Playboy's Pigskin Preview

A bunch of the boys were whooping it up in a local student saloon. One of the waggish types, well into his cups and yearning for new sources of excitement, suggested that the group invite those foppish Princeton gentlemen down to New Brunswick for a game of that new form of unorganized mayhem that had come to be called foot ball—a name undoubtedly derived from the fact that an iron-capped toe was the principal weapon for encouraging the flow of blood. Better yet (since, as everyone present knew, the men of Rutgers were a tougher and manlier lot than those scions of wealth and privilege at Princeton), they would shuffle the rules a bit, even further removing the game from its less mutilative precursor, rugby.

The suggestion was gleefully adopted, the invitation tendered and accepted, and the date and field of battle agreed upon.

Thus, as every space-age sports fan by now surely knows, the first game of college football was played on November 6, 1869, thereby changing the character of American college life, providing for the development of osteoplastic surgery, the invention of hip flasks, instant-replay TV recorders and artificial grass, non-smokable, and the eventual emergence of a national folk hero with a $400,000 arm and two ten-cent knees.

Not much is known about that first college football game, other than the score (Rutgers won, six goals to four) and the fact that after the game, both teams promptly, and prophetically, repaired to a local tavern and presumably got themselves amiably plastered. The whole affair seems to have been such a gassy event that three more games were played the following year and the lads at Columbia, hearing about the joyful bloodletting, organized their own team and joined the fun. The word spread, and by 1875 Yale, Harvard, Stevens Tech, CCNY, VMI and McGill had fielded teams.

Early football was incredibly primitive in both game rules and playing style, but the new sport apparently filled a great need for a legitimized form of student violence and, within ten years, it had spread all over the East. In 1876, a 17-year-old Yale freshman player named Walter Camp became so enamored of the game that he dedicated his life to it. As player, coach (at Yale and Stanford) and sportswriter (his last All-America team appeared in Collier's magazine in 1924, just before his death), Camp was the George Washington of college football. He was (continued on page 284) responsible for virtually every improvement in the game during the early years, and his leadership kept the sport from being abolished by Presidential decree in 1905. There were 18 deaths and 149 injuries reported in college football that season, and a national scandal was brewing. The climactic event was the Penn-Swarthmore game, in which the Quakers' game plan was based on eliminating Bob Maxwell, Swarthmore's star player. Maxwell survived the Quakers' assaults, but when he tottered off the field after the game, the was a walking disaster. A newspaper photographer took his picture and, when President Theodore Roosevelt (who was certainly not terribly queasy about bloody sights) saw it, he issued an angry ultimatum: Clean up college football or he would ban it by Presidential edict.

Camp called an intercollegiate meeting to revamp the rules and make the game safer (such was their success that during the 1909 season, a scant 33 deaths and 246 injuries were reported in college football). One indirect result of the crackdown on brutality was the emergence of the aerial game, which made its first national splash in 1913, when an unheard-of little Midwestern college called Notre Dame upset mighty Army with the newfangled forward pass thrown from quarterback Gus Dorais to end Knute Rockne.

Notre Dame was one of the leaders in the breaking of the Eastern schools' monopoly on football. Gridiron power began to spread to other parts of the country around the turn of the century. Michigan and Chicago were the pioneers in the Midwest, Stanford on the West Coast, Sewanee and Vanderbilt in the South. Obscure small schools such as Sewanee, Notre Dame, Centre and Carlisle became football hotbeds. At Carlisle, Pop Warner assembled a fearsome team around a Sac and Fox Indian named Jim Thorpe, who was probably the greatest athlete who ever lived. Centre College, led by quarterback Bo McMillin, signaled the end of Ivy League dominance in 1921, when it upset mighty Harvard (which hadn't lost a game in three years) after conducting an emotional pregame revival prayer meeting before thousands of amazed Harvard fans.

For college football, the years between the two World Wars were an era of superheroes. Their legends portray these demigods as giants, the likes of whom will never tread the gridiron again. But were they really giants? How would these superheroes do on modern teams? Bronko Nagurski, the snorting rhinoceros of a fullback, weighed only 200 pounds. Red Grange weighed 170 pounds and, regardless of his elusive running, he was 40 pounds smaller and several steps slower than O. J. Simpson or Gale Sayers. The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame averaged only 160 pounds, and they ran the 100-yard dash in an average time of 10.4 seconds—statistics that wouldn't even qualify them for a pretty good high school team in 1969 (at Arizona State this year, halfbacks have to run at 9.8 or better to qualify for the third team). But there were a few players in that era who would have been among the all-time greats, no matter when they played. George Gipp of Notre Dame was among the top runners, passers, blockers and pass defenders of all time, and he was probably the greatest punter in history, averaging better than 60 yards per punt. (Today, under the pseudonym of Ronald Reagan, he is governor of California.) Jay Berwanger of Chicago was almost a duplicate of Gipp. As a passer, not even Joe Namath could match Sammy Baugh in his prime.

The Thirties saw the beginning of a strange cycle in the role of football in university life. The growing popularity of the game and the increased emphasis on winning led to much loud and bitter criticism from educational purists, who viewed football players as hired animals whose masquerade as students was an affront to the dignity of the university. Much of this criticism was justified; "football factories" abounded in the Thirties and Forties and many a meaty tackle wended his way to a diploma without learning to decline either a noun or an under-the-table check. The major objection was that football simply had no place in college life, that neither the sport nor the players were representative of either the ideals or the character of the student body. One college president of the era said acidly, "Football is about as relevant to higher education as a bullfight is to the school of agriculture."

As a result of all this, many universities began to clean up their athletic programs; academic entrance requirements were raised and great efforts were made to make football players representative of the rest of the student body, both academically and socially. Athletic directors became so sensitive to the "hired animal" criticism that they discontinued segregated living facilities for athletes, encouraged football players to mingle socially with the rest of the student body and even required a higher grade-point average for physical-education majors than for those in other courses of study.

And now the ultimate incongruity has come to pass: Football is being attacked on all sides by student dissidents and faculty radicals because it is too representative of those past values of university life that they find repugnant. Football somehow represents pedagogical assembly lines programed to produce junior executives for A. T. & T. For years, the ultimate justification of college football offered by its defenders has been the claim that it is a unifying factor in university life, that it is the one single interest and enthusiasm shared by all the diverse members of a huge educational complex. Not so, say the game's current critics; it is a transparent and cynical show-business operation intended to maintain alumni interest in the school—interest that can be turned into cash contributions. As if this violation of educational purity weren't bad enough in itself, say the student radicals, thousands of young men are herded into athletic complexes like so many indentured gladiators, their physical prowess exploited for four years, and then they are turned out into the world armed with the cruelest of all hoaxes, a diploma that represents a nonexistent education. These critics, of course, blithely ignore the fact that many of the low I. Q.s who major in basket weaving wind up signing pro contracts for staggering sums, and many of the brighter players wind up with graduate fellowships.

Regardless of how justified the current vituperative attacks on college football may be, they are certain to force changes, just as the criticisms of the Thirties did. The football-factory school, now down to a few dozen in number, will probably become extinct.

But the game itself will not. It will remain the exciting, gaudy, festive spectacle it has always been. Just as the interest and loyalty—and delight—of Ivy League fans has not been diminished by the academic excellence required of their heroes, scholastic reforms elsewhere will not diminish the joys of a fall afternoon. Surely the most exciting game played anywhere last season was the storybook tie between Harvard and Yale; surely the dullest game played anywhere was Houston's grotesque 100-to-6 defeat of Tulsa.

