Playboy's Pigskin Preview

College Football, like most other verities of our times, is changing. Only a couple of wars ago, each team had 11 first-stringers, who played seven definable positions (end, tackle, guard, center, quarterback, halfback and fullback). Now there are 23 first-stringers, who may be divided, depending upon the coach's style of attack and defense, among a lexicon of positions, each of which demands highly specialized skills: split end, tight end, flanker, wingback, slotback, running back, drop-back quarterback, roll-out quarterback, offensive tackle, pulling guard, strong guard, center (at least that hasn't changed), defensive end, defensive tackle, noseguard, outside linebacker, inside linebacker, rover back, corner back, weak safety, strong safety, kicker (which, in turn, is subdivided into place kicker and punter), plus a long list of minor variations. To make things even more complicated for the already confused fan, some of these positions occasionally merge with others; a defensive end may become a linebacker, a flanker may become a running back, or a tight end may become a split end, depending upon the game situation. If fans are dazed by all this, they should pity the poor pre-season prognosticator who must assemble an All-America team. Since picking one with 40 or 50 members would be unwieldy, if not absurd, we opted for a 12-member offensive unit comprised of guards, tackles, center, receivers, running backs, quarterback and kicker, and a defensive unit of tackles, ends, linebackers and defensive backs, and have let the positional nuances fall where they may.

If football as entertainment has profited from the American compulsion for complexity and superspecialization, it has also been a victim of the no-less-fashionable preoccupation with social issues and race relations. Player strikes, radical demands and grievance (text continued on page 154) committees, which only five years ago would have been unthinkable, are disrupting practice sessions from coast to coast. Several teams had their seasons ruined by racial strife last fall and more schools will probably suffer the same fate this year.

Some examples of this social turmoil have taken on a ludicrous quality. Not a few coaches have created player dissension by boneheadedly insisting that all their minions be close-shaven and shorthaired (like all clean-cut, patriotic, moral, red-blooded, mother-loving American boys who dig apple pie with a dollop of vanilla ice cream on the side). At Indiana last fall, a group of black athletes boycotted the football team midway through the season because, they said, the coach was treating them unfairly and was otherwise guilty of racist attitudes. This stunned the football community, because Johnny Pont is almost universally envied by other coaches for his ability to command the devotion of all his players, black and white. When Pont--in tears--asked his striking pupils to specify their complaints and to give him examples of his sins of omission or commission, they were stuck for answers. Finally, they said that they just "had a feeling" that he wasn't treating them fairly. Obviously, Pont can hardly be expected to cope with whatever seeming paranoia crops up on his squad.

The reason for this Kafkaesque behavior (not only at Indiana but also at Iowa, Syracuse and Washington, plus some schools where the coaching staffs have managed to keep the lid on) is that black athletes are being subjected to extreme pressure by black campus militants. Football, the argument goes, is a flagrant example of the white man's capitalistic exploitation of blacks, and black athletes are enjoined to "stand up like men and demand your rights." Black athletes at such schools as Indiana and Iowa are put in a tough situation; with nothing concrete to rebel against and no apparent grievances to redress, they become rebels in search of a cause. Sometimes the pressure is intolerable and the victims, caught between their loyalty to the coach on the one hand and to "the cause" on the other, quit football or even leave school. Some of the stronger ones rebel in a different way. One black athlete at Iowa, in the process of telling his tormentors to get lost, said, "Who's exploiting who? I'm exploiting this school for a college education and I'm going to exploit football for a $100,000 pro contract. And you want me to quit? You better go back and tell your momma to give you the rest of your marbles, 'cause you ain't got 'em all now."

Many coaches, of course, bring much of this misery on themselves. A depressingly large segment of the college-athletic profession is made up of authoritarian right-wing (text continued on page 196)Pigskin Preview(continued from page 154) types, some of whom have been sent packing by player revolts in recent seasons.

But there is another side to the issue. A football team is not a democracy and never can be, because of the very nature of the game. Which brings us back to basics and to what we think is going to happen this fall. Here, then, is a long look at the various teams across the country:

Penn State has dominated Eastern football for so long it's hard to remember that the role of the perennial giant was once filled by Syracuse. There's a chance the Syracuse legions could recapture Eastern supremacy this year, but it won't be easy. Despite the fact that seven members of perhaps the best defensive platoon ever assembled in college football have been graduated, Penn State still has enough muscle to maintain its reign. The Nittany Lions' defense won't be as impregnable, to be sure, but high-powered reserve manpower may make up the difference by midseason. Any defensive unit with linebacker Jack Ham will be a good one. Runners Lydell Mitchell and Franco Harris will make the Penn State ground attack as awesome as ever; the only question mark on the offensive side is quarterback. If a good one can be found, the Nittany Lions will renew their lease on the Orange Bowl.

Nearly everybody returns from one of the most successful seasons in West Virginia history. (One exception is coach Jim Carlen, who split for the flatlands surrounding Texas Tech.) New coach Bobby Bowden inherits an ably-manned and talented squad and his debut should be a happy one; the Mountaineers possess one of the speediest backfields in the nation and should finish the season in a bowl game.

On the theory that no one's luck can be bad all the time, Syracuse coach Ben Swartzwalder should have some breaks this year. The Orange had inexorable problems last season when eight halfbacks and the number-one quarterback, among others, were sidelined with assorted miseries. Consequently, the offense was so erratic that the defensive platoon carried the burden for eight and one half games and then more or less collapsed. But all hands are now healthy, and sophomore halfback Ron Page shows promise of being another Floyd Little, thus giving Syracuse a long-needed breakaway runner. With the defenders as sturdy as ever (Joe Ehrmann will be the best defensive tackle in the country before he graduates) and a juiced-up offense, the Orange could make it big in '70. They might be even scrappier if nine black players hadn't boycotted spring practice without explanation.

This may be the year when Pittsburgh at last regains credibility. Each autumn since 1967, we've been saying that the Panthers are ready to roar; but so far, it hasn't happened. The problems have been related more to coaching than to available material, but coach Carl DePasqua, who took over last year, seems to have brought order out of chaos. He took a team that had won three games in three years and made it believe in itself. With a year to install his system and with the heart of last year's squad returning, Pitt seems to be back in business among the major college powers. DePasqua has a potent stable of running backs, best of whom are Tony Esposito and Dennis Ferris.

Army will also be rougher. The loss of halfback Lynn Moore won't be noticed much, because of the arrival of supersoph Bob Hines, who should be one of the top runners in the East during his first varsity year. The '69 Army team was heavily populated with underclassmen, resulting in a large contingent of battletested veterans returning for 1970. This, plus the arrival of a promising pack of plebes, heralds happiness on the Hudson this fall.

If coach Joe Yukica can construct a merely adequate defensive platoon, Boston College could have a big year. The Eagles already have a splendid passer in Frank Harris, who may be a better quarterback for BC than Jack Concannon was--and who will almost certainly break every Boston College passing record this season. But the big man for the Eagles will be Fred Willis, probably the finest all-purpose runner in Boston College history. The Eagles will have an offense as varied and colorful as a three-ring circus. All they have to do to win is figure out how to stop the other teams.

It's entirely possible that Navy could be vastly improved and still show a disheartening won-lost record. It's simply that the Middies have a long way to go (they won just one game last year), and the schedule looks like something dreamed up by a hawkish admiral with delusions of grandeur. Last year's plebe team was the best in nearly a decade; at least 10 of the 22 starters will be sophomores. One refreshing change is that quarterback Mike McNallen will have some receivers who can catch a ball. Two soph halfbacks, Bob Elflein and Andy Pease, will rev up the ground attack.

Dartmouth is once again favored to win the Ivy League championship. With Jim Chasey throwing and John Short carrying the ball, the Indians will look just like '69's squad. Sophomore soccer-style kicker Ted Perry will probably make the difference in a few close games. If Dartmouth drops the championship, Yale will probably be the team to pick it up. The Eli offense will be well balanced and the running game will be accelerated by speedy newcomer Dick Jauron. The Yalies have unusual heft and agility in the defensive line, key assets in the offense-minded Ivy League. Dark horse of the league will be Cornell, largely because of the return of shifty halfback Ed Marinaro, who will at last have the support of an adequate passing attack. The defense should be much more miserly, so if coach Jack Musick musters an offensive line that can give Marinaro some help, Cornell may be the surprise of the league. Since 13 of last year's 22 Princeton starters now have diplomas, the Tigers--at least at the start of the season--will be noticeably weaker. Last year's undefeated freshman team sent up several aggressive sophs, but without spring practice (verboten in the Brain Chain), it will take a while to integrate them with last year's leftovers. Columbia will definitely be the most improved team in the Ivy circuit, which isn't saying a lot, since the Lions won only one game last year. Sophomore quarterback Don Jackson will join a long string of Columbia greats at this spot, and soph receiver Jesse Parks will make Jackson's debut a grand entrance. Pennsylvania, like nearly every other team in the league, has an adroit group of sophomores. Injuries scuttled the Quakers' hopes last year, but fortunately, that rarely happens to a team two seasons in a row. Harvard's decline in 1969 was mostly the result of troubles at quarterback and in the offensive line. The quarterback problem remains, and coach John Yovicsin may have to go to a sophomore in an attempt to solve it. The defense will be better, but not dramatically so. If Brown had possessed a semblance of a passing attack last year, the Bruins would have won several of the close games they dominated statistically. Help has arrived; a ready bunch of sophomores, led by quarterback Nino Moscardi and tight end Chip Regine (who broke all the frosh pass-receiving records), has generated a great deal of euphoria in Providence.

