Playboy's Pigskin Preview

The Creeping Presence of professionalism in college football is one of the sorer subjects among administrators these days. But while athletic directors and N.C.A.A. officials spend endless hours denying that professionalism is a problem, they spend more hours huddled in secret conferences trying to decide what to do about it.

However, former Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall, the featured speaker at the N.C.A.A. convention in Chicago last January, addressed the subject publicly when he delivered a fiery blast at his hosts. Said Udall, "I deplore a greedy, weighted system that obviously promotes dynasties. Is it a good thing, year after year, for the same top-dog teams to go to the bowl games? Is it healthy for a few favored teams to dominate their conferences because of advantages of wealth or undeserved prestige?

"I am even more appalled at the win-or-perish approach to coaching: One of the saddest news stories I have read in recent weeks was the human fallout after the sacking of another football coach at the University of Kentucky—a man I have never met but who obviously meant a lot to his players.

"The extent to which anything-to-win attitudes have corrupted some schools was revealed two weeks ago at Miami, when the new Nebraska football coach, Tom Osborne, spoke out against the reforms that are being voted upon here—reforms that might equalize competition a bit and reduce the pressure-cooker tempo of recruiting. His comment was that any changes would only lead to more cheating. Osborne, I suppose, was merely expressing the old we're-number-one-and-we-want-to-keep-our-competitors-down philosophy....

"If, indeed ... college football is competing with the pros, why not strip away all pretense and openly do as the pros do? ...

"I say let the pros have their monomaniac coaches and greedy superstars. After all, professional sports are a business and money is the name of the game. But I want to express the hope that the institutions that subscribe to the N.C.A.A. principles (text continued on page 174) will play the game according to those principles and give some thought to the science of life—to the 'science' of learning to lose well and learning to win with classic Olympian grace."

While Udall spoke, there was a thick, uneasy silence in the hall. Next year, the N.C.A.A. fathers will probably invite Billy Graham to talk about less threatening ethical problems.

On the assumption that ruthless competition will remain endemic to college football for some seasons to come, let's take a look at which teams have the best chances to be top dogs and go to bowl games.

It would be little wonder it Penn State football fans had become jaded by now; the Nittany Lions haven't suffered a losing season since 1938 and a year with two losses is considered a disaster. This should be just an average year—one loss. Exactly which opponent will apply the sword is difficult to predict, but Stanford, Iowa and North Carolina State are capable of the deed. With quarterback John Hufnagel among the departed, the Lions will place more emphasis on a running game featuring tailback John Cappelletti and a huge, experienced offensive line. Tom Shuman, the new quarterback, will have a flock of fast wide receivers to throw to, best of whom is Jimmy Scott; and inside linebacker Ed O'Neil will be the fulcrum of a typically tough defense. Add to all this an infectious squad enthusiasm caused by coach Joe Paterno's rejection of a lucrative offer to coach the professional New England Patriots. His decision to stay is being interpreted as a tribute to the ideals and purposes of intercollegiate athletics. It is also a reflection of an acquired taste for winning football games.

Boston College's offense appears to have everything: an excellent quarterback in Gary Marangi, a potent running attack featuring Mike Esposito and Phil Bennett, good receivers in Mel Briggs and Dave Zumbach and a seasoned offensive line. Sophomore Brian Clemente will strengthen the linebacking corps and added experience should help in other areas. Unfortunately, an unusually rough schedule could preclude a winning season.

Despite only eight returning starters, West Virginia should have as strong a team as last season's Peach Bowl squad. The returning players are key ones and there are quality replacements to fill the vacancies. If a sound quarterback can be found—none emerged in spring practice—the Mountaineers will have a powerful offense, because flanker Danny Buggs is one of the better catch-and-run performers in the country. However, West Virginia faces a very tough schedule this fall, so don't expect as many victories as in 72.

New coach Johnny Majors takes over at Pittsburgh, making the Panthers' future prospects bright. It's about time. The Panthers have been battered and bruised since their last winning season, in 1963; so university administrators finally decided to take drastic action. First, Pitt withdrew from the Eastern Big Four (a loose association of Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia and Syracuse), an arrangement that had severely limited recruiting and red-shirting. Then, Majors was lured from Iowa State with a lucrative salary and a pledge of heavy alumni support, financial and otherwise; and even though the talented Majors can't transform the Panthers in a single season, fans will see a few immediate signs of what the future holds. Eighteen of last year's 22 starters return, but a scarcity of top talent still exists. Two freshmen, halfback Tony Dorsett and field-goal kicker Carson Long, should provide more scoring punch.

This is coach Ben Schwartzwalder's last campaign at Syracuse. The players would like to make it a winning one, but it will be an uphill fight all the way. Last fall, Syracuse scored the fewest points and allowed the most of any Schwartzwalder-coached team; it also set several more dubious records. So Schwartzwalder rebuilt his offense from scratch this spring, installing a basic grind-it-out attack. He also pumped in large amounts of hustle and spirit, qualities noticeably lacking in recent years. The quarterback problem is a pleasant one: In the spring, sophomores Bob Mitch and Jim Donoghue were ahead of incumbent Rob Sutton, who looked so good in the last three games of '72. As befits the newly installed Pleistocene offense, fullback is the strongest position, with veteran Steve Webster and newcomer Chuck Moss, who looks like a budding Larry Csonka.

Villanova will be the most improved team in the East; but, having won only two games in 1972, the Mainlines still have a way to go. Certainly, the offense, woefully impotent last season, will be better. In fact, this edition could be as explosive as the 1970 team.

Army and Navy share an unfortunate liability: Both squads have only two returning defensive starters. Thus, the key to both teams' fortunes will be the development of replacements. Army has an especially tough go of it, because the first five games are against Tennessee, California, Georgia Tech, Penn State and Notre Dame. With an all-sophomore defensive backfield, the Cadets may be fatally vulnerable to a passing attack. Kingsley Fink returns at quarterback and his prime target, Jim Ward, is a good one, so Army will pass—that is, if the defense can get the ball.

Navy has two equally good passers, Al Glenny and Fred Stuvek; and if receiver Larry Van Loan returns to form after missing '72 with injuries, the Middies should have a good pass attack. Runner Cleveland Cooper will give them offense versatility. So it all depends on the new defensive linemen: If they come through, it could be a respectable season for the Middies.

Yale, Cornell and Pennsylvania seem almost equally matched for a run at the Ivy League title. Therefore, such unpredictable factors as injuries, weather and game breaks—not to mention the inexplicable home-field advantage that seems so omnipresent in the Ivy League—will determine the outcome. Impetus could also be a factor and if it is, Pennsylvania should win the championship. The Quakers won six games last year, a heady experience, because they had enjoyed only one other winning season since 1952. With three good quarterbacks and receiver Don Clune returning, the Quakers will again be explosive.

Cornell has a superb group of runners, best of whom are Dan Malone and rookie Don Fanelli. Assembling an adequate line to block for them is coach Jack Musick's main problem. Mark Allen is a premier passer, but his performance will likely suffer from a dearth of good receiers. Still, it looks like the defenders, rallying around fearsome linebacker Bob Lally, will be heroes in Ithaca this season.

Yale won seven games last season with a relatively young team and the wishbone offense, and the Elis will stick with the wishbone, because quarterback Tom Doyle is an outstanding runner. He will (continued on page 232)Playboy's Pigskin preview(continued from page 174) be aided by backs Tyrell "Hurricane" Hennings and Rudy Green, both of whom are skilled blockers.

The absence of Dartmouth from its accustomed place as pre-season Ivy favorite is explained by the graduation of 15 starters. Although the Big Green are crying poverty, we are skeptical. It's true that the quarterbacking will be unexceptional and the defensive line will be conspicuously lean, but many of the incoming sophomores are extremely good football players. Also, Jake Crouthamel is a cagey coach and—best of all—the Indians play Penn, Yale and Cornell in Hanover.

The Columbia passing attack will probably be its only major strength in 1973. New quarterback Jose Rios, a transfer from Miami (Florida), who looks like a gem, will be throwing to supersoph receiver Dexter Brown and tight end Mike Telep. The Lions' offensive line will be anchored by huge (255 pounds) center Jorge Rodriguez.

Brown will be the most improved team in the Ivy League, but that's not saying much. It's won only one game in the past two seasons. Still, new coach John Anderson will have more talent at his disposal than has blessed the Brown squad in many years, including an impressive collection of sophomore linemen and dazzling runner Hubie Morgan.

Princeton has been in the doldrums for several seasons, and this year looks no better. Defensive depth will again be the major problem. At least the offense, with sophomore halfbacks Bob Reid and Kevin Kaufman, will score more points than last year.

Harvard will have an outstanding collection of sophomores (especially 6'5", 250-pound offensive tackle Dan Jiggetts) but not much of anything else. The entire offensive backfield and nearly the whole defensive unit graduated, so the Crimson will switch to a ball-control strategy and hope for the best.

