Saturday, November 7, 1970
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Nine
Saturday, November 7, 1970 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Nine
Innocuous
Illini:
Wounded
but
dangerous
on this and that
The Illini's
lame duck coach
eric siegel
THE ILLINOIS press guide, published before the start of the
season, talks about head coach Jim Valek in laudatory
terms.
"In true Fighting Illini spirit," it says, "(he) refuses to let
the disappointment and frustration of only one victory in the
last 20 games dampen his enthusiasm or shake his confidence."
The Illini Athletic Board apparently holds less stock
in such intangibles. Two weeks ago, the board announced
it was firing Valek, then had to eat crow of a sort when
the Illinois players voted unanimously to go on strike if
their coach was canned in mid-season.
The board, realizing it couldn't afford to lose the rev-
enue from its last four games, agreed to keep Valek for the
rest of the season, but it has made it clear he won't be
around next year. A search committee has been formed to
choose his successor, and the latest Illinois press release
says he has been "notified" he won't be rehired.
Valek's sin was a fairly common one. Illinois, which has had
just 12 winning seasons in the last 40 years, decided it wanted
one this year, too. But all of a sudden, in the middle of the
season, it was decided that Valek wasn't the man for the job.
To be sure, Valek's record going into today's game is only
3-4. But Illinois teams have won three or less games 16 times
in the last four decades, and Valek still has three games left to
go. And, for the record, it should be noted that the Illinois'
oponents this year have a more than respectable combined
record of 27-23.
The Illini lost to Indiana, 30-24, which they never
should have done, but they beat Oregon and Purdue and shut
out Syracuse, and they also gave Ohio State a helluva
fight for three quarters, which no one expected them to do.
Valek's record, respectable and improving though it is,
is the main reason for the Athletic Board's and the alumni
disenchantment with him, but it is not the only one. It is
said that Valek does not "warm up" to the old Illini alumni
the way former coach Pete Elliott used to, and this has re-
portedly rankled a few people with connections in high
4 places.
But Valek, when he took over as head coach from Elliott
three years ago, had more to do than merely live up to a stand-
ard of alumni backslapping. He also had to live down an athletic
slush-fund scandal that led to Elliott's dismissal and nearly
ruined intercollegiate athletics at Illinois.
Valed's three year record is 5-25 (4-17 in Big Ten play), with
four of those wins coming in his first season as head coach.
But there were indications that the Illini football pro-
gram was on its way up. Valek got a slow start recruiting
his first season because of the scandal, but his first soph-
omore class included 21 letter winners. He has a host of
talented sophomores on this year's team, including eight
starters, and no less an authority than Michigan Coach Be
Schembechler calls the current Valek-recruited freshman
team "one of the best aro'und."
One of the most talented sophomores on this year's team
is starting quarterback Mike Wells, who remembers being
recruited by Valek two years ago.
"Four days before I made my decision on where to attend
school," Wells said yesterday, "Coach Valek came to my home
to talk to me and my parents. He was one of the main reasons
I decided to go to Illinois."
Wells also remembers the day the athletic board announced
it would fire Valek. "Our co-captains actually handled the situ-
ation," he said ."We took a free vote, there was no coercion, but
everyone voted to back Coach Valek."
There are some people, notably those on the Illinois
Athletic Board, who would say that Wells' and his team-
mates' vote was a "radical" action. But Mike Wells isn't a
"radical." He looks like the All-American boy, strong, broad-
shouldered, with close-cropped blond hair, and when he
talks, his talk is more of loyalty than power politics.
"You want to win because of pride, and you want to win
for the coach, too," he said. "But to a certain extent, there's
more of a win for Valek feeling now. Everybody's been giving
more second effort, and that's been a big factor in our
turnabout."
The turnabout has included a three-quarter super-effort
against Ohio State, two weeks ago, and a 23-21 upset win over
Purdue last Saturday.
"We've played great ball," said Valek, who was voted the
game ball after the Purdue win, "especially when you consider
the tension of the coaching situation."
And so today Jim Valek, the reason as well as the ob-
ject of that tension, will take the field as a lame-duck coach,
one who gained a reprieve, but no pardon, because he was
the type of coach who inspired loyalty among his players.
And the players will take the field as underdogs, trying to
win the game partly for themselves, but, to a great degree,
for their coach.
With meat-grinder coaches like the University of De-
troit's Jim Harding still around, it is profoundly depressing
to think that a man like Jim Valek will almost certainly be
dismissed from the Big Ten coaching ranks at the end of the
season. But he will take with him the knowledge that he
has the respect, loyalty and admiration of about 60 young
men, which is something the members of the Illinois Athletic
Board, no matter how many victories they eventually stick
on their record sheet, cannot claim.
