SPORTS SUPPLEMENT Y L 4br A6F t nan OA4t k V, A6F ]4) SPORTS SUPPLEMENT _ Illlillr ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 20, 1950 Wolverine Gri ers Face Tough Scedul Oosterbaan Fills 23 Lettermen, Soph Stars Head 1950 Football Team Crisler's Shoes f Coaching Staff Keeps Team On Top, BriigsBoys Back After Two Losses By BOB SANDELL Associate Sports Editor One of the truly great figures in Michigan athletic history re- tired as coach three years ago and left his top assistant with a ter- rific record to try to match. * * * THAT ASSISTANT had to car- ry on in the footsteps of H. O. "Fritz" Crisler who had stepped down after his 1948 squad, his last and best, had swept to a national title, Western Conference crown, and a smashing Rose Bowl victory. The team had run up a win streak of 14 games and it was expectoed to be prolonged by the group of experienced and re- turning veterans. The big question was could Ben- jamin Gaylord Oosterbaan, sud- denly handed one of the biggest coaching jobs in college football, carry on in the footsteps of his great predecessor? * * * HIS FIRST YEAR success is now a familiar story. He not only led the Wolverines to their second consecutive undefeated season and to national honors, but was nam- ed the nation's "Coach of the Year." Apparently hie was easily car- rying on in the Michigan tra- dition cC annually producing powerful gridiron machines. But the skeptics were not satis- fied. They could point out the fact that Oosterbaan was handed an experienced outfit in his fresh- man year and possibly had little .4 do with its development. WHETHER THAT be true or not, all doubts were dispelled last fall when "Bennie" led the Michi- ganders to another Big Ten title after two stunning upsets. Oosterbaan succeeded brilli- anttly in rallying the team after it appeared that the strain of the long win streak would end up causing a disastrous cam- paign. First Army's powerful Cadets suddenly halted Michigan's win skein at 25 and before the Wol- verinescould recover from that blow, Northwestern's Wildcats had sprung up an even bigger upset on them. BUT WHEN it looked,as if Min- nesota's Gophers were going to have a field day against the Wol- verines on the following Saturday, "Bennie" inspired his boys to great heights against the invaders. The Wolverines whipped the confident horde from the North- land and went on to tie for the conference title, for the third straight year that the Maize and Blue had won or shared the cov- x eted crown. The victory over Minnesota that day was a great one for Ooster- baan. In a week he had transform- ed a team that had looked com- pletely beaten and without spirit to one that looked practically un- beatable. IN THAT ONE afternoon he had silenced the doubters and critics and had shoved the Maize and Blue back up with the na- tion's best. Oosterbaan was far from an unfamiliar figure as he stepped into Crisler's shoes. He had been "Fritz's" backfield coach and was thoroughly indoctrin- ated in Crisler's famous single wing attack. Even more than that he had been one of Michigan's greatest All-Americans as an end on the 25-26-27 squads under the late Fielding H. Yost. He also starred on the basketball court and on the diamond. BUT BENNIE would undoubt- edly be the first one to admit that his big job is directing and walls and several other All-Ameri- cans including two of the three Wisterts, Francis and Alvin. * * * CEITHAML WAS one of a long line of brilliant Wolverine quarter- backs. He captaihed and directed the powerful 1942 squad, and mov- ed up from his old position of junior varsity coach when Crisler resigned. Ceithaml has had a lot to do with the development of two current stars, Leo Koceski and Charlie Ortmann. Ernie McCoy carries the title of Chief Scout and with it goes the responsibility of preparing the squad for the coming opponents' tactics and characteristisc. He is also head basketball coach and as- sistant athletic director. * * * THE OTHER TWO line coaches are Bill Orwig who specializes in tutoring the ends and J. T. White, an assistant to Blott and one of the championship '48 outfit. Don Robinson, Wally Weber, .and Cliff Keen {round out the staff with Keen the only one not coaching at his alma mater. Robinson is a former halfback who is handling the junior var- sity and Weber has the important task of teaching the Michigan system to the incoming freshmen. Keen, the varsity wrestling mentor, is an all-around assistant who used to coach the 150-pound- ers before that sport was taken; off the college sports agenda. By BILL CONNOLLY (Daily Sports Editor) Opportunities, in the form of a fourth consecutive Big Ten title, a Rose Bowl bid and another shot at Army, the only major team they have never beaten, are knocking on the door of the Wolverines' locker-room as the 1950 season approaches. * *.* MICHIGAN'S high-compression grid machine will be powered by 23 returning lettermen, strengthened by a handful of standouts from last year's reserve squad and sparked by sophomores, newly pro- moted from the '49 freshman team, deservedlyclassified by frosh coach Wally Weber as: "The greatest in recent years." But head coach Bennie Ooster- baan will be facing the toughest schedule carded by the Maize and Blue in many years and the problem of seasoning the in- experienced replacements for such men as Al Wistert, Dick Kempthorn, Tom Peterson, Wal- ly Teninga and Lloyd Heneveld, all veterans of the 1947 Rose Bowl contest. The Wolverines will receive their initial test from a strong Michigan State invasion, sched- uled for the last day in Septem- ber. Especially impressive at the ends and in the backfield, State has one of the best pass receivers in the business in six-foot, five- inch Bob Carey, who is touted as "the best in Spartan history" by virtue of his record-shattering sophomore performances last fall. THE FOLLOWING weekend, on October 7, the Wolverines will play host to coach Tuss McLaugh- ry's Dartmouth team which re- corded a very impressive record of six wins and two losses on an all- major-game schedule last season, but which is faced with the prob- lem of completely rebuilding its line for the '50 campaign. The Indians' T-formation of- fense will be under the direction of play-maker John Clayton, a flashy ball handler and passer, who was named the outstanding player in New England by the Boston Gridiron Club last fall. After these two rugged home game tests, Michigan will head for Yankee Stadium in New York where, on October 14, they will meet Army, undefeated in 1949, and the only team ever to beat the Wolverines three successive times. * * * THE MAIZE AND BLUE will be out to avenege the 21-7 loss the Cadets served them last year, end- ing a 25-game winning streak in a contest that saw the spark-plug of the Michigan offense, Chuck Ortmann, suffer a minor brain concussion on the first play from scrimmage. Army must be rated Ntrong of- fensively, despite the loss of stal- wart linemen and Arnold Galif- fa, All-American signal-caller who ran the machine that struck for 354 points while holding its opponents to a scant 64 last fall. But whatever the outcome of the eagerly anticipated Army game, the Wolverines will settle down to a defense of the Western Con- ference title which they now share with Ohio State, when they meet Wisconsin, Minnesota, Il- linois, Indiana, Northwestern and OSU, in that order. THAT FARAWAY LOOK-The awareness of nine Saturday's of torture and anguish line the face of Michigan's head coach, Bennie Oosterbaan. Although relieved from the pressure of a long winning streak, the demand for a winning ball club is ever-present. Bennie starts his third year as director of the Wolverine football fortunes with two Conference Championships under his belt-far better than par for the course. A lJ.,'^ W ahii:>' -" C aptains 1950 ' F:fv v v--{.> vr r:.:Cw.K 'vr{ {v: - 4 {t:: ." : " :} ..:.{._}' :;a'" .:.,,~3Y .:* 5 E . mxr ' W olverine G rid Team .