Page 8-Wednesday, October 11, 1978-The Michigan Daily
TEST BLUE SECONDARY
Spartans pa
__
By BILLY SAHN
Bombs away. Take warning all you
football fans, that this Saturday in
Michigan Stadium, you may be exposed
to an unusual aerial display by two
powerful Big Ten teams.
It's the annual Michigan-Michigan
State football game. Yet, much more is
at stake than just state bragging rights.
This is virtually a must win for the
Spartans, who are 0-1 in Big Ten com-
petition (after losing to Purdue, 21-14),
in order to still be considered as poten-
tial Big Ten champions.
Without a doubt, a major portion of
State's strategy for, victory lies in their
pass offense. The Spartans boast a very'
strong and experienced passing offen-
se, one to be reckoned with.
"MSU has a very explosive offense,"
commented Wolverine defensive coach
Bill McCartney. "Nobody has really
stopped them yet this season. It will be
a great challenge for the Michigan
defense," he continued.
Leading the Spartans is quarterback
Eddie Smith, a senior in his third con-
secutive year at calling the signals.
Smith's credentials are quite im-
pressive. The 6'1" 174-pound quarter-
back set the MSU passing record in a
game against North Carolina State (31-
31 tie) with 324 yards gained passing.
Last season, Smith completed 117
passes out of 240 attempts for 1731 yar,
ds and 10 touchdowns.
Furthermore, at the start of this'
season, Smith needed 1944 aerial yards
to pass the current all-time Big Ten
leader, Mike Phipps (5423 yards) of
Purdue ('67-'69).
Thus far this season, despite an in-
jury suffered in the loss to Purdue and
his subsequent rest : from play against
Syracuse the following game, Smith
has passed for 450 yards, including five
touchdowns. He is currently fourth on
the all-time Big Ten passing list.
ss to
Needless to say, the NJ
coaches are not taking the
passer lightly. "He's the bes
we'll face," Wolverine Ca
Schembechler stated flatly.
"Smith has an excellent tou
McCartney. "He's always
money, and hard to pressure."
It's McCartney's gentlemen
going to have the awesome
sibility of stopping the Spart
sive attack.
Yet, Smith is only one memi
team. His favorite receiver is l
son, a flanker, who holds t
touchdown reception record wi
"Gibson's a unique guy for
(6'2", 210 pounds)," commei
Cartney. "He's incrediblyf
quick."
Thus far this season, Gil
caught 13 Spartan passes forF
211 yards and three touc
bringing his career receiving
to 1751 yards.
In addition to football, Gibs
in baseball as well. As an All
All-American baseball player
has signed a large contract w
else?) the Tigers.
Adding to State's strong
paydirt
Michigan split end Eugene Byrd. Byrd is back
Spartan with the Spartans this year after being
t passer sidelined last season due to a shoulder
oach Bo injury.
According to Michigan's defensive
ch," said coordinator, "Byrd is just as good as
on the Gibson. In fact, he's quick and nifty (at
6'0" 180 pounds)."
that are Byrd leads the Spartan receivers thus
far this season with 17 receptions for 336
respon- yards and two touchdowns.
an offen-
Rounding off State's pigskin aerial
ber of the attack is junior Mark Brammer, a tight
Kirk Gib- end. Brammer caught 27 passes last
the MSU season, the most of any receiver on the
ith 17. team. He's right on course so far with 12
r his size catches for 137 yards.
nted Mc-
fast and "Brammer is as good as there is in
the conference. He's a good blocker, a
bson has complete player," remarked McCart-
y total of ney.
thdowns, The upcoming game this weekend
yardage will truly be a test for the Maize and
Blue defense. In the end, both teams
will probably be black and blue.
on excels "It will be a tough, physical, heavy
-Big Ten, hitting affair, and we'll be ready," said
, Gibson McCartney.
ith (who The Spartans will thus be a threat,
with their offensive game - great
ffense is passing and great receiving.
Caliam leads clubbers
in 5-2 Falcon ripping
Daily Photo by WAYNE CABLE '
Greer bedevils
Michigan defensive tackle Curtis Greer (95) prepares to bury Duke Blue Devil
fullback Ned Gonet. Greer's major worry in Saturday's game will be containing
Eddie Smith and his Spartan spirals to Kirk Gibson and the rest of the Michigan
State aerial bomb squad.
