should be able to outscore nearly everyone this season.

Unlike Tennessee, Mississippi's forte will again be its defense. Last year's modest offense will be a little zippier, but the Johnny Rebs are still searching for an outstanding quarterback. Newcomer Terry Collier may be the solution to that problem. Bobby Wade and Don Street form a lethal tandem at fullback behind a gritty and experienced offensive line. So the Rebel offense may consist of simply running over everybody.

Alabama will field the most vicious defensive platoon in the country. Small, quick and agile, and imbued with Bear Bryant's own patented killer instinct, the Alabama defenders are so stingy that opposing quarterbacks develop ulcers trying to figure out how to get a first down. The only fly in the Bear's ointment this year is the offense. The '66 attack unit has departed almost en masse. Although the Alabama reserves are always deep, the replacements appear doubtful and, at best, will be green. So look for a lot of low-scoring games this season. When Alabama's defense meets Tennessee's pyrotechnic offense in Birmingham on October 21, we should get the answer to the old conundrum about what happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object.

Georgia will again have that happily lethal admixture of assorted proven veterans and promising sophs. Snazzy new slinger Paul Gilbert threatens to displace Kirby Moore. Ronnie Jenkins and speedster Kent Lawrence are two of the best runners in the South. Playboy All-America Ed Chandler is so big, fast and agile that he can play both tackle and guard and is the best player in the South at both positions; but except for him and defensive tackle Bill Stanfill, the Georgia line play will not be up to last season's standards; so the Bulldogs shouldn't fare quite so well this go-round.

Although Florida will sorely miss Steve Spurrier, rookie passer Jackie Eck-dahl and vet Harmon Wages will take up much of the slack, and glue-fingered receiver Richard Trapp will make them look good. Florida's biggest asset, however, will be tailback Larry Smith, who is probably the greatest runner in college football today. We asked an opposing cotton-belt coach to explain Smith's unstoppability and he told us, "It's simple. When that thing carries the ball, he runs over three or four folks, then he runs around three or four folks, then he just runs away from the rest of 'em." Coach Ray Graves will again field an extremely well-conditioned and disciplined crew, but the defense will be thinner than last year, so the Gators may show somewhat of a decline.

Seldom in the history of Southern football has the aristocracy been so much richer than the po' folk. This year's impecunious partisans are Auburn, Kentucky, Mississippi State, LSU and Vanderbilt. Auburn will field a respectable first team on both attack and defense, but depth is precariously thin and injuries, such as those experienced last year, could be devastating. Kentucky is in the second year of a rebuilding program and a bumper crop of sophomores gives the Wildcats more warm bodies than in any other season of this decade. Dicky Lyons is an explosive runner and so is supersoph Roger Gann, but the Wildcats are still a year away from being a power in the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State football is undergoing a radical reorganization under new coach Charlie Shira, but lack of depth and team speed will be incurable weaknesses. LSU still suffers from devastating injuries sustained last fall and in spring practice. Only nine of twenty-two starters return and replacements are, at best, questionable. Defensive end John Garlington is one of the best anywhere, but he won't have much help. Like Mississippi State, LSU plays a backbreaking schedule. Vanderbilt's problem is both obvious and insurmountable: The Commodores simply do not have enough players of S.E.C. caliber. Chip Healy at linebacker is a terror, but he doesn't have much company. For years, Vanderbilt has been trying to field a competitive Southern football team, while demanding Ivy League academic standards of its players. It should be obvious by now that it won't work.

There is only one word to describe Clemson: loaded. Forty-six lettermen from last year's young squad have returned stronger and wiser. Record-setting passer Jimmy Addison and elusive runner Buddy Gore will operate behind a muscular offensive line led by playboy All-Americas Wayne Mass and Harry Olszewski (pronounced O-sheff'-ski). The defense, led by tackle Butch Sursavage, will be mean and tough. Which means that colorful coach Frank Howard should be spitting tobacco juice on the greensward of one of the major bowls next January first.

