The Season Of The Sophomore

The great gold rush is over now that Coach Sonny Grandelius has left. While Boulder has not become a ghost town, the Buffs are nearly a ghost team. What little life remained was nearly extinguished when End and Captain Ken Blair, representing players not tainted by a recruiting scandal, protested the hiring of high school coach and alumni director Bud Davis. "You have your new coach. Now get yourselves a new team," he told the school's Board of Regents. What was left of the team stayed, but 17 men graduated, 10 others left, nine were declared ineligible, Olympic sprinter-Halfback Ted Woods withdrew for personal reasons and breakaway Fullback Bill Harris developed grade trouble. Halfbacks Leon Mavity and Ted Somerville, Tackle Bill Frank and Guard Dan Grimm are the only proven players back. End Marty Harshbarger, Guard Bill Bearss and sopho more Quarterbacks Frank Cesarek and Ed Belt fill out a fairly spooky roster.

CONCLUSION: If Davis can make his fancy three-end "swingin' T" go, it'll be the greatest comeback since Hamlet's father.

Dayton

Whatever melancholy satisfaction can be gleaned from a season whose chief accomplishments were ending an 11-game losing streak and upsetting Wichita sustained Dayton footballers over a long winter. Fortunately, spring practice brought some promise. The reserves were improved, several sophomores showed progress and 10 of 11 starters were back. Before, spectacular Halfback Andy Timura, who averages over five yards a carry, made football seem worthwhile almost singlehandedly; now he will be joined by sophomore Tom Kosewic and Halfback Bob Ireton. If Kosewic helps enough, both Jim Overman and Bob Michigan, a closely matched pair, can stay at fullback. Ends Bob Heckman and Dick Pagliari will form an effective reception committee if Quarterback Tom LaBeau can bring his passing up to the level of his running. Smothering runs and passes, Guard Bob Donley heads a line backed by sophomores.

CONCLUSION: In Coach Stan Zajdel's first year Dayton's record was 1-9. Last season it was 2-8. Improvement continues.

Detroit

The big auto manufacturers are advertising more horsepower and more style. So are the Titans, and they may prove as impressive as this year's new cars. Flashy passer Jerry Gross, injured during the sixth game in 1961, is back. Gross had averaged 221.5 yards of offense per game, the second best total ever recorded. Strong again, he could win national honors this year. He and new Coach John Idzik will be helped by leading ground-gainer Vic Battani, who returns at fullback, and George Walkosky, sophomore Bob La Porte, Mitch Skorski and Gary Wilkie, all fast halfbacks. The "extended motion" of Idzik's T will be projected far downfield by such linemen as sophomore Tackle Joe Henze, Guards Bob Koval and Ed Greeves and capable pass-catching Ends Tom Bolz and John Lower. By a strange coincidence, the 1962 Titans will get a tough road test in their first game, at Boston College, new home of departed Coach Jim Miller.

CONCLUSION: Able to defeat any of its opponents, Detroit will have the best won-lost record of any major Midwest independent.

Illinois

Out on the green-and-black Illinois prairie there are enough good football players to gladden any recruiter. Unfortunately, few of them go to the University of Illinois. (A couple of years ago Yale had more good Illinoisans than Illinois.) Last season, worst in Illinois football history, the Illini were out-rushed 2,138-945 and outscored 289-53, ranked last in the Big Ten in every important category and lost all nine games. But no one is drinking hemlock in Champaign, not yet. The exodus has slowed, and several fine young Illinoisans, notably gifted Quarterback Mike Taliaferro, Fullback Dave Pike and sophomore Linemen Bruce Capel, Dick Butkus, Lynn Stewart and Rich Callaghan, are on hand. Among maturing returnees who should help Coach Pete Elliott immeasurably are leading rusher and Fullback Al Wheatland, all-round Halfback Ken Zimmerman, big, quick Guards Dick Deller and Frank Lollino and a raft of tackles and ends.