• • •

It's been years since one team has dominated Eastern football the way undefeated Penn State did in '68. This year's squad will be almost as strong, if Joe Paterno can find some replacements for the offensive line. The defense will be even more unbudgeable—if that's possible—with the return of the aptly named Steve Smear and Mike Reid, the best pair of defensive tackles in the land, plus All-America linebacker Dennis Onkotz. The Nittany Lions also have a plethora of classy runners, receivers and passers. The only thing that could preclude another triumphant autumn would be an unexplainable absence of the pride and spirit of last year.

West Virginia should field the best team in the history of the school. The Mountaineers have everything except a place kicker. Coach Jim Carlen has done a miraculous rebuilding job, and this year he has the tools to bring West Virginia into national prominence. Quarterback Mike Sherwood and receiver Oscar Patrick are a volatile aerial duo, and middle guard Carl Crennel anchors a gritty defense. Look for the Mountaineers to wind up in a bowl.

Syracuse is on the way back, after an absence from national ranking of only one year. The Orangemen return to their classic and dependable ground game, following a mediocre year's flirtation with the forward pass. Veteran fullback Al Newton and rookie tailback Marty Januszkiewicz will provide a powerhouse running attack. The passing game, if needed, will be improved; a superb group of receivers is on tap. Word from spring camp indicates that the defense will be cast in the traditional Syracuse mold—aggressive, hungry and mean. With a little luck, Syracuse could be back on top again.

Both Service academies seem to have fallen on lean days. Coach Tom Cahill's record at Army since taking over for Paul Dietzel three years ago has been little short of phenomenal. But graduation decimated the Black Knights and Cahill must reconstruct an entirely new defensive unit and find the ingredients for a passing game. Like Army, Navy is faced with a rebuilding year. Other than quarterback Mike McNallen and runner Dan Pike, new coach Rick Forzano inherits a squad with little seasoned expertise. But Forzano teaches a furiously aggressive brand of football, so the youngsters may put together a more than respectable team by season's end.

Pittsburgh has been such a puzzle for so many years that we've wearied of guessing the Panthers' fortunes. Last year, Pittsburgh seemed to harbor some of the best football talent anywhere, yet the Panthers were woefully inept in almost every phase of the game. A new coach, Carl DePasqua, hopefully will bring some order out of the chaos. The quality, depth and savvy of the squad are still well above average, and the psychological situation just might be explosive: The Panthers must be sick of their quixotic ineptitude. Dennis Ferris and Tony Esposito could be two of the better running backs in the country, and Ralph Cindrich has the potential to be the best linebacker ever at Pittsburgh. In short, if coach DePasqua puts it all together, Pitt could be the surprise team of 1969; if not, the Panthers will be just the same hapless squad of losers.

It seems eminently fitting that Rutgers will field perhaps its best team in decades. In fact, the Knights could celebrate the 100th anniversary of their invention of the game by going undefeated. Except for a leaky pass defense, most of the ingredients for victory are present. Keep your eyes on the combustible combo of Bruce Van Ness, one of the most versatile tailbacks in the country, and whiz quarterback Rich Policastro.

Last year, resourceful young coach Jack Gregory did one of the most creditable—if unnoticed—jobs in the country by prodding inexperienced, usually lethargic Villanova to a winning season. Now he has a tested squad and a flock of deft sophomores; if he can find a quarterback (and Gregory has a fine record for fashioning quarterbacks out of unremarkable prospects), this will be a banner year. Speedy split end Tom Boyd, if somebody can be found to throw to him, might develop into a national phenomenon. And John Babinecz at linebacker and Mike Siani at split end could be the East's two standout sophomores. Look for Villanova to become a major football mainstay by 1971.

Boston College's squad is gifted but green. If the defense jells early, the offense-minded Eagles will be an Eastern power—quarterback Frank Harris and halfback Fred Willis were spectacular as sophomores and should be better this year. Colgate will continue to make headway and by late season, its large number of rookie linemen may mature enough to make the school's final game with Rutgers a real Donnybrook. Boston University will celebrate its 100th anniversary by fielding what should be its toughest grid squad in recent years. The offense, led by speedster Kirk Hillman. will be abrasive; and for the first time in years, the Terriers will start the season with a proven quarterback, Peter Yetten. At Holy Cross, new coach Bill Whitton suffers the disadvantage of trying to install his style of play without the benefit of spring practice. The Crusaders have some crack sophs coming up, but a tough schedule and the problems of adjusting to a new coaching staff will probably preclude any improvement over 1968's 3-6-1 record. Buffalo also has a debuting coach. Bob Deming; and if the Bulls quickly adjust to his leadership, they could be the best team in school history.

Princeton, Dartmouth and Harvard all seem to have an equal chance for the Ivy League crown. The surest bet, however, is Princeton, which, having spent '68 rebuilding its forces, enters '69 with added depth and a new coaching staff, headed by Jake McCandless. The Tigers will stick to the hoary single wing, to the undoubted delight of their followers; and if coach McCandless can put together the kind of stony offensive line the single wing demands, this will be the year of the Tiger in the Ivy League. Tailback Brian McCullough has Princeton publicists churning out adjectives.

Dartmouth also reaps the rewards of last year's salvage job. Better yet, the 1968 squad's incredible series of injuries, though disastrous at the time, enabled sophomores to gain valuable playing time. Result: The Indian squad is battle hardened; and if the injury bug can be shaken, Dartmouth will be a serious challenger.

When diplomas were passed out in June, Harvard's defensive corps was wiped out. With no spring practice, not even coach John Yovicsin can construct a complete defensive unit from scratch. The Crimson offense, however, will still be formidable; sophomore halfback Steve Harrison joins veteran runners Ray Hornblower and Rich Szaro to give the Cantabs what could be the most potent running game in the league. If quarterback Frank Champi can pick up where he left off in that breath-taking tie with Yale, the Harvard offense could stave off disaster until the new defensive unit gets its sea legs.

The Yalies also have graduation woes: After sharing the Ivy League crown with Harvard in '68, Yale sorrowfully watched its offensive platoon depart en masse—players such as Brian Dowling and Calvin Hill show up in New Haven only once in a coach's lifetime. But the defense is still rugged enough to avoid total disaster; the Elis' season will be a very dull series of low-scoring games. Cornell enjoys an abundance of quality rookies, best of whom is runner Ed Marinaro. The newcomers will help patch up last year's generally ragged squad, which contrived to throw away games with defensive lapses and inconsistent passing. Brown and Columbia perk up this season, but they have a long way to go. Both have excellent soph contingents: and as the kids gain experience, the two teams will be noticeably stronger.

Pennsylvania was the surprise of the Ivies last year. Rated as woeful by preseason forecasters, the Quakers parlayed ambitious sophs, hard-nosed morale and a lucky lack of injuries into a 7-2 season. This squad will be equally strong, but, unless somebody up there is rooting, we doubt if the Quakers can be quite as fortunate again. One good sign: Quarterback Bernie Zbrzeznj returns to lead the Quakers.