North Carolina State lost its entire backfield via graduation, so the Wolfpack won't score as often this season. The defense, however, led by Playboy All-America tackle Dennis Byrd, will be nearly impregnable. State will have two offensive backfields, one with power running and the other featuring speed and quickness. If they can get the job done, the Wolfpack will challenge Clemson for Conference honors.

Wake Forest will be very much improved, thanks to experienced returnees and an excellent group of sophomores. Brightest new faces will be runners Buz Leavitt and Ron Jurewicz. If the quarterbacks produce this year, Wake Forest will be a strong dark horse.

Duke's opponents aren't expecting the Blue Devils to be very potent this year, probably because of the poor defensive showing of last season. This could be a fatal oversight, because the '67 squad will have a wealth of experienced depth and will be more accustomed to coach Tom Harp's system of play. Fullback Jay Calabrese, who is a cinch to become Duke's all-time leading ground gainer, will give the Blue Devils a thundering running attack.

Virginia tailback Frank Quayle may turn out to be the best runner in the land before his college career is finished. If the Cavaliers can muster a passing attack to keep the defenses honest, Quayle will run amuck this season. The Maryland squad is suffering through the unprecedented experience of playing under its third head coach in as many years. The organizational problems of such a situation, plus the lack of outstanding runners, will hurt the Terps. Quarterback Alan Pastrana is a good one, but he won't get too much support.

North Carolina suffers from lack of team speed, the loss of last year's one-man-team Danny Talbott, a serious lack of depth and the problems of adjusting to new coach Bill Dooley. South Carolina should be stronger, now that the Gamecocks have had a year to get used to coach Paul Dietzel's system; but depth is a serious problem, because the rookie crop is weak. Dietzel will be able to muster 22 adequate starters; injuries, however, would be seriously crippling. Warren Muir, a transfer from Dietzel's Army squad, could be a torrid fullback.

East Carolina may not be the best team in the Southern Conference, but it should be the winningest. Coach Clarence Stasavich fields a gutsy old-fashioned single-wing offense so rare that opposing defenses are befuddled by it. The Pirates will have more manpower, thanks to a best-ever group of sophs; and if a good tailback (the vital key to a single-wing attack) can be found, this could be a great year for the Pirates. Strongest team in the Southern Conference should be West Virginia, but its schedule will probably preclude a winning season. Coach Jim Carlen has installed a slashing and ingenious style of play to take advantage of elusive runner Garrett Ford. Look for the Mountaineers to upend some unsuspecting foes this season. William & Mary, Furman and Richmond will all be stronger, while Davidson, The Citadel and VMI could be spectacularly improved. Two newcomers--end Mike Kelly at Davidson and linebacker John Small at The Citadel--are said to be the best linemen ever to enroll at their schools. Look for the Southern Conference to be better balanced than ever before.

Virginia Tech will again be laden with talent. Last year's entire starting backfield is gone, but the replacements seem even better. The defense should be much improved and the schedule is arranged in favor of the Gobblers' getting through their first seven games undefeated. By midseason, coach Jerry Claiborne, one of the ablest young mentors in the country, should have welded Tech's best-ever team.

Tulane could be a big surprise to everyone this year, except for the teams who played them in '66. A rebuilding program has been in progress for a decade and it began to pay off last year. Opponents have grown accustomed to thinking of the Green Wave as another small ripple on their schedules, but all that is being changed. Quarterback Bobby Duhon is probably the best executor of the run-pass option in the country and defenses find him almost impossible to stop. Last season's weakness, the defense, has been bolstered by several beefy newcomers. Look for Tulane to return to the proud place it once held among the nation's football powers.

Florida State will again field a withering aerial game. The Seminoles' big problem is finding the manpower to rebuild the offensive line. Flanker Ron Sellers is the best receiver in school history. Last year, the Seminoles were vulnerable to their own poison; but the leaky pass defense should be patched up by opening kickoff. Southern Miss has fielded the nation's leading defense three out of the past four years, but the attacking troops will have to carry more of the load this time.

Coach Bud Carson, who takes over from Bobby Dodd, is only the fourth head coach in Georgia Tech history. His first team should be as versatile and exciting as last year's edition, which won nine games. The big difference will be the schedule, which is murderous--especially at the end of the season, when the Yellow Jackets will play Miami, Notre Dame and Georgia, consecutively. A potent offense built around performers such as passer Kim King and fabulous tailback Lenny Snow will make the Jackets dangerous to even their strongest foes.

