SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7,9, 1955 THE MICHIGAN DAILY rAGE TTMFF I SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1955 THE MICHIGAN I)A1TY PAGE THR!E Wolverines ace Underdog Hawkeyes Crucial Big Today; MS U, Wisconsin Vie In Ten Game T i VanPelt Draws Starting 4>} .> Spartans Hope For Win To Remain in Contention Quarterback Assignment) 4> CALVIN JONES ..may bother Bennie Defense Picks Up in College Grid Contests By The Associated Press There's less scoring, less ground gaining, less forward passing-and more defense-in college football this season. With the season more than half over, NCAA Service Bureau statis- tics show a rather startling drop in offense figures as compared to last year. It's so big that the early season bad weather which afflicted many teams no longer can be blamed. The national scoring average is down to an even 32 points agame for both teams. That's nearly three points. below last season's 34.7 point average and the lowest mid-season rate since 1943. Forward Passes Decrease And where college teams have averaged from 30 to nearly 40 forward passes a game through the last 14 seasons, they're down to an average of 27.3 passes a game for both teams, the lowest figure since 1941. The high average was 37.7 passes in 1951 but it had dropped to 29.7 last season. Although passing is less fre- quent, it's more accurate, accord- ing to the statistics. The national rate for pass completions is .438, far above the over-all average for recent years and just short of the record high of .446 in 1951. By LYNNE TOWLE "All I can do is run" claims Ed Hickey. The Michigan right halfback certainly has proved that he can run. In two seasons, Hickey has averaged over 4.5 yards a carry. This year he has gained a net of 61 yards on 12 carries for a 5.1 rushing average. Mostly on Offense The 5'8", 173-pounder does most of his playing on offense. He per- sonally favors the one-platoon system, because he feels it makes for a better football player. Many people at Michigan feel that Hickey is one of the most underrated players on the team. He is too good a player to be seeing such limited action, but he (Continued from page 1) .n and his squad whipped Indi- ana, 20-6. A steady stream of injuries, how- ever, has dealt the hopes of Iowa' a staggering blow. Said Evashev- ski earlier this week: "Our squad is trying to get well; we can't work hard enough to create what we really want." The casualties were aggravated in the loss to the Uclans last weekend. Center Don Suchy received a wound in his hand, End Jim Freeman sustained a painful back bruise, and Center Bill Van Buren re-injured an ankle. Captain Cal Jones, Iowa's All- American guard, may see some ac- tion today. If he is able to per- form anywhere near his usual form Evashevski may yet get his first victory over Michigan. Coach Bennie Oosterbaan has similar problems with his star lineman, End Ron Kramer. The East Detroit star has missed the last two games but there is great hope that he will see some action today. He was running with the first string unit in yesterday's fi- nal drills. Kramer is the otily question mark in the Wolverine lineup. Fullbacks Lou Baldacci, Dave Hill, and Earl Johnson will all be ready for the game. Ed Shannon, who received a cracked bone in his hand in the Army game, is in good shape. Jim Maddock, held back against Minnesota because of a bruised hip, though he did see some action, should be close to par. VanPelt to Start Jim VanPelt, who directed the team brilliantly in the Brown Jug victory, is expected to draw the starting quarterback assignment. The poised sophomore led both touchdown marches against Min- nesota, threw one scoring pass, and booted the deciding extra point. With VanPelt will be Ter- ry Barr and Tony Branoff at the halfback spots and Baldacci at fullback. Tom Maentz, whose great play since his return to action has eased the pressure due to Kramer's loss, will be at right end. Rotunno will probably get the starting nod at the other wing. The excellent tackle combination of Jim Orwig and Al Sigman, guards Dick Hill and Captain Ed Meads, and Bates at center complete the line. Reichow Dangerous The Iowa aggregation will pre- sent a polished