Delaware will again dominate the smaller Eastern schools. The only difference, as the Hens try for their third consecutive college-division national championship, is that their strong suit will be offense.

After spring practice, Holy Cross coach Ed Doherty seemed happy with his charges for the first time in years. If the Crusaders can assemble a decent offensive line, they'll have their best season in a decade. Nine freshmen lettered last season, so there will be some good young talent on hand. Also, two incoming freshmen, defensive end Dave Frenette and fullback Mark Cannon, are good enough to start immediately; and safety John Provost and defensive tackle Lou Kobza could be future All-Americas.

Rookie coach Paul Kemp has taken over a Boston University team that won only two games in '72 because of inexperience and lethargy. Neither problem will remain this fall. Sixteen starters return and during spring practice, Kemp knocked heads together with such intensity that fistfights broke out. All this lethal enthusiasm will likely produce a winning season. Rutgers will have more good players than in many years, especially runner Jim Jennings, who appears to be the best athlete on campus since Alex Kroll graduated. However, Rutgers' schedule may preclude improvement over last year's 7–4 record.

Temple suffered severe offensive graduation losses, but the replacements are top-grade, especially quarterback Steve Joachim, a transfer from Penn State. If a good defensive unit can hold out until the offense jells, the Owls will finish strong. Colgate claims to have the best wishbone quarterback in the nation in Tom Parr. If their soso defense—returning virtually intact—improves enough, Parr and strong fullback Mark van Eeghen won't have to score more than 30 points in order to win a game.

Lehigh was one of the more improved teams in the East in 1972 and, with quarterback Kim McQuilken returning, it will be even stronger this season. With one more year to play, McQuilken already holds every Lehigh passing record.

Both Gettysburg and Bucknell hope their young defensive units can mature quickly enough for them to win some games. Lafayette will be much improved, because the Leopards will finally have a decent passing game to go with the dazzling running of Tony Giglio.

• • •

Michigan and Ohio State, for the fifth time in six years, will fight it out for the Big Ten championship in the final game of the season. Both squads are deep in talent, experience, speed, size and good coaching, and both will probably enter their showdown game without a loss. It will be played in Ann Arbor, which, if history is any guide, will give the Wolverines a strong edge. The Rose Bowl game, with Southern California, will be a replay of Agincourt.

Michigan seems to have one important advantage over Ohio State: quarterback Dennis Franklin. He will throw more often this year and, with a good set of receivers, led by tight end Paul Seal, should be devastating. At Ohio State, incumbent quarterback Greg Hare is being pressed by sophomore Cornelius Greene. Going into fall practice, coach Woody Hayes declares the job still open. If Woody gives the position to Greene, the Buckeyes will have one of the youngest starting backfields in the country, with junior Harold Henson at fullback and sophomores Archie Griffin and Brian Baschnagel as the running backs. The Buckeye running attack, as usual, will be fearsome, but Michigan's two prodigious fullbacks, Ed Shuttlesworth and Bob Thornbladh, will make the Wolverines nearly as overpowering on the ground as the Buckeyes. The defensive units of both squads are built around Playboy All-Americas, tackle Dave Gallagher at Michigan and linebacker Randy Gradishar at Ohio State. The top athlete on either team, though, is Playboy All-America offensive lineman John Hicks at Ohio State.

Iowa coach Frank Lauterbur says much progress was made in spring practice toward rebuilding his offensive line. If his assessment is correct, the Hawkeyes will enjoy their first winning season since 1961. They have a wealth of good runners and Butch Caldwell appears capable of providing consistent quarterbacking, an element that was missing in 1972. Fifteen freshmen saw much action last season. Among these, the most pleasant surprise was walk-on linebacker Andre Jackson, who became the Big Ten's leading tackler. He and end Dan Dickel will head a formidable defensive unit. So Iowa should be a powerhouse next year, if the final spring depth chart is any indication. Only four seniors are listed number one in their positions.

Both Wisconsin and Illinois will be much improved. Each school has a number of talented freshmen and few graduation losses. Nine of Wisconsin's offensive starters return, giving the Badgers a rugged, seasoned line to protect new passer Gregg Bohlig, who is also an elusive runner. He will be helped by supersoph runner Billy Marek. A freshman receiver, Randy Rose, looks like a sure bet to be a starter his first year. A strong group of sophomores, best of whom is tackle Terry Stieve, will more than make up for defensive losses. The Badgers play some of the nation's top teams this year (Colorado, Nebraska, Ohio State and Michigan). Don't be surprised if they beat one or two of them.

Coach Bob Blackman seems finally to have completed his rebuilding job at Illinois. Except for quarterback Mike Wells and defensive end Tab Bennett, there were no serious graduation losses. Tom McCartney, Wells's heir apparent, will face severe competition from sophomores Jim Kopatz and Terry Ormsbee and freshman Mike McCray, a prep All-America from South Bend, Indiana, who somehow got away from Ara Parseghian. Halfbacks Lonnie Perrin and George Uremovich will provide a forceful running attack, witlu much help from rookies Steve Greene and Tracy Campbell. The defensive line may be weak, but gigantic (6'3", 260 pounds and still growing) freshman tackle John DiFeliciantonio could provide the needed help. Illinois' schedule is a bit relaxed compared with the past two seasons', so it should enjoy its first winning season since 1965.

Few teams have suffered such severe graduation losses as Purdue did last spring. Fifteen starters have departed, eight of whom were taken in the first seven rounds of the N.F.L. draft. This year's squad is green but talented, and new coach Alex Agase is a master at getting the most from limited material. It boggles the mind to consider what Agase could have done at Purdue had he been its coach last season, but the Purdue campus is a talent magnet and it should take Agase no more than three years to capture the Big Ten championship.

Indiana's 1972 campaign was wrecked by a midseason injury to quarterback Ted McNulty. New coach Lee Corso has no fewer than seven promising candidates for McNulty's job this year. Best of the group appear to be 6'4" Willie Jones and freshman Terry Jones, both of whom will fit perfectly into Corso's pro-style offense. Runners Ken Starling and Ken St. Pierre are capable, also, so the Hoosiers will have little trouble moving the ball. The defense will be questionable, except for two massive linemen, Carl Barzilauskas and Greg McGuire, and Quinn Buckner, who was one of the best safeties in the country last year as a freshman. Four members of a windfall freshman class, defensive linemen Dave Knowles and Elmer Burton, linebacker Robert Roberts and defensive back Phil Yancey, are good enough to be immediate starters. Under Corso, Indiana will be a daring, loose, entertaining team. Corso has a reputation for being a bit flaky, because he is a colorful, spontaneous coach with a tendency to try something unexpected. But his gambles have a way of paying off and he'll make some big waves during his first year in the Big Ten.

Graduation depleted both Michigan State lines. On offense, that was no great loss. The new front wall, even though inexperienced, will be better than the old one. The same goes for the new coach, Denny Stolz. But unless some of last season's reserves mature quickly, the defensive line will be weak and undermanned. State's running game will be built around David "Indiana" Brown and the Spartans will at last have a dependable passer in Charles Baggett. Playboy All-America Bill Simpson will give the Spartans excellent punting. They'll need it.

Minnesota will field an even younger team than in 1972—when it was the youngest in the league—because many freshmen and sophomores are good enough to beat out older reserves. Offensively, rookie John Lawing has the inside track at quarterback and runner Rick Upchurch, a junior college transfer, will add blazing outside speed to fullback John King's inside power. King, working behind a huge and agile line, will account for much of the Gopher offense. Since many of the squad's positions will be filled by freshmen (the recruiting campaign last winter was the most successful in school history), miscues may be a major problem; but look for the Gophers to come on late in the season.

An inexperienced defense undid Northwestern last fall, and the situation won't be much better this year. New coach John Pont will search the incoming freshmen for speedy feet to help the thin, young line. The offense, however, could be as powerful as any seen in Evanston since Ara Parseghian departed. Last fall's two running sensations, Greg Boykin and Jim Trimble, return and will be joined by sophomore Rich Boothe, who could turn out to be the best of all. Mitch Anderson, one of the better passers in the league, will team with tight end Steve Craig to give the Wildcats a productive pass attack. One thing for sure, Northwestern will be an entertaining team to watch. Pont is always willing to gamble and surprise plays are part of his game plan. It should be a fun year, at least, in Dyche Stadium.

This is Northern Illinois' first year in the Mid-American Conference, and the Huskies, with plenty of seasoned talent, should win it. One thing helping them is the fact that they play neither of the M.A.C.'s other favorites, Kent State or Toledo. The Huskies' main offensive weapon will be Mark Kellar, a 232-pound fullback.

Toledo, after a year of rebuilding, is back in the thick of the M.A.C. championship fight, since last year's major liability, inexperience, has been helped simply by the aging process. Bowling Green will have a senior-dominated team. Unless last season's anemic passing attack can be fixed, tailback Paul Miles will provide most of the offense.