• • •

Nebraska has dominated the Big Eight in recent years with as persistent regularity as Oklahoma once did. The Huskers' strangle hold should be broken this year, however, and Colorado is the team to do the job. The Buffalos were the best team in the Big Eight at the end of last season and should be even stronger this fall. The greatest improvement will be at quarterback, where a healthy Dan Kelly will compete with newcomer Bob Anderson, who could be sensational in his first year. Another supersoph, Monte Huber, will be at slot end, and these two could well form the greatest passing combo ever at Colorado. In short, the Buffalos should take it all.

The sudden and tragic death of Oklahoma coach Jim Mackenzie, whom knowing observers had called the Bear Bryant of the future, left the Sooners stunned and disorganized during spring practice. New coach Chuck Fairbanks inherits a team deep in quality backfield talent. The big problem is to replace the serious losses from two lines that were already noticeably weak, Playboy All-America guard Granville Liggins is almost a one-man defensive line and his presence will give help where it is needed most. The schedule is a little leaner this season, so the Sooners should have a good year.

Missouri's situation is exactly the reverse: many able linemen but few good offensive backs. Gary Kombrink returns at quarterback, but he is a better runner than a passer, and fullback Barry Lischner is questionable because of knee surgery. Other than these two, all the attack troops will be recruits and reserves. The defensive front will need overhauling, too, so Missouri will have to chalk off '67 as a rebuilding year.

Nebraska returns only eight of last season's twenty-two starters. This situation isn't quite as impoverishing in Lincoln as it would be in most schools, because coach Bob Devaney always has a deep bench. But the Cornhuskers have no experienced quarterback on hand, and there is no indication that anyone is in sight to fill the big shoes of Bob Churchich. The Huskers have emerged from two consecutive New Year's dates with Alabama looking rather slow and oafish and with much tarnished pride. Consequently, coach Devaney is turning to smaller and faster players and a more wide-open style of play.

Oklahoma State's team was largely peopled with sophs last year, but they came on strong at the end of the season. A year's ripening will make them tougher and more consistent. The Cowboys have at last arrived and will be a significant factor in the Conference race.

Iowa State will be more of a running team and will return to the tough-minded brand of football that characterized the "Dirty Thirty" squad of a few years ago. Both Kansas and Kansas State have new coaching staffs who have inherited squads that are green and thin. Furious rebuilding projects are under way at both schools, but neither should show much progress this year. If the Kansas State line can give tailback Cornelius Davis some blocking, he could win some surprise games for the Wildcats.

Three years' absence from the S.W.C. throne room is enough for Texas. Though coach Darrell Royal has a dearth of interior linemen (which will probably cost him a couple of games), he has harvested two bumper crops of yearlings. The '67 team will be dominated by glory-hungry juniors, such as Chris Gilbert, who is the slickest runner in the Southwest, and Bill Bradley, who could turn out to be the best quarterback anywhere if he avoids the injuries that plagued him in his debut year. The Longhorns won't outmuscle anybody, but they will be agile, fast and clever in true Royal style.

Texas' severest challenge seems to come from Texas A&M. The Aggies aren't doing any premature bragging, but they are convinced that this is their year. Indeed, coach Gene Stallings, a tough-as-nails guerrilla-warfare type, has assembled more quality football players at College Station than at any time since the halcyon days of Bear Bryant's reign in the middle Fifties. Edd Hargett is said by some to be the best passer in cow country, and fleet Wendell Housley will be running behind a massive offensive line peopled by such as Mo Moorman and Rolf Krueger. The Aggie offense will be hard to stop and the defense will be mean. So look for the Aggies to be a strong contender for the Conference championship.

Rice should be almost in the same class. The Owls had incredibly bad luck in '66 and must have been the best 2-8 team in college-football history. Eighteen starters return, along with some classy new receivers to pep up the passing. The Owls are hungry for vindication and they should make new coach Harold Hagan look like a genius his first season.

