Johnson,
Brown
key
bridges
for
G1 /t
lvi
gaps
BY JOEL BLOCK
Last year Michigan football'
SWas a case of the blahs. This
year it may be an Excedrin
Headache.
The Wolverines had to win'
three out of their last four
games to salvage a bleak 4-6
record in 1967. The major cause
of Michigan's troubles was the
g necessity to completely rebuild
both the offensive and defensive
backfields.
Now after a year of painful
apprenticeship, the backfields,
are ready but the lines are not.
Three offensive linemen have
had no playing experience and
Ma fourth has played only slight-
ly. Only two linemen and one
linebacker return from last
year's starting defensive squad.
The man who will suffer the
most from this year's headache,,
Coach Bump Elliott, says he
can't anticipate what the Wol-
gverines will do this year:
"Last year we had a lot of
question marks. This year we
don't have as many but we still
have question marks."
INSTANT RELIEF
Nevertheless, Elliott does. have
two tablets named Johnson
* and Brown for speedy ,relief of
some -of his ills; Ron Johnson,
Michigan's new captain, broke
Tom Harmon's 'team rushing
record with 1005 yards in 220
carries at halfback last year. He
also set' a Big Ten single game
record for most. carries with
, 42 against Northwestern for
167 yards.,
Elliott's second prize offen-
sive returnee is quarterback
Dennis Brown. Brown took over
the starting quarterback duties
inthe middle of last season and
was one of the reasons for
Michigan's late surge.
He, like Johnson, is in the
record-setting category, having
broken Bob Griese's Big Ten
total yardage record last year
with 338 yards in 61 plays
against Indiana. Brown also
completed 290 plays last year
for a new season record.
Elliott says that this year
the offense will be more "wide
open" than last. Michigan will
start out with a common pro
offense, using two wide receiv-
ers and two running backs. Re-
joining Johnson. in the back-
field will be .Garvie Craw, a
capable blocker who rarely car-
ried the ball as last year's start-/
ing , fullback. This year he is
sure to get the call more than
the 29 times he did last year
because of the absence of a
third running back in the back-
field.
Last year halfback J o h n
Gabler caught more passes than
anyone else on the team except
ends Jim Berline and Jim,
Mandich. This year Elliott has
moved Gabler out on the flank
position where he'll have more
room to maneuver.
Mandich's greatest contribu-
tions this year will probably be
more with his shoulders than
his hands as he and lettermen
guard Bob Baumgartner and
tackle Bob Penska will have to
compensate for the inexper-
ience on the right side of the
offensive line.
CENTER HOLE
The departure of captain Joe
Dayton leaves the center posi-
tion without any experienced
returnees. Senior Dave Denzin,
who has watched Dayton from
the bench for the past two sea-
sons, will try to fill the gap.
Playing to the right of Denzin
will be guard Stan Broadnax,
tacklet Dan Dierdorf and end
among the three.
Bill Harris, with Broadnax hav-
ing the only game experience
When defensive backfield
Coach Don James left for a
lucrative position at Colorado,
he left a legacy of four exper-
ienced secondary men to form-
er offensive backfield coach
Hank Fonde.
Of the four returning start-
ers, junior Tom Curtis comes
back with the most impressive
credentials. Curtis, who switch-
ed from quarterback on the
freshman squad to safety on .
the varsity last year tied a Big
Ten record with seven intercep-
tions for the season. Three of
the thefts came at the expense
of Illinois and aided the Wol-
verines' 21-14 win over the
Illini.
Vying with Curtis for top
secondary honors is George
Hoey, senior cornerback who
led the Big Ten in punt returns
and made the All Big Ten
second team. Hoey, only 5'10"
and 165 pounds, is also a sprint-
er on the track team.
Paired with Hoey at corner-
back is Brian Healy, who, like
Curtis was a quarterback on
the frosh squad before he mov-
ed to defense last year. The
fourth member of the defensive
secondary ris Gerry Hartman,
who won a letter in hockey as
well as two in football.
Coach Fonde, who doubles as
defensive coordinator, will need
all the held he can get from the
secondary in backing an in-
experienced linebacking core
and interior. defensive line.