By BILL ALTERMAN
Last year Wolverine coach Bo
Schembechler worried a great deal
before the Illinois game. W i t h
the final result 57-0. he shouldn't
have.
This year he can worry.
Illinois is like a shower in the
dorm. They pour forth both hot
and cold, never both. The Illini
have trounced Oregon, Syracuse,
and last week closed fast to dump
Purdue. The week before they gave
then top-ranked Ohio State a run
for its money.
But in between their sterling
performances have come some ra-
ther mediocre ones against Tu-
lane, Northwestern and Indiana.
The question is, how will t h e y
play today when they take on
Michigan in a game at Michigan
Stadium at 1:30 p.m.?
Providing the recent impetus
for Illinois was the firing and re-
hiring of head'coach Jim Valek.
The announcement was made im-
mediately before the Ohio Statej
game and the players took it outI
on the Buckeyes. They battled
OSU for three quarters, before
succumbing 48-29.
The following day the players
voted to boycott the team if Valek
was fired. The Illinois Athletic
Board, being not so dumb as they
sound, reinstated Valek for the re-
mainder of the season. Neverthe-
less, it has been announced that
Valek will not be back next year.
Last week the players went out
and stomped Purdue but they
know it will take more than that
to retain their head coach. It will
take a victory over a top-ranked
team-like Michigan.
But it takes more than will-
power (Sports Illustrated n o t -
withstanding) to win a game. It
takes physical ability, and all the
cards for today's game are in
Michigan's corner.
The Wolverines are rolling and
are in top-flight physical condi-
tion. The Illini, on the other hand,
have had their defense decimated
by injuries.
Both starting defensive tackles
are definitely out and several oth-
ers, including defensive end Jim
Rucks, are listed as doubtful.
Against a running team like Mich-
igan, this could spell disaster.
Schembechler, of course, expects
"a real tough game. There's no
ballclub you can take lightly this
year. We have to be leery of their
running attack."
Their running attack is spear-
headed by junior halfback Darrell
Robinson. In the past two weeks
Robinson picked up 350 yards on
73 carries. Sophomore quarterback
Mike Wells has come along this
year and is considered the t e a m
leader. He does, however, have a
tendency to panic when in trouble.
The undefeated Wolverines like-
wise have been sporadic, but have
always showed enough finesse to
pull through in the close ones.
"They (Wisconsin) had every
combination of circumstances for
an upset," Schembechler said after
last week's game, "We did not play
well. We turned the ball over to
them and every call went in their
favor. But we won and that's what
counts."
Michigan's erratic offense had
some trouble running the ball but
their passing game finally came
into its own with split end Paul
Staroba pulling down six passes
for 178 yards.
With Illinois' frontline decimat-
ed, however, the Wolverines will
doubtlessly do a good bit of run-
ning today.
Billy Taylor, Michigan's leading
ground gainer, who was injured
in first half action last week, is
expected to be in top form today.
SPORTS
NIGHT EDITORS: JERRY CLARKE and JOEL GREER
Mike Taylor, the Wolverines out-
standing linebacker, has also re-
covered from a knee injury and is
slated to start.
Having Taylor in good shape
could be decisive today, as Illi-
nois is basically a running team
and stopping the run is his spec-
ialty.
In seven games the Illini have
run 370 running plays while
throwing only 125, with 49 com-
pletions.
When quarterback Wells does
take to the air he invariably looks
for tight end Doug Dieken who
has hauled in 28 passes for 347
yards so far this year.
Michigan quarterback Don
Moorhead, meanwhile, is the Big
Ten's leading passer. In f o u r
conference games the Wolverine
co-captain has completed 39 of
76 tosses for 575 yards and five
touchdowns.
B. Taylor has picked up 486
~yards on the ground in Big Ten
play and 626 yards overall. Along
with backs Fritz Seyferth a n d
Glenn Doughty, the Michigan of-
fense is definitely first rate.
And yet it is the defense t h a t
really shines. Several statistics
point this out.
Of the tackles for losses leaders,
three of the top four, Frank Gu-
sich, Pete Newell and Henry Hill,
are Wolverines.
In seven games, Michigan h a s
allowed less than 100 yards per
game on the ground.
And in seven games they have
given up only 70 points, a num-
ber of which have been set up by
the offense.
So the 70,000 fans in Michigan
Stadium today expect the Mam-
mouth Blue Wave to roll on un-
defeated toward its showdown
with Ohio State.
While the Illini will be out to
save Valek's job.