Arkansas suffered uncommonly from diploma attrition. The greenness will hurt the Razorbacks most in the passing game and in the offensive line. A couple of snappy new tailbacks--Russell Cody and Mike Hendren--will keep the Arkansas ground attack lively, but quarterback Ronny South (who saw no action at all last year) will have to come through if the Porkers are to have a winning season. It will be a rebuilding year in Fayetteville.

Texas Tech's strength last year was the attack, and all but one offensive starter returns. Another good omen for the Raiders is the fact that added depth will probably prevent a repeat of last season's disastrous string of injuries to the defense. A little luck could put the Raiders in the thick of the Conference race.

An almost total lack of offense hamstrung Texas Christian last year. The blocking is improved now; the Toads have four of the best runners in the Southwest and new quarterback Dan Carter looks from here like a future All-American. TCU opponents aren't expecting the Toads to be very strong, but that could be a dangerous oversight. Says a spokesman, "We're hiding behind a log this year. "Look for the Toads to boobytrap somebody.

SMU graduated nearly all of the best players from the '66 championship team. The replacements are raw and untested. The Mustangs have some throwing talent on hand, however, and Jerry Levias is a sensational receiver and runner. So expect the SMU attack to be wide open and exciting.

Baylor will have a respectable defense (if injuries don't riddle it as they did last year); but passer Terry Southall and nearly all his receivers are gone, leaving the offense somewhat emaciated.

Tulsa and North Texas State seem to have the best shots at the Missouri Valley Conference championship, principally because new member Memphis State will not be eligible to compete for the title until '68.

If Memphis State had had any kind of passing game in '66, it might well have gone undefeated. Nineteen starters return for this year's hostilities and a new aerial attack is in the offing. All this could indicate a banner year for the Tigers. The squad is heavily loaded with seniors --always an ominous danger signal--and senioritis could spoil chances for the best season in years.

North Texas State's offense is geared to passing; and since green and untested quarterback Steve Ramsey will be at the controls, anything can happen to the Eagles. New coach Rod Rust inherits a talented young squad, though; and if the sophs jell soon enough and if the breaks of the game fall right, the Eagles could field another fine team.

Tulsa's problems remain the same: a weak offensive line and an enormous but slow defensive wall that is impenetrable to a straight-on rushing attack (few backs can pick their way through all that tonnage) but cannot stop speedy outside runners (last year, Houston scored 73 points against Tulsa, most of them around end). But if the blocking can be upgraded, the passing offense will again be spectacular.

Cincinnati has a no-nonsense new coach, Homer Rice, who takes over a squad that suffered last year from inexperience, injuries and extreme morale problems. In spring practice, all three of these liabilities seemed cured. If the passing comes through, the Bearcats could be a dramatically improved team. Look for coach Rice to emerge as one of football's most brilliant young mentors.

Louisville needs a quarterback. If they find one, the Cardinals will be respectable. Otherwise, trouble. Wichita's severe depth problem seems to have been partly solved and the Shockers have a fine passer in John Eckman. All the elements are present for Wichita to be the surprise team of the Conference.

Houston still has the best collection of speed merchants in the Southwest, best of whom is Playboy All-America halfback Warren McVea. The passing and power running won't be quite up to last year's par, but the defense will be better. Houston's biggest advantage, however, is the Astrodome, where the Cougars play six games. Actually, the Astroturf is very much like grass; however, opposing coaches and players spend so much time telling one another that it's tough to play on that they actually talk themselves into believing it. Last year Memphis State proved to all that Houston could be beaten on the rug. Nevertheless, it gives Houston an edge when it plays at home, although the edge is more psychological than physical.

Coach Bobby Dobbs has really brought the University of Texas at El Paso (formerly Texas Western) out of the woods in two years, and UTEP should have another banner year. Billy Stevens, who has thrown 40 touchdown passes in two years, returns for his senior year, and he has the greatest battery of receivers in the school's history.

Now that fancy passer Hank Washington is gone, West Texas will depend mostly on its truly awesome ground game led by Mercury Morris and Albie Owens. Much will depend on the development of a potentially outstanding group of sophs and junior college transfers.

