FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1967

THE MICHIGAN DAILY

FRIDAY, NOVEMJ3ER 3,1967 THE MICHIGAN DAILY


DEFENSE STRESSED:
Capers Eager For Kentucky

0.1. Simpson: Breaks'Everywhere

0 0

By HUD ENGLEHART
believe it or not, basketball sea-
3on is only one short month away.
The Wolverine cagers open
against the Kentucky Wildcats,
Saturday, December 2, hopefully
in the new All-Events Building.
Head coach Dave Strack and his
new assistant, John Orr, have been
working feverishly these past three
weeks to whip Michigan's young
but experienced team into shape.
"The whole team is making
progress each session," said Strack.
"There is much more spirit this
year and the team is eager for
the season to start. These guys
are ready to go.'
The whole Big Ten shapes up to
be a much better league this
season, particularly on offense.
With such offensive stalwarts as
Sam Williams at Iowa, Lee La-
fayette at Michigan State, and
Rick Mount at Purdue, the name
of Big Ten basketball this year
will be defense.
Strack Knows
And Dave Strack knows this as;
well as anybody. And unfortun-
ately, the biggest problem to date
faced by the Wolverines has been
defense.
"The bulk of our pre-season
work has been devoted to beefing
up our defense," said Strack.
Even though the Michigan head
mentor has emphasized defense,
he does face one problem that he
can't really solve. The Wolverines
don't have, and won't have, a
defensive post man. This will, ne-
cessitate a much more aggressive
defense from the Wolverines than
they have been able to muster in
recent years.
With a fine flock of forwards
and potent scoring, however, Mich-
igan may be able to make up for
the lack of a big man at the post.
Another Cazzie
Rudy Tomianovich, who Dave
Strack is already comparing to
Cazzie Russell, is a strong re-
bounder at 6-7 with the ability to
charge the backboards like the
Light Brigade hit the English.

RUDY TOMJANOVICH

By DAVE THOITS
one of only two seniors on the O. J. Simpson is a man with
team, is the man that Michigan quite a past, a present and some
will have to lean on most heavily future.
for leadership this season. Al- Never in the history of col-
though there has been no captain legiate football has a player
elected for this season, Strack created the sensation in his first
has said that if he had to choose season as has the man from San
a captain it would be Pitts. Francisco.
Pitts All-Around! Simpson has an injured right
Pitts, the steadiest player of last ankle presently and whether or
year's team, is an all-around ball nor he will return to play for
player. He is quick offensively and Southern California this season
defensively, he has a soft jump is not yet known. Simpson said
shot, and he is strong enough to Wednesday that "the foot is com-
bull his way past any forward in ing along real well and if it keeps
the league for rebounds and shot improving like it has been, I im-
making in close. agine I'll play again this year."
One of the top candidates for the ag e'I offlrytcgesn ow ar
other guard position is Ken Maxie, He's off crutches now and re-
the 5-10 speedster from Cazzie ceiving treatment daily, his coach.
Russell's former high school, Chi- John McKay said. Still, Simpson
cago Carver. Maxie's great speed probably won't be playing any-
makes him one of the toughest more for us this year."
men on the team to get past. With the game of the un-
On top of his defensive ability, beatens, USC against UCLA, just
Maxie has exhibited a knack for two weeks from tomorrow, Trojan
being in the right place at the followers still are hoping Simp-
'right time. Ann Arbor junk deal- sows t re hopirgaSmp-
son's foot responds to treatment
ers should be as prosperous as so that he will be back in his
Maxie in picking up the big shot familiar tailback posion Un-
from the most unbelievable of fortunately the length of his con-
places for his size.fvaec cn' be predicd
Sophomores Rick Bloodworth valescence cant be predicted.
(6-3) and Mark Henry (6-0) have Tremendous Season
good outside shots and are quick Should Simpson not p 1 a y
on defense and can be used any- against UCLA he will still have
time in the guard spots. for himself a tremendous season.
Questions In the mere six and one-half
For talent, the Wolverines aren't games Simpson has played in, he's
hurting a bit unless it be in the rushed for the phenomenal figure
post position. And the forward of 1050 yards, caught passes for
strength may be able to overcome 100 more yards, scored nine touch-
that deficiency.
For experience, Michigan isn't a. s.::;' ".:":: .. : :
wanting either. Six of the seven:
juniors. on this year's squad start- BII
ed at one time or another last
year and Pitts has proven himself
under fire.
The question that remains is
whether the team can clean up The Freshman football team
last season's sloppy performance. will host Bowling Green today
Hopefully, the sophomore jinx will at 2:30 p.m. at Ferry Field.
be non-existent this season giving Admission will be free for those
the Wolverines something to work with student IDs or adult sea-
with besides slippery hands and son passes. All others will be
dissent. charged $1.