The Lineups
Offense
(30)
(71)
(65)
(53)
(60)
(72)
(85)
(27)
(42)
(32)
(22)
MICHIGAN
Paul Staroba (200)
Jack Harpring (229)
Reggie McKenzie (220)
Guy Murdock (215)
Toy Coyle (228)
Dan Dierdorf (250)
Paul Seymour (235)
Don Moorhead (200)
Bill Taylor (200)
Fritz Seyferth (202)
Glenn Doughty (195)
SE
LT
LG
C
RG
RT
TE
QB
TB
FB
WB
(85)
(70)
(61)
(50)
(74)
(54)
(82)
(12)
(44)
(37)
(16)
ILLINOIS
John Kaiser (200)
Tom Scott (255)
Rich Brennan (225)
Julian Vyborny (225)
Kirk McMillan (220)
Larry McCarren (225)
Doug Dieken (240)
Mike Wells (215)
Darrell Robinson (205)
Mike Navarro (220)
Bob Burns (175)
-Daily-Sara Krulwich
Dot Moorhead (27) sweeps end
K.>
STILL SEEK ROSES:
wildcats
Defense
host Gophers
By MICHAEL OLIN The Gophers, who were ranked
The Battle of the Beatens in the high in pre-season Big Ten stand-
Big Ten continues this week with ings, have failed to get untracked
Northwestern, the only team with in their first four conference
more than a slim chance of over- games, having won only the con-
taking Ohio State in the run for ference opener against Indiana,
the roses, hosting the tough Goph- and tying weak Iowa last Satur-
ers from Minnesota. day. Nevertheless, the Gophers are
The only loss the Wildcats have laden with talenttand should pose
incurred ip conference was in last! an ample threat to the cinderella
week's game with Ohio State. In Wildcats.
that game, Northwestern led 10-3 Standing in the forefront of the
at halftime, but the Buckeyes Minnesota attack is quarterback
came out for the second half and ..................
proceeded to score three touch- .
downs while holding the Wildcats The Michigan - Illinois game
scoreless. begins at 1:30 and will be car-
The Wildcats are led by fullback ried over radio stations WWJ,
Mike Adamle and quarterback 950 AM; WPAG, 1050 AM;
Maurie Daigneua. With 764 yards WAAM, 1600 AM; WUOM, 91.7
in seven games, Adamle has al- FM; and WCBN, 650 AM.
ready broken the season rushing
mark of 668 yards that has held
for 20 years. In last Saturday's Craig Curry, who blends theI
game with Ohio State, Adamle Gopher passing and running
picked up 102 yards in the first games almost equally.
half alone, outgaining the entire Rather than have Curry throw:
Buckeye squad.b m from the pocket, Coach Murray
Daigneau has been more than Warmath takes full advantage of
effective at quarterback having Curry's ability to run by utilizing
completed 67 of 156 passes for the play action pass. In this type ,
over 800 yards. The bulk of these of situation, Curry wil roll out,
tosses land in the arms of flanker and throw if it appears to be the
Barry Pearson, who has latched better option. However, he can also
onto 19. choose to run, and he has, un-
hesitatingly, and with good ef-
fect, all year.
Northwestern coach Alex Agase
says of Curry, "He's a great
scrambler and a great power run-!
ner. To win this game we'll have
to contain him and take away the
power offense."
In the passing department, the
game will pit Northwestern's con-
ference leading secondary against
Curry's conference leading passing
game. Northwestern has allowed
only 26 per cent of its opponents
passes to be completed, while Cur-
ry has thrown more passes (33.3
per game) and completed more
passes (15.5 per game) than any
other passer in the Big Ten.
In Madison, John Jardine's Wis-
consin Badgers take on the hard
hitting Ohio State squad. This will
be the second week in a "ow that
the Badgers have played host to a
nationally ranked, undefeated,
conference leading team, having
lost to Michigan, 29-15, last week.
The Badgers, a twenty point
underdog, have not been able to
defeat the Bucks since a 12-3 vic-
tory in 1959. Their chances of
breaking that stringrtoday remain
small, as the Buckeyes ride the
crest of a 4-0 conference mark
while Wisconsin's only league vic-
tory was a 30-12 clouting of In-
diana.
Cross state rival Michigan State
has been tabbed only a one touch-
downfavorite over Purdue al-
though the Spartans belted Iowa
37-0 and Indiana 32-7 the last two
weeks while Purdue lost to North-
western and Illinois.
The Spartans, after losing in
consecutive weeks to Notre Dame,
Ohio State, and Michigan, have
come back to be surprisingly
tough.
Led by tailback Eric Allen and
quarterback Mike Rasmussen, the
State offense has finally jelled. In
last week's game against the
Hoosiers, the Spartans picked up
48 yards in total offense with 277
yards in the air. Allen scored once,
and Rasmussen tied a Spartan
record by throwing four touch-
down passes, two each to Gordy
Bowdell and Billy Dupree.