Tom Stinic is the only bright
spot in this area. As a second-
year letterman last year he won
All Big Ten honors as the left-
side linebacker. Cecil Pryor, a
junior, has the starting position
on the right side now but will
receive tough competition, from
sophomore Marty Huff when
he recovers from a leg injury
suffered in practice.
Tom Goss, a senior redshirt,
and Dan Parks, a 6'5" 234
pound sophomore, will share
defensive tackle duties. Goss
has won two letters but injuries
have kept his playing time
down to 144 minutes for two
seasons.
Fonde will depend on return-
ing ends Phil Seymour and Jon
Kramer to keep opposing run-
ners from turning the corners.
Seymour, a rangy 6'4" 193-
pounder, won his starting spot
in the middel of last season.
Kramer spent some of last year
at middle guard but finished
up at left end where he will be
this se'ason.
DUTY CALLS
Defensive duties up the mid-
die will go to senior Jerry
Miklos. He, like Kramer, shared
a part of the middleguard duties
last year and will be backed up
by sophomore Giulio Catallo, a
mammoth 260-pounder from
East Detroit.f
1968 Football Schedule
SEPTEMBER
21
28
5
12
19
26
2
9
16
23'
CALIFORNIA
Duke
OCTOBER
NAVY
MICHIGAN STATE
Indiana
MINNESOTA
NOVEMBER
Northwestern
ILLINOIS
WISCONSIN
Ohio State
HOME
at Durham
HOME
HOME
at Bloomington
HOME
at Evanston
HOME
HOME
at Columbus
RON JOHNSON, Wolverine All-American halfback, attempts to squeeze through a small hole at
right tackle in last year's Michigan State game. Unfortunately, Johnson was met almost immediately
by a host of Spartans, in a play that was typical of the 34-0 disaster. The defect was the worst for
Michigan in the 60 games of the State series, which started in 1898.
The team -1968
(Z1 P
4 t43UUan
it
Namhe
Abrahams, Morris
Baldwin, Edward
Banar, James
Baumgartner, Robert
Berutti, William
Betts, Jim
troadnax, Stanley
Brown, Dennis '
Brown, Richard
Caldarazzo, Richard
Catallo, Giulio
Chisholm, Glynn
Clark, Ronald
'1raw, Garvie
Curtis, Thomas
Denzin, David
Dierhorf, Daniel
Doane, Tom
Drehmann, Peter
Duffy, James
Rutcher, Gerald
Falkenhagen, Curtis
Farabee, David
Federico, Eric
Flanagan, Stephen
Francis, Alan
Frysinger, Terry
Gabler, John
Goss, Thomas
Hall, Werner
Hankwitz, Michael
Harping, Jack
Harris, William
Harrison, Gregory
Hmartman, Gerald
Heagstedt, Bruce
Healy, Brian
Hill, Henry
Hoey, George
Huff, Ralph
Imsland, Jerry
Johnson, Ronald
3ones, Joseph
Kelly, Gregory
Kieta, Robert
Killian, Timothy
Kingdon, Steve
Kramer, Jon
Kunsa, Joseph
ncoln, Edward
Loventhal, John
Lukz, Joseph
Lynch, John
Mandich, James
Mandler, Jay
McCaffrey, Thomas
0 McCoy, Richard
Miklos, Gerald
Moore, Edward
Moorhead, Donald
Newell, Peter
Nieman, Thomas
Parks, Daniel
Penksa, Robert
Perkins, Jerry
Pierson, Barry
Prusiecki, John
Pryor, Cecil
Ritley, Robert
Sample, Fred
Sams, Kirby
Sansom, Elijah
Sasich, Mike
Sarantos, Peter
Scheffler, Lance
Seymour, Philip
Sipp, Warren
Sirosky, Dennis
Sorenson, Eric
Staroba, Paul
Stincic, Thomas
Taekett, Richard
Takach, Thomas
Pos.