Once again, the University of Delaware will rule unchallenged in the Middle Atlantic Conference. The Hens, if you can believe it, will come up even stronger than last season's 7-3 achievement: and, except for non-Conference opponents Villanova and Rutgers, no opponent seems capable of testing them. The one chance to come from behind belongs to Lafayette, but only if one of three quarterback candidates pans out and the defensive line is radically fortified.

Wayne Woodrow Hayes, known to his several friends as Woody, to his Ohio State scholar athletes as the Corpulent Martinet and to his opponents as the most graceless winner since Attila the Hun, has assembled another gridiron juggernaut. Woody's personality, if that's what you want to call it, is one of the least-compelling enigmas of the 20th Century, but it is probably the key to his coaching success. Part snake-oil salesman, part evangelist, part military strategist, he works 18 hours a day, eats six hamburgers and a whole banana-cream pie for lunch, and channels the hostility of a mongoose and the social instincts of a puma into ceaseless efforts to alienate his peers and to motivate football players. He does both with consummate success. Big Ten commissioner Bill Reed described him as "indomitable in defeat and insufferable in victory,PB1609_19690901_149_01_Edit" and Woody is having a glorious time being insufferable these days. Undefeated last season, his Buckeyes now look even stronger. Eighteen of his first 22 starters return, and so much tough football muscle is sitting on the bench that even a rash of injuries wouldn't noticeably hurt: Woody's third stringers would be regulars at most schools.

The only thing that could hurt the Buckeyes is a morale breakdown or over-exposure to their own press clippings. Undeniably, the lack of a Rose Bowl incentive (the same Big Ten team can't make the trip to Pasadena on successive years) will play a big role in the Conference race. Although the Buckeyes won't go to the Rose Bowl this year, they will probably decide who does.

This should be resurrection year at Michigan State. All the ingredients for greatness have been assembled, and even coach Duffy Daugherty, an ordinarily cautious chap, is making optimistic noises. Last year's greenies have grown up and the problems that plagued the '68 Spartans—lack of breakaway running speed and acute fumbleitis—seem to have been solved. Flashy soph runner Eric Allen joins Tommy Love to give the Spartan running game its once familiar muzzle velocity. Interestingly, Michigan State features two sets of identical twins, Ron and Rich Saul and rookies Doug and Gary Halliday, all of whom might play first string this season.

After Michigan State, Indiana seems to have the best chance to take the Rose Bowl trip this year; the Hoosiers look stronger than they were two years ago, when they shared the Conference championship. The already famous backfield of Gonso, Isenbarger, Butcher and Pogue returns intact. Last year, this quartet broke all school records in ground gaining, but the defense was spotty. Ergo, coach John Pont devoted spring practice to rebuilding the bastions; and if his labors were successful, the Hoosiers could spend Christmas at Disneyland. Indiana's seniors are an effervescent and irrepressible crowd of colorful iconoclasts with a strong sense of their own destiny; this year, they could provide the leadership to carry Indiana to its greatest gridiron success.

Michigan will be nearly as strong as last year, despite the loss of Ron Johnson and Dennis Brown. One important new asset is the arrival of coach Bo Schembechler, the latest proof of Miami University's uncanny ability to breed line grid tutors. The Michigan offense will be less productive, but this will be balanced by a sterner defense. It should be another good—but not great—year in Ann Arbor.

If you're an aficionado of aerial circuses, plan to spend the fall in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue will put the ball in the air about 80 percent of the time, largely because the Boilermakers have absolutely no other choice. Gone are nine members of the '68 offense, including the entire running corps; and available replacements for such eye-popping performers as Leroy Keyes and Perry Williams can't begin to fill the void. Quarterback Mike Phipps, however, is still around and he'll be joined by a flock of sticky-fingered new receivers, best of whom are Ashley Bell, Greg Fenner and Charlie Potts. The defensive unit survived graduation virtually intact, and the usual surfeit of Gargantuan linemen is on hand. Nobody is going to roll up a big score against the Boilermakers.

Minnesota's major weapon will be the combined running of Jim Carter and Barry Mayer. Together, they will give the Gophers the best ground game in the Big Ten. Coach Murray Warmath's main worry: Both lines are inexperienced. But since Minnesota always seems blessed with hard-driving, meaty linemen, the Gophers will probably surprise a lot of people.

Iowa could be either the best or the worst team in the Big Ten; it all depends on the ultimate effect of last spring's player revolt. Sixteen black players boycotted spring practice to dramatize their grievances, some real and some imaginary. Coach Ray Nagel didn't beg the players to return, as they apparently expected him to; and as the Hawkeyes prepared for fall practice, no one knew exactly which of the players would return to school and what psychological effects their boycott would have on team morale. One thing is certain: Iowa will feature the same kind of go-go offense that characterized the squad last year. Attempts to revamp the defense, however, were hamstrung by the boycott: five regulars were among the defectors. If the black militants return and the team gets its collective head together, Iowa will have an excellent, if outside, shot at the Conference championship.

At Illinois, coach Jim Valek has the first group of rookies that he recruited himself, and they look like the best Illini sophomore class in quite a while. Just in time, too, because the vast bulk of last year's inept and spiritless squad has departed. Consequently, half of the starting berths may be filled by sophs. If their enthusiasm doesn't wane, the Illini could become a force to be reckoned with during the second half of the season.

This year looks like a repeat of a familiar nightmare for Northwestern. The schedule is still suicidal, although coach Alex Agase appears to have a few more remedies with which to ward off disaster. If coaching excellence can be judged by the results obtained from available material, Alex Agase must surely be the best coach in the land. Last year, with a paper-thin squad and very little talent, indeed, Agase's Wildcats fought six of the top ten teams in the nation to a standstill before collapsing from exhaustion in the late stages of the games. Northwestern will trot out more speed and better passing in '69 than it has in years. With all that morale, the Wildcats could win a couple of big ones.

At Wisconsin, however, the football picture is as grim as ever. Most of last year's squad has graduated (which is probably a blessing), and the '69 team will be assembled around rookies of uncertain quality. A few bright spots are discernible, however: Mel Reddick, a fine pass catcher, will be joined by newcomer Al Hannah, who coach John Coatta feels will blossom into one of Wisconsin's all-time great receivers. If Coatta can find somebody to toss the ball, Wisconsin will at least have an entertaining passing attack.

Notre Dame will again be fun to watch, but not for the usual reasons. This will be one of the weaker Irish squads in recent seasons, mostly because last year's offensive guns have departed. Especially precarious is the quarterback position, which is manned by one excellent passer, Joe Theismann, and that's all. Larry DiNardo and Jim Reilly are two of the best offensive linemen in the country, but they will be surrounded by questionable newcomers. Jeff Zimmerman and Ed Ziegler will provide respectable running, but if injuries strike, the offensive platoon will be in trouble. (Incidentally, over the years, we have noticed that Notre Dame has an inexplicable propensity lor attracting players whose names begin with Z. This year, the Irish squad includes not only Zimmerman and Ziegler but also Zielony, Zikas, Zilly, Ziznewski, Zloch and Zuber, at least five of whom should wind up playing first string.)

Notre Dame's major strength will be defense; monumental Mike McCoy at tackle is surrounded by a host of nearly equivalent musclemen. Therefore, Irish fortunes will rise or fall with the play of the defensive unit. Luckily, the schedule is the weakest in recent years. The opposition consists of three strong teams, two soso opponents and five patsies; the Irish should have a winning season.