• • •

Southern Cal should regain dominance of the Pacific Coast this season, though UCLA and Washington will offer stiff competition. Rating the power potentials of Western teams is made additionally difficult because most of them receive generous transfusions of talent each year from the scores of junior colleges in the West. Herein lies one of the keys to Southern Cal's prospects, because the Trojans have what they needed most: a blazing breakaway halfback in the person of O.J. Simpson, who was the most sought-after junior college transfer in years. He will be part of a race-horse backfield that will make the Trojan offense formidable. The schedule is horrendous; but if the depth problem can be solved, the Trojans will win more than their share of games.

Coach Tommy Prothro insists that this will be a rebuilding year at UCLA, but Prothro's rebuilding teams have a way of looking as good as his preconstructed ones. Playboy All-America quarterback Gary Beban is a running threat, as well as the best long passer in the nation. He teams with a set of speedy pass receivers who will break many a game wide open. The September 16 game with Tennessee may tell the season story for both teams.

If experience means anything--and we think it means a lot--Washington will be much improved. The sputtering offense should be more consistent and coach Jim Owens always fields a dogged defense. The Huskies look good on paper and we have a hunch this could be their big year.

Oregon State will be relatively green this year, but look out for next year. Coach Dee Andros has reaped two talentladen crops of rookies in a row and the incoming freshmen are said to be the best yet. Some of this prime beef may ripen early, however, and the Beavers could be potent by season's end.

California seems to have won the junior college transfer sweepstakes this year. Twenty-three good transfers team with some good sophs to give the Bears so much new talent that anything might happen before season's end. The running, last year's weakness, will be dramatically improved.

Oregon's new coach Jerry Frei will field a young but talented squad that will improve as the season progresses. Frei's major innovation will be a lean and hungry defense patterned after Alabama's. Stanford didn't do well in the junior college transfer lottery and the soph group isn't anything to shout about, so last year's graduation losses will be hard to replace. Depth and team speed are the big questions. Washington State's main problem is trying to give some punch to last year's impotent offense. In any event, the difficult schedule will make it a long rebuilding year in Pullman.

Before the first kickoff, the Western Conference race looks like no contest. Wyoming ran over, around and through everybody (except surprising Colorado State) last year, scoring an incredible 327 points to the opposition's 69. The Cowboys look just as lithe and tough this season. Tailback Jim Kiick runs like a quarter horse and punt return specialist Vic Washington can fly.

Brigham Young's inside attack, the backbone of the Cougar offense, was cleaned out by graduation. No quarterback of Virgil Carter's class is in sight, either. Arizona professes a desire to attain national prominence and so is scheduling some of the big boys--this year, Ohio State, Missouri and Indiana. New coach Darrell Mudra debuts with an experienced squad, brilliant passer Mark Reed and a brand-new hot-shot runner, junior college transfer Ron Gardin, who is touted as a future superstar. An incredible total of 66 transfers and sophs will give the Wildcats a surfeit of manpower. Too bad they can put only 11 on the field at one time.

Arizona State will be stronger, but so will the opposition. Neither Utah nor New Mexico will have the manpower to cope with its schedule.

Colorado State stunned everybody, including us, by fielding a powerhouse last year. Most of the key personnel return, including great tailback Oscar Reed. If a good quarterback can be found, the Rams will be even better.

New Mexico State is also loaded again, thanks to a promising group of transfers. Both Utah State and Idaho should have better fortunes than last year, when both teams suffered badly from the senior syndrome. At Utah State, new coach Chuck Mills shook down the crew severely in spring practice, and Aggie fans should notice a lot of difference this fall. A good batch of recruits should be of much help at Idaho.

San Jose fans insist that Danny Holman is the best quarterback in the country, and we know some pro scouts who agree. New halfback Mike Scrivner will help take some of the pressure off Holman, and a bigger and deeper offensive line will give him the protection he sorely needed last year. The Spartans could upset some of the big teams on their roughest-ever schedule. Pacific is in the middle of an ambitious building program, fed mostly by mammoth junior college transfers, and much progress will be apparent this year.