- Gjvv,, yv {:fir:{ }. '.;\~i::?b . Al Wahl, a stalwart tackle who has anchored the right side of Michigan's line for two years, was elected to captain the 1950 Wolver- ine football team by his mates last fall. Wahl succeeded his left side counterpart, tackle Al Wistert, who led the Maize and Blue to the Western Conference co-champion- ship last year. "BRICK" WAHL follows in the footsteps of his uncle, Herb Steger, who captained the 1925 Wolverine team. The Oak Park, Illinois, sen- ior first came to Michigan in 1945 and was regarded as an outstand- ing freshman prospect. He entered the Army, however, which shelved his football career for a time. While in Service he displayed his aggressive 'talents in the ring, and won the Army Golden Gloves title in the German area. He returned to Michigan in the fall of 1948 and the six-foot- three, 225-pound lad immediate-{ ly took over the right tackle position. He received All-Ameri- can mention for his outstanding play last fall. Wistert commented upon his successor saying, "Al has the poise and leadership ability it takes to captain a Michigan team." Head ' Coach Bennie Ooster- baan echoed Wistert's - state- ments, adding, "He is a fine player; I'm sure he'll carry on in the Michigan tradition." Wahl has a tough job ahead 'of him. The Maize and Blue face an- other rugged schedule, with the three toughest games away from home. It's going to take every ounce of leadership on his part, and teamwork on the part of the other Wolverines, to bring Michi- gan home with another blue rib- bon. More power to 'em! SHOULD THE Maize and 19 win the crown for the fourth s cessive year, they will again eligible for the automatic R Bowl bid, awarded annually to Big Ten champs. Under special. arrangeme: with the Pacific Coast Confe ence, the Western Conferen annually selects its footb champion to oppose ,the t team in the ePCC standings f the New Year's classic, with ti provision that no team appa more than once in three yea Although the Wolverines h won their second and third s1 cessive championships in the p two years, an appearance in made them ineligible for the ga until this season. * * * BUT THE JANUARY first cl sic is a long way from, Ann Ar figuratively as well as litera To suppose that the Wolverka could trample three teams t are Rose Bowl contenders the selves - Wisconsin, Minnes and Illinois - on the three s cessive Saturdays following 1 Army game is almost beyond realm of an optimistic outlook A fast, shifty Wisconsin tea certainly will furnish no breat er as they face the Wolverin before a homecoming crowd estimatedly 97,000 strong. TI Badgers have indicated the po sibility of deviating from tl strict two-platoon system whi landed thenf in fourth place the Big Ten final standings la season. Although weak through t center of the line, and lacking perienced pass-receivers, Wisc sin will field 25 lettermen, led captain Ken Huxhold, 220-pet tackle. * * * IN TRADITIONAL Minnes style, an experienced line, a aging 230-pounds per man, provide the backbone of the C phers' team. Despite the loss Clayton Tonnemaker and Leo ' mellini, Gopher coach Ben Bierman. will be able to star strong defensive team, with all his returning letterwinners serv: as linemen. Still without a soft spot i their schedule, the Wolverin return to Ann Arbor on Noveu ber 4 to take on the Fighti Illini, offensively rated as th team to beat. Returning to action are 25 1 termen, five of them veteran ha backs who helped Illinois turn the best record for total offe in the Big Ten last fall. Head: the formidaklle list of attack: talent is Johnny Karas, who a sophomore last season set a i Conference ground-gaining rec with an average of 6.7 yards carry. LIKE OOSTERBAAN, howe Illinois' Ray Eliot will be attem: ing to fill in quarterback and pun ing vacancies with relaively greI material. D'efensively the Ill will be strong in the line, w depth resting on the unpredictO performances of sophomore p ers. The only possible chance fo a let-up in the Wolverines' bra tal schedule comes on Novemb 11 when the Hoosiers come t town. In Indiana, Michigan fac a team that failed to win Conference game last season. Following the Hoosiers to A Arbor are Northwestern's Wi cats, who handed the Wolverij their only Conference defeat 1949. The Wildcats, however, 1 20 key lettermen and will be la ing in experienced backfield dep CONCLUDING THE gruell: eight-game schedule will be 1 Wolverines' away-game with O: State, last year's Rose Bo champs. The Buckeyes lost va able first-stringers, but are de in experienced performers, n