Page 10-Friday. September30, 1977-The Michigan Daily
BAREFOOT FRANKLIN SETS RECORD
Superfoot 'powers A&M
By BILLY NEFF ns to be a NCAA record setter in nine categories
including the longest field goal in history. Franklin,
a junior, kicked' that historic 65-yard field goal
against Baylor last year. Earlier in the same game,
he also kicked a 64-yard field goal.
Why in the world would he kick with a bare foot?
"I get a little more foot speed and a little better con-
trol," replied the affable Fort Worth native.
BUT DOESN'T IT HURT, Tony? "It stings a lit-
tle in the cold but as big a fish as I am, I wouldn't do.
it if it hurt." The physical education major con-
tinued, "I wore a sock in high school but it rained so
much my freshman year that I hated changing
socks so I finally just took the sock off."
The thunderfoot blasted seven field goals outside
of fifty yards last year in a 17-26 kicking season. In
one game against Rice, he kicked five field goals
during a streak when he connected for nine in a row.
This year, he hasn't missed from inside 51 yards
and last week he kicked four field goals in one quar-
ter against Texas Tech to pace the Aggies' 33-17
win.
The potential pro prospect is no slouch on kick-
offs either. He has boomed more than 75% of his
kickoffs the past two seasons out of the end zone.
This season, only two of his kickoffs have not landed
at least in the end zone.
FRANKLIN SERVES ALSO as the second string
punter but he feels punting hurts his kicking style
and that he doesn't punt that well. "I punt like I kick
-- off to the side - which isn't really successful."
The stocky placekicker looks forward to any
pressure situation, but especially one where the
game is on the line. "If you miss that one, you might
as well run out of the stadium after the ball. I like a
pressure role."
Franklin feels that kicking is 95% mental con-
4
centration. "The other 5% is like you're always
wondering where the ball is going to be snapped' I
just concentrate on the tee."
THE POWERFUL AGGIE is a sidewinderor
soccer style kicker and believes that that style 'en-
ables the kicker to get "a lot more body movement.
You're using a lot more body motion. The conven-
tional kicker is kind of like a pendulum action while
I use my whole body."
Wind plays a big factor in any kick but especially
a sidewinder's. "My ball hooks but without any
wind it will go straight. With a wind you can kickaan
extra 5 or 6 yards.
Franklin began his kicking career in high school
when, after tearing ligaments in his left ankle, he
began using his right leg to kick since he couldn't
run. He was also a safety in his prep days.
AN ALL-AMERICAN last season, Franklin has
kicked as much as a 76-yarder in practice. He states
firmly that from "60 yards on in is skill while it is all
luck from 60 and out."
If A&M moves the ball into Michigan territojy,
Franklin may just be called upon to swing his leg in-
to action. "The coach in the press box will look at
the flags and check the wind. But inside the 45 and
I'll be ready."
The articulate junior looks forward to playing in
pro football but he will not go without shoes, "I doit
relish the idea of being stepped on." His field goai
will also tend to shorten up a little since the pros A
not use a tee and because the ball goes back to tviT
original line of scrimmage rather than the 20-yard
line after a missed field goal.
So Michigan fans, when you see a little guy
without a shoe run onto the field as Texas A&M
crosses the midfield stripe, don't laugh. He
probably will get the last laugh.
Fired-up Aggies to pose
stiff challenge for Blue
By GARY KICINSKI
Having just barely received passing
grades on earlier quizzes, the Michigan
Wolverines face their stiffest test of the
year as the fifth-ranked Texas A&M
Aggies rumble into town this Saturday.
The Aggies are coming off an im-
pressive 33-17 victory last week over
their closest competitors, Texas Tech.
"It was a top win, no doubt about it,"
said A&M coach Emory Bellard.
"When two teams are equal, it always
comes down to the kicking game and
that's what happened."
Tony Franklin, the barefooted junior
field goal kicker, booted four three-
pointers in the fourth quarter to clinch
the victory. Franklin . is widely
recognized as the top kicker in the
NCAA, and Michigan coach Bo Schem-
bechler has said he could be the
decisive factor in tomorrow's game.
"We can't play A&M even and
win-because of their kicker," Schem-
bechler said. "We've got to be
superior."
Franklin, holder of nine NCAA recor-
ds, seems to have a personal motto of
"long distance is the next best thing to
six points." Seven of his 17 field goals
last year were 50 yards or greater, in-
cluding 64 and 65 yarders against
Baylor.
Another Aggie accustomed to putting
his best foot forward is punter David
Appleby. Appleby, who does wear a
kicking shoe, has averaged 44.6 yards
per punt this season, including two
bombs that went for 63 and 59 yards.
The Aggies returned seven starters
from last year's offensive unit that
ranked 10th in the nation in scoring and
led the Southwest Conference in
rushing with an average of 273.4 yards
per garme..
Senior signal-caller David Walker
operates the Aggies' Wishbone offense.
Walker is a 5-11, 185 pound southpaw
who excels at running the triple-option
offense.
"Walker is an outstanding leader and,
he throws well," said Michigan
assistant coach Jack Harbaugh.
Walker has completed 60 percent of his
passes this year for 261 yards and has
rushed for another 133.
Fullback George Woodard, 6-0 and
280 pounds, makes sure that this is One
Wishbone that will never be pulled
apart. Woodard trucked for 150 yards in
the opener against Kansas, but has
been battling injuries since.
Last week he managed just 59 yards
on 18 carries, playing on a sore leg..le
entered a Texas hospital on Tuesday of
this week for an appendix examination,
but has since been declared fit to play.
Woodard combined with left halfback
Curtis Dickey for 1,879 yards last
season. Dickey is a 6-1, 202 pound
sophomore sprinter who is capableaof
breaking the long one. Dickey's ,.4
speed has netted him 6.8 yards per
carry as the Aggies' leading rusher, af-
ter three games.
The Aggies sport a quintet of peopte-
movers along the offensive line who are
in charge of creating holes for
Woodard, Dickey, and the right half-
backs, David Brothers and Adger Ar-
mstrong.
Pre-season All-American Frank
Meyers, a 6-5, 250 pound senior,
spearheads the blocking from his right
tackle position. Center Mark Dennart,
6-1 and 237 pounds, is also known as onie
of the best in the business.
The lack of quality depth in the
secondary is the top concern for the
Aggies on defense. Eight starters were
lost from the defensive unit that was 4th
in the nation in total defense in 1976.
Still, the Aggies pose a problem with
their "swarming" type of defense.
"They try to create the big play on
defense," Harbaugh said. "They'll send
the strong safety, they'll send the cor-
nerback and blitz the linebackers."
Cornerback Mike Williams and safety
Carl Grulich are the returning letter-
men in the secondary. Senior
linebacker Kevin Monk, 6-0, 212 pounds,
is the third returning starter and leads
the Aggies in tackles this season.
Both teams enter the game with 3-0
marks, and a crowd in excess of 104,000
is expected. Michigan and A&M have
met only once before, with the
Wolverines prevailing 1-10 in 1970.'
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