. THE MICHIGAN DAILY
F iDiAY
THE MICHIGAN DAILY FRIDAY.
A. LIVALii 1
SOME PROBLEM?
Lack of Depth Bothers Duffy
by TOM ROLAND
It's a not-so-optimistic Duffy
Daughtery up in East Lansing this
fall.
The title-smashing defeats at
the hands of Minnesota and Pur-
due last year might have some-
thing to-do with it. Even Daugh-
erty is reluctant about sticking his
neck out in the face of mounting
Ruggers Practice.
Tomorrow afternoon at 1:30
the first rugby practice of the
season will be held at Wines
Field. All interested are invited
to attend.
alumni pressure and-as was the
case last year-into the noose of
the mock capital punishment from
the local natives.
The graying Zeus of Michigan
State football glory looked un-
usually thoughtful as he spoke to
newsmen or press day at Spartan
stadium two weeks ago. "We are
going to have to get our best 11
players on the field at one time,"
commented Daugherty. "Platoon-
ing is a luxury -we won't be able
to afford."
Discussing Luxuries
While the seven-year head coach
veteran was solemnly discussing
the luxuries he won't be able to
afford, his center-line nucleus was
standing in the background pos-
ing for photographers.
Dave Behrman, a trifle 253 lbs.
stacked on a 6' 4" frame, will
be up front at the center post-
All-American and All-Big Ten last
year, most improved lineman on
the team last spring. He's the big-
gest regular ever to play for State.
Then next to Behrman on one
side is George Azar, now starting
his third year as first-string guard,
and on the other side Charlie
Brown, 5' 9" weighing 207.
Someone asked Duffy about
Playboy magazine's rating the
Spartans as top. grid power in
the nation. Playboy also picked
Duffy as coach of the year.
'Humor Magazine'
Duffy replied that, of course,
Playboy was a "humor magazine,"
and that it was banned in East
Lansing anyhow.
While everyone chuckled at this,
the remaining beef on the State
front line plodded into view. MSU's
B-boys at the tackles: the can't-
be-missed, barrel-man, 247 lbs.
of Jim Bobbitt (and all that rests
on a 5' 8" foundation) and Ed
Budde (who stands even with
BehrmaA at 6' 4"; he weighs 234.)
End Ernie Clark likes to play
games with Duffy. Duffy throws
Ernie bullet passes at point-blank
range. And Ernie catches them-
one-handed.
Matt Snorton, 6' 4" and 235 lbs.,
guards the other flank.
And then the matter of logis-
tics came up. It seems fate has
determined that every fourth MSU
team will be a loser. Duffy found
rough going in 1954, his first ;fear
as head coach, and then again in
1958. And now, 1962.
Not Superstitious,
Says Duff: "I'm not supersitious
-except that I believe it's bad
luck to be behind at the end of
a game. I'm much more con-
cerned with some practical matters
facing this 1962 Spartan team.
"We will try to accomplish more
with fewer proven players than
any time since I've been around
here. We're just hoping that the
abilities in this squad will com-
pensate for the lack of numbers."
The news scavengers then broke
up to watch State's number one
backfield quartet in action. Michi-
gan fans will remember quarter-
back Pete Smith, who Duffy said
"came into his own" against the
Blue last year. Smith has the top
signal-calling post right now, but
Major League
Standings
AMERICAN LEAGUE
is getting plenty of push from
sophomore Charlie Migyanka, who
starred during spring drills while
Smith was playing baseball.
Twist Champion
Behind Smith: fullback and
captain, George Saimes, who took
an All-Big Ten slot last fall while
taking twist honorssat campus
dances, is back with his fast-step-
ping 186 lbs. Saimes averaged 5.5
yds. per tote a year ago, starred
with a two-touchdown effort that
stifled an upset-bound Notre
Dame eleven.
State will be all speed in the
halfback ranks. Sherman Lewis,
whose 154 lbs. makes you think
of a cute little boy reading comics
in the corner drug store (he's
only 5' 8"), has lighting agility.
Taking first place in the Big Ten
indoor broad jump and 300-yd.
dash events in the spring, Lewis
picked up 6.2 yds. a carry while
scoring 38 points last year.
- Dewey Lincoln holds down the
other halfback slot. Named most
improved back at the close of
spring drills, Lincoln (5' 8", 177)
was third leading groundgainer for
State a year ago.
Less Depth
Duffy's right when he says State
has less depth than in previous
years. But he's got plenty to work
with. Already familiar names like
Lonnie Sanders, Herman Johnson,
Ron Rubick, Earl Lattimer, and
Mike Currie (Dan's brother) are
giving the Spartans back-up
power.
It's been said that State prob-
ably has the best first team in
the conference-if not the coun-
try. If Duffy can keep it intact
while bringing up support from
the inexperienced ranks the Spar-
tans could well pose a threat to
Ohio State's conference crown.
You can bet that it's a very
injury-concious Duffy Daugherty
who holds his breath through
every practice scrimmage.
Myhra Signs
New Contract
FARGO, N. D. (P)-Steve Myhra,
placekick specialist released by the
Baltimore Colts, said yesterday he
has agreed to terms with the San
Diego Chargers of the American
Football League.
Myhra was contacted by the
Chargers while visiting his wife
and new baby here. He left yes-
terday to join the AFL club.
Myhra was told by San Diego
coach Sid Gillman that he would
be used in the Chargers' game
Sunday. Myhra, graduate of North
Dakota, was not claimed by other
clubs in the National Football
League in the 24-hour waiver
period.