ably halfback standouts Vic nowicz and Ray Hamilton. Michigan's offense will aga be sparked by Ortmann and L Koceski, both starters last sea son. Pressing Koceski for th starting wingbaek position wi be Don Peterson, letterwinn last seann. .Tim Elriarrsr "BRICK" WAHL IN ACTION-Demonstrating his gridiron tech- nique, Al Wahl (72) closes in on a would-be ground-gainer in the Minnesota game last year. Lloyd Heneveld (61), Dick Kempthorn (38), and Al Wistert (11), are the other Michigan players. ALL-AMERICAN CAPTAIN-Al Wahl, 225-pound1 right tackle, heads the 1950 Wolverine football squad. Last year his outstand- ing line play won him All-American honors. SOPH STANDOUTS BOLSTER TEAM! Reserve Strength Plentiful; '49 Season Success By GEORGE FLINT With reserve strength the key- note in this fall's Wolverine foot- ball pattern, Coach Ben Ooster- baan must place much of his re- liance for that factor on untried sophomores. Not that the Michigan coach will be especially jittery about the situation this season. Wally Web- er's freshman squad last fall pre- sented the easy-going Oosterbaan with a prize package of backfield prospects and some promising linemen. * , * * HEADING THE LIST of pros- peets is Roger Zatkoff, center from Hamtramck, Michigan. Zatkoff is the winner of the Meyer Morton award for the most improved play- er in the 1950 spring practice. Ob- servers rate him as the logical successor to the backer-up job Dick Kempthorn filled last season. remind fans of the great Michigan safety man, Gene Derricotte, who ran opposing teams wild during the 1948 season. Hill is fast and shifty, and has developed an ac- curate passing arm. ALSO SPEEDY but not quite as shifty as Hill is Frank Howell, mighty mite ' from Muskegon Heights. Howell, weighing in at only 155 pounds, impressed fans in last spring's final scrimmage with his hard running and ability to pick holes. In .the quarterback spot Oos- terbaan can choose from a pair of excellent sophomore prospects, Ted Toper from East Chicago, Indiana, and Bill Billings of Flint. Toper, another of the con- verted fullback corps, is a hard- driving blocker who works well off the single wing. Billings, in 1950 Schedule Michigan State, here Dartmouth, here Army, away Wisconsin, here Minnesota, away Illinois, here Indiana, here Northwestern, here Ohio State, away promising sophs than in the back- field. But the all-important end position received a boost with the spring performance of Lowell Per- ry, teammate of Hill at Ypsilanti Central. Perry teamed well with Hill on the quick-pass plays which 1949 Results Mich. 7 M.S.C. 3 27 Stanford 7 7 Army 21 20 Northwestern 21 14 Minnesota 7 13 Illinois 0 20 Purdue 12 20 Indiana 7 7 Ohio State 7 At the tackles, Strowzewski and Paul Mehle, from Chisholm, Minnesota, may provide reserve strength. But in general the lack of good tackle prospects was the big weakness on last year's frosh squad. In Retrospect. By DIXON SEMLOH Michigan's 1949 football season was considered by many a critic and cynic as an almost complete failure, but it was far better than that. Q The Wolverines wound up in a tie for the Championship of the toughest football league in the country, and still there were many who deserte dthe ship. which ran into a calm or two-but had not had the wind completely knocked out of its sails. S* * * FACING A NEAR killing sched- ule-four of the nine contests were so-called "Games of the Week" -the Maize and Blue gridders fin- ished with a record of six wins, Northwestern and managed to tie the Wildcats in the closing min- utes of the game. The other loss in the 1946 season came at the hands of that year's Rose Bowl squad, Illinois. * * * THAT SEASON was followed by two undefeated ones. Then the 1949 squad started out, won the' first two games, and then ran into another platoon of Cadets. Army defeated Michigan. Northwestern again presented the opposition the following Saturday, and this time the Wolverines fell one point short of a tie, suffering the second straight loss of the season. The onions started pouring in, but the following week Michi- gan whipped Minnesota's power- ful Gophers and went undefeat- ed for the rest of the season.