Ohio University will again be the strongest team in the Mid-American Conference; but the non-Conference schedule, featuring Penn State and Minnesota, will keep the Bobcats from enjoying last year's undefeated status. Ohio University would be a more-than-respectable member of any conference in the land, and, like the other Mid-American teams, the Bobcats deserve more attention from the press and general public than they get. They may make that point very clear this fall in their games with Penn State and Minnesota. Almost all of last year's offensive thunder is back, notably quarterback Cleve Bryant and receiver Todd Snyder, undoubtedly one of the top passing tandems in the nation.

Miami will again be a well-oiled offensive vehicle and new coach Bill Mallory will find his first year at Oxford a pleasant one. Toledo should return to top form, with new quarterback Chuck Ealey leading a well-balanced squad. Ealey is only one of a crop of standout Toledo sophomores.

Except for Bowling Green, no other team in the Conference seems to have a shot at the title. Marshall, which suffered through a winless season last year (and upped its consecutive-loss total to 21), has so much soph talent that it's possible the Thundering Herd won't start a single returning letterman (and there are 23 of them) on either its offensive or its defensive unit. In recent years, Marshall fans in the stands have been drinking, not for warmth but to forget the carnage before them. In '69, Marshall's flask set will imbibe less—and enjoy it more.

• • •

It's almost like old times down in cotton and molasses country: Ole Miss is on the rise again. The perennially victorious Rebel teams of 15 years ago fattened themselves on soft schedules, but the new gridiron machine that Johnny Vaught has built is for real. Last year's lightweight club scored stylishly—and often—until halfway through the season, when the lads broke down. This fall, the young lightweights have filled out a bit and are a year older, the better to absorb—and dispense—a battering. The Rebs have all the tools to fashion an all-winning season; and with just a few breaks and good health, Mississippi should be one of the top teams in the nation.

Ole Miss' most determined competition should come from Alabama and Tennessee. Aside from a much improved offense, Alabama's principal asset in '69 will be coach Bear Bryant's wrath. The Bear is perceptibly miffed, and that spells trouble for everybody on the schedule. Bryant didn't take congenially to being drubbed 35–10 by Missouri in the Gator Bowl last December, and spring practice in Tuscaloosa this year resembled the third ring of Dante's Inferno. The Tide in '68 was principally a defensive club; but even with a sporadic offense, Alabama came within five points of an undefeated season. Although the defense is now a question mark, last year's attack unit has grown up: Some galloping .ground gainers are ready to blast loose (including sophomore whiz Johnny Musso), which means that Alabama will run the football far more than it has in the past two seasons. The key to the Tide's success will be a superb offensive line anchored by Playboy All-America Alvin Samples.

Graduation ceremonies completely eliminated the smoothest backfield in Tennessee history. This would seem to be an irreparable blow to the Vols' success, but don't be fooled. The new attack is manned by equally able young replacements, including flanker Lester McClain, who may become the first black superstar in the Southeastern Conference. If the offensive line can stabilize around mountainous Chip Kell, the offense will be an adequate supplement to a rock-ribbed defense led by linebacker Steve Kiner. And watch for the Vols—with quarterback Bobby Scott doing the pitching—to field their best aerial offense in years.

Last year, Auburn parlayed a mediocre offense and the most vicious defensive team in the South into a moderately successful season. That entire defensive unit has returned, and a few talented sophomores should make the offense far more authoritative. Sophomore Tommy Lowry will help juice up the running game (which last year was practically nonexistent) and two other sophomores, quarterback Pat Sullivan and split end Terry Beasley, who has the makings of an All-American, could become a spectacular passing combination.

It's never safe to sell Georgia short, but '69 looks like an off year for the Bulldogs. The defensive unit was destroyed by graduation and the offensive line, the key to Georgia's running game, is inexperienced. The Bulldogs will have a winning season, but the competition is too tough for a repeat of last year's 8–0–2 record.

Vanderbilt and LSU make an interesting comparison. LSU will be much the slicker team but will have the less impressive won-lost record at season's end. The reason is obvious: schedule strength. But this should take nothing away from the awesome job Vanderbilt athletic director Jess Neely has accomplished in only two years. As a result, the Commodores are returning to top-level football for the first lime in more than a decade. Last year, Vanderbilt's chief asset was the brilliance of head coach Bill Pace. This fall, Pace lias the help of the best crop of Vandy sophomores anyone can remember. Their running game, with Doug Mathews switched to tailback, will heat up, and the pin-point passing of quarterback Watson Brown should make Vanderbilt an exciting team to watch. Count on the Commodores to pull off a couple of stunning upsets.

In recent years, LSU has had an early-season habit of fattening its record by feasting on non-Conference opponents. But this autumn's early Tiger bait will be less digestible than usual, and every Conference opponent will also be tougher. LSU must plug two gaps opened by graduation of most of its swift running bucks and highly rated offensive line. Fullback Eddie Ray should solve part of the running problem and supersoph Tommy Casanova could be switched from the defensive unit if the ground game becomes too uneven. Linebacker George Bevan, if his injuries heal, might help make the Tiger defense the best in the South.

The most improved team in the Southeastern Conference may well be Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are the best they've been in years, and quarterback Tommy Pharr and receiver Sammy Milner should be the South's outstanding aerial battery. Mississippi State didn't win a game last year, but opponents would be wise not to take them lightly, as the Bulldogs could turn out to be the surprise of the Southeastern Conference. Coach John Ray, fresh from Ara Parseghian's Notre Dame staff, takes over at Kentucky in an attempt to revive ailing Wildcat fortunes. Hopefully, he will be able to provide the inspiration notably missing in recent seasons. He should at least be able to eliminate the penalties and mistakes that hamstrung '68's squad. Returning will be a well-tuned backfield and a stubborn defense. If some offensive linemen can be found, coach Ray just might bring about a spectacular revival of Kentucky football during his first season at the helm.

For Florida, '69 will be a year of reconstruction. Lack of depth, coupled with injuries, proved the downfall of last autumn's promising squad, and most of the key players have graduated. Depth is still a problem, so injuries, if they occur, will be more devastating than ever. It will be difficult for a young and thin squad to survive the rigors of a particularly rough schedule.

The perennial dominance of Clemson and North Carolina State in the Atlantic Coast Conference seems destined to finally end. Coach Paul Dietzel's recruiting efforts at South Carolina have at last paid off, and this should be the strongest Gamecock team in many years. The squad is experienced at nearly every position; and if fullback Warren Muir stays healthy, the disappointments of '68 will be erased. Duke also is on the rise. Disaster was predicted for the Blue Devils in '68, but the season was saved by the sudden emergence of sophomore slinger Leo Hart. With a year's experience under his belt, Hart will be throwing to trickier receivers, while a strengthened running game will reduce red-dog pressure. Look for Hart to break every A. C. C. passing record this fall; and if coach Tom Harp can put together a respectable defensive line, the Blue Devils might just take the conference title.

At Wake Forest, newly hired coach Cal Stoll is plagued by a thin squad, inadequate defense and green quarterbacking. Wake Forest's abundance of hustling running backs, however, should keep the season from being a total loss.

Richmond, led by splendid receiver Walker Gillette, should again be the class of the Southern Conference—if passer Charlie Richards can fill the shoes of departed Buster O'Brien. The Citadel will make progress in '69 and could, in fact, win the Conference championship. Aggressive linebacker John Small leads the best defense in the Conference. East Carolina, still featuring the ancient but effective single wing, should rebound from last year's disappointing performance.

