A Rambling Wreck For Another Tech

As a senior halfback at rural Novi High VanWagner averaged 95 yards a game in only 10 carries. But Novi is a Class C school. Major colleges recruit A and B. Michigan State called once, asking VanWagner if he wanted to try out for the Spartans as a walk-on linebacker. He won an appointment to West Point, considered enrolling, but turned the opportunity down when he heard of a plebe who was so hungry he often ate his toothpaste. "I don't think I really believed the story," VanWagner says, "but I'm happy I decided not to go there. I've had four years to play tailback here. At Army I might have spent four years holding a tackling dummy."

One reservation the pros may have about VanWagner is that he is a tweener: fast (4.6 in the 40) but small for the ideal fullback and big but a step slow for the picture halfback. But San Francisco 49er Scout Dick Daniels has advised VanWagner not to worry, just to go out and have a big year, which he is doing.

The Huskies opened the season at Northwood Institute, nine hours down-state in Midland. Forty Huskies boarded the bus. Two had no seat so they rode in the luggage rack. The bus arrived half an hour late, stopping en route because Tech's wide receiver was carsick. The Gateway Motel ran out of rollaways. At dinner, it ran out of glasses.

The next afternoon Tech whipped the Northmen 31-7. VanWagner rushed 32 times for 140 yards and four touchdowns. The following week he had 155 yards in 31 attempts as the Huskies, playing without a healthy placekicker, lost to Grand Valley State 10-8. After sitting out an easy win over Winona State-with a bruised shoulder, VanWagner returned last Saturday and ran for 176 yards and two touchdowns in 35 carries as Tech crushed Bemidji 48-7.

Before the Northwood game VanWagner said, "I've got scrapbooks. No matter what else happens, I can say I contributed." That tells you a lot about the small-college game, but more about Jim VanWagner.