offense to the large audience. In Quarterback Jerry Reichow the Hawkeyes have one of the most outstanding play- ers in the country. ,The leading ground gainer on the team-261 yards in 54 tries for a 4.8 aver- age per try-and the top passer with 23 completions, he is sure to be the major thorn in Michi- gan's side. A senior, he ranks third in the nation in total offense. Two flashy halfbacks, Earl Smith and Eddie Vincent, will also pre- sent problems for the Maize and Blue. Vincent is second on the Hawkeye squad in the rushing de- partment. Huge Iowa Line A huge Iowa line will also plague Michigan. Headed by Right End Freeman at 235 pounds, the visi- tors average 216 from wing to wing. Michigan is the favorite in the Homecoming game but that fact has done no more than increase: the desire of Evashevski and his team. A battle for third place between Michigan State and Wisconsin highlights the Big Ten football weekend, although Iowa appears at Michigan in a national TV game. Michigan and Ohio State. which entertains Northwestern, each is Big Ten Standings W L T Pet. MICHIGAN ....3 0 0 1.000 Ohio State ....2 0 0 1.000 Michigan State 2 1 0 .667 Wisconsin .....2 1 0 .667 Iowa ..........1 1 1 .500 Purdue ......1 1 1 .500 Illinois ........ 2 0 .333 Indiana ........1 2 0 .333 M1innesota ......1 3 0 .250 Northwestern* ..0 3 0 .000 unbeaten in conference play, while Michigan State and Wisconsin own 2-1 League records. Daugherty Optimistic This means that the loser will most likely be eliminated from the title race. Over at Michigan State Coach Duffy Daugherty is cheer- fully optimistic about it all. The game is Wisconsin's home- coming and someone dug up the fact that Wisconsin had lost only RON KRAMER, UNANIMOUS PRE-SE'ASON CHOICE AS AN ALL-AMERICAN END, MAY BE READY TO GO THIS AFTERNOON FOR MICHIGAN. HE HAS BEEN ON THE SIDELINES SINCE THE ARMY GAME, WHEN HE SUFFERED A RIB INJURY. By The Associated Press one homecoming in the past 16 years. "We'd never beaten Illinois be- fore," commented Daugherty. (Michigan State played Illinois for the first time last week and won, 21-7). It's not that Daugherty is cocky. It's just his nature to be cheerful. He was last year while trying to explain a 3-6 won-and-lost season. It was pointed out that Wiscon- sin Coach Ivy Williamson had never lost three in a row. "I have," said Daugherty. "Last year-Notre Dame, Purdue and. Minnesota-want to know the scores?" MSU Confident The coach reflects the attitude of the team, an outfit that seems sure of victory. Clarence Peaks, the running, kicking, passing star, is still nurs- ing a sore ankle. He's alternated practice workouts with sessions in a whirlpool bath. Jerry Musetti will probab.ly start in place of Peaks. "Peaks will definitely see action," he said. "He's not in-top form and the amount will be determined by his physical condition." Also, quarterback EarlaMorrall has attracted national attention for his passing 'against Illinois. Fullback Jerry Planutis, the week earlier, was a one-man gang against Notrc Dame. Padue Faces Illini In the only other Big Ten game, Purdue (1-1-1) is at Illinois (1-2). This game is something of a toss- up. Purdue, with its fine passer and signal caller, Lennie Dawson, is a dangerous threat through the air. Illinois, with its flashy corps of backs, who gain much yardage game after game but seem unable to cross the goal line, will also be a menace. Two non-Conference contests send Southern California to Min- nesota and Ohio University to In- diana. Ohio State, though beaten by Stanford and Duke, figures to grab its third straight Big Ten victory from winless Northwestern with little trouble. Howard Cassidy and Jerry Hark- rader should be able to show some brilliant running against the weak Northwestern line in preview of the coming showdown with Michi- gan. Seldom Seens,' Notire Dame Favored Over Navy CLARENCE PEAKS ... bad for Badgers In Vi talI SOUTH BEND, Ind. ()- Unde- feated Navy, the nation's No. 4 college football team, exchanges broadsides with its most formid- able foe of the season, favored Notre Dame in a tense intersec- tional contest today. The forecast calls for scattered showers and cooler weather, but this Knute K. Rockne memorial game is expected