Poge Ten
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Friday, October 27, 1972
Poge Ten THE MICHIGAN DAILY Friday, October 27, 1972
ABOLISH
GRADES?
GRADING FORUM
Mon., Oct. 30, 1972-8:30 P.M.
Auditorium A-Angell Hall
The L, S, A Student Government Presents Distinguished
Faculty and Student Speakers to Discuss the Future of Grad-
ing at Michigan. Hear Details on the Four Grading Proposals
You Will Be Voting on in the All-Campus Elections.
Johnn,
By ROBIN WAGNER
The ability to excel on an ath-
letic field does not deny a person
the ability to create trouble with
the law. Such notable athletes as'
Gates Brown, Dock Ellis and War-
ren Wells learned this subtle les-
son of life the hard way.
Well, all those keeping track can
add Nebraska football standout
Johnny Rodgers to the list of les-
son-learners. Rodgers, an All-
American wingback bearing Heis-
man Trophy credentials to match
anyone, also possesses a police.
record capable of triggering con-
versation at a cocktail party, in a
locker room or most anywhere.
As bad news should be ex-
posed before good news, Rod-
gers' "run-ins" with the law war-
rant top billing over his football
exploits. They commenced in the
spring of 1971 when he was ar-
rested for the attempted armed
robbery of a gas station. A guilty
verdict and a two-year suspended
sentence resulted from his trial.
Taking a stand on the incident,
Cornhusker mentor Bob Devaney
sounded remarkably like a public
relations man,, opportunist, and
football coach rolled into one.
Speaking for the athletic depart-
ment, he explained, "We don't
condone Johnny's actions in any
way, but to deprive him of an op-
portunity to play football, would
work against the aims of proba-
tion."
Early in 1972, the 21-year-old
senior was arrested for possession
E
RTY"
the arrest, he stated, "They (the
police) didn't ask for any identifi-
cation. They just told me they
were taking me in for possession."
Three lays ago, Rodgers was
prounced guilty of a charge of
operating a motor vehicle while
his driver's license was revoked.
No date for sentencing has been
set.
Realistically viewing the situa-
tion, Rodgers stated, "I can't
blame people for what they think
of me. The trouble I've been in is
my own fault. The only way people
,,now me is from the newspapers
or T.V."
He elaborated, "The fans dig me
for getting them off their seats
when I have the ball. They don't
dig me as a person. They know
me either as a crook or as No. 20."
Regardless of people's feelings
towards Johnny Rodgers off the
football field, on Saturday after-
noons when he wears Nebraska
red and white, everyone stands
overwhelmed and fascinated by
his performances.
Since Rodgers joined Nebraska's
varsity, the team has collected
two national championships and
accumulated a record of 29-1-1.
On four occasions last season, the
wingback attained the "back of
the week" award.
Though guilty, Rodgers has
yet tobe arrested for breaking
school and conference records at
Nebraska. His 228 points, 38
touchdowns and 122 receptions
all establish career school rec-
If that's not sufficient, four of
the five kick return records in
Cornhusker files bear the mark
of Rodgers.
Through six games in 1972, Rod-
gers, a high school football All-
American in Omaha, has tallied
nine scores and gained 701 yards,
521 on passes. He's executed his
specialty of punt returning 21
times for 368 yards.
As is true with most genuinely
superb athletes, Rodgers performs
best under pressure. In last sea-
son'e version of the "Game of the
Century," against Oklahoma, Rod-
gers uncorked the scoring festivi-
ties with a mind-boggling 72-yard
punt return. He eventually grabbed
five passes and picked up 88 yards
in Nebraska's 35-31 victory.
In his team's 1972 Orange Bowl
whitewashing of Alabama, the
wingback was again remarkable.
His catches were good for 94 yards
Rodgers: a
two-sided star
aid on a patented Rodgers' punt
return, he highstepped 77 yards
to paydirt.