This will be a great year at Virginia Tech. In '68, coach Jerry Claiborne led a rookie-dominated squad to a surprisingly successful season and a Liberty Bowl berth. With few lettermen gone, and added depth and experience, the Gobblers are a fine bet for high national ranking. The defense, led by All-America linebacker Mike Widger. should be close to impregnable and the offense will produce more often. If the Gobblers can get by Alabama in their first game, they could go undefeated.

Things should be picking up at Miami. Last year's weaknesses—the offensive line and the quarterbacking—seemed on the mend during spring practice. Bobby Best, Steve Schaap, Vincent Opalsky and several talented sophomores will give the Hurricanes a hard-driving running game.

Florida State has a marvelous passer in Bill Cappleman, but it also has a diploma-decimated squad and a horrendous schedule. Cappleman can probably carry the offense by himself, so if the defensive unit matures quickly enough, the Seminoles could salvage a respectable record.

Georgia Tech will be more tenacious than last year, but Atlanta fans may not notice the difference: Tech's schedule is a creative exercise in masochism. Nevertheless, a worthy sophomore contingent will pump a lot of new life into the Yellow Jackets. You'll be hearing a great deal about supersophs Brad Bourne at defensive end and Charlie Dudish at quarterback, and offensive guard Joe Vitunic could be the best offensive lineman in the country. Tech will display a deft running game—in extreme contrast to last year—and so at least the Jackets should be more entertaining to watch.

Although Tulane will field a predominantly sophomore squad, the team will have much more going for it—quantitatively and qualitatively—than last year's edition. Three blue-chip college transfers and a strong rookie crop will help greatly. It's been a long uphill climb at Tulane, but the rebuilding process now seems almost completed and in a couple of years the Green Wave should be a national power.

The Big Eight Conference has been the most powerful college football circuit in the country for the past couple of years. Six of its eight teams are strong enough to wind up in the nation's top 20, but probably only a couple will be there by season's end. The reason: They'll spend the fall knocking one another out of the rankings. As the season begins, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska and Colorado look almost equally power packed. Who winds up on top will likely be determined by the relative strength of non-Conference opponents and the imponderables of luck and injuries.

The best chance to cop the Conference title seems to belong to Oklahoma. The Sooners won't be quite as proficient as they were in '68, but their early-season non-Conference schedule—which nearly scuttled the Sooners last year—is much easier and will give the new offensive line time to mature. All-America tailback Steve Owens returns and, as the season opens, he seems to have the inside track on the coveted Heisman Trophy. The Sooners are banking heavily on a couple of tally-minded sophs—quarterback Jack Mildren and wingback Roy Bell. The Texas-Oklahoma game on October 11 (which will be nationally televised) could be the game of the year.

This year's Missouri crew will look like a carbon copy of '68's. Somehow, the Tigers always wind up a stronger team than most pre-season pundits figure them to be; and if that holds true, Missouri could go through '69 without a setback.

Prospects are especially promising at Nebraska. The Cornhuskers still have the running of Joe Orduna, but the big news is the arrival of Van Brownson and Jerry Tagge, who, coach Bob Devaney says, are the two finest sophomore quarterbacks he has had at Nebraska. Thus, last year's obvious weakness will be corrected. Former passer Frank Patrick moves to tight end, where he should be an outstanding substitute for All-America hopeful Jim McFarland. If coach Devaney succeeds in bolstering the offensive line, the opening game against Southern California will be a wild affair.

The most beefed-up team in the league should be Colorado. A pitiful defense last season cost the Buffs a winning record. The defense underwent a thorough shake-up during spring practice and most of the gaps have been filled. The offense, with multiple-threat quarterback Bobby Anderson at the helm, will be as facile as it was last year; all the Buffs' top runners, receivers and scorers are back. Defense is the key to the whole picture. If it shapes up, Colorado will have a run at the Big Eight title. If not, a tough schedule (which includes non-Conference games with Penn State and Indiana) could take its toll. Kansas won't be able to match last year's 9-1 record, because too many veterans have departed. The replacements are talented enough (especially running back Ron Jessie and passer Jimmy Ettinger) but un-proven. The defense, led by linebacker Emery Hicks and tackle Karl Salb, should give away few first downs. The Jayhawks' top gun will again be fullback John Riggins, who runs with the force of an enraged water buffalo. Last season, Riggins' running moved an opposing coach to observe, "That guy would step on his own mother to gain an extra yard!" Additionally, Kansas will probably win some games through the efforts of Billy Bell, perhaps ihe most versatile kicker in college football.

We have a hunch that Kansas State, with the breaks, could be one of the surprise teams of the year. Passer Lynn Dickey and wingback Mack Herron will lead a razzle-dazzle offense. They'll be aided by a line (all were sophs in '68) that returns intact and improved. If coach Vince Gibson can remedy the porous defense that gave away most of last year's games. Kansas State will perpetrate some stunning upsets.

Johnny Majors is doing an admirable rebuilding job at Iowa State, and the results are beginning to show. The Cyclones will field their most experienced team in several years. Oklahoma State should be somewhat stronger than in '68, but an improvident non-Conference schedule—featuring Arkansas, Houston and Texas Tech—will keep the Cowpokes from matching last year's modest record.

If the Southwest Conference had hired a Hollywood hack to work up a drama-laden scenario for 1969, he couldn't have dreamed up a more suspenseful script. Both Arkansas and Texas are loaded this year; each has a good shot at the national title; and they'll meet each other in a nationally televised showdown on December sixth. Adding to the tension is the fact that all the other teams in the Conference—with the exception of Texas A&M—seem grittier than a year ago and could knock off either of the two favorites on a fortunate Saturday afternoon.

The choice to come through unscathed is Arkansas. Before his players left for summer vacation in June, coach Frank Broyles warned them that they'd probably be picked by a number of sportswriters as the pre-season selection for top team in the nation. He pointed out the psychological dangers of such a situation and said that complacency could do more harm than even the strongest opponent. Broyles' fears are well founded, of course, because rarely does a pre-season favorite survive the hazards of being every team's number-one opponent. Yet, Arkansas' claim to national pre-eminence is a convincing one. Last year's largely sophomore squad, which posted a 9-1 record, returns tougher and more coordinated as a unit. Quarterback Bill Montgomery is a walking bundle of superlatives, his receivers are plentiful and elusive and the defense should be stiffer than ever. So if the Razorbacks don't believe everything they read about themselves in the sports pages—or at least don't overreact to it—they could go into the Texas game undefeated.

Except for the loss of Chris Gilbert, Texas will also look identical to the '68 team, an outfit that shared the Conference championship with Arkansas. So many able lettermen are returning, in fact, that not a single soph will be cast in a starting role. Darrell Royal's offense will revolve around quarterback James Street and receivers Charles Speyrer and Deryl Comer; they'll break several Long-horn passing records.

Speaking of passing records, how do you top last years act by SMU? Fancy flinger Chuck Hixson returns, along with most of last year's receivers and adroit newcomer Gary Hammond, who will double as a wide receiver and a backup quarterback. If coach Hayden Fry can find adequate replacements for receiver Jerry Levias and back Mike Richardson, the Mustangs will make an exciting run for the Southwest Conference laurels. Whatever happens, Fry's "alphabet offense" (he calls it that because he uses every formation from A to Z) will make the Mustangs the most entertaining team to watch in the Southwest.