By BOB EMORY
The Bowling Green field hockey team
was apparently satisfied with a 2-2 half-
time tie because they didn't play at all
in the second half.
As a result, the Wolverines scored
three unanswered goals in the second
stanza or rather Mary Callam scored
three unanswered goals, as Michigan'
walked off with a 5-2 victory over the
Falcons yesterday at Ferry Field.
"I think they kind of reached their
peak in the first half," explained
Michigan head coach Phyllis Ocker.
"Then they sat back and played too
defensively. Plus I thought that we
came on very strong in the second half.
We were a little sluggish at the start."
Indeed they were. Bowling Green
took a quick 2-0 lead and was con-
trolling most of the play until the
Wolverines got untracked and tied it up
with a pair of goals in the last five
minutes of the half.
I Michigan goaltender Jayne Smith
was partially screened when Falcon
halfback Cindy Dilley fired a low shot
from ten feet out that went through a
tangle of players before ending up in
the far corner of the net for Bowling
Green's first goal.
Several minutes later, Smith came
out to the left side of the net to stop a
shot, but it accidentally trickled
through her legs and Leslie Dunton was
right behind her to put the ball in the
empty net. After that, however, it was
all Michigan.
NBA MIDWEST PREVIEW:
Bucks to test revamped Nuggets
---------------------.........---
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By FRANK JAMES
The question of the year in the
Rockies is: can Big George McGinnis
find peace and happiness (and the.
basketball) with the Denver Nuggets
and lead the team to the NBA cham-
pionship which has eluded the Nuggets'
grasp for the last two seasons?
Even though his team won the Mid-
west division title the last two years,
Denver coach Larry Brown was sur-
prisingly honest and subdued in admit-
ting: "Frankly, I don't know if we are
good enough to win our division.
Everyone else has improved them-
selves tremendously."
HIS OBVIOUS skepticism is merited.
The Nuggets underwent massive per-
sonnel changes over the winter and
return only two starters - David
Thompson and Dan Issel - from last
year's team..
The newly-acquired McGinnis holds
down one forward, spot with Anthony
Roberts, a fine offensive rebounder and
Go Ape with Your Camera
In 71e
Photo Contest!,
T1
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2nd Prize: $15 gift certificate from Purchase Camera.
3rd PriZE: $10 gift certificate from Purchase Camera.
RULES
1. Photographs must be black and white only, no smaller than 5''x7" and no larger
than 11 "x14". Mats and mounts are acceptable. Entries will be judged on con-
tent and overall technical quality.
2. Individuals can submit as many photographys as they wish. Photographs will be
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shooter, running from the small for-
ward. Charlie Scott, acquired from Los
Angeles, teams with Thompson to give
Denver a fine offensive backcourt.
. In answering a question concerning
his team's poor playoff showing last
year, Brown stated: "We weren't good
enough. But even after we lost Brian
(Brian Taylor, the starting guard who
left the team at midseason over a con-
tract dispute) and Bobby (Bobby
Jones) we still went much further than
most people expected."
Taylor and Jones were the most con-
sistent defensive performers on the
squad last year. Scott and McGinnis,
their replacements, have not been
known for their defensive prowess. It
remains to be seen who is going to play
defense. And, just as important, who is
going to pass the basketball.
THE MILWAUKEE Bucks won't
sneak up on anyone this year. The
Bucks came of age faster than most ob-
servers expected last year. This was
mainly due to the .rapid maturing of
Marques Johnson and Quinn Buckner.
If one big question is answered, the
Bucks could make a serious run at the
NBA title as the dark horse of the year.
Milwaukee is loaded with talent. At
the forward spots'they boast one of the
league's finest young tandems in UCLA
grads Johnson and Dave Meyers. A
very physical player, Meyers plays a
respectable offensive game while ex-
celling on the boards and defense.
Johnson excels at just about
everything. A fine shooter, his timing,
strength and amazing leaping ability
make him one of the finest offensive
rebounders in the game today.