Delaware suffered severe graduation losses, while nearly everybody returns from last year's Villanova squad, and the fortunes of both teams will be accordingly affected. Temple, easing its way into a major football program, has a new coach, Wayne Hardin, who worked such wonders with Navy a few years ago. Hardin was delighted with the results of spring practice and is optimistic about his first season. Rutgers' partisans insist that fullback Steve Ferrughelli is the best in the nation. If that is only approximately true, and if new quarterback Mike Yancheff lives up to his advance billing, Rutgers' offense should carry it through to a batch of victories. Colgate's schedule is a weirdie: Nine of its eleven games will be played on the road. Coach Neil Wheelwright has had two tough frosh teams in a row and has another good one entering this fall. Buffalo was heavily populated with rookies in '69 and most of last year's performers have returned. The defense, led by two fine ends--Prentis Henley and Tom Vigneau--should again be superb; the Bulls will have a big year. In 1969, the Boston University defensive unit was spectacular. This season, the Terriers will have a totally contrasting look; nine members of the offensive team return, while all except two of the defenders have departed. Holy Cross faces a grueling rebuilding task. An epidemic of infectious hepatitis hospitalized the entire squad after the second game last fall and forced cancellation of the remaining schedule. The Crusaders had spring practice in 1970 for the first time in 20 years, and coach Bill Whitton has been making happy noises. We would take much delight in seeing the Crusaders come back.

Ohio State's Woody Hayes is still hip-deep in talent. The only difference is that the climate in the Big Ten has changed radically since January first. Woody, the consummate military tactician, will find his troops operating on more hostile terrain: The whole Conference, with the possible exception of Purdue, will be significantly stronger this fall. Opponents won't roll over and die quite so readily as last year, when the Buckeyes played one good team (Michigan), one nearly good team (Purdue) and seven pushovers. Result: They lost only one game. Nevertheless, look for Woody to spend next New Year's Day prowling the side lines of the Rose Bowl. There's no way, short of communal suicide, that the Buckeyes can avoid the Pasadena trip; Michigan is ineligible and Hayes has so much talent in his stable that he could lend enough substitutes to Alex Agase of Northwestern to make the Wildcats second-best team in the Big Ten.

The only conceivable problem Woody might have is finding replacements for graduated interior linemen, but the rookie crop bulges with bulky bodies, the best of which belongs to George Hasenohrl, who should grow into one of Ohio State's great defensive tackles. Strong running by quarterback Rex Kern and fullback Jim Otis was the major factor in the Buckeyes' strong offense last year; and although Otis has been graduated, he will be capably replaced by John Brockington, a fine inside runner who will team with Kern and versatile Larry Zelina to continue the powerful running game. Jack Tatum and Mike Sensibaugh will anchor a defensive unit as skillful as last year's. Too bad the Buckeyes play only nine games.

The Michigan team should be even more durable in 1970 and should win the Conference championship by again beating Ohio State in the final game of the season. The Wolverines' superlative quarterbacking and running will still be evident (we may be treated to Billy Taylor and Glenn Doughty running in the same backfield), but it will be difficult to duplicate last year's crushing offensive blocking, now that Garvie Craw, Jim Mandich and both starting guards have been graduated. The offensive line, rebuilt around Playboy All-America tackle Dan Dierdorf, will be adequate; and the defense, led by Playboy All-America linebacker Marty Huff, will resemble a rock pile.

Bob DeMoss, the new head coach at Purdue, who tutored Boilermaker quarterbacks for 20 years, has exhibited an uncanny ability to come up with a supersoph slinger every three years. But if he has a new whiz waiting in the wings to replace graduated Mike Phipps, he's certainly keeping him under cover. In fact, the lack of a sharp operator at the throttle seems to be the only thing that can keep the Boilermakers from championship contention. Ashley Bell and Stan Brown are superb receivers who know what to do after they catch a pass, but getting the ball to them will be a problem. The Boilermaker defense, usually mean and massive, is very young and inexperienced.

The sleeper team in the Big Ten could be Iowa. After last season's debilitating racial conflict and this year's dissent among the coaching staff, tempers seem to be cooling; squad morale seems to have gone from an all-time low to a new high and one senses a determination to put all that high-grade beef together and prove that the Hawkeyes can once again be a great team. One thing about coach Ray Nagel: He's a gutsy guy. Former athletic director Forest Evashevski, who made a career out of being an authoritarian tough guy, made the fatal mistake of hiring a head coach who was even tougher. Nagel is no one's patsy. We have a feeling he will justify the fierce loyalties of his players and the Hawkeye fans, which saved his job last spring when the Iowa faculty athletic board made a clumsy effort to fire him. The psychological implications in this situation are numerous, and if a few of the pieces fall into place, the Hawkeyes could pull a couple of big upsets and throw the Conference championship race into turmoil. The Hawkeyes certainly have the horses: Defensive back Craig Clemons and tailback Levi Mitchell are on the threshold of greatness and new quarterback Roy Bash could be a real surprise.

Coach Duffy Daugherty thought he had another winner at Michigan State last fall, but injuries in the offensive backfield and an abortive passing attack scuttled his hopes. The lame are now healed and there are even more quality rookies this year than last. The all-important quarterback job is a tossup between soph George Mihaiu and junior college transfer Mike Rasmussen. Either way, the job will be well done. The running game, with Eric Allen at wingback and Bill Triplett at tailback, will be first-rate, and the defensive platoon will be a bruising bastion.

It's the same old Minnesota: herds of huge linemen, a good supply of power runners, quarterbacking that will be unimaginative at best and ineffectual at worst, and a bull-pit style of play. It all adds up to a strong defense and a plodding power offense. In short, just the sort of team that can beat anybody in foul weather on a muddy field. Both lines are big and experienced, so the Gophers will probably win some games by simply chewing up the opposition.

The situation at Indiana is an intriguing replay of recent history: Just three years ago, two sophomore backs, Harry Gonso and John Isenbarger, and a promising rookie receiver, Jade Butcher, gave the Hoosiers a talent transfusion that enabled the squad to climb out of its accustomed place in the Big Ten basement and go on to the Rose Bowl. This year, with that trio graduated, prospects might have seemed bleak. They're not: The Hoosiers have two fine soph quarterbacks in Ted McNulty (who was voted the number-one high school player in Ohio) and Dan Grossman (who received the same honor in Indiana). To make the repetition of history complete, Charley Byrnes, a sophomore who came from Jade Butcher's Bloomington High School, looks to be every bit as good a receiver as Jade. Match all this with the best group of upcoming linebackers in Indiana history, plus quality veteran linemen, and the Indiana team seems to be as strong--and colorful--as ever.

In 1967, Wisconsin retained the services of one of its more illustrious football alumni, John Coatta, and gave him the assignment of reversing the Badgers' miserable football fortunes. Coatta worked his tail off for three years, recruiting and rebuilding; in 1969, he pulled off a minor miracle by winning three games. But minor miracles weren't enough for Wisconsin alumni, so athletic director Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch unceremoniously gave Coatta the boot and brought in Tommy Prothro's protégé, John Jardine. There's a good chance that Jardine can make a respectable showing his first year, thanks to the plethora of talent assembled by his predecessor. Alan Thompson will probably be the best runner in college football before he graduates, sophomore running back Rufus "Roadrunner" Ferguson isn't far behind, and newcomer Keith Nosbusch is an unyielding tackle. This should be the most exciting Wisconsin team in many years; but all the opponents are tougher, too.

The most dramatically improved team in the Big Ten should be Illinois. The Illini have at least two and perhaps three supersophs; that's more than most teams get in a decade of recruiting. Tab Bennett at defensive tackle and running back Willie Osley are capable of winning national honors in their sophomore year. Most impressive of all the new Illini is quarterback Mike Wells, possessor of a 6'5", 220-pound frame and a slingshot throwing arm. And Wells has three prep school All-America receivers among his classmates. As all this would indicate, Illinois has the best sophomore contingent in the country this year. Unfortunately, the returning lettermen from last year's woeful squad--with the exception of tight end Doug Dieken--won't be much help. But you can count on one thing: Illinois will be nationally ranked in another year or two.