to jam 55,000 fans into Notre Dame Stadium. Irish Six-Point Favorites Notre Dame's once-beaten Irish l Intersectional Battle I ED HICKEY has had to sit on the bench behind such stalwarts as Tony Branoff, Danny Cline, Jim Pace and Terry Barr.,. During the past two season, Hic- key has seen a total of 306 minutes. He played in every contest during the 1953 football season. Hickey was on the varsity in 1951, when freshmen were per- mitted to play. He wasn't able to compete in 1952, however, because of a bad knee. Rib Injury Other than the bad knee, Hickey has been subjected to only one other serious injury. It occurred in the, Iowa game last season when he was laid up for two weeks with a cracked rib. He miss- ed the Northwestern and Minne- sota games but was back in action for Indiana. In high school he played half- back on the football team, forward on the basketball team and was a catcher on the baseball squad. He gained All-State honors in each of these three sports for each of his three years in high school. In ad- dition, he also ran the 100-yard dash and the 220-yard rash on the track team. Intends To Fly Hickey plans to graduate at the end of this semester. He then will enter an Air Force training school with tentative plans of making flying his career. Hickey feels that he might like to serve as a jet pilot. Hickey, who comes from Ana- conda, Mont., is majoring in his- tory. Following the football season, he can frequently be seen at the Intramural building playing hand- ball or paddleball. He also com- petes in I-M basketball for Sigma Chi fraternity. In commenting on last week's game, Hickey said, "Minnesota was extremely high emotionally. They hit quickly and we were unpre- pared for their early attack. We began to pick up spirit at the end of the second quarter and started to move." rate a six-point favorite as they steam against a team that is the pride of the East. Yet, the Irish are notched in the No. 9 spot in the national Associated Press poll. With Notre Dame's chances for a perfect season already marred by Michigan State, 21-7, the pres- sure today will be entirely on the Middies, who own the nation's best defensive record and a superlative quarterback, George Welsh. Pivotal Game Even with the traditional finale with Army still ahead, this is a pivotal game in Navy's strike for its first undefeated season since 1926 and perhaps the first unbeat- en-untied year in Navy history. Navy has had few shining hours in this 29-game series. The Mid- dies have defeated the Irish only four times, last triumph with' ai wartime, bolster lineup, 32-13, in 1944. The one tie played was a 6-6. outcome in 1945. Notre Dame's top-heavy bag of 23 victories include 9 in a row since the 1945 deadlock, with Aussie Stars Stay Amateur MELBOURNE (A) - Australia's 20-year-old tennis stars, Lew Hoad and Ken Rosewall, will be back to defend the Davis Cup next year. They are remaining in the ama- teur ranks. . Hoad announced his decision yesterday to U.S. promoter Jack Kramer, who has been seeking to lure the blond bomber into the pro ranks to tour with Tony Tra- bert, the American ace who al- ready has turned pro. Kramer had offered Hoad 25,- 000 Australian pounds ($56,000) to join his troupe. Navy's best showing coming lastI year in a 6-0 defeat in the mudt at Baltimore.5 Rockne Honored Rockne will be honored at at half-time ceremonial at this par-r as Jesse Harper, Frank Leahy, ticular game because Navy dedi- cated Notre Dame Stadium in 1930,! the year the famed Irish mentor died in a plane crash. The Irish this year mark the 25th team since Rockne's death. Such former Irish head coaches Elmer Layden, Hunk Anderson and' ED SHANNON Ed McKeever, will participate in the ceremony, as will the "Rock's" widow, Mrs. Bonnie Rockne. The game, starting at 12:30 p.m. CST, will be broadcast CBS, but not televised to the public. N3o. 38 YPSILANTI - Ann Arbor High's gridders won their 38th consecutive game here last night by downing Ypsilanti, 20-13. Raccoons Win In I-M Games By BILL GRANSE A sharp aerial attack paved tne way for a 13-8 Raccoon victory ov- er Air Force ROTC in an inde- pendent first-place playoff touch football game at South Ferry Field yesterday. The game proved to