During the 49-0 Cornhusker con-
quest of Minnesota earlier this
season, Rodgers' seemingly un-'
limited talent created three more
worshippers. Golden Gopher coach
Cal Stoll described him this way:
"Johnny Rodgers is the best
runner I've ever seen. He is so
fantastic that anything he wants
to do he does. Someday, though
I don't know where I'm going
to find him, I'm going to have a
player just like Rodgers."
Minnesota athletic director Paul
Giel added, "I didn't know how un-
believably great Rodgers was un-
til today. He's just as punishing as
he is elusive." Losing quarterback
Bob Morgan 'lamented, "Johnny
Rodgers isn't a one-man team, but
it was almost like we were com-
peting against two teams: Rodgers
ad the rest of the Cornhuskers."
Performing the same task time
and time again tends to bore
people. This season, bored by
the monotonous task of scoring
touchdowns. Rodgers has solved
his "problem." Occasionally, he
struts backwards into the end-
zone to spice up his chore. Ex-
plaining the-unorthodox finale to
his jaunts, Rodgers said. "I got
tired of doing the same old
thing. I decided to try something
new."
Devaney perhaps delivered the
most valid capsule comment on
his star. He simply stated, "Rod-
gers is the best football player
I've ever coached. He does more
things well than anyone I've ever
seen."
All-American football players
are not necessarily "All-American
boys" . . . just ask Johnny Rod-
gers.
I
CA
D
lTE.
NOTHING NEW TO SOPH QB:
Franklin handles pressure well
of marijuana and later found in- ords.
nocent. Prior to his arrest, Rod- Twenty-two career scoring passes
gers accused the Lincoln, Nebraska caught also etches the name of
police of following him. Describing Johnny Rodgers in the Nebraska
record books. The wingback's 2287
yards gained on pass receptions,
H ILLEL FOUNDATION along with being a school mark,
eclipses the old conference record.
Presents Single season school pass re-
ceiving standards belonging to the
senior total three. They include
11 touchdown passes, 57 total re-
11ptouch and 957 yards gained on
aerial strikes. Rodgers' three
touchdown catches in a game rep-
A "resents another Nebraska record.
By ROGER ROSSITER
Poise, maturity and the ability
to become a great quarterback
are three qualities not abundant-
ly found in college sophomores.
But Michigan's Dennis Franklin
is one of a rare breed who pos-
sess these attributes.
Franklin stepped into the start-
ing quarterback role for the
Wolverines this fall and hasrsolid-
ified his position as number one
by continually improving from
week to week.
Being the first black quarter-
back ever to pilot the Maize and
Blue would seem to compound,
the pressure on Franklin, but if
it bothers Dennis you would
never know. Outwardly, Franklin
appears cool, calm, and confi-
dent, and his performance on the
field does nothing to bely his
composure.
Produced by BENJAMIN and
LAWRENCE ROTHMAN
Narrated by THEODORE BIKEL
The Story of 1000 Years
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Oct. 28-29.
at Hillel,1429 Hill St.
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Not inclined toward idle con-
versation, Franklin speaks spar-
ingly, but when he talks he has
something meaningful to say.
Dennis lets his performance on
the gridiron do most of his talk-
ing, and the message is coming
through loud and clear, especial-
ly to head coach Bo Schembech-
ler.
"Dennis has done a great job
for us so far," said Bo, "and
we know he'll get better. He has
tremendous leadership qualities,
he's dedicated, and he has def-
inite goals that I think he will
reach."
Along with quarterbacking the
Wolverines to a perfect 6-0 rec-
ord thus far this season, Frank-
lin has been making his move in
the Big Ten statistical race. In
three conference games, Dennis
has completed 14 of 29 aerials
for 195 yards and one touchdown,
for fourth ranking. Dennis is
also sixth in total offense, having
accumulated 319 yards in 69
plays for a 4.6 yard average.
Though, Franklin has not
thrown a lot of passes, the ones
he has thrown have been crucial,
like his touchdown strike to Bo
Rather against Northwestern,
which was the only score of the
game.