THE BUCKS backcourt has perfect
balance. Buckner is the unselfish,
playmaking guard who loves shutting
down the opposition's top-scoring
guard, Brian Winters shoots as well as
any guard in the league.
Kent Benson is the key for the Bucks.
Can Benson regain the aggressiveness
he seemingly lost after his short battle
with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los
Angeles Lakers? John Gianelli, last,
year's starter at center, is no more than
a journeyman player. If Benson fills in
adequately, the Bucks get at least one
vote to become division champs.
The Chicago Bulls filled the biggest
hole on their team when they drafted
Reggie Theus. One of the finest college
players in America, Theus is a big
guard who handles the ball, can run an
offense, and is able to defense the
bigger guards around the league.
With an effective center in Artis
Gilmore, the Bulls have a nucleus to
construct a solid team around. If
Mickey Johnson gains a few pounds of
muscle and improves on a sub-par
Frank's Forecast:
1. Milwaukee
2. Denver
3. Chicago
4. Indiana
5. Kansas City
any sort of serious challenge.
Cotton Fitzimmons, Kansas City's
new coach, rightfully lists draftee Phil
Ford first among his team's strengths.
Ford just ended a contract dispute and
recently joined the team in training
camp.
"I'm a better coach than I was ten
days ago now that I have Phil Ford. He
just joined the team and he's the type of
player who makes things so much
easier for all the others.
"He handles the ball, he's unselfish
and he runs the offense exceptionally
well. I'm very pleased to have Ford and
Birdsong working together."
WHILE THE Kings are set at guard,
there remains a question mark at for-
ward in the form of Richard
Washington.
"Washington is not a dominating
player in the sense that Marques John-
son is," said Fitzimmons. "Richard is a
fine shooter, and we will try to utilize
his shooting skills by having him come
off the bench.
"Realistically, we may not be as
strong as the other teams in the division
if you look at the front-line ballplayers,
but we plan on using all of our players,
exploiting our depth, and see where it
takesus."
Unless Fitzimmons upgrades the
quality of his roster, his depth will lead
him to nowhere but the Midwest
Division cellar.
This is the second in a series of four NBA
previews which will cluminate Friday with an
in-depth look at the Pistons.
ii I.
year, if Scott May finally plays an in
jury-free year, and if new coach Larry
Costello can mesh his talent into a
team, the Bulls might scare a few
people.
THE INDIANA Pacers made several
positive moves this past summer.
Through the draft and trades, they
acquired Rick Robey, Alex English,
Corky Calhoun and Johnny Davis.
Rookie Robey will start at one forward,
and Davis will team with Rick Sobers to
give the Pacers a nice backcourt pair.
Davis talked optimistically of the
Pacers' chances, saying, "I feel that
with James Edwards, who is a towering
force on offense, we're pretty well set at
center. We have a lot of young players
who just need time to work together.
Look at what Seattle did last year. They
started putting it together near the end
of the season and almost pulled it out.
With t time and some hard work, we
could be the surprise of this season."
Indiana is in dire need of more
quality players. Journeymen back up
the first six players. They will need
dramatic improvement in their
younger players if they hope to make
V
1
e
GRIDDE
.
APICKS
A Michigan student approached his
calculus professor and begged him to
explain the proper method for solving
the equation %y-z+l/t=t. The prof
reprimanded the young student and
demanded that he worry about more
pertinent problems, such as
Leach+Huckleby+Clayton, and getting
his Gridde Picks in by midnight Friday
to win a small two-item Pizza Bob's piz-
za.
1. Michigan State at MICHIGAN
(pick score)
2. Wisconsin at Illinois
3. Northwestern at Indiana
4. Iowa at Minnesota
5. Ohio State at Purdue
6. USC at Arizona State
7. Pittsburgh at Notre Dame
8. Washington at Stanford
9. Washington State at UCLA
10. Florida at Alabama
11. California at Arizona
12. Duke at Navy
13. U. of Pacific at Fresno St.
14. Texas A&M at Houston
15. Yale at Dartmouth
14. Ball State at Louisiana Tech
17. V.M.I. at Richmond
18. Pennsylvania at Brown
19. Kent State at Bowling Green
20. DAILY LIBELS at Willy Milly's
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