Football

After putting his 65-man squad through an inter-team game scrimmage on Saturday, September 10, and a game scrimmage against the University of Massachusetts on September 14, Coach Bob Blackman made a quick analysis of his team.

Blackman was particularly concerned with the lack of any halfbacks with outstanding break-away ability, a problem which Dartmouth has been facing for the past several seasons.

"We haven't yet found a halfback who can consistently go further than the blocking ahead will carry him," Blackman admitted. "None of them has shown the break-away speed we need so badly."

The Indians' new coach, however, was happy to say that things weren't all gloomy. "The boys are in fine shape, morale is high and they are having very little trouble making the switch from the straight-T formation used last fall to our new V-system of offense."

The Blackman V-system of attack which he has employed successfully enough to become the third-ranked coach in the nation on the basis of winning percentages, is basically a split-T type of attack except that the fullback is set close to the line, usually behind and between guard and tackle, and is used primarily as a blocking back.

This means, however, that both halfbacks and the quarterback to some extent must do the bulk of the ball-carrying, and without break-away backs half of the V offense is crippled and reliance must be placed on passing.

Injuries, both before and during preseason practice, have left some major replacement problems. Fritz Simms, veteran center, suffered a head injury in an

auto accident and could not report to camp. Dick Smith, another fullback candidate, has left college, while Tom Hall, a center who was switched to fullback, has a bad wrist which is not responding to treatment.

The most serious blow of all to Dartmouth's hopes in 1955 came just as these pages went to press. The Big Green's captain and ace quarterback, Leo McKenna, suffered a broken pivot bone in his righthand wrist. McKenna will definitely be sidelined for the opener with Colgate and the following Saturday's contest with Holy Cross. At the moment the doctors hold little hope of his returning even after that, but a fighting player like Leo McKenna will not be denied and may well return to action for the latter part of the season.

Add to this the loss of fullback Phil Rollins, halfbacks Lee Beattie and Tony Bruscino, and varsity guard Pete Conroy and you will have some idea of Coach Blackman's problems.

Fortunately, graduation losses were not as heavy as in previous years, although players such as ends Tim Anderson and Dick Flagg, tackle Jerry Samuelson, guards Bob Bagdasarian and Tex Levy, and halfbacks Lou Turner, Bernie Fulton and Pete Dromeshauser will be sorely missed.

Although shifts are still being made and no position is as yet assured, the Big Green 1955 football team shapes up about as follows:

In the backfield the key position is quarterback, and the Indians are fortunate in having one of the top passers in the East, Bill Beagle, returning, although loss of McKenna causes a depth problem. Under the new V-system, however, the Dartmouth quarterback must be able not only to hand-off and pass but to run as well on the option plays. Captain McKenna was a more able ball-carrier and field general than Beagle and normally would have seen more action under Blackman. Without adequate halfbacks, however, the Indians may have to rely heavily on passing for their offense and here Beagle's talent will be needed. Mike Brown, who showed a great deal of promise last fall as reserve quarterback and who is cool and poised under fire, has been sidelined temporarily with a shoulder injury, but he could well be a big help this fall. Sophomore Doug Fusonie at quarterback has come along fast in pre-season practice and may become a regular.

At the halfback posts the veterans hold the edge at the moment. Jack Nicolette and Lou Rovero, both lettermen, lead at the moment with juniors Bob Charman and Ed Nelson and sophomore Don Klages very much in the running. The 175-pound Charman has looked the best in the scrimmages, breaking away for several scoring romps, while sophomore Don Klages has developed fairly well.

Injuries have left the fullback post wide open and there is a very real problem here. At the moment Bob Rex, a converted halfback, and sophomore Dave Pratt are the only real contenders. Rex has been impressive as a blocking fullback and plays just as well on defense. Pratt seems to have more speed and is a better ball-carrier, although lack of experience may hurt his chances for a while.

Moving to the line, we find the end squad, as has been usual in recent years, the strongest on the team. The tackle and guard positions are questionable, although there are some promising candidates, while at center the outlook is bleak at best.

Monte Pascoe is, of course, the outstanding end candidate and perhaps the best player on the team. The 6'1", 180-pound junior was Dartmouth's top pass receiver last fall with 25 receptions for 345 yards and one touchdown. Only an injury which sidelined him for part of the season prevented Pascoe from being one of the top receivers in Ivy League play.

Other veteran ends back include Ron Fraser, Don Gray, Bud Roth, and Don Marriott, while sophomores Dave Moss and Pete Pullen are talented candidates. The tackle squad is composed largely of veterans with Wayne Kakela the top candidate. Tom Bechler, George Krosnowski and George Bixby are familiar names and all should see action this fall. Tom Booth, returning from service with the airborne troops, has shaped up well, while sophomores Bob Zovlonsky, Al Gazzaniga and Walt Busker will make bids for starting berths.

The Klapper twins, Stu and Stan, headlined the returning veteran guards, but they will have to battle reserve John Donnelly and sophomores Jim Riffle and Joe Palermo for the jobs.

The absence of Simms and the injury to Dave Fogarty make the center berth a major concern to Coach Blackman and his staff. Bob Adelizzi, a junior who saw limited action last fall, is the number one candidate at the moment, with sophomore Bernie McAdams and junior Joe Malley in reserve. Beyond these three, none of whom has had much experience, there is little, and other men may be tried at this post before the season opens.

Veteran observers at the practice sessions to date feel that the summer correspondence course Coach Blackman devised for his squad, plus a rigorous time schedule and demanding practice plan, has brought the present team along faster than any in recent years. The coaches have placed great emphasis on fundamentals and this has resulted in better blocking and crisper and more precise tackling than has been seen for some time.

The players welcome the daily, planned schedule with every part of the session timed to the minute. They are responding to the demand with alacrity and a spirit that bodes well for the games ahead. They have mastered the V-system quite well, and the 1955 Dartmouth team should be one of the best disciplined and trained elevens since the Blaik regime.

But the harsh realities of the nine-game schedule do not permit being too optimistic this first year. Opening with Colgate at Hamilton, N. Y., is rough, for the Red Raiders, using the split-T attack, have both power and speed. Holy Cross comes to Hanover on October 1 for the first home game, and the Crusaders, anxious to avenge their last-minute defeat in 1954, seem to have the team to do it. The Brown game at Providence the following week should be a toss-up; the Bruins, like the Indians, are rebuilding. Lafayette, the second home game on October 15, could be a win for Dartmouth, but you can't ever under-rate these Pennsylvania teams. The Harvard game on October 22 in Hanover is Dartmouth's big Diamond Jubilee Year Game and the Indians will go all out for this one, which is being televised throughout the East. However, Coach Lloyd Jordan has the makings of a good Crimson team this year and Dartmouth will have to be in top shape to win. Yale is always tough in the Yale Bowl and is favored to win the unofficial Ivy League title this year. Columbia in New York on November 5 will be a close one, with Lou Little always tough to beat, particularly on home grounds. The Cornell game in Hanover on November 12 will be Dartmouth's final home contest. The Big Red still has most of the halfbacks who tore the Indians wide open last fall, and although it will probably find tougher going this year, it still must be favored. The final with Princeton at Palmer Stadium on November 19 is anyone's guess. Royce Flippin is back for the Tigers and he alone could make the difference.

Looking at the schedule in this fashion and considering the material available, it's hard to see how Coach Blackman's first Dartmouth team can set the Eastern football world on fire. But the new V-system, high morale, probably a better defense and a do-or-die spirit can go a long way. It's bound to be a highly interesting season for Dartmouth football fans.

Head Coach Bob Blackman and Captain LeoMcKenna on the opening day of practice.