At Northwestern, coach Alex Agase faces the same old problems--too few bodies and not enough talent. Happily, Alex has more depth than in recent seasons and a shift to the quarterback option will make the offense more noteworthy. Passer Maurie Daigneau showed flashes of excellence last season and runner Al Robinson and receiver Barry Pearson could both turn out to be scoring surprises. If, by some fortuitous fate, the Wildcats can escape their usual attrition by injuries, it could be a pleasant fall in Evanston. The opening game could be the key to the season; an upset over Notre Dame (and the Wildcats have given the Irish scares in recent years) could be a catalyst for the finest season since Ara Parseghian's heyday.

Speaking of Ara, that jolly Armenian is still grazing in high clover. Notre Dame's schedule isn't quite as Mickey Mouse as it was in '69; however, the Irish forces are powerful enough to hopelessly outclass all but two or three opponents. But Ara still hasn't found the blazing speedster he needs: For years, Irish runners have been bullish types; and without an outside threat, it's tough to make the rest of the offense work at top efficiency. Ara must rebuild the offensive line, which will be noticeably weaker. Fortunately, Playboy All-America guard Larry DiNardo is without equal anywhere. Also keep an eye on receiver Tom Gatewood; he and quarterback Joe Theismann could provide Irish fans with the most explosive aerial fireworks since the Hanratty-Seymour duo. Notre Dame's strong suit this year will be defense. Most of last year's hard-nosed crew returns, with the exception of Mike McCoy, whose place in the line will be competently handled by sophomore giant Greg Marx, Playboy All-America defensive back Clarence Ellis covers enemy receivers like a compulsive cop. No one's going to score a lot of points on the Irish.

The Mid-American Conference championship race will be just as it was last year: no contest. Toledo will be even stronger--and last year's Rockets were 11-0, including their Tangerine Bowl victory. After Toledo, there will be a disorderly scramble among the other M. A. C. teams for second place. All seem about evenly matched. Ohio U took an anticlimactic nose dive after tying Minnesota last year and it now must face a rebuilding season. The best chance to challenge Toledo belongs to Kent State. The Flashes finally have experience and depth at quarterback to go with fabulous runner Don Nottingham; Kent State could have a banner season. Western Michigan will have experience, depth and a toned-up defense to go along with last season's explosive running attack. The prospects have never been brighter at Marshall. After seemingly endless years of nonstop losses, Marshall suddenly won three straight games at the end of the '69 season. Last year's team was almost totally made up of sophomores, so nearly everybody's back (and the new sophs look hungry). The passing of dandy quarterback Ted Shoebridge will be greatly supplemented by halfbacks Art Harris and Joe Hood. The Thundering Herd will win most of its games this year and the city of Huntington may never recover from the celebration.

Cincinnati has opted out of the Missouri Valley Conference and is now going it alone as a Midwestern Independent. Last season's unbelievably inept defense will presumably be better; it couldn't possibly get worse. A defensive coach has been imported from Penn State and 11 warm bodies have been located to man the barricades. The offense, adequate last year, shows greater potential for '70. The Bearcats should enjoy their first year of independence.

Northern Illinois University will be entering major college football competition this season. The Huskies began their social climbing last year by hiring head coach Doc Urich. The schedule is more ominous than the squad, however, so the Huskies will have to take their lumps for a while until they get used to playing with the big guys.

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One thing about Georgia: It's consistently inconsistent. In years when the Bulldogs are supposed to be loaded, they flop. In years when they're supposed to be mediocre, they're great. We've picked them right the past couple of years and we have a hunch that they're going to be tabbed for mediocrity this fall by everyone. Except us: We think the Bulldogs look like Southeastern Conference champions--and the Conference is going to be uniformly tougher than during any season in its history. In 1969, Georgia was a sharp team through its first six games, but then injuries hit just as the meaty part of the schedule arrived. Poor line play impeded the offense, but the injured players are now recovered and several fine sophs will lend them support. The Bulldogs want to make up for '69 and they'll probably do it.

Last season was an off year at Alabama: The Crimson Tide won only six games and went to the Liberty Bowl. Bear Bryant doesn't have many off years. Some furious rebuilding went on in Tuscaloosa this spring and a promising bunch of soph linebackers will make last season's puny defense an unpleasant memory. Coach Bryant--who can be a convincing tragedian when talking about his team's prospects--moans that Alabama has the toughest schedule in the country this year, meeting seven of 1969's top 20 teams. The opening game against Southern California gives some validity to his anguish, but the Bear has better talent on hand than he's had in years; and if it jells early enough, the Tide will be a great team. Quarterback Scott Hunter is a rare gem of a quarterback, Johnny Musso is among the top tailbacks in Alabama history and back Dave Brungard, an Ohio State transfer, is a hard-nosed ground gainer. Sophomore offensive tackle John Hannah will probably turn out to be the greatest lineman in Alabama history; when he pulls out to lead a runner, Hannah forms a one-man wall of blockers. After all these years, coach Bryant has apparently decided that quick fast big players are better than quick fast little players.

LSU's Tigers will be nearly as strong as last year, when they were one of the best teams in the nation but, incredibly, didn't get a bid to a post-season bowl game. Although virtually the entire offensive platoon has graduated, LSU's legions are so deep that many of 1970's subs may have more ability than '69's starters. Three Tigers to keep an eye on are tailback Tommy Casanova, sophomore tight end Jesse Truax and Playboy All-America linebacker Mike Anderson.

Ole Miss will be a seasoned reissue of last year's team. There aren't enough superlatives to describe Playboy All-America quarterback Archie Manning, who returns with all except one of his '69 offensive platoon, so Mississippi will be at least as lethal as last season. But the defensive platoon has to be reassembled and that may not be so simple. The first few games will tell; the Rebels will be great if they don't trip coming out of the chute.

Florida's offense will be a near duplicate of the '69 squad, except for one all-important element: The surprise factor will be missing. Last year's fabulous sophomore backfield of quarterback John Reaves, tailback Tommy Durrance, fullback Mike Rich and Playboy All-America flanker Carlos Alvarez returns, but this year they have a serious--and potentially crippling--problem: They'll be operating behind a grass-green line. If new head coach Doug Dickey has the blockers, the Gators will hang tough.

The team that Dickey left behind, Tennessee, has been taken over by coach Bill Battle. Like Mississippi and Florida, the Tennessee offensive platoon will be a near duplicate of its 1969 self, but the defensive ramparts will be manned by untested troops. If their passing game develops, the Vols will be as potent as they were in '69, when they averaged 29 points a game. But last year's top receivers have been graduated and the newcomers simply aren't in the same league. Superspeedsters Curt Watson and Lester McClain will be joined by rookie tailback Kevin Milam, and this impressive infantry will operate behind blocking led by Playboy All-America guard Chip Kell.

At the end of last season, Auburn was the strongest team in the South. If the Plainsmen are to repeat their performance, they'll again have to avoid serious injuries--which would be doubly serious, since the reserves are subpar. Led by able quarterback Pat Sullivan, Auburn will score often; but the defensive platoon--rallying around Playboy All-America defensive back Larry "Sugar" Willingham--can't match last year's crew.

For several years now, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Kentucky have formed the Southeastern Conference's pigskin poverty belt. Although all three teams will be markedly improved this season, their records will be just as dismal as ever; the opposition all three clubs will face is much tougher. Vanderbilt coach Bill Pace says, "We have closed the talent gap," but all his promising raw material must be welded into a cohesive football machine, and that takes time. Pace is one of the brightest young coaches in the nation and he might turn the trick earlier than his opponents think. Quarterback Watson Brown, several promising sophomore runners and tight end Karl Weiss will form a stinging offense. The defense will be shored up with the arrival of soph guard Dave Leffers, who may be an Ail-American before he graduates.

Mississippi State had the best freshman team in the school's history last year and among the sophs to come up from that group are the first two black athletes--Frank Dowsing and Robert Bell--ever to play football for Mississippi State. Dowsing will probably earn stardom this year in the defensive backfield. Another blue-chip rookie, tailback Lewis Grubbs, is the best runner in Starkville since Ode Burrell. Joe Reed will inherit Tommy Pharr's quarterback job and he will still have graceful receiver Sammy Milner as his primary target. The Mississippi State squad will be overrun by sophs this fall and if they all get together soon enough, Bulldog fans can expect a few pleasant late-season surprises.