Air Force has been emaciated by a crippling series of injuries and the second cheating scandal in three years. If corrective surgery to some key players stands up, the junior birdmen may be a little better this year. Another problem, when playing the bigger teams, is size. Fighter-plane cockpits are not tailored to 260-pound tackles.

So much for prolog; let the revels begin.

The All-America Squad

(Any one of whom has a good chance of making someone's All-America team)

Ends: Jim Cox (Miani, Florida), Freddie Hyatt (Auburn), Richard Trapp (Florida), Dennis Homan (Alabama), Butch Sursavage (Clemson), Bill Dow (Navy), AI Brenner (Michigan St.), Jim Beirne (Purde), Bob Stein (Minnesota), Ken Hebert (Houston), Glenn Meltzer (Witchita), John Garlington (LSU)

Tackles: Jim Urbanek (Mississippi), Bill Stanfill (Georgia), Ernest Ruple (Arkansas), Rolf Krueger (Texas A&M), Joe Greene (North Texas St.), Paul Maczuzak (Bucknell), Art Thoms (Syracuse), Steve Thompson (Washington), Greg Pipes (Baylor), Willie Crittendon (Tulsa)

Guards: Dan Sartin (Mississippi), Toni Conti(Michigan St.), Bruce Gunstra (Northwestern), Glen Grieco (Holy Cross), Wayne Meyland (Nebraska), Maurice Moorman (Texas A&M), Curley Culp (Arizona St.), Bruce Stephens (Alabama)

Centers: Forrest Blue (Auburn), Mike Murphy (Duke), Bill Nemeth (Arizona), Jon Kolb (Oklahoma St.)

Linebackers: John Pergine (Notre Dame), Joe Rushing (Memphis St.), Mike Reid (Penn St.), Chip Healy (Vanderbilt), Mike Sweatman (Kansas), Fred Carr (Texas Western), Adrian Young (Southern California), Don Manning (UCLA), Bob Schmalzriedt (VMI)

Backs: Dewey Warren (Tennessee), Lenny Snow and Bill Eastman (Georgia Tech), Terry Hanratty and Tom Schoen (Notre Dame), Garrett Ford (West Virginia), Bill Bradley and Chris Gilbert (Texas), Don Fitzgerald (Kent ST.), Bob Apisa and Jess Phillips (Michigan St.), Art McMahon (North Carolina St.), Jim Smith (Oregon), Buddy Gore (Clemson), Jerry Levias (SMU), Bobby Duhon (Tulane), Danny Holman (San Jose St.), Jay Calabrese (Duke), Frank Quayle (Virginia), Oscar Reed (Colorado St,), Harry Cheatwood (Oklahoma St.), Wilmer Cooks and Dick Anderson (Colorado), Cornelius Davis (Kansas St.), Dickey Lyons (Kentucky), Ron Sellers (Florida St.), Jim Kiick (Wyoming), O.J. Simpson (Southern California), Ron Gardin (Arizona)

Sophomore Lineman of the Year: Tackle Mike McCoy (Notre Dame)

Sophomore back of the Year: Quarterback David Teal (Miami, Florida)

Top Twenty Teams

Possible Breakthroughs:Virginia Tech (8-2); Wisconsin (7-3); Houston (7-3); Rice (7-3); North Carolina State (7-3); Tulane (7-3); Oklahoma (7-3); Florida State (7-3); Nebraska (6-4); Memphis State (6-3).