DT
OG
DT
OG
OB
OB
OG
OB
LB
OG
DT
HB
FB
DHB
C
OT
LB
OT
MG
OE
DE
OHB
FB
bE
DG
DT
OHB
'DT
OT
OE
OT
OE
OHB
DHB
DE
DHB
DG
DHB
LB
OE
OUB
f OG
DHB
OHB
LB
OT
DE
OG
OE
K
OT
DHB
LB
LB
OE
DT
DG
DE
QB
DE
OE
DT
OT
QB
DHB
DT
LB
OT
C
OHB
DHB
4 H
C
OHB
DE
FB
LB
OHB
OE
DE
DT
OG
Wt.
225
220
218
215
178
180
226
175
215
210
260
185
211
184
220
255
207
206
230
175
198
185
197
193
190
210
208
225
225
190
215
195
183
170
185
170
200
169
220
210
196
195
165
181
220
215
215
207
195
165
210
175
215
210
185
230
227
200
197
218
200
235
225
200
173
245
218
228
225
195
188
175
200
190
193
209
197
185
195
217
227
195
Ht.
6-2
6-1
6-0
60
6-2
6-4
6-0
5-10
6-1
5-10
6-2
6-1
6-2
6-3
5-10
6-1
6-0
:6-2
6-2
6-1
5-11
?6-2
5-10
6-2
6-2
6-2
6-0
6-2
6-4
6-1
5-11
6-1
6-2
6-1
5-10
5-10
6-2
6-2
6-1
6-0
5-8
6-0
6-4
6-4
6-3
6-0
6-0
5-13
6-1
5-10
6-3
5-10
6-2
6-4
6-3
6-1
6-3
6-4
6-1
6-5
6-1
6-0
6-0
6-2
6-4
6-0
6-0
6-0
6-1
5-10
6-0
6-0
6-4
6-1
6-0
6-0
6-3
6-3
6-3
6-0
Class
Jr.
Soph.-
Jr.
Sr.
Soph.
Soph.
Sr.
S.
Jr.
Jr.
Soph.
Soph.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
Soph.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Soper.'
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Soph.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Soph.
Jr.
Soph
Sr.
Soph.
Jr.
Soph.
Sr. h
Soph.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Soph.
Sr.
Soph.
Soph.
Sr.
Sr.
Soph.
Jr.
Jr
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Soph..
Soph.
Sr.
Soph.
Soph.
Soph.
Soph.
Soph.
Sr.
Soph.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Soph.
Soph.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Soph.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Soph.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Home Town
Ann Arbor
Hamilton
Detroit
Chicago
Franklin
Cleveland
Cincinnati
Lincoln P
Auburn
Melrose P
East Detr.
Detroit
Montclair
Aurora, O.
Xenia, .
Canton, .
Wauseon
Abington
Dayton, O.
Coruia
Bridgeport
Holland
Trenton
Oak Park
Euclid, 0.
Ecorse
Royal Oak
Knoxville
Sandusky
Scottsville
Cincinnati
Mt. Clement
Jackson
Ann Arbor
Wilmette
Sandusky
Detroit
Flint
Toledo, .
Northvile
Detroit
Evanston
Bloomfield
Chicago
Lincoln
Pekin
Toledo, O.
W. Braddo
Detroit
Highland
Niles, O.
Chicago
Solon, .O
Chicago
Silver St.
Alliance, O.
Chicago
Youngstown
Southhaven
Park Ridge
Evanston, I.
Birmingham
Niles, O.
Gary, Ind.
St. Igance
East Chicago
Corpus Christi
Garfield Ht.
Pittsburgh
Corpus Christi
Detroit
Milwaukee
Elkhart, Ind.
Trenton
Berkley,
.Akron, O.
Ecorse
Royal Oak
Flint
Cleveland
Kalamazoo
Detroitj
I
i
l
'
i
J
SPORTS SECTION
Vol. LXXIX, No. 1 Ann Arbor, Michigan -Thursday, August 29, 1968 Eight Pages
Big Four' dominate conference;
Wolverines. rate ,with also-rans
By DOUG HELLER
Associate Sports Editor
Just listen to that anvil chorus:
"PURDUE, OHIO STATE, MIN-
NESOTA, INDIANA."