Kent State will be as strong as last season's surprising team, but, unfortunately for the Flashes, the opposition will be stronger. Greg Kokal, an outstanding quarterback as a freshman, has presumably improved with age and Olympic gold-medal winner Gerald Tinker will again provide a large share of the thrills with his breath-taking punt returns.

Miami has had four straight 7–3 seasons, but the fans are muttering because the Redskins can't seem to nail down a Conference championship. This year, Miami still has top runner Bob Hitchens, plus a new quarterback, Steve Sanna, who can both run and pass. Western Michigan's success will depend on an offensive line that was annihilated by graduation. Running back Larry Cates looks like the league's best. Ohio University, thin at most every position, is overscheduled against such teams as Northwestern, South Carolina and Penn State. The first-stringers are good enough to make a run for the Conference championship. but a few injuries will destroy any chance. If the Ohio schedulers are going to throw their athletes to the Lions (Nittany), they should at least provide reinforcements.

With an easy schedule and more talent than a year ago, it will be a major disaster if Notre Dame loses more than one game. The Irish will have more running speed than in the past six years and a superb offensive line, anchored by Playboy All-Americas Frank Pomarico and Dave Casper, will give all those runners plenty of daylight. Casper, the best athlete on the team, can play any position in the offensive or defensive line, but will probably spend the season at offensive tackle and tight end. Tom Clements, a good roll-out quarterback, should be much improved with a year's experience. However, defense, last year's weakness due to injuries, is still a problem. If a few freshmen can break into the line-up like awesome tackle Steve Neihaus did last year, the Irish will have a shot at the national championship.

It will be three years this November since the air crash that killed most members of the Marshall football team, so this year's seniors are the freshmen who carried on after the tragedy. They will still be a young squad, but some fine freshmen should provide the depth so painfully lacking the past three years. With a little luck, the Thundering Herd could have a winning season. Xavier, with added depth, should avoid last year's crippling injuries. The major problem is to put together an offensive line to protect passer Tim Dydo. New coach Tony Mason took over a Cincinnati team that was dispirited and lethargic and its transformation in spring practice was nearly miraculous. Available talent is respectable and the schedule is less backbreaking than a year ago, so Cincinnati should show vast improvement in Mason's first season.

The Dayton Flyers, who have historically ignored the pass, will now feature an aerial-minded, pro-set and veer offense installed by new coach Ron Marciniak.

• • •

This should be the big year that Florida fans have been waiting for since Doug Dickey returned to coach at his alma mater three years ago. The Gators were a very young team in '72, starting nine sophomores and two freshmen. But they were also talented, some ingenuous mistakes notwithstanding; better, in fact, than several Florida teams that have gone to bowl games. This year, 38 of last season's top 44 players return. The offense will again be led by phenomenal Nat Moore, a Playboy All-America who seems to run sideways as fast as forward. The defensive unit will be very tough, so if some adequate receivers can be found and freshman runners Alvin Cowans, Larry Brinson and Robert Morgan can relieve the pressure on Moore, Florida should be the best team in the South. With this likely prospect in mind, we've chosen coach Dickey as Playboy's 1973 Coach of the Year for his masterful rebuilding job.

Unyielding defensive platoons are a tradition at Tennessee. No one can remember when defense was a Vol weakness, but that appeared to be the case during spring practice as several young players who were supposed to replace the seven graduated defensive starters failed to come through. Fortunately, the offensive unit was proportionately improved, all of which means there should be some high-scoring games in Knoxville this fall. Playboy All-America runner Haskel Stanback and versatile quarterback Condredge Holloway lead a deep and skilled offense. There is an impressive assortment of runners behind Stan-back, the best receiving corps in years and an improved offensive line. If the defense can be patched in fall practice, the Vols could be unbeatable.

If Alabama is to repeat last year's championship season, coach Bear Bryant will have to find replacements for the core of his offensive line, his quarterback and three fourths of his defensive secondary. Three fine passers (Gary Rutledge, Robert Fraley and Richard Todd) showed up in spring practice, with Rutledge emerging as the slight favorite to win the starting berth. Whoever does the throwing will have top-grade receivers: The Bear says split end Wayne Wheeler is one of the best anywhere, and supersoph tight end George Pugh could be the most pleasant surprise of the year. An exciting new runner, Willie Shelby, will add zip to an already strong ground game so the major problem area as fall practice opens is the defensive secondary, which, according to the Bear, "is where you win or lose games."

How can a team graduate 15 starters and still be as strong as ever? It must have Louisiana State's depth. LSU is so loaded with good football players that, amazingly, even passer Bert Jones may not be missed, because the two quarterbacks fighting for his job, Mike Miley and Billy Broussard, have the potential to be as good as he is. Unlike Jones, however, both Miley and Broussard are sprint-out quarterbacks, so the offense will have to be somewhat reprogramed for them. Coach Charley McClendon compares tailback Brad Davis (a straight 4.0 student, incidentally) to former LSU great Jimmy Taylor. A sleeper on the Tiger squad could be splitback Norm Hodgins, who was switched from the defensive backfield and was spectacular during spring practice. The defense, keyed by sterling linebackers Warren Capone and Bo Harris and cornerback Mike Williams, will be even stronger than last year's solid team.

Ole Miss will feature two exceptionally talented quarterbacks whose combined talents should make the Rebs' offense dangerous in any situation. Norris Weese is a great runner and a good passer. Kenny Lyons is a great passer and a good runner. Their top receivers, split end Bill Malouf and Playboy All-America tight end Butch Veazey, are spectacular. Robert "Gentle Ben" Williams is a superb defensive tackle, the first black to play for Ole Miss. Williams lettered last year as a freshman and is a certain superstar. If key injuries can be avoided, Mississippi will be a factor in the S.E.C. championship race.

Georgia will enjoy a vital asset that was missing last season: an experienced offensive line. It will block for a splendid backfield, including quarterback Andy Johnson and runners Jimmy Poulos and Horace King, and if Johnson should falter, fabulous freshman passer Ray Goff can take over.

Last year, Auburn surprised the football world with a 10–1 season. Its success formula consisted of (A) an amazingly effective transition from a passing to a running offense, built around no-name players, (B) a typically lean and hungry defense, (C) good kicking and (D) a year free of costly errors or crippling injuries. This year, the most notable no-name (runner Terry Henley) has graduated, as have most of his better blockers and both regular kickers. The defense, with the best linebackers in the league, will again be rugged, but the Tigers will have to repeat last year's avoidance of errors and injuries to have another winning year. We fear the odds are against them. In fact, their schedule is so murderous that the Tigers could finish with fewer wins than some weaker S.E.C. teams.

Mississippi State's happy dilemma in 1972—having to choose between two superb sophomore quarterbacks—has been solved by new coach Bob Tyler. Since Rockey Felker is a great passer and Melvin Barkum is a great anything, Barkum has become a combination tailback and wide receiver, where his multifaceted talents can be fully utilized. Look for him to hurt opponents, not only with his receiving and running but also with a few halfback passes. So the Bulldogs, with fullback Wayne Jones and a fine group of receivers, will field a very good offense. Almost all the defensive unit, especially the backfield, graduated, but there are some freshmen who may provide the necessary manpower.

Vanderbilt and Kentucky have much in common. They are the traditional Southeastern Conference door mats. Last season, both suffered through 3-8 seasons and both begin this season with young new coaches bearing fabled reputations. Both Fran Curci of Kentucky and Steve Sloan of Vanderbilt had bountiful recruiting seasons, which means that several freshmen will see game action.

The new look at Vanderbilt, the only non-state-supported school in the S.E.C., will be especially apparent. For years, it has tried to field a competitive football team on the cheap. But Sloan agreed to accept the coaching job only if he got adequate financial and recruiting support, and he's getting it. So Sloan could make a big splash his first year. His squad will be young (at least ten starters will be sophomores or freshmen), but it will have more talent and depth than any Commodore team in years. Two sophomores (nose guard Tom Galbierz and runner Lonnie Sadler) and two freshmen (center Paul Palumbo and runner Adolph Groves) show promise of future greatness.

The Atlantic Coast Conference is rapidly regaining lost respectability. The whole Conference will again be stronger this season, but the relative positions of the teams won't change much: When the poor get richer, so do the rich. North Carolina State will still be the class team of the Conference. Thirty-four of the top 44 players who walloped West Virginia in the Peach Bowl return. The effectiveness of the offense depends on whether last year's sensational freshman quarterback, Dave Buckey, recovers from a detached retina suffered in spring practice. A superb offensive line, led by Bill Yoest and Rick Druschel, should open enough holes to give runner Willie Burden a chance to compete for All-America status. The Wolfpack schedule features such intersectional powers as Nebraska, Penn State and Georgia, however, so it will be difficult to improve on last season's record.