The East

Independents

Penn State 8-2

Army 8-2

Syracuse 7-3

Navy 6-4

Boston College 6-4

Pittsburgh 2-8

Colgate 8-2

Boston U. 7-2

Holy Cross 7-3

Buffalo 6-4

Villanova 5-5

Rutgers 4-5

Ivy League

Yale 7-2

Harvard 6-3

Cornell 6-3

Dartmouth 5-4

Princeton 5-4

Columbia 3-6

Pennsylvania 2-7

Brown 2-7

Middle Atlantic Conference

Delaware 7-2

Gettysburg 6-3

Bucknell 6-4

Temple 5-4

Lafayette 4-5

Hofstra 4-6

Lehigh 2-7

Top Players: Reid, Campbell, Buzin, Kwalick (Penn St.); Young, Lindell, Neswiacheny (Army); Csonka, Panczyszyn, Allen, Thoms (Syracuse); Cartwright, Murray, Dow, Taylor (Navy); McCarthy, Fallon, Johnson (Boston C.); Ferris, Keller, Longo (Pitt); Burton, Tripp (Colgate); Farley, Dexter, Pryor (Boston U.); Boal, Andreiko, Moore (Villanova); Grieco, Kaminski (Holy Cross); Murtha, Jones, Hurd (Buffalo); Dulin (Rutgers); Dowling, Hill, Schmidt (Yale); Gatto, Zimmerman, Chiofaro (Harvard); Heeps, Zak (Cornell); Luxford, Davis (Dartmouth); Bracken, Hitchner (Princeton); Creeden (Penn); Wright (Delaware); Maczuzak, Havrilak (Bucknell); Callahan (Temple); Craw, Albus (Lafayette); Williams, Thorpe (Hofstra); Laubach (Lehigh).

The Midwest

Big Ten

Illinois 8-2

Michigan State 8-2

Purdue 7-3

Wisconsin 7-3

Minnesota 5-5

Ohio State 5-4

Michigan 4-6

Indiana 4-6

Iowa 3-7

Northwestern 2-8

Mid-American Conference

Western Mich. 7-2

Kent State 7-3

Bowling Green 6-4

Ohio U 6-4

Toledo 6-4

Miami 5-5

Marshall 3-7

Independents

Notre Dame 9-1

Dayton 7-3

Xavier 3-7

Top Players: Wright, Pleviak, Huston, Johnson, Naponic (Illinois); Raye, Apisa, Przybycki, Phillips, Conti, Brenner (Michigan St.); Keyes, Beirne, Kyle, Williams (Purdue); Domres, Voigt, Little, Reddick (Wisconsin); Stein, Bryant, Carter (Minnesota); Hubbard, Anders (Ohio St.); Vidmer, Phillips, Morgan (Michigan); Crusan, Krivoshia (Indiana); Podolak, Huff, Williams (Iowa); Kurzawski, Gunstra (Northwestern); Woodside, Mitchell (Western Mich.); Fitzgerald, Landis (Kent St.); Jones, Green (Bowling Green); Carmon, Houmard (Ohio U.); Beutler, Schneider (Toledo); Moore, Shaw (Miami); Wilkinson, Hummel (Marshall); Hardy, Seymour, Pergine, Schoen, Hanratty, O'Brien, Bleier (Notre Dame); Taylor, Kramarczyk (Dayton); Dineen, Bley (Xavier).