The same is true at Kentucky. Coach Johnny Ray's rebuilding job is ahead of schedule: Although 17 of the 22 Wildcats who started the final game last year are returning this fall, many of them will be pushed aside by new recruits such as sophomore lineman Tom Clark. Look for Cecil Bowens, a 6'3", 230-pound rookie runner with surprising speed, to trample a few hundred people.

If at least one of these teams--Mississippi State, Vanderbilt or Kentucky--congeals before the end of the season, the Southeastern Conference championship race will be a riotous one and will provide Southern fans with their most interesting season in decades. Like the Big Eight, the S. E. C. may wind up having many fine teams who'll systematically knock one another off--and nobody will wind up without at least a couple of defeats.

It's been a long time since an Atlantic Coast Conference team finished the season in the ranks of the top 20, but it may finally happen in 1970. North Carolina, in particular, is beginning to reap the rewards of a long and painful rebuilding campaign. Thirty-five of last year's 42 lettermen return, so there will be plenty of experience and maturity on the Tarheel squad. The arrival of sophomore passer Mike Mansfield should solve the quarterback problem, and tailback Don McCauley, who ripped apart opposing defenses last year, should be even better now that there's a passing threat to take some of the pressure off him.

Both Clemson and Virginia will be rejuvenated. At Clemson, new coach Hootie Ingram inherits a squad full of mauling movers, best of whom is offensive guard Dave Thompson. The most noticeable change at Virginia will be the passing attack. Two excellent rookie quarterbacks, Larry Albert and Mike Cubbage, will be heaving passes at a collection of proven receivers. This aerial onslaught will be matched with some solid running and should give the Cavaliers the highest-scoring offense in the Conference; last year's capable defensive crew returns nearly intact. Virginia could wind up as A. C. C. champion.

Although South Carolina will again be strong, its non-Conference schedule is a lot tougher and the league opposition is stronger. Result: a less impressive record for the Gamecocks than '69's 7-4, including their Peach Bowl loss. The graduation of fullback Warren Muir would appear to be devastating, but rookie Chuck Mimms may turn out to be nearly as good.

North Carolina State suffered a dismal season in '69, due to defensive weaknesses and an ineffectual passing game. The air attack will be stronger this year, but the defense will be as hapless as ever. Nevertheless, the Wolfpack will win more games this fall, because its schedule is softer. coach Tom Harp has been "rebuilding" at Duke for years, but not much progress will be evident in '70. Duke's schedule may be part of the reason: The Blue Devils might well be physically and spiritually destroyed in their games against Florida and Ohio State. Three reasons for a measure of optimism are Leo Hart at quarterback, Dick Biddle at linebacker and rookie fullback Steve Jones.

Maryland has had more coaches than top-notch players during the past few years. This year's head coach, Roy Lester, has a few stellar players, but the squad's depth is woefully thin. Even so, it will be an improvement over the '69 Terrapins.

Wake Forest will be much stronger, although that isn't saying an awful lot. Remembering last season, one Wake Forest staff member remarked, "When we were bad, we were probably one of the worst teams in the nation; but when we were good, we approached mediocrity." Wake Forest's offense will be aided by a group of junior college transfers, but fans won't notice much difference, because the schedule is murderous.

Davidson and the Citadel will again be the strongest teams in the Southern Conference. At the Citadel, Terry Widel, a junior college transfer quarterback, could provide the missing ingredient and give the Dogs the best team in their history. Citadel coach Red Parker is making pessimistic noises, because graduation took some of his blue-chippers, but Bob Duncan is still one of the best runners in the South, so the offense should be as potent as last year. Richmond will suffer greatly from the graduation of fabulous receiver Walker Gillette and nine other All-Southern Conference performers; don't expect much. In a couple of years, East Carolina will probably begin dominating the Southern Conference the way West Virginia once did. New coach Mike McGee has launched an ambitious recruiting program and proposes to make East Carolina a football power that can compete with the likes of Duke, North Carolina and North Carolina State. There is a lot of young talent on the squad, but the extraconference schedule is much too severe for the Pirates to make an auspicious showing this fall. Coach McGee is abandoning East Carolina's ineffectual single-wing offense and junior college transfer quarterback John Casazza will give the Pirates a sorely needed aerial threat. VMI will exhibit more muscle this season, but the Keydets still have a long way to go. The squad will be manned largely by last year's standout freshmen--who bring to VMI more speed, depth and over-all ability than the team has had in many years.

Atlanta is a city of great expectations this September. At Georgia Tech, coach Bud Carson seems to have built a winner, and it is significant that a key ingredient in this Deep South reconstruction job should be the arrival of a black quarterback, Eddie McAshan (pronounced McShan) is the most heralded rookie quarterback in the South since Archie Manning began matriculating at Ole Miss. A tremendous performer who was pursued by virtually every school in the South (if you're going to break the color barrier, you might as well do it sensationally), McAshan will provide the passing needed to make Georgia Tech one of the best teams in the country. The defense will again be led (dominated, really) by Playboy All-America tackle Rock Perdoni, who, pound for pound, is the most ferocious tackier we have seen in a lifetime of watching the game. Perdoni terrorized opposing quarterbacks last season and, with the help of a healthy Brad Bourne at defensive end, will do his thing again this year. With 41 returning lettermen, this will be the best Georgia Tech team in more than a decade; and if the Yellow Jackets get by either Notre Dame or Georgia at the end of the season, look for them to wind up in a bowl game.

Luck abandoned Virginia Tech last year, but the Hokies finished strong, despite a slew of severe injuries. Skilled coach Jerry Claiborne doesn't figure to suffer through many seasons like '69, when they were 4-5. Look for kicking specialist Jack Simcsak to provide the winning edge in a few games.

The surprise team of the South could (but probably won't) be Tulane. This is supposed to be the year of the Green in New Orleans, because the Greenies have their most talented and most experienced team in eons. One interesting and possibly confusing oddity about Tulane: There will be two Mike Walkers playing this year, one a promising new quarterback and the other a star defensive tackle. The man to watch, however, is Rick Kingrea, a linebacker who could earn All-America honors if the Green Wave has a rewarding season. If coach Jim Pittman can get some consistency in the offensive backfield, Tulane will be one hell of a football team.

Florida State will miss departed quarterback Bill Cappleman, of course, but his replacement (either Tommy Warren or Frank Whigham) will be at least adequate. The Seminoles have several big strong runners, such as Tom Bailey and Paul Magalski; and since both quarterbacks are excellent scramblers, the Seminoles will move primarily on the ground. It will be the other way around at Miami, where talented tosser Kelly Cochrane will advance the Hurricanes through the air. He will operate behind a revamped line and the defense, built around All-America candidate Tony Stawarz, should be less generous than in '69.

• • •

We've been saying for the past three years that the Big Eight is the strongest Conference in the country; and even though the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference have both made great power strides in the past 12 months, the Big Eight is probably still the nation's strongest circuit. At least six of its eight teams would lose no more than two games if they were playing in most other leagues. As usual, they will spend this fall knocking one another out of the national rankings. One or two Big Eight squads will probably wind up with only five or six victories--and still be among the strongest teams in the country. The question of exactly who survives this fratricidal situation will make for an interesting autumn in the flatlands. Because of the peculiarities of scheduling, Kansas State may wind up with the Big Eight's best won-lost record, but Oklahoma will probably be the strongest team in the loop. Most of the Sooners' big guns are returning and will be joined by a gilt-edged group of newcomers. This is the second consecutive Sooner crop of 14-kt. rookies; Oklahoma may have more sheer talent than any other team in the country. Every back who will carry the ball has breakaway speed, and the Oklahoma linemen are much more massive than in years past. The Sooners could be a year away from greatness, but we have a hunch they'll put it all together this fall; we'll certainly know after the Texas game. This should be the year when much-heralded quarterback Jack Mildren achieves his full potential, and he should be aided mightily by two sophs, split end Greg Pruitt and runner Joe Wylie. If so, Oklahoma could be unbeatable.

This is the big year Kansas State has been looking forward to since coach Vince Gibson arrived in 1967. The perennial door mat of the Big Eight Conference, Kansas State began to emerge last year and for most of the season was just a hairbreadth away from brilliance. Now the squad is deeper, more experienced and more confident. It's tough to shake the loser syndrome, but if anyone can do it, Gibson can. The main problem at Kansas State this year is that the club is heavily dominated by seniors and that is always a psychologically dangerous situation. But Gibson is one of the shrewdest, most mature and inventive coaches in the country and he has a close personal relationship with his players. He isn't about to allow his pupils to suffer from unrealistic expectations nor to think that victory is automatic. Thus, we believe he will avoid the psychological pitfalls of playing the unaccustomed top-dog roll. For this, and for the magnificent rebuilding job he has done at Kansas State, we have named Vince Gibson Playboy's Coach of the Year.