Coach Jerry Claiborne is in the midst of a nearly miraculous job of turning Maryland's football team into a winner. The Terps were mired in lethargy and indifference for years before Claiborne took over a year ago, and his motivational ability and his penchant for organization and hard work have infected the whole squad. Besides enthusiasm, the Terps have a couple of supersophs (linebacker Kevin Benson and runner Rick Jennings) and two superb freshmen (linebacker Ralph Fisher and quarterback Larry Dick) to join a veteran squad. If the inexperienced offensive line comes around early enough, the Terps will enjoy their best season in decades.

North Carolina will be somewhat weaker this year, since 13 starters, including six All-Conference players, have departed. The offensive line was especially impoverished by graduation. Even so, the Tarheels will depend largely on a passing attack featuring quarterback Nick Vidnovic and receivers Jimmy Jerome and Ted Leverenz.

Virginia coach Don Lawrence has been stockpiling talent for the past two years, but an erratic offense that's been sometimes great, sometimes dreadful has kept the Cavaliers from achieving their potential. However, Lawrence garnered the best crop of recruits in the league last winter (he considers 17 of his 36 signees to be blue-chip athletes), so look for a few freshmen to displace some of the 17 returning starters. Freshman passer Scott Gardner looks like a future star and junior linebacker Dick Ambrose could reach that status this year.

With three strong recruiting years under his belt, Duke coach Mike McGee will field his strongest team since coming to Durham. But the schedule is so tough that fans might not notice the improvement. They will notice Maurice Corders, a gigantic rookie defensive tackle who is destined for greatness.

New coaches Red Parker at Clemson and Chuck Mills at Wake Forest begin tedious rebuilding jobs that won't show much progress this year. At Clemson, Parker is installing a veer offense that may not veer very much, with a shortage of good running backs. Its most impressive newcomer is gigantic (6'5", 248 pounds) sophomore receiver Bennie Cunningham, from that breeding ground of athletic excellence, Seneca, South Carolina. At Wake Forest, Mills intends to use a passing offense, even though he has no proven quarterback. Incongruously, the Deacons' main weapon will probably be sophomore fullback Frank Harsh, who led the team in rushing last season.

East Carolina will again be the power of the Southern Conference, with an attack featuring runner Carlester Crumpler and a defense one of the most exciting in the country, called the Wild Dogs, because it pursues in packs. If East Carolina is dethroned, Richmond will do it. Only five starters graduated and last year's weaknesses—slow running backs and green quarterbacks—have been eliminated. Richmond has also added a couple of speedy junior college–transfer wide r :ceivers. William & Mary will be as good as East Carolina or Richmond, but is predictably ambitious extra-Conferen e schedule will hurt its won-lost record. Tr e Indians, with a wealth of backfield talent, may surprise some of the prestige teams if they can finally master the subtleties of the triple-option offense. Applachian State, still in the throes of a major rebuilding program, will have better depth, but the Mountaineers' announced goal of a championship team is at leat a year away from realization. Furma i enjoyed a banner recruiting year, as many as eight freshmen could start. Best of the frosh is quarterback David Whitehurst.

Despite the graduation of record-setting passer Eddie McAsllan, Georgia Tech 's passing attack will be even stronger. Rea sons: Jim Stevens, his replacement, has a better arm than McAshan, there are more good receivers and the offensive line s stronger. The running attack, very weak most of last year, looked better in spring scrimmages. The star of the defensive team is diminutive safety Randy Rhink, who seems to materialize from nowhere to make implausible interceptions. He'd be helped by two sophomores, defensive end Rick Gibney and safety Scott Whimer, making the Yellow Jackets one if the South's more stubborn teams.

Tulane has been rebuilding for to ten years. Last year's potentially triumphant campaign was scuttled by a weird loss to Miami on a fluke fifth-down play and the squad never quite recovered psychologcally. This season, the Greenies have their best depth in ten years, a solid quarterback in Steve Foley and a quick defense. If a large contingent of talented young players matures quickly, Tulane could wind up in a bowl game.

Pete Elliott, one of the more widely traveled head coaches in recent decades (he's been at Nebraska, California ant Illinois), now assumes responsibility for Miami's fortunes, and he really lucked out. His predecessor, Fran Curci, a fine recruiter, left Elliott a number of talented sophomores to upgrade the defensive unit and a new quarterback, Kary Baker, who looked so good in spring practice he'll likely beat out incumbent Ed Carney. But then there's the schedule. The Hurricanes face—would you believe?—Texas, Oklahoma, Houston, Alabama, Florida and Notre Dame. For all his inherited fortune, Elliott will have a lean first year.

Preacher Paul Dietzel has taken his lumps since he descended upon South Carolina a few years ago. He has not led his team to glory, as lie announced he would, and Columbia critics grumble that lie is more adept at building character in his players than at teaching them to play football. Were it not for a tough schedule, this could be Dietzel's most successful Gamecock squad. Sixteen starters return. Jeff Grantz is the best of three good quarterbacks to run the veer offense and the offensive line is much improved.

Dennis Fryzel is the fourth head coach in as many years at Tampa and such a turnover inevitably hurts recruiting. Also, Tampa has joined the N.C.A.A., so it is no longer a haven for misfits and dropouts from other schools. Consequently, the squad is thin—only 52 players suited up for the spring game—yet it contains some talent. Quarterback Fred Solomon may be the best in the South and he'll have excellent receivers, but a new line may not give him much protection.

Southern Mississippi has a new nickname (Golden Eagles), four new assistant coaches, an abundantly talented rookie kicker to take over for All-America Ray Guy and a strong running attack built around elusive Doyle Orange. All of this should produce a better year than last season's disappointing 3-7-1.

Virginia Tech's offense will be less impressive this year. Fabled passer Don Strock left and there's no replacement of remotely comparable quality around. Also, both lines are questionable.

Florida State has started to rebuild. The most likely replacement for departed passer Gary Huff is senior Billy Sexton, who transferred from Alabama when Bear Bryant decided to use the wishbone offense. If he falters, soph Mark Orlando will try. Otherwise, there's no depth in Tallahassee this fall, so several freshmen probably will step in.

Chattanooga has hired a new coach, Joe Morrison (the former New York Giant great), to bring the Moccasins football respectability. It will take a few years.

•

Nebraska will have a new coach, Tom Osborne, and many new faces, but little else will change—least of all the Corn-huskers' winning ways. Incredibly, the arrival of two sophomore running backs, Tony Davis and John O'Leary, will make the ground attack even stronger than in 1972. Quarterback Dave Humm should reach the peak of his ability this season and a flock of fleet receivers will ease the If new coach Jim Stanley can effectively guide the gifted and experienced squad left by David Smith (who's now at SMU), Oklahoma State could be the surprise team of the Big Eight. Stanley has 34 of last year's top 44 players, who produced the first Cowboy winning season since 1959. Their offense will certainly be able to score. The running game will again resemble a stampede and the passing—last year's major weakness—looks better. In fact, Brent Blackman could become the finest wishbone quarterback in the country. Linebacker Cleveland Vann heads a defense that will be especially strong against the pass.

Colorado will be basically the same as last year's 8–3 team, minus its defensive backs; and coach Eddie Crowder solved that problem in spring practice by switching wingbacks Jon Keyworth and Ozell Collier to the secondary and tailback Gary Campbell to linebacker. This was possible because Crowder found two exciting sophomore tailbacks, Horace "Bullets" Perkins and Nelson Laneheart (both 165-pounders with amazing speed), who will push veteran star Charlie Davis for a starting berth. Another sophomore runner, fullback Jim Kelleher, will back up Bo Matthews. Consequently, Colorado's running attack, operating behind a good offensive line, will be devastating. Overall, this Colorado team will be more consistent and tougher than 1972's. And it will need to be, for it plays a grueling away-from-home schedule.

Both of Oklahoma's starting units were nearly wiped out when diplomas were distributed in June. The Sooners also lost their head coach, to the New England Patriots, and their sensational sophomore quarterback, Kerry Jackson, to N.C.A.A. eligibility rules. But don't weep for Oklahoma. Some of last year's reserves just might be better than those who departed. This year's defense, featuring Playboy All-America middle guard Lucious Selmon, will be the Sooners' strong point. It's the offense that's a question mark. If Jackson wins his way back onto the squad (as we go to press, he appears to have an excellent chance), Oklahoma could be a fearsome team. If he fails? Says new coach Barry Switzer, "We'll be capable of beating anyone, but it'll be scary."