Baylor will breathe easier in '69. New coach Bill Beall spent the spring revising last year's disastrous defense, and the results reportedly are excellent. The Bears didn't have any trouble scoring in '68; and since ten members of the attack unit return, moving the ball should again be no problem for them. The offensive line, led by Playboy All-America tackle Richard Stevens, will be superb.

Texas Tech's problem is consistency. Last year, the Red Raiders whomped Texas but fell asleep against Cincinnati and Mississippi State. If quarterback Joe Matulich has profited from experience, the Raiders will ride high. The surprise team in the Southwest Conference could be Texas Christian. A rash of injuries and the lack of a take-charge quarterback scuttled the '68 squad; the wounded are now healed and new quarterback Steve Judy, a scrambler, could be the answer to the quarterback problem. A leaky pass defense, if not corked, could ruin the season's opener with Purdue. Tailback Norman Bulaich and flanker Linzy Cole should make the TCU backfield one of the quickest in the country.

Texas A&M seems to have cornered the hard-luck market. Last year's squad was the school's most able since Bear Bryant departed for Alabama, but injuries wiped out all the key seniors and destroyed the Aggies' chances for a great season. Even if the luck pattern is reversed in '69, the squad will be green. Yet, the many new faces are so skillful (during the spring game, 64 of the 87 players in uniforms were sophs) that the Aggies could pull off a few major upsets. Watch for the twisting runs of tailback Larry Stegent.

The most rejuvenated team in the Conference will be Rice—which won't be any great miracle, since the Owls didn't win a game last season. Coach Bo Hagan will begin enjoying the results of two highly successful recruiting years; '69's squad will be largely manned by much-sought-after young men. Rice fans will see so many new names on the roster they'll think they're in the wrong stadium; but if all this untried ability meshes, look lor the Owls to finish strong.

Memphis State will reign in the Missouri Valley Conference. Coach Spook Murphy has been laying plans for this campaign for several years and his work is reflected in the depth and quality of the Tiger squad: Only five of last year's first 22 players have departed. Reason for all the preparations: Two of the first three opponents are Mississippi and Tennessee, both archrivals and both tagged for high national rankings. If the Tigers can win one of those two games, they might finish the rest of the season unscathed.

At North Texas State, everything depends on luck. If the Eagles enjoy the great team morale and freedom from crippling injuries that they have had in the past three seasons, they could give Memphis State a run for the Conference title. Pro scouts say that quarterback Steve Ramsey is one of the best passers in college football.

Coach Lee Corso debuts at Louisville and his first order of business will be to repair last season's disastrous defense. Corso inherits competent running backs but lacks a front-line quarterback. Tulsa received a major transfusion of talent during the off season: 23 top-notch junior college transfers arrived on the Hurricane campus to help prepare for one of Tulsa's most challenging schedules. If new coach Vince Carillot gets a few breaks and if back Josh Ashton grinds out the yardage expected of him, Tulsa could make Carillot's debut a rewarding one.

Cincinnati's offense, though not as freewheeling as a year ago, will still enjoy the presence of star split end and place kicker Jim O'Brien. Though the Bearcats will suffer from the departure of passer Greg Cook, Jim Ousley looks nearly as good, so Cincinnati's passing game should still be fireworks. Wichita is starting from scratch. After a winless season, the Shockers have a new stadium, a new coaching staff and a nearly all-new team. But they'll have to work hard before they get a new look to their record.

For several seasons, the University of Houston has been the most mercurial team in the nation. On those Saturday afternoons when the Cougars wanted to play football, they were literally unbeatable. On other Saturdays, they were peculiarly vulnerable to attacks of lethargy. Two seasons ago, the Cougars dismantled a fine Michigan State team by a lopsided score, and then wound up the season losing to Tulsa. Apparently irate at this indignity, Houston obliterated Tulsa last year, 100-6 (they also tied both Texas and Georgia), and then rolled over to play dead in front of a weak Oklahoma State team. Observers ascribe this erratic behavior to a club that was flooded with talent but had no place to go: For several years, Houston was in the N. C. A. A. doghouse (recruitment violations) and, thus, forbidden to accept post-season bowl bids. Two of the past three years, the Cougars went into iheir last game ranked among the top ten teams of the country, only to lose and get knocked out of the rankings. But this year should be different: Houston is now off piobation, and the prospect of a bowl bid and post-season national honors should be incentive enough for a glory-hungry team. Coach Bill Yeoman is sitting deeper than ever in pure talent, and the schedule is favorable. An indication of the squad's depth is the fact that Houston will probably be the only team in the country whose second-string quarterback, Rusty Clark, will be a first-round pro-draft choice. Split end Elmo Wright, with all these talented slingers to get the ball to him, should be the outstanding receiver in the country. All in all, Bill Yeoman has built a football machine that has much of the finesse—and many of the skills—of a pro club. If he can inject some old-fashioned college spirit into this group, the Cougars could easily wind up undefeated and the number-one team in the country. If this happens, Yeoman will undoubtedly be elected Coach of the Year. For his proven expertise and the excellence of the football powerhouse he has assembled, we hereby name him Playboy's Coach of the Year.

• • •

One of the more controversial questions concerning the college gridiron scene is how Southern California will survive the loss of O. J. Simpson. From all indications, the Trojans will survive the loss with style, thank you. Although the running game cannot possibly be as awesome, the gloom caused by O. J.'s departure will be considerably alleviated by the arrival of spectacular passer Jimmy Jones. Teamed with veteran quarterback Mike Holmgren and junior college transfer Jim Fassel, Jones will give Southern Cal incredible depth at the vital quarterback slot. Coach John McKay has therefore realigned his offense around the passing game. With this radically new attack, Trojan fans may not recognize their team. But as Jones and his cohorts fill the air with passes, Southern Cal should be as exciting to watch as ever. The defensive unit could be the best in the country; nine of last year's starters return. The defensive line, which already seems as massive as that of the Los Angeles Rams, will include a tough new face: tackle Tody Smith (all-pro Bubba's big little brother). Defensive end Jimmy Gunn and offensive tackle Sid Smith will provide the character and discipline to make the Trojan lines the best in the West.

It's quite possible that when the season is over, the most impressive success story will belong to Stanford, though there's no real reason why anyone should be surprised by this; it isn't exactly a rags-to-riches story. The Indians were just short of greatness last year and this season's squad is really packed. Stanford's passing game will be vividly impressive: Several pro scouts insist that Jim Plunkett is the most skilled passer in the country, and stand-in Don Bunce is nearly as good. They have several sure-handed receivers to throw to. Bubba Brown (a great breakaway threat) and Howie Williams (who enjoys running over people) will provide a fine ground attack. All this offensive weaponry operates behind a strong and experienced offensive line, so Stanford's offense should be memorable. The single question mark is the Indians' new defensive line, which, though relatively small, will be mobile and aggressive.

We nominate Stanford as our surprise team of the year, with the full recognition that other national observers will probably reserve that honor for UCLA. Nearly all the Uclans return from a season that was spoiled by a series of serious injuries and unsteady quarterbacking. The quarterback problem still isn't completely solved, but the Bruin running game will be almost unstoppable—Greg Jones, George Farmer and Mickey Cureton are the most brilliant trio of college runners in the country. Last year's shaky defense looks fortified; so if coach Tommy Prothro can come up with a quarterback, the Bruins could possibly wind up in the Rose Bowl.