The preseason pollsters haven't
had much trouble making their
minds up over the Big Ten race
this year. The conference, be-
ginning to come back from darkest
depths of its existence is supposed
to progress to the point where it
might truly be called the "Big
Four."
And so we find a clear distinc-
tion between "the professionals
and the washerwomen," (as Casey
Stengel used to say). The na-
tion's eyes will follow the fight
as the awesome Boilermaker of-
fense with larger-than-life stars,
tries to stop Woody Hayes' Buck-
eyes attempt to come back to
national prominence.mMeanwhile,
the methodical Gopher defense
from the cold North Country, and
DENNIS BROWN, Michigan's starting quarterback, lugs the ball
through the line during one of the Wolverine's contests last
season. Brown took over for Dick Vidmer midway through the
season and has started every game since.
196&s Cinderella .in Hoosierland,
one year later, will try for a piece|
of the action.
PUNCHING BAGS
As the heralded battle ensues,1
six obscure teams, mercifully
clothed in relative anonymity, will
act as punching bags for the "Big
Four," or else war among them-
selves with nothing at stake.
Purdue University, of Lafayette,
Ind., has been mentioned perhaps
more than anyone else as the na-
tion's number one team. Coach
Jack Mollenkopf finds himself
with three at least potential All-
Americans in the same backfield.
KEYES KEY
Leroy Keyes. of course, is more
than a potential All-American.
I The Boilermaker press guide calls
him "The Golden Mr. Do-Every-
thing," which couldn't be more
corny, or more accurate. He runs,
he throws, he catches, he plays
defense. The only way to stop
Keyes is to convince Mollenkopf
that due to a dire shortage he
would be more valuable as team
manager than anything else. No
doubt Keyes would be the world's
greatest team manager. y
Fullback Perry Williams was
first team All-Big Ten a year ago
and so was quarterback Mike
Phipps, so both have a great
chance to be All-American this
year.
Behind their three stars, the
Boilermakers should be merely
above average. On offense, cen-
ter Mike Frame, guard Gary Rob-
erts and tight end Marion Grif-
fith insure plenty of blocking,
while the defense with middle
guard Chuck Kyle, and lineback-
ers Dick Marvel and Bob Yunaska,I
will be about the best in the
conference.
Ohio State finished one game,
behind the three leaders in last
year's championship scramble and
have lost next to nothing from
BEFORE STATE:
Non-league schedule bumpy
that squad. The Buckeyes have
so much depth that their second
team would do well in this sea-
son's race.
Quarterback Bill Long, who
was highly consistent when he
See DEPTH, Page 2
BR F*R~E L OUTR
gs.n fans before this vear's sta- i
tistics ooze into the record books.
Any football team that plays a Dke winotpreyoookh.
ten game season must play at least Duke will probably go to the
ten gameseand since three is a air more this year than previous,
smaller number than ten, it must' giving the Wolverine's defensive
play at least three games. If the secondary a workout. The Blue
aforesaid football team plays its Devils feature three capable re-
games in the prescribed order, ceivers in Marc Courtillet, Jim
then the first three games must Dearth, and Henly' Carter. Who
logically be played as the first will loft the ball to these three
three games of the season. fellows is a point still open for
Michigan plays a ten game sea-
son normally (this year being no
exception), and, since the Wol- A ll-Sports cu
verines can' be expected to follow'
the prescribed order, then, indeed,
the first three games played w.ila n 1o
be the first three games of the as Cham pion
season.
The obvious and singular reason By DIANA ROMANCHUK
for splitting the first three games Michigan has once again prov-
off from the ensuing seven is that en it is the best athletic school in
they involve non-league foes forI teBgTn
the Maize and Blue. Since it has the Big Ten.
been shown already that the three the football championship, or the
games will indeed take place, let basketball crown?
us look at what we, as spectatorsI: ,
.
s
s
i
}
a
discussion, however, with no less
than four players in contention
for the quarterbacking job.
Linebacking will be the strong
point of the team with Dick
Biddle and Ed Newman returning.