Iowa State, as is the fashion in the flatlands this fall, has a new coach. Earle Bruce inherited most of the talent assembled by departed Johnny Majors, with the major exception of a proven quarterback. Rookie Wayne Stanley appears to be the prime candidate for the job and he'll have good help: Six of last fall's seven top rushers are back and the receiving corps is one of the best anywhere. Lawrence "Big Daddy" Hunt has been moved to linebacker, where he will team with Playboy All-America Matt Blair, giving the Cyclones a murderous defense against the rush. Blair, as a rover, will also help an inexperienced pass defense. If last year's injury plague can be avoided, 1973 could be the year that 1972 was supposed to be.

Missouri, after a dismal 1–10 season in 1971, nearly blew the Big Eight apart last year by beating Colorado and Iowa State; they also upset Notre Dame. On other Saturdays, however, the Tigers played like tranquilized kittens against supposedly weaker teams. Some of the inconsistency was blamed on their wildly erratic wishbone attack, so it is being abandoned this season for the power I. Another reason for discarding the wishbone is Steve Pisarkiewicz, a sparkling sophomore passer who—with veterans John Cherry and Ray Smith—will give the Tigers their first quarterback depth in many years. A seasoned offensive line, built around Playboy All-America center Scott Anderson, will make the offense more consistent. Another asset is the return of place kicker Greg Hill, whose accurate toe was largely responsible for all three of last season's big upsets.

Last fall, Kansas had an excellent quarterback, David Jaynes, but not much of anything else. More quality football players are now on hand and if the offensive line can give Jaynes some time to throw, he'll engineer some upsets, because he has fine receivers. He'll also rely on some promising running backs, particularly Delvin Williams. If Williams can stay healthy, the Jayhawks will score a lot of points.

The big task at Kansas State is to rebuild a weak defense. However, it looks like the line will still be undermanned. Perhaps coach Vince Gibson's new veer-T offense will take some of the pressure off the defenders. In any event, quarterback Steve Grogan, who can run as well as pass, should make the new offense work. He'll be supported by Don Calhoun and Isaac Jackson, two of the better running backs in the league.

A season when Texas loses two football games is considered a fiasco in Austin. This looks like such a year, for only a skeleton of the '72 offense remains. Fullback Roosevelt Leaks will still terrorize opposing tacklers, rookie quarterbacks Marty Akins and Mike Presley looked great in spring practice and the new offensive line is promising. But there's no way the youngsters can replace last year's seniors. Texas' principal needs as fall practice opens are adequate runners to help Leaks and some good defensive backs. However, even with these unaccustomed problems, the Longhorns should be strong enough to retain their Conference championship.

If Texas falters, Texas A&M appears the likely winner. The Aggies have had many grade-A players on campus for most of the past five years, but assorted misfortunes and morale problems have kept them from playing up to their potential. Emory Bellard, the inventor of the wishbone offense, is now in his second year in College Station and he has had two fabulously rewarding recruiting years, so his team looks ready. Opposing coaches are crying wolf because Bellard signed the eight top high school prospects in the state of Texas last winter and most of them may start before the season is over. Any of three freshmen quarterbacks—David Shipman, Carl Menger and David Walker—is capable of winning the starting berth from incoming transfer Mike Jay. Ten of A&M's 18 returning lettermen were freshmen in '72 and the best of them was linebacker Ed Simonini, a certain superstar. Five incoming freshmen linemen average more than 250 pounds, and they're still growing. Considering all these factors, the Aggies seem to have one of the youngest and most talented squads assembled anywhere. They may make a lot of mistakes this year trying to implement Bellard's new invention (something he calls the T-bone offense), but the Aggies will be awesome in 1974.

Whether or not Rice can improve on last year's .500 record depends mostly on who coach Al Conover can find to play quarterback. So far, it appears to be Fred Geisler, who was Gary Huff's backup at Florida State before transferring; and if he doesn't make the grade, freshman Tommy Kramer, one of the most coveted high school quarterbacks in the country last year, could take over. Four good wide receivers return and they'll be joined by fabulous freshman Bruce Wooldridge, so the Owls' pass attack is potentially fine. Most of the defenders also return, and Conover has installed a 5–2 alignment in order to fully utilize Cornelius Walker's talents at middle guard. Sophomore fullback John Coleman will do most of the running.

Texas Tech will be weaker this year, because graduation stripped both lines and, except for defensive tackle Ecomet Burley, the line replacements don't look nearly as good as those who graduated. Most of both backfields return, though, and quarterback Joe Barnes has a stable of good receivers.

Baylor wasn't supposed to win a single game last fall, according to many Southwestern sportswriters, but the squad caught fire under dynamic young coach Grant Teaff and wound up winning five. This year, the Bears should be even stronger. For one thing, they have an unaccustomed plethora of backfield men, including an exciting junior college transfer, wingback Phillip Kent, whose incredible speed will make the Bears' passing game lethal. Two defensive stars, linebacker Derrel Luce and rover Tommy Turnipseede, will make it difficult to run against the Bears.

Last fall, Hayden Fry, a canny and resourceful coach who has the ability to fashion winning teams from limited talent, brought Southern Methodist its first winning season since 1968. But it wasn't good enough for SMU's more influential alumni: Fry was fired. One disgruntled Mustang fan, who makes an avocation of studying SMU athletic policy, told us, "Southern Methodist is committed to athletic mediocrity. It wants to get an instant winner on the cheap, and it can't be clone. The big problem is some of the big-mouthed, oil-rich alumni. They bitch, but they won't cough up any money for the athletic program." A more dispassionate explanation is that SMU, like other privately funded universities, finds it dirtficult to compete against state-financed universities without large amounts of ouiside money, and alumni, rich or otherwise, don't contribute to a losing team.

When Fry moved to North Texas State, most of the better SMU players wanted to give up a year of eligibility and move with him; but Fry talked them out of the idea for the sake of their own athletic futures. Even so, new coach David Smith inherits much less material than he left at Oklahoma State. Only 72 players took part in spring drills and there is no depth anywhere. The new wishbone offense will feature halfbacks Alvin Maxson and Wayne Morris. Magnificent tackle Louie Kelcher, a Playboy All-America, will seem like half the defensive unit.

Texas Christian's defense, featuring Playboy All-America tackle Charlie Davis and linebacker Dede Terveen, will face a lot of pressure this season, because its offense is crippled by a line that looked horrible in spring practice. Games against Ohio State and Tennessee, added to the regular Southwest Conference schedule, will make it a long autumn.

It will be a bad year in Fayetteville, Arkansas, even worse than last year, when the Razorbacks were supposed to contend for the national championship but played poorly. There are no more fanatic football fans anywhere than those who follow the Hogs, but they'll just have to wait a year. Only two offensive and four defensive starters return, so the bulk of the squad will be inexperienced sophomores. If Arkansas gets through its first three non-Conference games (against Southern California, Oklahoma State and Iowa State) without too many injuries, it could win a couple of Conference games.

Few new coaches ever walked into a more enviable situation than did T. W. Alley at Louisville. The Cardinals will be stronger than they were last year, when they missed an undefeated season by two points (against Tulsa) but didn't get a nibble from the status-conscious bowl committees. Only the graduation of quarterback John Madeya poses a possible personnel problem and new passer Lennie DePaola should solve it. Talent abounds everywhere: Rookie runner Walter Peacock, if you can believe it, is said to be even faster than graduated Howard Stevens, and Richard Bishop and Marty Smith may be the best pair of defensive tackles anywhere. If the Cardinals win their first game against Memphis State, they will likely be unstoppable.

But winning that first game will be a problem. Memphis State has had a year to adjust to coach Fred Pancoast's methods. The Tigers will be blessed with two dandy quarterbacks, David Fowler and 6'5" Joe Bruner, a transfer from Auburn, who will throw to two great receivers, James Thompson and Steve DeLong. The defense will be as mean as usual, but the schedule is meaner, so the Tigers may not win many more games than last year.

Drake moves into the major college rankings and could easily surprise some of the supposedly stronger teams on its schedule. The Bulldogs are a gambling, exciting team: "We'd pass from the goal line if the officials would spot the ball there," says coach Jack 'Wallace. Transfer (from Missouri) quarterback Mike Zelenovich and runner Jerry Heston will be the big guns.

Wichita State appears to have some depth for the first time since its disastrous air crash in 1970. Eighteen starters return and are joined by a superior group of freshmen. Sophomore Fred Speck could develop into the best runner in the conference. Tackle Rick Dvorak is the defensive anchor.

Eighteen starters also return at West Texas State, which means that the Buffaloes could be in the thick of the Conference championship race, provided last year's inept passing attack improves. Coach Gene Mayfield switched from the wishbone to the I formation in spring drills and if 240-pound fullback Billy Pritchett recovers from his knee injury, the Buffaloes will have a ground game befitting their name.

New coach Hayden Fry didn't find much good material to greet him at North Texas State, but there is good news: Many of the high school athletes he had been courting while coaching at SMU have followed him to Denton, giving North Texas State its best freshman group in history, and five or six of them could be instant starters. More good news: Fry has injected the squad with an enthusiasm that hasn't been seen at North Texas in years. Give Fry three years and the eyes of Texas will be looking north.