be a pass- ing duel as both teams exhibited a good air attack and sharp pass de- fense. The Raccoon tallies came when a Bob Thomas-to-John Pot- ter combination clicked for a touchdown, and later in the con- test when John Harrison passed to Bob Hitchmaugh for a score. Jim Case passed to John Chans- ler for the AFROTC touchdown. The Air Force added a safety in the closing seconds of play to com- plete the scoring. Evans Bows In the other first-place playoff game, the Seldom Seen Kids edged Evans Scholars in an of- fensive battle, 19-12. A good run- ning and passing attack enabled the Kids to down a rugged Evans Scholars eleven. The Seldom Seen Kids and the Raccoons, by virtue of their victories, advance to the next round of the Independent first place playoffs. Touchdowns by Bob DeGrazia and Ray Smuter led Newman Club to a 15-0 second-place playoff vic- tory over LSA. Other House bare- ly downed Michigan Cooperative, 19-18 in another second place con- test. Despite heads-up playing by Dave Brown, who sparked the Con- gregational Disciples attack, con- gregational Disciples bowed to Pillpushers, 13-7, in a third place playoff game. Bill Paller paced the Foresters to a 19-6 win over Michigan Co- operative in a fourth-place play- off battle. By DAVE RORABACHER Small-but he's dynamite. ! That's Ed Shannon, the stocky Irishman from River Forest, Ill. Standing only 5'8" and weighing 172 pounds, he rates as one of the smallest men on the Wolverine football roster. In a' game where players of im- mense bulk predominate, Shannon not only manages to hold his own, but he does so at two positions- right halfback and fullback. Prefers Halfback mainder of the season as the first- string right halfback. 'His steady performance in this capacity proved a very pleasant surprise to the Wolverine fans and. coaching staff. Nonetheless, when spring practice rolled around he was alternated between his "pre- ferred" halfback position and the fullback slot in what the press re- leases called an "insurance mea- sure." positions for the 1956 season. And as one staunch Shannon fan observed. "He has certainly earned it." M rIM ... =ii II MEN*.. Convert your double-breasted suit to a single-breasted model- for-only $15.00 Absolute satisfaction guaranteed . .. Expert Workmanship ... 10-DAY SERVICE Mail Coat Only with $15.00 in check or money order and RETURN ADDRESS to. MICHAELS TAILORING CO "I prefer the halfback position," he says, cautiously hastening to add that he also likes the fullback slot, lest one should too hastily jump to the conclusion that he has been assigned to play there against his will. Seeming to enjoy his dual role the 20-year-old Bus. Ad. junior has at varying times garnered starting assignments in each posi-, tion. Shannon was originally a half- back, the position which he held down at Fenwick High School and for which he gained All-Chicago area honors. When Tony Branoff injured his knee in the Army contest last year, Shannon was immediately named his successor and finished the re- Insurance Pays Off The insurance paid off well this fall. When the Maize and Blue's two top fullbacks, Lou Baldacci and Dave Hill, both fell victim to ankle injuries, Shannon was as- signed to the starting lineup for the Army game at that position. "We certainly intend to continue using him at fullback," state head coach Bennie Oosterbaan as he recalled Shannon's admirable per- formance. However, all is not rosey. Dur- ing the rugged Cadet-Wolverine struggle the low slung charger suf- fered a broken bone in his right hand and he is still forced to play with a cast. As the men which rank above him in both back positions are now seniors, the dually-talented Shan- non will likely receive a regular starting assignment at one of the -Ieadquarters for Michigan SOUVENIRS, BLANKETS, PENNANTS, ANIMALS, MUSICAL FOOTBALLS, WINDBREAKER JACKETS, ASHTRAYS, GLASSWARE, PLAYING CARDS ALL IMPRINTED .WITH THE' UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN INSIGNIA BUY AND SAVE AT SPORTS Night Editor STEVE HEILPERN FOLLETT'S MICHIGAN BOOKSTORE 322 S. State St., Ann Arbor, Mich, FMICHIGAN WELCO-ME f4LUMS OkS,.Sk BLANKETS PILLOWS AIr v P- BEER MUGS BANNERS - PENNANTS FELT ANIMALS V L Homecoming Dance .I ._