New York
Minnesota
Los Angeles
Chicago
Detroit
Baltimore
Cleveland
Boston
Kansas City
Washington
,w
88
83
82
77
74
73
72
70
65
57
L
61
66
66
71
73
75
76
78
82
93
Pct.
.591
.557
.554
.520
.503
.493
..486
.473
.442
.380
GB
5
512
13
M Y
1512
17 2
22
31 f2
hWINKS THINKS
"T HAS BEEN common practice around this time of year for mem-
bers of The Daily sports staff to reflect, ponder, and conjecture
about Michigan football prospects for the coming season."
Many years ago the above statement in a Daily editorial might
well have been the prelude to an optimistic prediction of great things
in store for Wolverine fans in the very near future. Lately, however,
Michigan football columns. have lacked the glamour and strong feel-
ing of pertinence associated with a winning team. This is not to say
that Michigan has tumbled to an obsolete aggregate of rank amateurs
on the gridiron; neither is it the case that Daily sportswriters have
lost the ability to glamorize, overstate, plagiarize, and editorialize
either.
Football at Michigan is far from de-emphasized. The certain
half-tangible feeling that football will not be too rewarding, which
gains momentum as the season gets underway, does not derive
from any de-emphasis of football on the part of either adminis-
tration or coaching staff.
The apology that becomes necessary to one's friends at Ohio State
or Michigan State in August is not the fault of a lack of excitement
for football in Ann Arbor - attendance records at Michigan belie this
conjecture. Football at Michigan is just about or, perhaps, more ex-
citing than college football anywhere else in the country.
Mediocrity Hurts .,.
THE FACTS ARE, unfortunately, that Michigan can no longer boast
of one of the only good teams, bands, stadiums, or even cheer-
leaders in the country. The facts are that, on paper at least, there
does 'not seem to be that special "something" in the air concomitant
with having the country's ONLY decent marching band, ONLY gi-
gantic stadium, and ONLY exciting football team.
There is no secret as to why people around Ann Arbor must
tread lightly when mentioning football. The feeling that one wit-
nesses football together with 100,000 other spectators is not made
any less exciting because one knows that he can do the same
somewhere else. The sound of the Michigan Marching Band is
no less spectacular merely because Illinois, Purdue, and even
Michigan State have fine bands.
The defensive attitude toward Michigan football stems from only
one thing: fear of another mediocre, or worse yet, losing team.
The painfully obvious fact that the last appearance of a Wolver-
ine squad in the Rose Bowl was January 1, 1951, is somewhat humil-
iating and, to some, tinged with tragedy. Even more delicate is the
embarrassing problem of not having beaten Michigan State since
1955, an interim of seven long years.
Many fans are content to believe that the less said about foot-
ball this fall by Daily sportswriters or anyone else, the better. These
people, with a carefully conditioned apathy, prefer to sink their
excitement in more optimistic ground than Michigan football: ex-
perience is a great teacher for some.
Yet amid all the seeming gloom attendant upon the opening of
this season's grid endeavors, I feel it my obligation to briefly recount
the ups and downs of a season which began with a comparable de-
spondency, aggravated by an early showing which merited the
pessimism.
Tables Turn ..
THE WOLVERINES blazed their way to a 2-3-1 mark with only
three Big Ten games remaining in their schedule. Their conference
record stood at one win, one loss, and one tie. The squad was injury-
riddled and Daily headlines emphasized a "rebuilding job."
Michigan faced tough Indiana and Northwestern. They would
climax the year with an away game against unbeaten Ohio State.
That November eleventh did not smell of roses any more than it
does today.
However, things began to happen. Michigan defeated Indiana
20-7 and disposed of Northwestern 34-23 while Ohio State lost two
Big Ten encounters. Nevertheless, on November 25 Illinois, was fa-
vored for the conference crown in the event the Wolverines upset
the heavily favored Buckeyes.
The rest is now hjistory. The year was 1950. Both Northwestern
and Michigan upset their traditional rivals, enabling the Wolver-
ines to capture the conference crown and compete in'the Rse
Bowl. Michigan even beat California 14-6 in the New Years' elassic.
This is where the happy story ends. The year is now 1962. Nobody
is talking Roses and no one would be listening probably if they were.
Michigan faces a desperately tough schedule and the squad is again
beset by inexperienced men at key positions.
Enough has been said. I am not willing to stick my neck out,
either, at this time with outlandish predictions. Let me just add in
closing, though; that apathy is NOT the only answer. Hopefully,
(very hopefully indeed) maybe some day this, my first column may
be remembered as the initiator of a victorious Rose Bowl bandwagon.
I
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
Detroit 14, Boston 6 (first game;
second game cancelled, rain)
Minnesota 5, Chicago 1
Kansas City 5, Los Angeles 4
Baltimore 7, Washington 1
(Only games scheduled)
TODAY'S GAMES
New York at Boston (n)
Chicago at Washington (n)
Baltimoreat Kansas City (n)
Cleveland at Minnesota (n)
Detroit at Los Angeles (n)
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Cincinnati
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St. Louis
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Philadelphia'
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New York
LEAGUE
W L Pct. GB
96 51 .653 -
94 53 .639 2
92 57 .617 5
84 62 .575 113y
77 69 .527 1812
~75 73 .507 211/2
72 76 .486 241/
56 88 .389 3811
52 94 .356 431f2
35 110 .241 60
4
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
Philadelphia 2, Milwaukee 1
Cincinnati 7, San -Francisco 2
(Only games scheduled)
TODAY'S GAMES
Los Angeles at Chicago
Houston at Milwaukee (n)
San Francisco at Pittsburgh (n)
St. Louis at Philadelphia (n)
Cincinnati at New York (n)
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