The East

Yale, shocked but not really saddened by Jordan Olivar's sudden resignation last winter, will have a new look under Coach Johnny Pont, who was brought in from Miami of Ohio to lift the Elis out of their recent doldrums. Pont's pro-type offense is geared to a strong defense. He wants possession of the ball as quickly as possible and then he expects his team to break its backs into the clear. The idea has a nice sound to it, but Yale lacks the firepower to make it come off. After Tackle Perry Wickstrom and Center George Humphrey, the line has too many tender spots. The quarterbacking is questionable, too, and the only stylish runners around are Halfback Randy Egloff and Fullback Pete Cummings.

About the best that BUCKNELL and TEMPLE can hope for in the Middle Atlantic Conference is second place behind Delaware. Bucknell has the defense to challenge for the title, but Coach Bob Odell's multiple T, which depends so greatly on a strong passing game, may be more restrained with sophomore Bill Lerro at quarterback. Although there are still some excellent receivers around—End Phil Morgan and Halfback Mike Connell each caught 25 passes last year—the Bisons will have to rely upon their runners. Temple's losses were minimal, and Coach George Makris has plugged his weak spots by switching Tackle Steve Speers to end, Center Ron Koehler to tackle and substitute Quarterback Wil Gattuso to fullback. This should strengthen the defense and make the running attack more dangerous. The passing could be better and it may be if sophomore Joe Petro moves ahead of letterman Mark Lichtenfeld at quarterback.

The other MAC teams are less impressive. GETTYSBURG has toughened up its defense with 245-pound sophomore Tackle Lloyd Grumbein, and its running game is improved, but the Bullets lack a good passer. At LAFAYETTE new Coach Ken Bunn does have a passer—Quarterback George Hossenlopp—but little else. Only three starters are back at LEHIGH and, unless the sophomores mature rapidly and Quarterback John DeNoia returns to his 1961 passing form, the Engineers will find moving the ball a difficult chore. Coach Mike Cooley's only hope is to develop a defense—to hold down the score.

In the Yankee Conference VERMONT Coach Bob Clifford has junked his conventional T for the more airy spread T with its flankers and split ends to give Halfback Kenny Burton, his best runner, more opportunity to get away. But the Catamounts need more strength in the line. MAINE will have a passable first line, a new quarterback in Ray Austin and, after that, its usual dearth of able hands. At RHODE ISLAND new Coach Jack Zilly's first job will be to fill out a starting lineup. He has only six lettermen from last year's 2-5-2 squad, hardly enough to form a corporal's guard. With some luck, Quarterback Greg Gutter may keep Zilly's first season from being an absolute zero.

Williams has a slight edge over AMHERST in the Little Three. Frank Navarro, who moved up from line coach to replace the retired Len Watters, inherited 24 experienced players, including some fast backs and many of the tenacious linemen who gave up only three scores last season. Guard Al Hageman and Tackle Ben Wagner, a pair of robust 225-pounders, insure Williams of a solid defense, and Navarro has put in the spread T to get more scoring punch from his backs. Amherst Coach Jim Ostendarp does not have that particular worry, not with Bob Santonelli and John North, who between them ran for 1,051 yards and 17 touchdowns in 1962, available. But he has others, notably an acute shortage of linemen. WESLEYAN'S sophomores need time to learn Coach Norm Daniels' wing T ways. Until they do, the Cardinals will have to look to Don Ware, who has been moved from tackle to guard, to hold together a leaky line and Halfback Gerald Miller to provide the offense.

Trinity and Tufts will be less prepossessing this year. Trinity Coach Dan Jessee starts his 32nd year with a mere handful of lettermen. Halfbacks Bill Campbell and Merrill Yavinski, an accurate short passer, make the Bantams a threat but they do not spell a big season. At Tufts, Coach Harry Arlanson, whose Chicago Bear T usually revolves around quick slambang fullbacks and king-sized tackles, is fresh out of both. Arlanson will try to compensate with his good runners, Halfbacks Ralph Doran and Dick Sylvester, and perhaps even with some unaccustomed passing by his quarterbacks, John Nyhan and Steve Karp.