Coach Jerry Frei's construction work at Oregon is beginning to show results; he will field a sturdy squad. In fact, the Ducks may turn out to be the most improved team on the Coast. If slotback Bob Moore realizes his potential (and there's no reason to think he won't), he'll mature into a consensus All-American. As a receiver and runner, Moore gives Oregon an instant injection of power offense. We nominate him as our Sophomore of the Year.

Last fall, a mean and miserly defense was largely responsible for California's winning season. Unaccustomed as the Bears are to victory, they've learned to like it, and the squad should be just as strong this year. The defense will again be rock-ribbed and the attack unit—featuring stellar halfbacks Bob Darby and Gary Fowler—will give Cal an admirable ground game. Although its passing is still suspect, California should field another winner.

An off season is in the offing at Oregon State. There's no way the Beavers can field as cohesive an offensive club as they did in '68, but the defense will be stronger, thanks largely to the return of Jess Lewis, the N. C. A. A. heavyweight wrestling champion who missed last season to compete in the Olympic Games. Quarterbacking is a problem, because a replacement hasn't been found for Steve Preece. The Beavers' big plus is Billy Main, one of the niftiest runners in the nation.

Although Washington will give a better account of itself this fall, the good news is negated by an upgraded schedule. Last year's lackluster performance was due to the Huskies' inability to move the ball consistently. This will clear up if coach Jim Owens can find a quality quarterback—and he has an outstanding prospect in sophomore Steve Hanzlik. But even if the Huskies put together an effective offense, the grueling schedule should preclude much improvement over '68's 3-5-2 mark.

Washington State should move under the stewardship of coach Jim Sweeney. The guy's a winner, even in the inhospitable setting that Pullman provides. The Cougars' '68 record of 3-6-1 won't be upped this year, but, by season's end, Washington State will be a solid squad. Too late, unfortunately.

The University of Idaho, located only ten miles from the Washington State Campus, is also on the road back to big-time football. This autumn could be the most successful in Idaho grid history.

The Vandals will return a veteran team and will have the recruits from their finest freshman team ever. Idaho, playing a softer schedule in '69, will feature a penetrating passing game built around wily receiver Jerry Hendren, who has had pro scouts almost drooling the past two years. At Air Force Academy, coach Ben Martin may have his classiest team in a decade. Virtually everybody returns from last year's victorious campaign, but the schedule is murderous. The Air Force Academy, incidentally, will be the strongest of the three Service teams. Utah State will not be able to match last year's offensive power, but the Utags will win some games with a defense built around rugged end Phil Olsen.

A special kind of football is played in the Western Athletic Conference: Offense is the name of the game, avid the explosive play is such that games are often won by scores such as 68–43. Teams will throw 50 or 60 passes in a single game and breakaway runners are omnipresent. Along with several speedsters (fullback Art Malone will make most of the headlines), Arizona State has a budding hero quarterback named Joe Spagnola. Born in Naples, Italy, Spagnola is touted as a young Joe Namath in looks, dress and mannerisms, as well as ability. All this means that the Arizona State offense should be as productive as '68's, when it averaged more than 41 points per game. The only problem is that both lines were greatly weakened by graduation, but that may not hurt too much; opponents can't tackle the fleet Sun Devils if they can't catch them.

Arizona State's prime opposition will come from Wyoming, Texas at El Paso and Utah. Runner-up position will go to Texas at El Paso, which should recover from a disappointing performance last year. Miners fans insist that the '68 letdown was caused by psychological problems accruing from Sports Illustrated's vicious and largely unjustified attack on UTEP's athletic program. Now the pendulum has swung the other way and coach Bobby Dobbs has discovered an abundance of desire in this year's team. If a good quarterback can be developed, this young and talented squad will more than redeem itself.

Utah is on the upswing. Benefiting from a year's experience under coach Bill Meek and a strong group of freshmen who've come up to the varsity, the Redskins will enjoy unaccustomed depth and sharper scoring skills.

A hazardous schedule will prevent Arizona from matching last year's best-ever 8–2 record, despite the superb running of Ron Garclin and the accurate passing of quarterback Brian Linstrom. The most improved team in the Western Athletic Conference should be Colorado State. A number of highly touted junior college transfers and two sophomore backs, Lawrence McCutcheon and Harry Stevenson, will make the difference. The Rams will have a new system and their throwing will be on target more often; Colorado State could be the dark horse of the Conference. Possibly the youngest and most inexperienced squad in the country will be playing for New Mexico this fall. Remarked one of the coaches, "We'll be traveling light this year—only four of our guys are old enough to own shaving kits."

This is the first year of conference play for the Pacific Coast Athletic Association, an alignment of previously independent schools in California. As is true at the beginning of any new athletic conference, the schedules are a mixed bag, with some teams playing more conference opponents than others and with extreme variations in schedule strength and football talent. Although five of the teams should have winning seasons, some will enjoy victories at the expense of much weaker nonconference opponents, while others will play stronger schedules. As the season opens, the University of the Pacific looks like the class of the league. Not far behind is San Diego State, which, despite losing 17 starters from the '68 squad, has so much depth that this year's team may ultimately be stronger. The conference long shot is Santa Barbara, which features a keen passer in quarterback Jim Curtice, coach Jack Curtice's son.

Thus we come to the end of another long look into the crystal ball. If you're upset with our predictions or judgments (we get bushels of mail each September excoriating us for boneheaded prophecies and, in December, a deluge of congratulations, many of them for predictions we didn't make), then we suggest you try your own hand at predicting the top 20 teams. But don't get so sold on your own clairvoyance that you lay all your bread on the outcome. We've never known anyone who hit more than 15 out of 20 (we did it last year); 10 out of 20 is a respectable average. And when your favorite team (which, in the sunny somnolence of September, is sure to win 'em all) closes a disastrous season in the icy blasts of late November, don't get freaked by the egg on your face. Go drown your sorrows at the local pub. You'll find a lot of company there.

Possible Breakthroughs:Auburn (7–3); UCLA (7–3); Colorado (7–3); Michigan (7–3); Kansas (6–4); Memphis State (8–2); Oregon (7–3).