It was a dreary year at New Mexico State in '72, and this season may the even bleaker. Inexperience and lack of depth will be the problems. The passing game may be spectacular, however, because reserve quarterback Doug Baker was so sensational in spring practice that he challenged Joe Pisarcik, who has had pro scouts drooling for two years. Receiver Hank Cook, whom the same scouts tag as another Fred Biletnikoff, may break every pass-catching record in sight.

Houston's very young team missed greatness in 1972 by just a few points. With 17 starters returning, expect the Cougars to arrive this year. The '73 squad will have a fortunate mixture of quality seniors and promising youngsters, and that's the formula of which winners are made. Their speed will be tremendous, especially Marshall Johnson's, who has the tools to become one of the nation's best running backs. But the major strength will be the defense, perhaps the finest in school history. Only excessive injuries in the offensive line or defensive backfield can keep the Cougars out of a major bowl game.

At Utah State, new coach Phil Krueger is busy trying to find an adequate replacement for graduated quarterback Tony Adams. At the end of spring drills, junior college transfer Chris DeWan seemed likeliest. Supersoph Brian Longuevan and Rod Rosa give the Aggies vicious linebacking and Dave Manning will again be the mainstay of a premier offensive line. Kicker Al Knapp could provide the crucial points in close games.

Air Force will be the strongest of the three Service teams, as it should have been last season. Presumably, they won't fall asleep against Army and Navy this year. The offense should be as productive as it was last year (quarterback Rich Haynie may own every total offense and passing record in Air Force history by December), but defensively, there are questions, since almost the entire line graduated. Fortunately, the new one looked good in spring drills.

• • •

It's hard to imagine a college football team richer in talent than Southern California's 1972 football team. Yet there is one: this year's Southern California football team, despite the graduation of many great players. You name it, the Trojans have it, including a couple of fabulous freshmen, tackle Gary Jeter and tight end Marvin Powell, who are good enough to crash the varsity. A few players who'll attain stardom this season have merely been waiting for older athletes to graduate. One is senior offensive lineman Booker Brown. Says coach John McKay, "If Brown doesn't make the post-season All-America teams, it would be like leaving Bill Walton off the basketball All-America team." Yet Brown was an unobtrusive alternate starter last season. McKay also says, "If tackle Mike McGirr [recovering from knee surgery] and tight end Jim O'Bradovich play up to their abilities, our offensive line will be as good as it was last year." Overwhelming, that is. McKay's major concern during spring practice was replacing fullback Sam Cunningham. Ken Gray, who was Playboy All-America linebacker Richard Wood's backup man last year, is too good to sit on the bench, so he'll be the new fullback. McKay says that quarterback Pat Haden needs only a little more polishing. If breath-taking runner Anthony Davis is fully recovered from an Achilles' tendon injury (he seemed fine in the spring), he'll be one of the best in the land. Concludes coach McKay, "We have more proven players now than a year ago. But those people we weren't sure of last year came through for us. We hope the same happens this time." McKay needn't worry too much. If anyone falters, there will be several like him sitting on the side lines.

Last autumn, UCLA surprised everyone, including itself, with a deadly wishbone offense that often seemed unstoppable. This year's problem is to replace five starters in the offensive line. Runners James McAlister and Kermit Johnson (both likely first-round draft choices next February) return, along with skilled wishbone quarterback Mark Harmon. Coach Pepper Rodgers insists the passing will be sharper this fall to enhance an already formidable running attack. Ten starters return to the defensive unit, including Playboy All-America Jimmy Allen, probably the best defensive back in the country.

Despite the lack of a top quarterback, Oregon will be a strong factor in the race to determine who's second best in the West. Last year, the Ducks had a strictly home-run offense; but with a good front line and four quality runners, they will be more methodical in 1973. The defense, mediocre last year, could be the best at Oregon in seven years. Sophomore defensive tackle Reggie Lewis and freshman tight end Jeff Butts are both potential superstars.

California is under N.C.A.A. penalty for recruiting violations, which means the Bears can't go to the Rose Bowl. But that isn't exactly a stunning blow this season and the Bears can still enjoy sneaking up on some of the other teams, and they probably will. They have the ingredients, and if coach Mike White can put them together, California could be the surprise team in the West. Quarterback Vince Ferragamo could wind up being an All-America after his sophomore year and freshman fullback Mark Bailey should be an instant sensation. Help is needed for the defensive crew, so last winter White recruited at junior colleges and got five prime transfers.

Stanford's mediocre 6-5 showing in '72 can be explained by the fact that Playboy All-America quarterback Mike Boryla was dropped for a net loss of 213 yards by blitzing linebackers and linemen. Compare that with the year before, when passer Don Bunce gained 248 yards rushing. Yet three members of that obviously inadequate offensive line were drafted by the pros, so one wonders, if the coaches can't make passable blockers out of such good talent, how well will they succeed this year? Boryla is the best college quarterback in the country, though, and he'll win a few games with his deadly passing. Rod Garcia, a prolific field-goal kicker, will probably win a few more games.

Washington State has abandoned its long-held private enclave in the basement of the Pacific Eight Conference. Talk to any other coach in the Northwest and he'll point out the clean sweep Washington State coach Jim Sweeney has made in the recruiting wars the past two years. The Cougars could be even stronger than last season's 7-4 team, but they will win fewer games, because the opposition, with Arizona State and Ohio State added to the schedule, will be much more rugged.

There's a new look to Oregon State football. OSU suffered a 2-9 season in '72, only the second in coach Dee Andros' nine years in Corvallis. And he didn't like it. So he has thrown out the traditional power T he once used so effectively and replaced it with a wide-open pro attack. He brought in 13 junior college transfers during the spring and had a productive recruiting year. Among the new bodies, Andros found an excellent passing quarterback, transfer Alvin White, to run his new offense. At Oregon State, only the uniforms will look the same.

It will be a bleak year in Seattle. Only five of 22 Washington starters return and no passer of even somewhat comparable quality has arrived to make people forget Sonny Sixkiller. A new offensive system (sprint option) is being installed to utilize the good backfield speed and the new quarterbacks, who are better runners than passers. The defense, last year's strength, will again have to carry most of the load. There are some prime prospects, among them sophomore middle guard Dan Lloyd, but the inexperience will show in this very young squad.

A spokesman for Arizona State assured us that the Sun Devils will be stronger offensively and weaker defensively this season. If that's a correct assessment, their games will be three-ring circuses. Why? Because the Devils scored an average of 47 points per game last year while giving up 24. So Playboy All-America running back Woody Green has a chance to score more points than any runner in history. There's more backfield talent: Fullback Ben Malone would be the star runner on most other teams and sophomore Mike Haynes is so good he may play both ways, as a wingback on offense and as a cornerback on defense. Coach Frank Kush's prime worry is the lack of a good second-string quarterback behind Danny White. Freshman Fred Mortenson, who was slated for that job, quit school to become a Mormon missionary in Ireland.

The University of Arizona, annoyed by the recent spectacular success of the Sun Devils, has announced an effort to dethrone the upstarts in Tempe. This year, the Wildcats have a new coach (Jim Young), new uniforms (primarily blue), a new offense (pro-set), a new defense (five-man front) and a new quarterback (supersoph Bruce Hill). The Wildcats should have a winning season.

Thirty-two lettermen return from a Brigham Young team that surprised the Western Athletic Conference in 1972. Unfortunately, Pete Van Valkenburg is not among them, but his replacement, Dave Coon, is a good one. If a good quarterback can be found, the Cougars will be as strong as last year.

With quarterback Don Van Galder, all his receivers and most of his blockers returning, Utah will again be a pass-oriented team. Van Galder broke most of the school passing records last year and will probably rewrite them again this fall. The kicking game, featuring Dan Marrelli, will be superb, as usual. The Utes have two impediments to a winning season: a weak defense and a tough schedule.

With 30 lettermen and some promising transfers on hand, prospects at New Mexico are bright. One of the transfers, Don Woods, a strong-armed quarterback, will give the wishbone offense more striking power. His prime receiver will be Ken Lege, another transfer.

Sark Arslanian, twice selected as the national Armenian Coach of the Year by the Hairenik Weekly (presumably, his only competitor for the honor was Ara Parseghian), becomes the new coach at Colorado State. He greets 18 starters from last season's team that won only one game, plus 60 new players. About 15 freshmen will make the varsity and as many as six of them could be starters. Look for several of last year's first-stringers to wind up on the third team.

Wyoming has a good quarterback, Steve Cockreham, but he may not have anyone to throw to. Graduation gutted the offense, leaving little except Cockreham and some good running backs. Capable reserves are scarce, so injuries could be devastating.

