SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER. 24,1967
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
PAGE :YINE
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1967 TilE MICHIGAN DAILY PAGE NINE
Grayle Howlett
OFF BASE
The Faces Have Changed...
So Has the Game
The happiest guy at Michigan Stadium yesterday had to be the
man with the program concession. The 1967 edition of the University
of Michigan had more changes in personnel than the Egyptian army.
It seemed like the first movement by students on this bright, sunny
day was not toward their hip pockets for some liquid refreshments
but for a roster. And for good reason.
An era of some consequence ended this year, or more correctly
last year. For the past three seasons those who followed Wolverines
fortunes followed pretty much the same guys. That little guy jumping
over blockers was Carl Ward. The big guy falling forward for those
15-yard gains was Dave Fisher. And on and on. It got so Conelrad
was getting a higher rating than the field announcer.
But this year, Michigan went in big, for the youth movement
and it caught everybody somewhat by surprise. "Why, they even
gave Clancy's number to somebody else," someone commented.
However, not only were the names changed but the play was
altered to protect the football team from the wrath of the Wolverine
fans who had weathered two previous mediocre campaigns. Michigan
added a new play to their playbooks-the winning play-and the 10-7
victory over the perrennial southern rival on Michigan's schedule,
this time Duke, might spell some optimism for the coming season.
Responsible for the big change are guys like Jim Mandich, Jim
Berline, Brian Healy, Frank Titas, Tom Curtis, Jerry Hartman, Ernie
Sharpe and Ron Johnson-all part of Michigan's version of the "Whiz
kids." For once I've walked into a locker room where most of the
players look younger than me. All these guys are still using their first
Wilkinson blade.
And if anybody gets the idea that the closeness of the final
score might indicate other than a winning team check the statis-
tics. Last year Ron Johnson and Ernie Sharpe handled the ball
only 44 times for 145 yards rushing. Yesterday in one ball game
they were called on 38 times and outdistanced their 1966 per-
formance by two yards.
In Michigan's touchdown drive, Johnson and Sharpe carried
the ball on all seven plays. In the short drive which produced the
winning field goal, it was a couple of passes to Sharpe and Johnson
which set it up.
The consensus was varied on exactly how good the Duke squad
was, but one thing agreed on was that this game would be valuable
experience-wise.
"I wasn't really happy with the way I played today," a relaxed
Sharpe commented after the game, "I could have run alot better.
But one thing is good-we've got the first game jitters out of the way."
Ron Johnson, shaking hands with all the reporters, put it this
way: "That was the first game I've started. You know, there is
something to that 'game under your belt' kit (Duke played their
opener against Wake Forest last week). We really outplayed them
but made too many mistakes. We'll get settled now that we've got
a little experience."
Jim Mandich, whose press clippings have put Solon, O., on the
map, had to agree: "Duke was a tough team and played well against
us. But they didn't surprise us any or try any new plays. I think the
fact that they set up a yard off the ball on offense may have confused
our defense a little. But we just needed the experience and now
we've got it.'
Another bright spt was the performance of Michigan's defensive
secondary which held the Blue Devils passing game to a scant six
completions in 16 attempts for a total of 84 yards. Last week in
Raleigh, Duke's quarterback contingent picked apart Wake Forest's
pass defense for 213 yards. The Wolverine defensive backfield was
supposed to be as porous as the Yost Fieldhouse roof.
"I guess we surprised some people," Tom Curtis relayed after
the game. "We'll get better, too, a lot better."
Of course, my favorite was Brian Healy, a 170-lb. sophomore
from Sandusky, Ohio, who had the toughest job of all-he had to hold
the ball for the winning placement. When asked if he was nervous,
he started to shake all over again. Since he had the best vantage
point,'it was only logical to inquire about the nature of the boot. It
looked to be a bit low. "Nobody blocked it or anything, that's just
the way Frank (Titas) kicks. He hits the ball a little high up. But
I don't care. It went through."
And that should be the attitude of the fans. The ball went through
and we won. It's the type of team that's going to get better. And with
the outcome in East Lansing yesterday, it looks like our first Big Ten
encounter is going to be with a team that is human again. My sug-
gestion would be to study up on the roster.
Let's see. Clancy's number is now Healy's. Fisher's 33 is now
on Sipp . ...
Dramatic
(Continued from Page 1)
After Wolverine defensive end
Tom Stincic recovered a Blue Dev-
il fumble in the third quarter, the
Michigan offensive machine went
to work, covering 44 yards in sev-
en plays, with Sharpe tallying on
a draw play.
Johnson and Sharpe were Mich-
igan's rushing leaders, with 82
and 65 yards netted, respectively.
In the locker room, Vidmer was
effusive in his praise of Johnson.
"He's a tremendous back. A
slashing, disciplined runner, he'll
be hit by two men and still man-
age to spin away for more yard-
age. Johnson flies off the line
the way an end does."
Option Missed
Absent from the Wolverine ar-
ray of offensive weapons was the
potent quarterback option of years
past. The play that was used to
great effectiveness by the Bob
Timberlake-Mel Anthony and Vid-
mer-Dave Fisher - combinations
had become too familiar to op-
posing defenses. "Duke kept its
ends loose to guard against it,"
Vidmer explained.