The South

Southeastern Conference

Tennessee 9-1

Alabama 8-2

Mississippi 8-2

Georgia 7-3

Florida 6-4

Auburn 3-7

Kentucky 3-7

Mississippi State 2-8

Louisiana State 2-8

Vanderbilt 1-9

Atlantic Coast Conference

Clemson 8-2

N. C. State 7-3

Wake Forest 6-4

Duke 5-5

Virginia 5-5

Maryland 3-6

North Carolina 2-8

South Carolina 2-8

Southern Conference

East Carolina 8-2

William & Mary 6-4

Davidson 5-4

The Citadel 5-5

West Virginia 4-6

Virginia Military 4-6

Furman 4-6

Richmond 2-8

Independents

Miami 9-1

Virginia Tech 8-2

Tulane 7-3

Florida State 7-3

Southern Miss 6-3

Georgia Tech 5-5

Tampa 4-5

Top Players: Johnson, Warren, Fulton, Flowers (Tennessee); Johns, Hall, Owen, Homan, Stephens (Alabama); Sartin, Urbanek, Bush, Haik (Mississippi); Chandler, Stanfill, Hayes, Kohn (Georgia); Smith, Trapp (Florida); Blue, Hyatt (Auburn); Van Note, Lyons (Kentucky); Lewis, Saget (Mississippi St.); Garlington, Bevan (LSU); Healy (Vanderbilt); Mass, Olszewski, Sursavage, Gore, Addison (Clemson); Byrd, Bowers, McMahon (North Carolina St.); Grant, Henry, Leavitt (Wake Forest); Calabrese, Foyle, Murphy (Duke); Quayle (Virginia); Pastrana (Maryland); Riggs, Carr (North Carolina); Galloway, Garnto, Wingard (South Carolina); Hicks, Moran (East Carolina); Brown (William & Mary); Poole, Kelly (Davidson); Small (Citadel); Ford, Crennel (West Virginia); Schmalzriedt, Habasevich (VMI); Hahn (Furman); O'Brien (Richmond); Hendricks, Cox, Miller, Teal, McGee (Miami); Loria, Foussekis, Barefoot, Rash (Virginia Tech); Duhon, Jancik, Hartnett (Tulane); Sellers, McDuffie, Pajcic (Florida St.); Roussel, Webb (Southern Miss.); Snow, Eastman, Nelson, Sias (Georgia Tech); Farley (Tampa).

The Near West

Big Eight

Colorado 9-1

Oklahoma 7-3

Nebraska 6-4

Missouri 6-4

Oklahoma State 6-4

Iowa State 5-5

Kansas 3-7

Kansas State 1-9

Southwest Conference

Texas 8-2

Texas A&M 7-3

Rice 7-3

Arkansas 5-5

Texas Tech 5-5

Texas Christian 4-6

SMU 3-7

Baylor 3-7

Missouri Valley Conference

Memphis State 6-3

North Texas St. 6-3

Tulsa 6-4

Cincinnati 5-4

Louisville 5-5

Wichita State 3-7

Independents

Houston 7-3

West Texas St. 6-4

UTEP 7-3

Top Players: D. Anderson, B.Anderson, Cooks, Huber (Colorado); Liggins, Shotts, Hinton (Oklahoma); Meylan, Gregory (Nebraska); Washington, Lischner (Missouri); Cheatwood, Young, Kolb (Oklahoma St.); Webster, Muldrew (Iowa St.); Sweatman (Kansas); Davis (Kansas St.); Gilbert, Bradley, Robertson (Texas); Moorman, Krueger, Hargett, Housley (Texas A&M); Shelton, Winston, Benningfield (Rice); Ruple, Cooper (Arkansas); Tucker, Gilbert, Scovell (Texas Tech); Gresham, Bratcher (TCU); Levias (SMU); Pipes, Maxfield (Baylor); Rushing, Winkler (Memphis St.); Crittendon, Eber (Tulsa); Greene, Russell (North Texas St.); Eckman, Meltzer (Wichita St.); Neidert, Harmon (Louisville); Amburgey, Cook (Cincinnati); McVea, Hebert, Stotter (Houston); Stevens, Carr (UTEP); Szymakowski (West Texas).

The Far West

Pacific Eight

Southern Cal 8-2

UCLA 7-3

Washington 7-3

Oregon State 5-5

California 4-6

Oregon 4-6

Stanford 3-7

Washington St. 2-8

Western Conference

Wyoming 9-1

Brigham Young 5-5

Arizona 5-5

Arizona State 4-6

Utah 3-8

New Mexico 2-8

Independents

New Mexico St. 8-2

Colorado State 7-2

Utah State 6-4

San Jose State 6-4

Idaho 6-4

Pacific 5-4

Air Force 3-7

Top Players: Yary, Young, Simpson (Southern Cal); Beban, Manning, Purdy (UCLA); Wea, Cope, Thomson (Washington); Preece, Enyart, Nelson (Oregon St.); McCaffrey, McGaffie (California); Smith, Blanchard (Oregon); Nye, Washington, Buehler (Stanford); Middendorf (Washington St.); Kiick, Washington, Dirks (Wyoming); Odle, Boyett, Roberts (Brigham Young); Nemeth, Gardin (Arizona); Culp (Arizona St.); Gehrke, Chow (Utah); Vallez (New Mexico); Reed, Layton, Van Dyke (Colorado St.); Olivas, Gonzales (New Mexico St.); Staley (Utah St.); Holman, Scrivner (San Jose St.); Ulrich, Thiemens (Idaho); Banks, Locatelli (Pacific); Starkey, Turner (Air Force).