Like Wyoming, Texas at El Paso will call this a rebuilding year. Two transfer quarterbacks, Frank Duncan and Greg Cockayne, team with receiver Lonnie Crittenden to give the Miners plenty of scoring potential. A revival of the freshman program, with 42 young athletes on campus, ensures a brighter future.

San Diego State will again be the top team in the Pacific Coast Conference, with such stars as passer Jesse Freitas and wide receiver Tim Boyer. New coach Claude Gilbert, an Aztec assistant in '72, watched the team being demolished by the Houston veer attack last season and decided to mix some veer tactics with his pro-set system. A massive offensive line should make it work. The top defensive player is Alan "Cookie Monster" Thompson, a tackle who, the San Diego publicist tells us, bears a remarkable resemblance to his namesake. State's schedule is a killer. So if the Aztecs come through with fewer than two losses, they deserve to wind up in the top 20 at season's end.

San Diego State's strongest Conference competition will come from Pacific, whose usual horde of junior college transfers brought enough talent to strengthen an already formidable ground game. Watch new runner Don Padilla; he could be great. Offensive lineman Willie Viney is a one-man wall of blockers. The Tigers will pass more often this year (last fall they won three games without completing a pass).

Long Beach State also should have a better running game, with back Tommy Nathan, plus the fact that last year's small offensive line has been reinforced. Senior Gary Wann, a good long thrower, will take over at quarterback.

Last season, San Jose State was the biggest, least explosive team on the West Coast. The Spartans had the cloud-ofdust part of it down pat but couldn't get the three yards that are supposed to go with it. New coach Darryl Rogers will solve that problem with the help of fabulous freshman running back Mike Gill.

Fresno State also has a new coach, J. R. Boone, and the best crop of junior college transfers in 25 years. Fourteen of them will be starters, so Bulldog fans will hardly recognize the team.

Idaho will presumably avoid a repeat of the injury plague that claimed 11 starters last year. Also, the squad is the deepest in school history. Best among the new players are sophomore tackle Mike Kramer and freshman linebacker Kjel Kiilsgaard. Offensive guard Bob Van Duyne is a star, and so is cornerback Randy Hall.

Hawaii, well into its building program to become a major football power, enjoys a distinct scheduling advantage. Most teams are delighted by the prospect of spending an extended weekend in the islands, so the Rainbows no longer have to spend much of the autumn scurrying back and forth to the mainland. The 'Bows will play nine games this season in Honolulu Stadium. Quarterbacks Casey Ortez and June Jones lead a team that will feature, among others, All-America tackle candidate Levi Stanley and stellar sophomore offensive linemen Charles Aiu and Adrian Kahoohanohano.

Finally, a closing note. While Stewart Uclall was sending shock waves through last winter's N.C.A.A. convention, members were feverishly discussing preliminary details of a plan termed, for lack of a better name, the Poll Bowl. It calls for the top two college teams in the nation—selected after the regular bowl games by an as-yet-undecided process—to play for the university division national championship on the Saturday before the Super Bowl game. The idea, of course, is to compete with professional football, not only for public attention but also for a big chunk of the television bread. From the fans' point of view, it sounds like a good idea. Southern California vs. Oklahoma probably would have been infinitely more entertaining last January than the stifled yawns inspired by the Super Bowl.

But if that's what the N.C.A.A. officials were thinking about during their meeting last winter, it appears, not surprisingly, that no one was listening to the refreshingly naïve sentiments expressed by Mr. Udall.

Top Twenty Teams

1. Southern California ..... 11-0

2. Michigan ..... 11-0

3. Nebraska ..... 10-1

4. Florida ..... 11-0

5. Alabama ..... 10-1

6. Ohio State ..... 9-1

7. Notre Dame ..... 9-1

8. Penn State ..... 10-1

9. Tennessee ..... 10-1

10. UCLA ..... 9-2

11. Houston ..... 10-1

12. Oklahoma State .... 9-2

13. Colorado ..... 8-3

14. Arizona State ..... 10-7

15. Oklahoma ..... 8-3

16. Texas ..... 8-2

17. North Carolina St. ..... 8-3

18. Texas A &M ..... 8-3

19. Georgia Tech ..... 8-3

20. Louisiana State ..... 7-4

Possible Breakthroughs: Missouri (6–5); San Diego State (10–1); Iowa State (7–4); Mississippi (7–4); Louisville (9–1); Rice (7–4); Toledo (9–2); Memphis State (8–3).

The All-America Squad

(Listed in order of excellence at their positions, all havea good chance of making someone's All-America team)

Quarterbacks: David Jaynes (Kansas), Dave Humm (Nebraska), Joe Pisarcik (New Mexico State), Andy Johnson (Georgia), Brent Blackman (Oklahoma State), Tom Parr (Colgate)

Running Backs: Anthony Davis (USC), Roosevelt Leaks (Texas), Kermit Johnson (UCLA), John Cappelletti (Penn State), Ed Shuttlesworth (Michigan), Willie Burden (North Carolina State), Charlie Davis (Colorado), James McAlister (UCLA), John Winesberry (Stanford), Barton Smith (Richmond)

Receivers: Larry Van Loan (Navy), J. V. Cain (Colorado), Bill Buckley (Mississippi State), Steve Craig (Northwestern), Bruce Adams (Kansas), Paul Seal (Michigan), Danny Buggs (West Virginia), Keith Krepfle (Iowa State), Don Clune (Pennsylvania), Henry Childs (Kansas State)

Offensive Linemen: Charley Getty (Penn State), Willie Viney (Pacific), Rick Druschel (North Carolina State), Dave Manning (Utah State), Tom Wolf (Oklahoma State), Bill Yoest (North Carolina State), Dennis Lick (Wisconsin), Don Crosslin (Texas), Dennis Harrah (Miami), Ken Baugh (Houston)

Centers: Bill Wyman (Texas), Mike Webster (Wisconsin), Steve Taylor (Auburn), Paul Ryczek (Virginia)

Defensive Linemen: Steve Neihaus (Notre Dame), Richard Bishop (Louisville), Rick Dvorak (Wichita State), Charles Hall (Tulane), Pout Vellano (Maryland), Carl Barzilauskas (Indiana), Ronnie Robinson (North Carolina), Lloyd Grimsrud (Idaho), Dan Dickel (Iowa), Rubin Carter (Miami), Mitchell Sutton (Kansas)

Linebackers: Ed O'Neil (Penn State), Warren Capone (LSU), Bob Lally (Cornell), Rod Shoate (Oklahoma), Ralph Ortega (Florida), Glen Gaspard (Texas), Tony Cristiani (Miami)

Defensive Backs: Randy Rhino (Georgia Tech), John Provost (Holy Cross), Darryl Bishop (Kentucky), Carl Capria (Purdue), Bruce Henley (Rice), Frank Polito (Villanova), Dave Brown (Michigan), Greg Bailey (Long Beach State)

Kickers: Rod Garcia (Stanford), Dan Marrelli (Utah)

This Year's Supersophs

(Listed in approximate order of potential)

Quinn Buckner, safety ..........Indiana

Steve Neihaus, defensive tackle ..........Notre Dame

Vince Ferragamo, quarterback ..........California

Archie Griffin, tailback ..........Ohio State

Ed Simonini, linebacker ..........Texas A & M

Tony Davis, running back ..........Nebraska

Andre Jackson, linebacker ..........Iowa

Mitzi Jackson, tailback ..........Auburn

Brian Baschnagel, wingback ..........Ohio State

Maurice Corders, defensive tackle ..........Duke

Joe Washington, running back ..........Oklahoma

George Pugh, tight end ..........Alabama

John O'Leary, running back ..........Nebraska

Reggie Lewis, defensive tackle ..........Oregon

Greg Boykin, tailback ..........Northwestern

Tim Davis, middle guard ..........Michigan

Don Buckey, wide receiver ..........North Carolina State

Rick Jennings, running back ..........Maryland

George Stewart, defensive tackle ..........Southern California

Keith Simons, defensive tackle ..........Minnesota

Dennis Lick, offensive tackle ..........Wisconsin

Dan Lloyd, middle linebacker ..........Washington

John Coleman, fullback ..........Rice

Steve Cassidy, defensive tackle ..........Louisiana State

Dan Jiggetts, offensive tackle ..........Harvard

Wayne Morris, running back ..........SMU

Walter Peacock, running back ..........Louisville

Tom Galbierz, nose guard ..........Vanderbilt

Art Best, running back ..........Notre Dame

Marcus Rogers, fullback ..........Baylor

Frank Harsh, fullback ..........Wake Forest

Mike Kramer, offensive tackle ..........Idaho

The East

Major Independents

Penn State 10-1

Boston College 6-5

West Virginia 5-6

Pittsburgh 5-6

Syracuse 4–7

Villanova 7–4

Navy 3–8

Army 2-8

Ivy League

Pennsylvania 7-2

Cornell 7-2

Yale 6-3

Dartmouth 4-5

Brown 4-4

Columbia 3-6

Princeton 3–6

Harvard 3–6

Other Independents

Delaware 10-1

Holy Cross 7-4

Boston University 7-3

Rutgers 7-4

Temple 5-5

Lehigh 7-4

Colgate 5-5

Lafayette 6-4

Bucknell 4-5

Gettysburg 3-6

Top Players: Cappelletti, Crowder, Getty, Natale, O'Neil (Penn State); Esposito, Briggs, Condon (Boston College); Buggs (West Virginia); Buckmon, Burley (Pittsburgh); Lanham, Moss (Syracuse); Polito, Zimba (Villanova); Cooper, Van Loan (Navy); Davis (Army); Clune, Bellizeare (Pennsylvania); Lally, Allen (Cornell); Doyle (Yale); Funk, Csatari, Klupchak (Dartmouth); Detore, Morgan (Brown); Telep, Brown (Columbia); Snickenberger (Princeton); Jiggetts (Harvard); Kraus, Reihm (Delaware); Provost, Kohn (Holy Cross); Dziama (Boston University); Jennings Rutgers); Grossman, Joachim (Temple); McQuilken, Schlegel (Lehigh); Parr, Van Eeghen (Colgate); Giglio (Lafayette); Probst (Bucknell); Dietz (Gettysburg).