downs, and passed for three other
scores.
Except for his opening effort of
94 yards, Simpson has not been
under 150 yards rushing in a
game. He riddled Michigan State
for 190 yards, gave one of the
all-time individual efforts in USC
history with his 235 yards agains
Washington, and became the first
player since 1962 to gain over
100 yards rushing against a Notre
Dame team by picking up 150
yards against the Irish.
Before his injury, Simpson was
a leading candidate for the Heis-
man Trophy, though still only
a junior.
Gets Good "Break"
Simpson started his athletic
career just like any other high
schooler, b u t a n unexpected
"break" set him on the trail to
greatness. "I started on the J.V.
team playing baseball but I broke
my hand. I then concentrated on
football and track my junior and
senior years." Simpson played on
a mediocre team his senior year,
but still made the San Francisco
All-City team.
Then it was on to City College
of San Francisco for Simpson,
and a two year career that's hard
to believe. Simpson has been
called the most sensational foot-
ball player in junior college his-
tory. He scored 54 touchdowns
and gained 2,552 yards (9.8 yards
per carry), making Junior Col-
lege All-American both years.
Shapes Up Well
His move to the "big leagues"
this year hasn't taken much away
from those impressive statistics
as he's more than lived up to
every pre-season billing given
him.
Simpson says "the big differ-
ence this year is conditioning. I
was in shape before but they
really work you up here." When
practice started this fall, Simp-
son "knew whoever won the tail-
back position would be good, and
I'm glad it was me."

His team's success hasn't really
surprised Simpson.
"I knew we'd be tough, but
didn't think we'd be undefeated
now." Neither did many other
people considering Southern Cal's
rigorous schedule, b u t these
people probably weren't expect-
ing the immediate greatness of
one O. J. Simpson.
Modesty
As for his own success, Simp-
son relates that "we've got a
great line and they do an excel-
lent job." Not that O. J. doesn't
do much himself.
The logical question for Simp-
son is whether or not he plans
on professional football after his
college days. He has the logical
answer: "Yes, definitely I've al-
ways wanted to be a pro." And
some pro he should be.
In some of his spare time, Simp-
son goes out and helps set world
records as a member of USC's
crack 440-yard relay team. With
the Olympic year of 1968 almost
here, does he plan on a spot on
America's team? "No, doubt if I
can make it, but I'll probably try."
Knowing O. J., he'll probably try,
and make it.
Academics Too
Simpson is very definite when
talking of his academic "career."
"I'm majoring in public adminis-
tration so I can go into juvenile
work. I'd like to work with kids
in trouble with the law."
McKay calls Simpson" a very
polite person and a fine football
player, who's well liked by all of
his teammates. He can make the
three yard run look exciting."
Simpson is all this as well as
being an extremely humble in-
dividual. He sounds like a third
stringer just happy for a spot on
the team when he says "it's just
great to be a Trojan."

To add to this, Tomjanovich has a
fine jump shot that he could pour
in from the opposing foul line if
he had to.
Along with Tomjanovich, Strack
will probably use Dennis Stewart,
the 6-6, 210 pound junior who
showed flashes of greatness in last
year's flashless season. If Stewart
can hit his corner shots with some
kind of consistency this year he
will add a great deal to the
Michigan scoring punch.
Strack will also be able to call
on Dave McClellan (6-4), an ex-
cellent outside shooter, and Bob
Sullivan (6-4), a tough rebounder
and good passer.
Depth
The forward positions seem to
show depth this year that would
rival the oceans. Willie Edwards
(6-5) and Scott Montrose (6-7)
both have the ability to replace
any of the front liners when neces-
sary.
Depth also characterizes the
guard positions. Jim Pitts (6-3),

-Daily-Thomas R. Copi
STREAKING O. J. SIMPSON (32) charges past a would-be
tackler as he piles up yardage against Michigan State. The key
man in the Trojans' 21-17 victory, he picked up 190 yards rush-
ing. Simpson has picked up over 1000 yards in the six and one-
half games he played this year.
I'-

SPORTS NIGHT EDITOR:
BILL LEVIS

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