LAST WEEK Franklin had his
best day through the air in Mich-
igan's 31-7 trouncing of Illinois.
Despite a steady drizzle that fell
throughout most of the afternoon,
Dennis connected on 7 of 12 at-
tempts for 104 yards.
Franklin, like many Michigan
football players, is an Ohio na-
tive, and Dennis has some poig-
nant opinions as to why Ohio is
such a hotbed for Wolverine re-
cruiters. "The competition is
more intense in Ohio," he claim-
ed. "There are a lot of good
football players from Michigan,
but the better programs and-su-
perior coaching in Ohio breed
good ball players."
Contrary to common belief, all
football players are not physical
education majors, and Franklin
is proof. For the time being,
Franklin's aim is for a degree
in b u s i n e s s administration,
though he confided, "I'm not
sure business administration is
right for me, or," with a smile,
"if I am cut out to be a business-
man." With the levelheaded ap-
proach Franklin displays toward
his work, it is doubtful that he
would find failure in any career
he should choose.
WHEN ASKED if playing be-
fore big college crowds bothered
him Franklin replied, "The first
time it did a little because it
was new to me, but after that
first gametI really didn't notice
it." It even seems that the stu-
dents' unified four letter obsceni-
ties at Wolverine mistakes go un-
noticed by Franklin.
Michigan came as almost a
natural choice over Ohio State to
Franklin who admitted, "I want-
ed to get a little way away from
home. Besides, Ohio State is
more geared to the run. At
Michigan, I knew we'd have more
potential to throw. Ohio State's
football program isn't as strong
as Michigan's ,either."
FRANKLIN APPRECIATES
good coaching and he feels that
Michigan's coaching staff is one
of the best around. The feeling
is mutual, as high praises often
flow Franklin's way from staff
members, although harmony may
elude the coaches over small
points now and then. "Sometimes
one coach will tell you something,
and another one something else,
but the big man usually wins out
in the end," Franklin chimed.
Michigan's alleged unpopular-
ity with sportswriters nationwide
is partially due, in Franklin's
opinion, to the large amount of
criticism the team gets from
local papers. "When people from
outside come here and read all
that criticism, they begin to be-
lieve it." The fact still remains,
however, that the Wolverines are
undefeated and ranked fifth na-
tionally, which indicates that
such criticism cannot be hurting
Michigan all that much.
Right now the biggest problem
facing Franklin and his Wol-
verine teammates is winning the
rest of their games and gaining
that berth in the Rose Bowl.
"Everything else is secondary,"
Franklin concluded. "Winning
comes first."
FE
M
II
S
i n:
The record with no fancy dressing.
ON PEACE:
Bob Griffin wants to end the war in Vietnam. He supports President Nixon's
withdrawal of American troops and his efforts to negotiate return of our prison-
ers of war. He travelled to Paris himself to seek release of the POWs.
His bill would bring orphaned Vietnamese children to America. Griffin's leg-
islation is designed to cut out red tape so that victims of the war can be adopted
by families here.
ON THE ENVIRONMENT:
He's got a new bill to limit phosphate content in detergents. Phosphates have
been proven ecologically harmful. Unfortunately, the only known substitutes are
dangerous to humans. Griffin's bill limits phosphate content to 8.7 percent and
authorizes an out-right ban as soon as a safe substitute is found.
He opposed the President on the SST. Senator Griffin broke with his party
to lead the fight against the Supersonic Transport. Griffin's argument: too little
about sonic boom and other harmful environmental effects of the SST.
ON JOBS AND COLLEGE AID:
Griffin is the Senator behind the National Student L o a n P r o g r a m. Since
1958, this Griffin-sponsored program has provided low-interest loans (repayable
after graduation) to 2.7 million students.
He launched a Jobs for Veterans Program. So far, this project (which Sen-
ator Griffin and Senator Hart co-sponsored) has developed more than 6,000 new
jobs for returning Vietnam veterans in Michigan.
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