In The Conferences

IVY LEAGUE

Yale Quarterback Brian Dowling throws a football in parabolas and once broke his hand when he tripped in an agility drill, but he has yet to play in a losing game and he may keep that record intact for another season. Dowling passed for 684 yards last year, and he is such a successful leader that if he blushed at a compliment, the entire Yale team would follow him by turning crimson. Coach Carmen Cozza complains about the rest of his offense, but he has back such able players as Halfback Calvin Hill, Ends Bruce Weinstein and Lew Roney and Tackle Kyle Gee. If Yale cannot repeat last year's undefeated conference record, the reason will be a wobbly defense, where seven starters are gone.

Dartmouth's traditionally effective attack just could be strong enough to take advantage of Yale's questionable defense. Quarterback Bill Koenig, a good passer, may be overshadowed by sophomore Jim Chasey, a better one, while Bob Mlakar, Bob Lundquist and Dave Boyle are all good running backs. Princeton will make it a three-way title race, for all the Tigers save one return on offense, including Tailback Dick Bracken and Fullback Ellis Moore.

There can hardly be title hopes at Harvard, but there is excitement over Richie Szaro, the Polish halfback Bobby Kennedy found on a New York City playground one day and helped recruit. Szaro set a Harvard freshman record for scoring. He, Vic Gatto—soon to be the alltime Crimson rushing leader—and Ray Hornblower add up to a strong running attack. Cornell, which came on well last year, will continue to worry the leaders, but the same cannot be said for Brown, Columbia and that fallen giant of long ago, Penn. They had best play for the pure pleasure of it.

SOUTHERN

In 1953 seven of the best football schools in the Southern Conference packed up their helmets, hip pads and grants-in-aid and departed to form their own league, the Atlantic Coast Conference. In 1965 Virginia Tech, its football program blossoming, turned independent, followed last July 1 by West Virginia, the only real football power that had remained in the conference. What is left may not be the strongest league anywhere but it is the most evenly matched.

Anybody can win the SC title this year, but the race will probably be settled when Richmond visits East Carolina on October 26. Coach Frank Jones of Richmond lost much of his offensive line, but the Spiders are bigger and faster overall, and Buster O'Brien, the league's best quarterback, is back. East Carolina, like Princeton, still does quite well with the single wing, thank you, although the Pirates need a tailback to replace Neal Hughes. Fullback Butch Colson, who set an SC record last year with 1,135 yards, should pick up the slack, and seven returning starters make the defense strong. William and Mary, swifter and bigger than usual, is also a title threat. End Jim Cavanaugh, who caught 48 passes last year, returns.

The Citadel, with a number of good players in key places, is another dark horse. Tailback Jim McMillan is a proven runner, and the defense is headed by Linebacker John Small, who does things up big. VMI's main hope is that Murphy Sprinkel can step in for Russ Quay at quarterback. Furman has Quarterback Clyde Hewell, who threw for 1,873 yards last year, and Fullback Joe Street to lead its attack, but the defense is inexperienced. Davidson faces a tougher schedule—Virginia and Vanderbilt have been added—with a team weakened by the loss of Quarterback Jimmy Poole.

ATLANTIC COAST

Spring practice left Clemson Coach Frank Howard with ends, tackles, guards, runners, receivers, linebackers—everything, it seems, but an experienced quarterback. Charley Waters or Billy Amnions, one of whom will take over, should have a lot of fun giving the ball to Buddy Gore, who set an ACC rushing record last season. Eight of 11 starters return on the defense and, quarterback or no, the Tigers must be favored for their fourth ACC title in four years.