The Midwest

Big Ten

Michigan 11-0

Ohio State 9-1

Iowa 6-5

Illinois 6-5

Purdue 6-5

Wisconsin 5-6

Indiana 5-6

Michigan State 5-6

Minnesota 4-7

Northwestern 3-8

Mid-American Conference

Northern Illinois 10–1

Toledo 9-2

Bowling Green 7-3

Kent State 7-4

Miami 5-5

Western Michigan 4-7

Ohio University 2-8

Independents

Notre Dame 9-1

Marshall 6-5

Cincinnati 5-6

Xavier 5-6

Dayton 5-6

Top Players: Seal, Gallagher, Shuttles-worth, Brown, Franklin (Michigan); Gradishar, Hicks, Henson, Griffin, Baschnagel (Ohio State); Penney, Douthitt, Jackson (Iowa); Roberson, Perrin, Kogut, Uremovich (Illinois); Capria, Pruitt, Peterson (Purdue); Webster, Lick (Wisconsin); Barzilauskas, Sukurs, Buckner (Indiana); Simpson, Shinsky, Brown, Nester (Michigan State); King, Herkenhoff, Simons (Minnesota); Craig, Varty, Boykin (Northwestern); Kellar (Northern Illinois); Swick (Toledo); Miles, Polak (Bowling Green); Lambert, Kokal (Kent State); Hitchens (Miami); Riggio, Cates (Western Michigan); Bevly (Ohio University); Casper, Pomarico, Townsend, Neihaus (Notre Dame); Henry (Marshall); Harrison (Cincinnati); Dydo (Xavier).

The South

Southeastern Conference

Florida 11-0

Tennessee 10-1

Alabama 10-1

Louisiana St. 7-4

Mississippi 7-4

Georgia 6-5

Auburn 4-7

Mississippi St. 5-6

Vanderbilt 6-5

Kentucky 4-7

Atlantic Coast Conference

North Carolina State 8-3

Maryland 7-4

North Carolina 6-5

Virginia 6-5

Duke 5-6

Clemson 3-8

Wake Forest 2-9

Southern Conference

East Carolina 9-2

Richmond 7-3

William & Mary 6-5

Appalachian State 6-5

Furman 5-5

The Citadel 4-7

Virginia Military 2-9

Davidson 2-8

Independents

Georgia Tech 8-3

Tulane 6-5

Miami 6-5

South Carolina 6-5

Tampa 9-2

Southern Mississippi 6-5

Virginia Tech 3-8

Florida State 2-9

Chattanooga 5-6

Top Players: Moore, Revels, Hitchcock, Starkey, Anderson (Florida); Stanback, Townsend, Pulliam (Tennessee); Wheeler, Jackson, Beck (Alabama); Capone, Williams, Davis, Cassidy (Louisiana State); Veazey, Weese, Lyons (Mississippi); Johnson, Poulos, King, Jones, Appleby (Georgia); Langner, Taylor, Sivley, Jackson (Auburn); Buckley, Jones, Barkum (Mississippi State); Ilgenfritz, Galbierz (Vanderbilt); Bishop, Collins (Kentucky); Yoest, Burden, Fritts (North Carolina State); Vellano, White, Carter (Maryland); Pratt, Vidnovic (North Carolina); Ambrose, Classic, Merritt (Virginia); Corders, Clark, Snyder (Duke); Williamson, Pengi. tore (Clemson); Ramsey, Hardin, Harsh (Wake Forest); Grumpier (East Carolina); Smith (Richmond); Montgomery (William & Mary); Haugabrook (Appalachian State); Griffin (Furman); Dean (The Citadel); Schultze (Virginia Military); Walker (Davidson); Rhino, Robinson, Stevens (Georgia Tech); Hall, Foley (Tulane); Cristiani, Harrah, Carter (Miami); Carpenter, Grantz (South Carolina); Wakefield, Solomon (Tampa); Cook, Orange (Southern Mississippi); Shirley (Virginia Tech); Mitchell, Sparkman (Florida State); Brokas (Chattanooga).

The Near West

Big Eight

Nebraska 10-1

Oklahoma St. 9-2

Colorado 8-3

Oklahoma 8-3

Iowa State 7-4

Missouri 6-5

Kansas 5-6

Kansas State 3-8

Southwest Conference

Texas 8-2

Texas A&M 8-3

Rice 7-4

Texas Tech 7-4

Baylor 5-6

Southern Methodist 5-6

Texas Christian 4-7

Arkansas 2-9

Missouri Valley Conference

Louisville 9-1

Memphis State 8-3

Drake 8-3

Wichita State 7-4

West Texas St. 5-6

Tulsa 3-8

New Mexico State 2-9

North Texas State 1-10

Independents

Houston 10-1

Utah State 8-3

Air Force 6-4

Top Players: Dutton, White, Humm, Davis (Nebraska); Boatwright, Palmer, Vann (Oklahoma State); Cain, Davis, McDonald, Matthews (Colorado); Selmon, Shoate, Washington, Burget, Owens (Oklahoma); Blair, Strachan, Krepfle (Iowa State); Anderson, Reamon, Cherry (Missouri); Jaynes, Towle (Kansas); Clarington (Kansas State); Wyman, Crosslin, Minnick, Leaks, Gaspard (Texas); Osborne, Simonini, Roaches (Texas A&M); Henley, Coleman (Rice); Tillman, Barnes (Texas Tech); Luce, Turnipseede, Rogers (Baylor); Kelcher, Maxson, Morris (Southern Methodist); Terveen, Davis (Texas Christian); Morton, Rhodes (Arkansas); Bishop, Smith, Gitschier, DePaola (Louisville); Harris, Thompson, Bruner (Memphis State); Stevenson, Heston, Sears (Drake); Dvorak, Potts, Speck (Wichita State); Pritchett (West Texas State); Colbert (Tulsa); Cook, Pisarcik, Baker (New Mexico State); Davis (North Texas State); Nobles, Johnson, Mitchell, Baugh (Houston); Manning, Rosa (Utah State); Morris, Heil, Hansen (Air Force).

The Far West

Pacific Eight

Southern California 11-0

UCLA 9-2

Oregon 6-5

California 6-5

Washington St. 5-6

Stanford 5-6

Washington 4-7

Oregon State 3-8

Western Athletic Conference

Arizona State 10-1

Arizona 6-5

Brigham Young 6-5

Utah 4-8

New Mexico 3-8

Colorado State 3-8

Wyoming 2-9

Texas at El Paso 2-9

Pacific Coast Conference

San Diego State 10-1

Pacific 9-1

Long Beach State 7-4

San Jose State 6-5

Fresno State 5-6

Independents

Idaho 6-5

Hawaii 7-4

Top Players: Swann, Davis, Wood, Sims, Brown (Southern California); Johnson, McAlister, Allen, Harmon (UCLA); Boryla, Poltl, Winesberry, Stillwell (Stanford); Swenson, Ferragamo (California); Arnold, Francis, Reynolds (Oregon); Osterman, Johnson (Washington State); Hayes, Andrilenas (Washington); Petersen, White (Oregon State); Green, White, Breunig, Malone (Arizona State); Terrell, Hill (Arizona); Atkinson, Coon (Brigham Young); Van Galder (Utah); Bradshaw (New Mexico); Miller (Colorado State); Cockreham (Wyoming); Crittenden (Texas at El Paso); Freitas, Boyer, Thompson (San Diego State); Viney, Bailey (Pacific); Nathan (Long Beach State); Armstrong (San Jose State); Holworthy (Fresno State); Hall, Van Duyne (Idaho); Holmes, Stanley (Hawaii).