The All-America Squad

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

Ends:Jim Mandich (Michigan), Sammy Milner (Mississippi State), Walker Gillette (Richmond), Chuck Dicus (Arkansas), George Ranager (Alabama), Jim O'Brien (Cincinnati), Jerry Hendren (Idaho), Phil Olsen (Utah State), Al Cowlings (Southern California), Richard Campbell (Texas Tech), Phil Seymour (Michigan), Dave Whitfield (Ohio State), Irby Augustine (California)

Tackles:Jim Reilly (Notre Dame), John Ward (Oklahoma State), Dan Dierdorf (Michigan), Melvin Morris (Iowa), Ron Carpenter (North Carolina State), Jess Lewis (Oregon State), Karl Salb (Kansas), Steve Smear (Penn State), Rocky Wallace (Missouri), Larry Nels (Wyoming)

Guards:larry DiNardo (Notre Dame), Joe Vitunic (Georgia Tech), Jon Meskimen (Iowa), James Ray (Texas Christian), Billy Bridges (Houston), John Little (Oklahoma State), Rex Barnes (Southern Mississippi), Rufus Cormier (SMU)

Centers:Rodney Brand (Arkansas), Ken Men-denhall (Oklahoma), Dennis Bramlett (Texas at El Paso)

Linebackers:Emery Hicks (Kansas), John Small (Citadel), Bob Olson (Notre Dame), Mike Kolen (Auburn), Don Parish (Stanford), Dick Biddle (Duke), Mike Anderson (LSU), Glen Halsell (Texas)

Backs:Bill Capplemon (Florida State), Bill Montgomery (Arkansas), Jim Plunkett (Stanford), Bob Anderson (Colorado), Rex Kern (Ohio State), Cleve Bryant (Ohio University), Chuck Hixson (SMU), Leo Hart (Duke), Steve Ramsey (North Texas State), Larry Lawrence (Iowa), Lynn Dickey (Kansas State), Archie Manning (Mississippi), Harry Gonso and John Isenbarger (Indiana), Billy Main (Oregon State), Joe Orduna (Nebraska), Larry Stegent (Texas A&M), Art Malone (Arizona State), Steve Worster (Texas), Jim Otis (Ohio State), Jim Carter (Minnesota), Ted Provost and Jack Tatum (Ohio State), Buddy McClinton (Auburn), Tony Stawarz (Miami), Ken Wiedemann (California), Butch Davis (Missouri), Jack Whitley (North Carolina State)

Sophomore Lineman of the Year:Defensive end William Braddock Bourne III (Georgia Tech)

Sophomore Back of the Year:Slotback Bob Moore (Oregon)

Top Players: Pittman, Reid, Onkotz, Smear (Penn St.); Crennel, Patrick, Sherwood (West Virginia); White, Newton, Jakowenko (Syracuse); Bouley, Harris, Fitzgerald (Boston College); Moore, Andrzejczak (Army); Cindrich, Ferris (Pittsburgh); DeCario, Pike (Navy); Van Ness, Policastro, Stonebraker (Rutgers); Luzny, Jones (Buffalo); Treacy, Boyd (Villanova); Taylor, Rafalko (Boston University); Fischer, Goepel (Colgate); Jordan (Holy Cross); Cramer, Varney, Szaro (Harvard); Moore, McCullough, Mauney (Princeton); Babcock, Adams, Koenig (Dartmouth); Coe, Roney (Yale); Furbush, Huff (Cornell); Wazevich, Ramsey (Columbia); Lukens, Renzi (Brown); Chwastyk, Zbrzeznj (Pennsylvania); Favero, Hall, DiMuzio (Delaware); Triolo, Miller (Lafayette); Onischenko, Ruger (Bucknell); Busch (Temple); Hanlon, Dobson (Hofstra); Brewer (Gettysburg); Jennings, Petrillo (Lehigh).

Top Players: Kern, Tatum, Provost, Otis, Whitfield (Ohio St.); Foreman, Ron Saul, Love (Michigan St.); Butcher, Isenbarger, Gonso (Indiana); Curtis, Mandich, Dierdorf, Seymour (Michigan); Carter, Parson, Mayer (Minnesota); Phipps, Foley, Yanchar (Purdue); Meskimen, Lawrence, Manning, Morris (Iowa); Redmann, Jackson (Illinois); Sikich, Forsthoffer (Northwestern); DeLisle (Wisconsin); Arthur (Miami); Johnson, Crots (Toledo); Bryant, Snyder, Robinson (Ohio U.); Green (Bowling Green); Siwek (Western Michigan); Shoebridge, Mikolajcyzk (Marshall); Corrigall, Nottingham (Kent St.); McCoy, DiNardo, Olson, Reilly (Notre Dame); Pilcavage, Buckmaster (Xavier); Stangle (Dayton).

Top Players: Cannon, Manning, Morrow, Jernigan (Mississippi); Samples, Ranager, Wade (Alabama); Kiner, Kell, Reynolds (Tennessee); Campbell, Kolen, McClinton, Banks (Auburn); Greer, Hughes, Cavan (Georgia); Asher, Smith (Vanderbilt); Anderson, Bevan (LSU); Roller, Palmer (Kentucky); Milner, Pharr (Mississippi St.); Tannen, Hadley (Florida); Hart, Biddle (Duke); Muir, Hellams (South Carolina); Carpenter, Jordan, Whitley (North Carolina St.); Yauger (Clemson); Patton, Rannigan, Ryczek (Virginia); Chalupka, Blanchard (North Carolina); O'Hara, Sonntag (Maryland); Dolbin, Dobner (Wake Forest); Gillette, Fowler (Richmond); Small, Tyler (Citadel); Tyson, Wheeler, Colson (East Carolina); Herb, Meeteer (William & Mary); Slade, Kelly (Davidson); Lanigan, Wiggins (Furman); Marks, Copty (VMI); Widger, Hall, Green (Virginia Tech); Stawarz, Best, Cline (Miami); Cappleman, Bailey, Vohun (Florida State); Hester, Francingues (Tulane); Vitunic, Bourne (Georgia Tech); Del Gaizo, Nittinger (Tampa); Manning, Wolford, Wolfe (Chattanooga); Barnes, Moulton (Southern Mississippi).

Top Players: Owens, Mendenhall, Zabel, Casteel (Oklahoma); Wallace, Davis, Staggers (Missouri); Orduna, McFarland, Ste-phenson (Nebraska); Anderson, Huber (Colorado); Riggins, Hicks, Salb (Kansas); Dickey, Herron, Barrera (Kansas St.); Bliss, Allen (Iowa St.); Ward, Little (Oklahoma St.); Montgomery, Brand, Dicus, Dossey (Arkansas); Halsell, Worster, Comer, Atessis (Texas); Hixson, Cormier, Fleming (SMU); Stevens, Blessing (Baylor); Campbell, Alford (Texas Tech); Ray, Bulaich (TCU); Stegent, DeNiro (Texas A&M); Roitsch, Davis (Rice); Parker, Todd (Memphis St.); Holloway, Ramsey, Taylor (North Texas St.); Bouggess, Walker (Louisville); Wyatt, Ashton (Tulsa); O'Brien (Cincinnati); Duncan, Haynes (Wichita St.); Wright, Bridges, Drones (Houston); Thomas (West Texas St.).

Top Players: Gunn, Sid Smith, Cowlings (Southern Cal); Plunkett, Parish (Stanford); Reese, Ballou, Jones (UCLA); Newland, Moore (Oregon); Augustine, Wiedemann (California); Lewis, Main, Nelson (Oregon St.); Sharp, Blanks (Washington); Klopfenstein, Ewen (Washington St.); Malone, Spagnola (Arizona St.); Nels, Tucker (Wyoming); Bramlett, Glosson (Texas at El Paso); Groth, Boykin (Utah); Gardin, Stevenson (Arizona); Thomas, Kelley (Colorado St.); Meyer, Slipp (BYU); Bookert (New Mexico); Hendren, Olson (Idaho); Epping, Longnecker (Air Force); James, Rodriguez (New Mexico St.); Olsen, Wicks (Utah St.); Erbeznik, Schroeder, Morrison (Pacific); Curtice, Moore (Santa Barbara); Shaw, Pierson (San Diego St.); Hunt, Parker (Fresno St.); Brown, Martin (Cal St. at L. A.); Chaney (San Jose St.); Parks (Long Beach).