(91)
(99)
(39)
(82)
(90)
(33)
(70)
(14)
(21)
(35)
(23)
Phill Seymour (215)
Tom Beckman (245)
Henry Hill (220)
Pete Newell (225)
Mike Keller (210)
Mike Taylor (217)
Marty Huff (230)
Frank Gusich (190)
Bruce Elliott (176)
Tom Darden (190)
Jim Betts (185)
LE
LT
MG
RT
RE
WLB
MLB
WOLF
DHB
DHB
8
(45)
(92)
(75)
(84)
(90)
(31)
Tom Jones (175)
Glenn Collier (205)
Tab Bennett (240)
Bob Bucklin (235)
Jim Welsh (215)
Jim Rucks (205)
62) Moe Kelley (215)
(32) Dan Darlington (190)
(21) Gary Windy (180)
(46) John Graham (180)
(25) Tom Baumgart (185)
-Daily-Sara Krulwlch
Glenn Doughty (22)_hits Minnesota line
i3
Y.-:"i?:"}:4:4:^}iv:4i:4:^ii:i }:i{"f.';:oa.S:?}J:; ": ::rr ^; ::v:::::::::::: r:.v
I--
Big Ten Standings
Conference Games
W L T PF PA
All Games
MICHIGAN
Ohio State
Northwestern
Michigan State
Minnesota
Iowa
Illinois
Purdue
Wisconsin
Indiana
0
0
I
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
141
129
120
89
58
41
76
59
73
49
48
47
52
70
81
89
147
93
89
109
W
7
6
3
3
2
1
3
3
2
1
L
0
0
4
4
4
5
4
4
4
6
T
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
PF
182
219
161
133
129
65
128
100
123
82
PA
70
70
120
155
157
178
186
153
140
197
f
I
i
i
i
f
a
1
L
i ,
t
SGC
I
ECTIO
Today's Games
Illinois at MICHIGAN
Indiana at Iowa
Purdue at Michigan State
Minnesota at Northwestern
Ohio State at Wisconsin
Perry captures AL Cy Young
Student Government Council (SCG) is the student government for the
entire campus. SGC's voting membership includes the president, executive
vice-president, and eleven at-large members. Six full-year and one half-year
terms are being elected this (fall) term.
SGC elections this term are NOVEMBER 11, 18, 19 (Tues., Wed., and Thurs.)
WHO MAY VOTE? All students (graduate students and undergraduates) may vote.
WHO MAY RUN? Any regularly enrolled student on the Ann Arbor campus of the
U of M. This includes graduate and undergraduate students from all schools and
colleges.
HOW DOES ONE BECOME A CANDIDATE? Candidates must file a statement of
candidacy by November 9 (Monday). Candidates must also submit a platform, 2
wallet-size photographs, and a $5.00 returnable filing fee. (The required dates
for these are determined by the Election Director.)
CAMPAIGNING is governed by the Election Rules. A candidate may spend up to,
but not over, $60.00
PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES can obtain further information and copies of the
Statement of Candidacy, Election Rules, and the SGC Constitution at the SGC Of-
fices, 1546 Student Activities Building and at some school and college student
government offices and at some residence halls.
NEW YORK OP)-Jim Perry of1
the Minnesota Twins, succeeding
where his brother failed, was!
named the American League win-1
ner of the Cy Young Award yes-:
terday in one of the most com-f
petitive balloting in the 15-year!
history of the honor.
The right-handed pitcher, who
compiled a 24-12 record for his
second consecutive 20-victory sea-,t
son, won out in a four-way racet
with Baltimore's Dave McNally
and Mike Cuellar and Sam Mc-
Dowell of Cleveland.
Perry picked up six first place
votes and a total of 55 points
lord of the San Francisco Giants
failed to do in the National
League. Gaylord finished a dis-
tant second to Bob Gibson of the
St. Louis Cardinals in the voting
for the NL Cy Young Award ear-
lier in the week.
"I was just hoping," Jim said.
"I had my fingers crossed.
"I'm really nervous now. A
thing like this shakes you up. I'm
usually calm and collected in a
game.
"It's quite an honor--some play-
ers work so hard and don't get
such an honor in a lifetime. I
can't express it in words."
viously, the writers voted for only
one man.-
Perry, who turned 34 Oct. 30,
pitched 279 innings last season
with a 3.03 earned run average as
he helped pitch the Twins to the
Western Division title before they
lost to eventual World Series
champion Baltimore in the play-
offs.
Perry, a crafty 6-foot-4, 195
pound veteran who only reached
stardom in 1969, his 11th season
in the majors, gained some meas-j
ure of revenge after losing out to
Cuellar and McLain last season
despite a 20-6 record. It was by
.. .
i'