The Wolverine defensive unit,
after a preliminary lapse, grew
stronger as play went on. Blue 'r
Devil quarterback Al Woodhall,
8-for-11 in the Wake Forest con-
test, had been expected to give
Michigan's young defensive sec-
' gondary a rough initiation. The MICHIGAN quarterback
Wolverine team of Brian Healy, Vidmer, a top candidateI
George Hoey, Tom Curtis and in addition to Berline, t
Jerry Hartman were handing out and 1966 Captain Jackt
all the surprises, however, as they
held the Blue Devils to 84 yards also recovering a DukeI
passing, Healy intercepting a des- Rocky Rosema equalled S
peration bomb on the last play heroics with a fumble recov
of the game. "The defense gained mon
Looking better than ever, Mich- as the game went on," Ellio
igan linebacker Dennis Morgan led mented. "It was one of the
both teams in tackles with 12, where you are fighting an
Field
Goal Nips
Duke
Daily-Thomas R. Copt
Dick Vidmer launches an aerial to split end Jim Berline, who is wrestled to the turf by two Duke defenders.
for All-Big Ten honors, picked apart a game-seasoned Blue Devil secondary for a total of 174 yards, utilizing,
targets tight end Jim Mandich and halfbacks Ron Johnson and Ernie Sharpe. Berline, heir to All-America
Clancy's job, snared four of Vidmer's passes for a day's total of 52 yards.
bobble.
3tincic's
ery.
mentum
tt com-
games
uphill
battle the entire way."
Fight the offense did. Fight
the defense did. Fight Frank Ti-
tas did.- And the Wolverine de-
feated fate.
Elliott summed up everyone's
feelings. "I'm just glad we won."
bothered and Bedeviled ...
By aLast-Second Blue Field Goal
STREAK ENDED:
Alabama Knots FSU
BIRMINGHAM - Cool Kim own 27 to the FSU 18. Ed Morgan
Hammond passed inspired Florida carried it over from the three
State to a 37-37 tie with second- four plays later and Steve Davis'
ranked Alabama last night and kick made it 37-30.
ended the Tide's winning streak-
at 17-a string begun at FSU's
expense in 1965. ks "
Hammond threw a perfect eight- p
yard pass to Bill Morman in the *
final minutes and Grant Guthrie s
kicked the point that tied it up.'s ,a[
The stunning Seminoles kept stockof swagen parts
Alabama on the low end of the
score for a major part of the game.OVERSEAS
before Kenny Stabler put Alabama
ahead with about four minutes
left.I
Stabler hit Dennis Homan on a -'U ..
pass to carry the Tide from its
AMERICA'S
GREAT EST
SLACKS
"HAMILTON HOUSE"
TROUSERS
$16 TO $25
HUBBARD SLACKS
$10 TO $20
"BREECH ES"
PERMANENT PRESS
$7 TO $9
MICHIGAN DUKE
First Downs 20
Rushing 10
Passing 9
Penalty 1
Total No. of Rushes 46
Net Yards-Rushing 126
Passing 174
Forward Passes Att. 27
Completed 13
Intercepted by 1
Yards Int. returned 0
Total Plays (Rushes and
Passes) 73
Punts, Number 4
Average distance 35.5
Kickoffs, returned by 2
Yards Kicks Returned 102
Punts 50
Kickoffs 52
Fumbles, Number 4
Yards penalized 30
15
11
4
0
49
133
84
16
6
2
0
65
6
33.3
3
Ill
14
97
6
30
7 3-10
0 0-7
PAS SING
Michligan
At
D)uke
Vidmer
Woodall
Berline
Sharpe
Johnson
Mandich
Totals
n
t. Comp. Yds.
27 13 174
16 6 84
PASS RECEIVING
Michigan
Courtillet
Calabrese
Hicklin
Schaefer
Dearth
Totals
Drehmann
Craw
Baglien
2
1
1
1
6r
Duke
37
22
12
4
9
84
18.5
22.0
12.0
4.0
9.0
14.0
r
No. Yds.
4 52
4 45
4 56
1 21
13 174
Ave.
13.0
11.3
14.0
21.0
13.4
PUNTING
Michigan
No.
3
1
Duke
Yds. Ave.
112 37
36 36
6 200 33
MICHIGAN
DUKE
0 0
7 0
Sharpe
Vidmer
Sipp
Johnson
Totals
Davis
Calabrese
Ryan
Woodall
Schafer
Baglien
Totals
RUSHING
Michigan
Tries
19
6
2
19
46
Duke
4
10
21
12
1
1
49
Net.
65
-25
4
82
126
7
33
81
4
5
3
154
Ave.
3.4
-4.2
2.0
4.3
2.7
1.8
3.3
3.9
3.0
5.0
3.0
3.2
SPORTS NIGHT EDITOR:
JOHN SUTKUS
PAUL CAME LET
MASTER TAILOR
Alterations for Men & Women
He is not with the Camelet
Brothers any more. He is
in business for himself.
1103 S. University
above drug store
663-4381
L:::a i ^ ::i} ...., .
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