If the Wildcats make in big in 1970, it will probably be due to the presence of passer Lynn Dickey (who in almost any other season would have been everybody's All-America quarterback) and Playboy All-America defensive back Mike Kolich, whose abilities and leadership should help Kansas State survive the onslaught of some of the most proficient offensive teams in the country.

Nebraska, Missouri and Colorado have an increasingly common problem: All three teams will be stronger than last fall, but the opposition is so much better that they will all have difficulty matching last year's records. Nebraska has the best chance to survive, Colorado the worst. The difference, of course, will be non-Conference opponents. Colorado could conceivably win only half its games and still take the Conference championship.

The major reason for Nebraska's high hopes is the return of bulldozing runners Joe Orduna and Jeff Kinney, plus the arrival of sophomore halfback Johnny Rodgers. Nebraska fans may be treated to the sight of two equally good interchangeable offensive backfields; with that kind of depth, it's hard not to win.

The Nebraska, Missouri and Colorado teams will all have a surfeit of hefty but agile linemen. Missouri's usually thunderous running game this year will feature Playboy All-America halfback Joe Moore, who is probably the best in Tiger history. Coach Dan Devine's offensive headaches, if any, will be aerial ones: He was busy this spring trying to locate an adequate passer to throw to classy receiver Mel Gray. Devine's biggest worry, however, is that his legions must face their five toughest foes on consecutive weekends, and it's hard to imagine any team escaping that gauntlet unscathed.

Can Colorado survive the graduation of All-America runner Bob Anderson? Perhaps; nearly all the other members of the attack corps return; and if one of 1969's two alternate starting quarterbacks can emerge as a team leader, the Buffaloes will field another prime offense. Colorado's brutish beef trust will feature Playboy All-America center Don Popplewell and defensive end Herb Orvis.

By now, Kansas fans don't know what to expect. The Jayhawks went from a 9-1 record in 1968 to a 1-9 record in 1969 with almost the same roster of players. Exactly what happened still has coach Pepper Rodgers scratching his head. Said one assistant coach, "We were strong at throwing the ball to opposing backs and our blockers were adept at evading enemy tacklers." But coach Rodgers is determined to find out whether the 9-1 record or the 1-9 record was a fluke. Most of his regulars are returning and it's hoped that fullback John Riggins will return to the form he displayed as a sophomore. If an accurate passer can locate the three fleet flankers (Ron Jessie, Xerk White and Marvin Foster), Kansas will be unstoppable through the air.

When a new coach was appointed at Oklahoma State last year, everybody asked, "Who's Floyd Gass?" But after the 1969 season, when his team won five games (most observers thought the Cowboys would be lucky to win one), everybody now knows who Gass is. His is still a frustrating job: In most other conferences, Oklahoma State would enjoy a banner season; but in the Big Eight, it'll be lucky to break even. The defensive gang lost some sodbusters via graduation, but the offense will be avaricious, due partly to the arrival of soph fullback James Williams and the return of several flashy receivers. If a first-rate quarterback can be found, the Cowboys will pull off as many upsets as last year.

Coach Johnny Majors is still trying to turn Iowa State into a winner. And he still has a long way to go. Last year, the offense was so flaccid that the defensive platoon was on the field for 70 percent of each game. Sophomore quarterback George Amundson, however, may help alleviate that problem. Coach Majors has used mostly underclassmen during his first two seasons in Ames, so he will have more depth and experience to work with this year. George Amundson and receiver Otto Stowe could emerge as one of the most exciting aerial duos in the country.

It looks like an exact replay of '69 in the Southwest Conference. Texas and Arkansas will be about equally strong and will overpower other Conference teams. Arkansas could wind up with a better record because of an easier non-Conference schedule. Both teams will get a chance to prove themselves in their first game of the season, when Texas takes on a vastly improved California team and Arkansas meets Stanford.

At Texas, the major loss from graduation is quarterback James Street. Street's backup man, Eddie Phillips, however, looks nearly as good and rookie passer Gary Keithley has the mark of greatness. The Longhorns' running will be as penetrating as ever with the return of fullback Steve Worster and phenomenal Jim Bertelsen. (Ironically, the two best junior runners in the country could be Jim Bertelsen of Texas, who comes from Wisconsin, and Allan Thompson of Wisconsin, who comes from Texas.)

One portly observer of Texas football says, "Hell, I could gain a thousand yards a year running behind that offensive line." He isn't overstating the case by much: Playboy All-America tackle Bobby Wuensch leads a push-'em-out line that would do credit to some pro teams, and the defensive forces, led by Playboy All-America defensive end Bill Atessis, is just about as strong. The only possible cloud looming on the Texas horizon is the fact that, unlike last year, coach Darrell Royal may not be able to adequately fill in for starters if a rash of injuries develops.

Arkansas' main problem is the loss of most of the offensive line. Coach Frank Broyles didn't come close to solving this problem in spring practice, but the rest of the squad is so solid that fans may not notice the difference. Playboy All-America running back Bill Burnett could conceivably break Steve Owens' all-time N. C. A. A. scoring record of 56 touchdowns; and if the offensive line shapes up, the already adept Razorback passing game could be further improved. Sharpshooter Bill Montgomery returns and his targets will be better and more plentiful than ever. Playboy All-America receiver Chuck Dicus and speedster John Rees are backed up by several talented sophomores. Like last season, the Conference championship will be decided on the final Saturday of the season, when the Razorbacks meet Texas at Austin.

There will be a scramble for third place among the rest of the Conference members, with only Baylor seeming to be out of contention. Texas Christian will probably gain that honor because of the presence of so many top-grade sophomores. These youngsters--especially running backs Larry Harris and Raymond Rhodes--will enter into battle immediately. As a result, they could mature fast and by the end of the season, Texas Christian could raise some hell.

Head coach Jim Carlen takes over at Texas Tech with hopes of doing as complete a rebuilding job in Lubbock as he did in West Virginia. Progress will be difficult his first year, because lack of depth--especially at quarterback and linebacker--could prove an insurmountable obstacle.

The dark horse of the Conference is Texas A&M. Both lines are so deep and able that an opposing coach remarked this spring, "If the Aggies could find some good backfield hosses, they'd walk all over everybody." That just may happen. Coach Gene Stallings has unearthed a stylish soph quarterback, Lex James, and a top-notch rookie runner, Brad Dusek, to go along with returning fullback Marc Black. Dusek is a converted quarterback, so watch for the halfback pass to give the Aggie attack added sting. The A&M pass defense will be a stingy one, since safety Dave Elmendorf is among the nation's top performers. The Aggies will pull off some spectacular upsets in 1970.

And while you're looking for upsets, keep an eye on Rice. Coach Bo Hagan is busily resurrecting the Owls' gridiron fortunes, but his team is probably a year away from making it big. All but four of last year's 22 starters are returning, so the Rice squad will be an experienced one.

SMU will be a very young team led by a few, very few, outstanding veterans. Most heralded of the returnees, of course, is quarterback Chuck Hixson. His two most frequent targets, Gary Hammond and Ken Fleming, are also back, so the Mustang aerial show will be more breath-taking than in '69. Last year's disappointing season resulted primarily from an ineffective running game, but this could be cured with the emergence of tailback Gordon Gilder or by converting Hammond into a running back. The Mustangs' main weakness is a lack of depth, but if the youngsters mature soon enough, SMU could be the surprise team of the league.

It's unlikely that Baylor's Bears will suffer the almost incredible number of injuries that plagued them last year, when 29 players at one time or another were sidelined. The Bears will be a "representative" team if they stay healthy, but they are woefully undermanned at all positions.

Memphis State will once again dominate the Missouri Valley Conference, but not quite so handily as it did in '69. Only two of the Tigers' defensive starters are back, but the ground game, which was spectacular last year, may be even more so with the addition of sophomore Gerald Tinker, who runs the 100-yard dash in 9.3 seconds. Coach Spook Murphy also has a new quarterback, Steve Leech, and his development will have a bearing on how explosive the Tigers will be. But Leech has a great collection of receivers, all big and fast, so Memphis State will probably win most of its games simply by running up massive scores while the inexperienced defensive platoon gains maturity. North Texas State suffered disastrous graduation losses, so the Mean Green will be more green than mean. Tulsa will be greatly improved, but that's no surprise, since the Golden Hurricane was only a dusty whirlwind last year. Sophomore fullback Ed White should be a future star, and the kicking prowess of Ken Duncan will put points on the board for the Hurricane. Experienced signal caller John Dobbs and runners Josh Ashton and Ed White will help keep the offensive outlook a bright one. Graduation robbed Louisville of most of its starters, but the sophomores will come along quickly--especially linebacker Tom Jackson, who looks like a future Dick Butkus.

