FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Jake Crouthamel was happy to win the Ivy League title as a first-year coach in 1971 but he'd prefer to be the challenger rather than the target in 1972.

There are eleven lettermen gone from 1971's 8-1 team but they're men who helped win 25 of 27 games during the past three years. Conspicuous losses are offensive tackle Joe Leslie, linebacker Wayne Young, and running backs Stu Simms and Brendan O'Neill.

There are 15 starters returning and solid replacements available for the vacancies.

The people to watch are tight end Gregg Brown (who may be one of the nation's best at his position), halfback Rick Klupchak (six yards per carry as a sophomore), quarterback Steve Stetson, and a horde of defenders led by end Fred Radke, linebackers Doug Jaeger and John Leibert, and halfback Weymoth Crowell. And there's reliable kicker Ted Perry, too.

There are 27 lettermen returning and its hard to limit the listing. Two of the juniors who won All-Ivy acclaim as sophomores are center Bob Funk and defensive end Tom Csatari. And how do you bypass people like defensive tackle Tom Tarazevits, split end Tyrone Byrd, guard Bob Norton, running back Doug Lind, or Bob Bialas, the rover? Quarterback Tom Snickenberger and split end Mark McAleenan could be top sophs.

It's a team that could be as solid as the undefeated array of 1970—but words like that make coaches like Crouthamel cringe.

Suffice that it's a team dominated by seniors who have tasted defeat but once in three years as frosh and varsity players, a team that would like to bring Dartmouth an unprecedented fourth straight Ivy League title.