Concluding Michigan's non-
conference competition will be the
Middies of Navy. Although coach
Bill Elias seems optimistic about
See EARLY, Page 3
Sports Beat Sports Beat Sports Boat
Bl Dvi' Weir
Foe be defeated
t or Bump be deleted
Last year, for the third straight season, Michigan's football team
was not in contention for the Big Ten title.
Last year, also for the third straight season, Michigan's in-
fluential alumni lobby thought the Wolverines SHOULD have been
in contention for the Big Ten title.
Result?
Tremendous pressure was brought upon Athletic Director H. 0.
(Fritz) Crisler to replace Bump Elliott as head football coach.
Elliott, who in nine seasons has one conference championship to
his credit, barely holds a winning record .43-40-2) overall, and is well
under the .500 mark (27-33-2) in Big Ten play.
Alumni pressure to replace Elliott reached a peak in late
November, when a group led by several former Wolverine football
stars organized a movement to bring Forrest Evashevski to Mich-
igan in the dual capacity of head grid coach and Athletic Director.
Although the "draft-Evy" movement fizzled out almost as fast
as it started, it was not without impact.
Members of Michigan's Atletic Board reportedly began grum-
bling disconcertedly about Elliott's "conservative" brand of football
as compared to the "dynamic" offensive formations being introduced
at other Big Ten schools.
Influential alumni not in support of thie Evashevski draft, but
holding substantial strings to the Wolverine athletic purse, started
questioning the won-lost mileage registered by late-model Elliott
gridiron machines.
The inevitable result was a rumor from the athletic department-
a rumor not without considerable evidence-that Bump was issued an
ultimatum for the 1968 season: "Win or get out."
The actual ultimatum must have been phrased in softer terms,
for at least two reasons:
One, everyone knows Bump is too nice a guy to be fired.
Two, the man who presumably had to give him the news was
his former coach and career-long friend, Fritz Crisler.
Nevertheless, the fact remains that Elliott has reached an Im-
passe in his coaching career, with nowhere to go but down, since the
appointment of Don Canham as Crisler's successor spoiled any chance
for administrative ascension on the local level.
Canham and the new edition of the Athletic Board may or may
not support the ultimatum, but a large-scale publicity war is being
waged in advance of this year's grid campaign, building up the Wol-
verine's title chances.
The publicity and ticket departments are taking advantage of
several major selling points on the Michigan roster to vend the Maize
and Blue to a disinterested public.
And with the incentive of the ultimatum to spike Elliott's coach-
-- ., .-.,. ,Y,, . Lt, - C .....;,.of .m'L.. *,.1.....t. a ri rc .ee '?n -n
) back in Wolverine country
is of the West' edge Spartans
The Gophers from Minnesota Outdoor track, where, Michigan
hold down third place with 82 has already racked up 21 champ-
points. Indiana, despite its three -ionshipsacontributed second place
championships, trails a poor points along with indoor track,
fourth at 74. Wisconsin, co- swimming, anda wrestling tie.
basketball champs Ohio State and The two remaining summer
Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern, and sports, golf and baseball, filled in
Purdue round out the rest of the the third and fourth spots.
standings. Only basketball and cross-
It is the sixth time in eight country dipped to sixth place.
years that Michigan has prevail- As for football . . . it was a
ed over the rest of the Big Ten. fifth place finish.
Not bad for a school that is If you dig back in the files,
constantly berated of late for its however, you'll find that Michi-
l.ek offnh ,,,,t . - gan has been champion of the
can expect from these first three
opponents.
First on the agenda will be in-
vading California. Last year Cali-
fornia squeaked by the Wolverines
10-9, marking the beginning of
the '67 slide for Michigan's grid
fortunes. This year the Golden
Bears look as solidly mediocre as
last, with 31 letter-winners re-
No .
But the over-all Wolverine
strength on the sports scene was
sufficient to capture the All-
Sports trophy.#
This mythical cup is awarded
each year to the team who has
compiled the most points. Points
are determined from the final
standings in the 13 conference
sports. Very simply, ten points are
lac of ootai vicories.
Actually the Wolverines copped
two crowns last year - one on the
ice and the other on the tennis
gridiron nine times. Only Ohio
State can boast one more, but,
interestingly enough, the Spart-
an .nna iim,. tie