Houston was probably the best team in the country at the close of last season and could be again with a little luck this season. The Cougars floundered in early games because of quarterback trouble, but third-stringer Gary Mullins emerged as the best of the lot and handled the complicated Houston offense like a skilled pro. The squad is even more impressive this year and would be a good bet for the national championship if Mullins hadn't sustained a serious injury in a spring game; he may be lost for the season. If he recovers from knee surgery soon enough, Houston may go all the way. Unlike last year, the Cougars begin the season with a veteran pass-defense unit and the over-all defense is one of the roughest coach Bill Yeoman has ever had at his disposal. Whoever the passer is, Houston should have one of the best air attacks in the country, due to the presence of Playboy All-America receiver Elmo Wright and tight ends Earl Thomas and Riley Odoms. But Yeoman may be parsimonious with pass plays, because runners Ted Heiskell and Robert Newhouse return, and together they constitute an awesome ground attack. If the Cougars can get by Alabama on October 24, they should finish the season undefeated.

West Texas State is a real sleeper. The Buffaloes should have a fine year, due largely to the presence of two blazing-fast Thompsons (unrelated). Olan (100-yard dash in 9.7) and Rocky (100-yard dash in 9.2). Anybody who beats the Buffaloes in 1970 will have to catch them first.

Southern California has played Big Daddy to the Pacific Eight for so long that few people can remember what it's like to see another West Coast team in the Rose Bowl. This season will be no exception: The Trojans will probably be back at their familiar stand on New Year's Day for the fifth straight year, even though coach John McKay is griping about an inexperienced secondary to defend against the glittering procession of passers his team will have to face. Southern Cal is so gifted with able performers that it will enter every game of the season as the odds makers' choice. The Trojans' severest trials will come in their first two contests--against Alabama at Birmingham and against Nebraska, one of the few teams that can match USC in muscle and tonnage. It's uncanny how coach McKay and his staff manage to recruit such outstanding players with only an average of 21 football scholarships to pass out each year (most major college coaches have twice that many at their disposal). Said one of McKay's star players who resisted Big Ten blandishments, "You think I want to spend my winters wading around in snow and slush up to my armpits?" The Trojan defense, led by Playboy All-Americas Charlie Weaver, Greg Slough and Tody Smith, is absolutely terrifying. The offensive squad should be even more productive, due to the maturation of quarterback Jimmy Jones (who will be ably backed up by soph Mike Rae) and sophomore running backs Sam Cunningham and Rod McNeill, who are capable of replacing (and perhaps displacing) Clarence Davis and Charlie Evans. At least a dozen Southern California players have a good chance of making All-America. Because of all this, Southern Cal looks to us to be the strongest team in the nation and our best bet to wind up number one.

The only threat to the Trojans' chances lies in the fact that the entire Pacific Eight Conference--with the possible exception of UCLA--will be much more formidable this season. Only a last-minute loss to Southern California and a leaky pass defense kept Stanford out of the Rose Bowl last January. The Indians' chances of cashing in their chips this fall will depend on how quickly some new offensive linemen and linebackers mature (Stanford coaches, incidentally, say that converted linebacker Jeff Siemon is potentially another Tommy Nobis). Regardless of how the rookies turn out, Stanford will be a major power. Any team with quarterback Jim Plunkett, the most coveted pro prospect in years, has to be top-notch. A pro-type passer, Plunkett has the throwing skills of Joe Namath and the size and strength of Roman Gabriel. In the college game, which requires a good deal of running, he is surpassed only by Archie Manning.

Plunkett's passing will be ably abetted by backs Jackie Brown, Hillary Shockley and speedy sophomore Eric Cross. All of Plunkett's receivers return, so look for the Indians' offense to be spectacularly varied. Their opening game on September 12 with Arkansas could be the most fascinating gridiron spectacle in a decade.

This season will culminate coach Ray Willsey's long rebuilding campaign at Berkeley. If California doesn't make it big this year, it will be because of an oppressive schedule. Most of last year's better players will return, and Willsey has several hot-shot sophomores and a horde of junior college transfers who will demonstrably enhance his squad. The best of the new arrivals is Isaac Curtis, who will add enormous acceleration to the already excellent California running attack. Curtis, in fact, could be the nation's outstanding running back in his sophomore year. Cal has always had a tight defense under coach Willsey and, with the addition of rookie linebacker Godwin Turk, the Bear barricades will be as inhospitable as ever. If California can mount anything more than a mediocre passing attack to go with its sizzling running game, the Berkeley Bears will have a lot to say about who makes the trip to Pasadena.

The situation at Oregon parallels the one at California: Coach Jerry Frei's reconstruction efforts have reached fruition, a breath-taking runner (tailback Bobby Moore) sparks the offense, a great soph prospect (defensive tackle Charlie Cobb) will help shore up the defense and, if quarterback Tom Blanchard has an outstanding year, the Ducks can be in the middle of the Conference race. The weakest link will be the defensive line, but coach Frei saw that problem coming a couple of years ago and recruited a few fierce tons of linemen (who are now sophomores) to go along with linebacker Tom Graham.

If one judges a team's chances by such finite factors as graduation losses, squad experience, skilled returnees and the quality of recruits, UCLA would seem to be perceptibly weaker this season. But don't bet on it. Another factor one has to consider is coaching expertise, and Tommy Prothro is the wiliest tactician and manipulator of available talent in the West. Only six of last year's first 22 starters return, but they include quarterback Dennis Dummit, elusive and exciting runner Mickey Cureton and Dave Dalby, probably the best center in UCLA history. A new machine must be constructed around these stalwarts; although no one is quite sure of the talent Prothro has waiting in the wings, he is a master at producing sudden sensations when he needs them. But a general lack of depth could hamstring the Bruins if injuries strike.

Oregon State will be made up basically of juniors, and junior teams sometimes can be dangerous, especially when they are playing for coach Dee Andros. The Beavers will have a familiar look: The offense will again feature a rampaging fullback (Dave Schilling) and the offensive line, anchored by 6'7", 280-pound tackle Chris Haag, will again be of dreadnought dimensions. Steve Endicott is a productive passer, so look for the Beavers to throw the ball more than in the past. If they can survive some of their early tussles, they will be the usual gristle-tough Andros squad by the end of autumn. Andros has never had a losing season since he came to OSU in 1965; he won't have one in 1970.

The gloom is dispelling at Washington. Lack of a great quarterback and a bit of bad luck have ruined the Huskies in recent years, but last season's freshmen were the best in Husky history, and they join 36 returning lettermen from 1969's sound but offensively impotent squad. The rookie who will do most to hypo Washington's offense is junior college transfer Darrell Downey, a halfback who had coaches' eyes popping during spring drills. The missing ingredient is an outstanding quarterback, and either of two sophomores, Greg Collins or Sonny Sixkiller, could be the answer. The trick, of course, is to integrate all these new faces into the Washington squad effectively. That takes time, so the Huskies will probably start slowly and finish fast.

It's going to be a frustrating year for coach Jim Sweeney at Washington State. A laborious recruiting campaign has produced a vastly superior team this fall, but the opposition is so strong that victory may be as elusive as it was in 1969. The happiest development is the arrival of two seemingly superb new quarterbacks, sophomore Ty Paine (who runs as well as he passes) and junior college transfer Hal Chealander, a whiz in junior college last season. Speedster Bernard Jackson will make the attack versatile. Graduation depleted an ineffectual defensive line, so the Cougars' spruced-up offense will have to score an awful lot of points if this is to be a winning year in Pullman.

If Oklahoma isn't the fastest team in the nation this fall, Arizona State will be. Coach Frank Kush has recruited platoons of halfbacks with afterburners, but he has been short on linemen in recent seasons. This year's lines, however, will have more high-quality starters--and subs--than Kush has ever seen gathered at Tempe. And passer Joe Spagnola will have a selection of agile receivers to throw to, a refreshing change from last year. Seven all-Conference players are returning from 1969's title-winning team. With all these offensive guns on hand, the Sun Devils should be one of the country's most enjoyable teams to watch; they could wind up in the top 20. The most improved team in the Western Athletic Conference will be Colorado State. Thirty-nine of last year's top 44 players return to greet a new coaching staff directed by Jerry Wampfler, former offensive-line coach at Notre Dame.

The other teams in the Western Athletic Conference look about equally matched. Who challenges the leaders will probably depend on breaks--lucky ones and otherwise. The heartening news at Arizona is that last year's missing link--a topflight quarterback--is no longer missing: Sophomore Joe Petroshus makes his debut with unimpeachable credentials and heavy advance billing. If the offensive holes can be tied up--another of last year's liabilities--Arizona will be the dark horse of the Conference. This will be a cold, cold winter at Wyoming. The Cowboys lost entirely too much beef in their spring graduation stampede. The fastest gun in Laramie will be the toe of Playboy All-America kicker Bob Jacobs. But that's still only one gun.

Brigham Young, beset by scheduling problems--many schools won't meet it because of the Mormon Church's doctrinal racism--will be led this year by a supersoph quarterback named David Coon; no bad jokes, please. BYU has some outstanding individual players, such as defensive back Chris Farasopoulos (now, there's a good Mormon name), who could be on everybody's All-America team if the Cougars have a winning record.

New Mexico is now back on the road to success. Coach Rudy Feldman's 1970 squad will have depth at every position, and several rookies may start ahead of returning veterans. Two sophomore runners, Fred Henry and Randy Rhynes, will add new sparkle to the attack. At Texas at El Paso last year, coach Bobby Dobbs started ten sophomores; with a year's play behind them, the Miners should be ready to strike gold. New punch will be added by rookie fullback James Baker. But vital losses through graduation--fullback Dave Smith, plus many defensive stalwarts--will probably keep Utah from repeating its great performance of 1969.

The Air Force Academy illustrates the incongruity often found in college football: The team could be weaker but the victories more numerous than last year. The Falcons lost games by narrow margins in 1969; so if the breaks even out and the sophomores--who man most positions on both second teams--grow up fast, everything will be A-OK for the Flyboys. One schedule advantage is that their two toughest opponents at season's end--Stanford and Colorado--will be played in the lung-busting icy altitudes of Colorado Springs, a distinct liability to teams accustomed to a better oxygen supply. New Mexico State features a great running offense led by tailback Ron "Po" James, who could break the all-time N. C. A. A. career rushing record this fall. But the Aggies probably won't have much more success than last year, because the pass defense will be less effective than in '69--when it was disastrously porous.

Utah State lacked depth last year and, with the squad drained by graduation, 1970 will pose unconquerable problems.

Idaho, always an unknown quantity, is even more of a puzzle this year. Head coach Y C McNease was a casualty of his own overemphasis on discipline during spring practice and has been replaced by former assistant coach Don Robbins. Our guess is that the change has resulted in uplifting squad morale and this, combined with the return of facile flinger Steve Olson and junior college transfer Fred Riley (who broke O. J. Simpson's junior college running records), will enable the Vandals to unleash a couple of stunning upsets. Idaho fans will enjoy watching sophomore center Larry Bosma, who, at 6'8" and 280 pounds, will surely be the biggest interior lineman in the country. Breathless rumors out of Moscow hint that Bosma runs the 100-yard dash in 9.2 seconds. We don't believe it.

The teams in the new Pacific Coast Athletic Association, still getting adjusted to playing as a league, have such varied schedules that their final records may have little relation to their relative strengths. An exception is San Diego State, a team that would be respectable in any conference. The Aztecs, despite the loss of passer Dennis Shaw, will be even stronger than the unbeaten '69 squad.

Long Beach State has Leon Burns, and not much else is needed for a decent season; pro scouts say Burns will be the most coveted runner in the draft this winter. The Long Beach-San Diego game near season's end will again decide the Conference championship. Pacific, with only five regulars returning, will be weaker until a fieldful of junior college transfers are assimilated into the squad. Soph Willie Viney will join Pacific's traditional list of great tackles. San Jose State's grid revival, begun last year, is on schedule and, with some luck, it could wind up with a winning season for the first time since 1961. Bad cess at California State--Los Angeles: Midway through last season, a number of players were dismissed for disciplinary reasons, several quit in protest, then others were sent packing, then some more quit. With not too many left--other than the water boy and some cheerleaders--the Diablos won't spook anybody this year. But new coach Bob Enger has earned a reputation for turning losing teams into winners, so come back for another look next year.

Top Twenty Teams

1. Southern California 10--1

2. Texas .............. 9--1

3. Houston ........... 10--1

4. Michigan ........... 9--1

5. Ohio State ......... 8--1

6. Arkansas ........... 9--2

7. Kansas State ....... 9--2

8. Georgia ............ 8--2

9. Oklahoma ........... 8--3

10. Nebraska .......... 8--3

11. Alabama ........... 8--3

12. Stanford .......... 8--3

13. Mississippi ....... 7--3

14. Notre Dame ........ 7--3

15. Penn State ........ 8--2

16. Louisiana State ... 8--3

17. Tennessee ......... 7--4

18. Missouri .......... 7--4

19. Florida ........... 7--4

20. California ........ 8--3

Possible Breakthroughs:Georgia Tech (8--3); North Carolina (9--2); Virginia Tech (9--2); Arizona St. (9--1); Auburn (6--4); Colorado (6--4); Air Force (8--3); San Diego (10--1); Syracuse (7--3).

The All-America Squad

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

ENDS; Tom Reynolds (San Diego), Mel Gray (Missouri), Charles Speyrer (Texas), Tom Gatewood (Notre Dame), Bobby Moore (Oregon), Sammy Milner (Mississippi State), Jan While (Ohio State), Ken Fleming (SMU), Bob Moore (Stanford), Doug Dieken (Illinois), Herb Orvis (Colorado), Walt Patulski (Notre Dame), Brad Bourne (Georgia Tech), Dennis Coleman (Mississippi), Jack Youngblood (Florida)

Tackles: John Vella (Southern California), Ernie Janet (Washington), Larron Jackson (Missouri), Alvin Hawes (Minnesota), Craig Robinson (Houston), Joe Ehrmann (Syracuse), Rocky Wallace (Missouri), Ron Curl (Michigan State), Jimmy Poston (South Carolina), Sherman White (California)

Guards: Dave Thompson (Clemson), Skip Jernigan (Mississippi), Jim Stillwagon (Ohio State), Henry Hill (Michigan), Bill Richardson (North Carolina)

Centers: Wimpy Winther (Mississippi), John Sande (Stanford), John Ruthstrom (TCU), Brian Danovan (Ohio State), Dave Dalby (UCLA)

Linebackers: Ralph Cindrich (Pittsburgh), Jack Ham (Penn State), Tom Graham (Oregon), Steve Casteel (Oklahoma), Dick Biddle (Duke), Bill Zapalac (Texas), Chip Wisdom (Georgia), Rick Kingrea (Tulane)

Backs: Jim Plunkett (Stanford), Lynn Dickey (Kansas State), Chuck Hixson (SMU), John Reeves (Florida), Bill Montgomery (Arkansas), Rex Kern (Ohio State), Leo Hart (Duke), Joe Theismann (Notre Dame), Jimmy Jones (Southern California), Dennis Dummit (UCLA), Leon Burns (Cal State at Long Beach), Clarence Davis (Southern California), Jim Bertelson (Texas), Ed Marinaro (Cornell), Don McCauley (North Carolina), Billy Taylor (Michigan), Tommy Casanova (LSU), Franco Harris (Penn State), Steve Worster (Texas), Jim Braxton (West Virginia), Curt Watson (Tennessee), John Brockington and Jack Tatum (Ohio State), Dave Elmendorf (Texas A&M), Tyrone Hudson (Southern California), Jeff Ford (Georgia Tech), Jack Whitley (North Carolina State), Chris Farasopoulos (Brigham Young)

This Year's Supersophs

(Listed in order of potential)

Eddie McAshan, quarterback, Georgia Tech

Isaac Curtis, running back, California

Mike Wells, quarterback, Illinois

John Hannah, offensive tackle, Alabama

Greg Pruitt, receiver, Oklahoma

Greg Marx, defensive tackle, Notre Dame

Charley Byrnes, receiver, Indiana

Joe Wylie, running back, Oklahoma

Tom Jackson, linebacker, Louisville

George Hasenohrl, defensive tackle, Ohio State

Raymond Rhodes, running back, Texas Christian

Gerald Tinker, receiver, Memphis State

Tom Clark, offensive guard, Kentucky

Don Jackson, quarterback, Columbia

Lewis Grubbs, running back, Mississippi State

Keith Nosbusch, tackle, Wisconsin

Johnny Rodgers, running back, Nebraska

Dave Leffers, defensive guard, Vanderbilt

Cecil Bowens, running back, Kenfucky

Willie Osley, receiver, Illinois

Willie Viney, defensive tackle, Pacific

Joe Petroshus, running back, Arizona

Jim Krapf, linebacker, Alabama

Gary Keithly, quarterback, Texas

John Edmondson, offensive guard, New Mexico State

Don Ratliff, tight end, Maryland

Godwin Turk, linebacker, California

Bob Hines, running back. Arm

The East

Major Independents Penn State 8-2 West Virginia 8-3 Syracuse 7-3 Pittsburgh 6-4 Army 6-5 Boston College 5-5 Navy 3-8

Ivy League Dartmouth 8-1 Yale 7-2 Cornell 7-2 Princeton 4-5 Pennsylvania 4-5 Columbia 4-5 Harvard 3-6 Brown 2-7

Other Independents Buffalo 8-3 Villanova 8-3 Boston University 7-2 Gettysburg 7-2 Rutgers 7-3 Delaware 7-3 Colgate 6-5 Lehigh 5-5 Temple 4-6 Bucknell 3-7 Lafayette 3-7 Holy Cross 3-8

Top Players: Ham, Harris, Mitchell, Koegel (Penn St.); Braxton, Gresham, Williams, Farley (West Virginia); Coonan, Johnson (Army); Ehrmann, Newton, Lachowicz (Syracuse); McNallen, Winslow (Navy); Cindrich, Weston, Esposito (Pittsburgh); Harris, Willis (Boston College); Babinecz, Siani (Villanova); Vigneau, Henley, Zelmanski (Buffalo); Ferrughelli (Rutgers); Lennon (Colgate); Hayman, Hall (Delaware); Jamula (Lehigh); Singletary (Temple); Chasey, Bowden, Short (Dartmouth); Gallagher, Jauron (Yale); Marinaro, Lubozynski (Cornell); McCullough (Princeton); Jackson, Pyszczymucha (Columbia); Fuddy (Pennsylvania); Farneti, Varney, Harrison (Harvard); Bennett, Franke (Brown); Jordan (Holy Cross).

The Midwest

Big Ten Michigan 9-1 Ohio State 8-1 Purdue 6-4 Iowa 6-4 Michigan State 5-5 Minnesota 5-5 Indiana 4-6 Illinois 3-7 Northwestern 3-7 Wisconsin 3-7

Mid-American Conference Toledo 10-1 Miami 6-4 Western Michigan 6-4 Kent State 5-5 Bowling Green 4-5 Ohio University 4-6

Independents Notre Dame 7-3 Marshall 7-3 Cincinnati 6-5 Dayton 4-6 Xavier 3-7 Northern Illinois 3-7

Top Players: Huff, Dierdorf, Taylor, Doughty, Seymour (Michigan); Tatum, Brockington, Zelina, White, Stillwagon, Donovan, Kern (Ohio St.); Allen, Curl, Triplett (Michigan St.); Bell, Brown, Cooper (Purdue); Wright, Mayer, Hawes (Minnesota); Clemons, Mitchell (Iowa); Andrews, White, Maguire (Indiana); Thompson, Nosbusch (Wisconsin); Sikich, Adamle, Pearson (Northwestern); Dieken, Wells (Illinois); Harris, Cole (Toledo); Flaska, Davis (Western Michigan); Ealey, Nottingham (Kent St.); Adams, Bengala (Miami); Villapiano (Bowling Green); DiNardo, Ellis, Patulski, Theismann, Gatewood, Marx (Notre Dame); Shoebridge, Harris (Marshall); Willson, Johnson (Cincinnati); LaLonde (Northern Illinois); Kosins (Dayton).

The South

Southeastern Conference Georgia 8-2 Alabama 8-3 Louisiana State 8-3 Mississippi 7-3 Tennessee 7-4 Florida 7-4 Auburn 6-4 Mississippi St. 5-6 Vanderbilt 5-6 Kentucky 4-7

Atlantic Coast Conference North Carolina 9-2 Clemson 6-5 Virginia 6-5 N. C. State 5-6 South Carolina 4-7 Duke 3-8 Maryland 3-8 Wake Forest 2-9

Southern Conference Davidson 7-3 Citadel 7-4 Furman 4-7 Richmond 3-7 Virginia Military 3-8 William & Mary 3-7 East Carolina 2-9

Independents Virginia Tech 9-2 Georgia Tech 8-3 Tulane 6-5 Chattanooga 5-6 Florida State 5-6 Miami 5-6 Southern Miss 5-6

Top Players: Lyons, Wisdom, Nash, Darby (Georgia); Musso, Wade, Hannah, Bailey (Alabama); Anderson, Casanova, Truax (LSU); Manning, Winther, Coleman, Jernigan (Mississippi); Kell, Watson, McClain (Tennessee); Alvarez, Reaves, Youngblood (Florida); Willingham, Beasley (Auburn); Milner, Smith, Grubbs (Mississippi St.); Brown, Weiss, Leffers (Vanderbilt); Roller, Bowens, Clark (Kentucky); McCauley, Mattocks, Richardson (North Carolina); Thompson, Yauger (Clemson); Lestyk, Ryczek (Virginia); Smith, Whitley (North Carolina St.); Hart, Biddle (Duke); Meister, Ratliff (Maryland); Headley (Wake Forest); Poston, Suggs (South Carolina); Duncan, Davitt (Citadel); Mikolayunas (Davidson); Richards (Richmond); Davis, Kopp (East Carolina); Herb (William & Mary); Hall, Simcsak (Virginia Tech); Perdoni, Ford, Bourne, McAshan (Georgia Tech); Moulton, Mikel (Southern Mississippi); Stawarz, Schmidt, Foreman (Miami); Kingrea, Walker (Tulane); Smith, Payne (Chattanooga).

The Near West

Big Eight Kansas State 9-2 Oklahoma 8-3 Nebraska 8-3 Missouri 7-4 Colorado 6-4 Kansas 6-5 Oklahoma State 3-8 Iowa State 3-8

Southwest Conference Texas 9-1 Arkansas 9-2 Texas A&M 6-5 TCU 5-6 Texas Tech 5-6 Rice 4-6 SMU 3-8 Baylor 2-9

Missouri Valley Conference Memphis State 8-2 Wichita State 5-6 North Texas St. 4-6 Tulsa 4-6 Louisville 4-7

Independents Houston 10-1 West Texas St. 9-1

Top Players: Dickey, Shaternick, Kolich (Kansas St.); Mildren, Pruitt, Bell, Grady, Wylie (Oklahoma); Murtaugh, Newton, Rodgers (Nebraska); Moore, Jackson, Wallace (Missouri); Riggins, Brown (Kansas); Popplewell, Orvis (Colorado); Eben (Oklahoma St.); Stowe (Iowa St.); Wuensch, Atessis, Worster, Bertelsen, Speyrer, Zapalac (Texas); Dicus, Burnett, James (Arkansas); Ruthstrom, Judy (Texas Christian); Elmendorf, Philley (Texas A&M); Odom (Texas Tech); Hixson, Fleming, Hammond (SMU); Watson (Baylor); Bomer, Gowen, Tinker (Memphis St.); Jackson, Hoheisel (Wichita St.); Dunlap (North Texas St.); Ashton, Duncan (Tulsa); Jackson (Louisville); Wright, Robinson, Hall, Lewis, Heiskell, Newhouse, Mullins (Houston); Anderson, Holwig (West Texas St.).

The Far West

Pacific Eight Southern Cal 10-1 Stanford 8-3 California 8-3 UCLA 6-5 Oregon 6-5 Oregon State 5-6 Washington 4-6 Washington St. 2-9

Western Conference Arizona State 9-1 Colorado State 7-4 Arizona 5-5 Brigham Young 5-5 New Mexico 5-5 Wyoming 5-5 Texas at El Paso 5-5 Utah 4-6

Independents Air Force 8-3 New Mexico St. 4-6 Idaho 4-7 Utah State 3-8

Pacific Coast Association San Diego St. 10-1 Cal State--Long Beach 8-3 Fresno State 6-6 Pacific 5-6 Santa Barbara 5-6 San Jose State 4-7 Cal State--L. A. 1-9

Top Players: Slough, Smith, Weaver, Jones, Vella, Chandler, Davis, Hudson (Southern Cal); Plunkett, Moore, Sande, Tipton, Lazetich (Stanford); Richards, Croyle, Curtis (California); Dummit, Cureton, Dalby (UCLA); Hanneman, Haag (Oregon St.); Moore, Graham (Oregon); Janet, Eornell (Washington); Thomas (Washington St.); Spagnola, Buchanan, Olivo, Hill (Arizona St.); McCutcheon, Stevenson (Colorado St.); Lewis, Petroshus (Arizona); Puishes, Mack (Texas at El Paso); Jacobs (Wyoming); Farasopoulos, Coon (Brigham Young); Long, Ross (New Mexico); Jennings, Bierie, Bream (Air Force); Wicks, Strycula, Garnett (Utah St.); James, Edmondson (New Mexico St.); Olson, Riley (Idaho); Reynolds, Delaney, Van Gorkum (San Diego St.); Burns, Severson (Cal State--Long Beach); Chaney (San Jose St.).