Big Green Is Strong Team Without a Victory

Football experts who picked Dartmouth as one of the top teams in the Ivy league before the season began are currently wondering who slipped the loan weed into their tea leaves. Going into this afternoon's contest with the Crimson at the Stadium, the star-studded Big Green has yet to win a game in four attempts. And should Harvard prevail today, these self-same experts will probably confine their future picking to pockets.

Admittedly, the Indians from Hanover have played a fairly stiff schedule to date. After being tied, 21 to 11, by a revitalized Holy Cross in its opener, Dartmouth ran up against two very good football teams--Michigan and Pennsylvania. The loss to Michigan (27 to 6) was expected, and Penn's Red Bagnell going berserk at Franklin Field (42 to 26) was just one of those things. But when Dartmouth fell before little Lehigh, 16 to 14, last Saturday, the people began to wonder.

Coach DeOrmond "Tuss" McLaughry faced this season with considerable optimism. He could count on three established stars. Center Paul Staley (the captain), Quarterback Johnny Clayton, and Fullback Bill Roberts to boaster the middle of the Indians' T attack. The tackle situation seemed well taken care of by veterans Chuck Bailey and Ted Eberle and there were a number of pretty good backs on hand.

McLaughry's biggest pre-season headache, and one which still plagues him, was to find two offensive ends to fill in for the graduated Dave Beeman and Red Rowe. Between them, Beeman and Roweset a passel of Ivy League receiving marks while snaring Clayton passes last year as the Big Green registered six victories against two losses.

Thus far, McLaughry has been using a pair of 200 pound huskies, senior Vince Marriot and junior John MacDonald, at the wings. Neither approaches Beeman or Rowe in pass catching ability and consequently the Indians aerial attack has suffered. Clayton has been doing more throwing to the halfbacks this season as a result.

Eberie and Bailoy, the offensive tackles, are both big boys. The former weighs in at 210 pounds, and is rated one of the best men at his position in recent Dartmouth history. Bailey is a 215-pounder, who has had two years of varsity experience.

Another pair of seniors fill the offensive guard posts. Dick Price, a 205-pounder, teams with Joe Morelli, who is bidding for his first varsity letter.

In Staley, Dartmouth has a rarity among college football centers--a two way operator. Despite his relatively light 185-pounds, he insists in playing both offense and defense. Staley backs up the line on defense and is considered an excellent tackler and pass defender.

Rushing Roberts

Roberts led the Ivy League in yards-gained-by-rushing last season and is rated by many Eastern sportswriters the equal of Cornell's Jeff Fleischmann or Army's Gill Stephenson. A 195-pound senior, Roberts set an all-time Dartmouth record for yards gained in a season last year as he carried for 698 yards, an average of 5.5 yards per try. Hampered by injuries during the first part of this season, Roberts is in good shape and ready to go today.

In Clayton, the Indians boast a passer who is being mentioned for All-American honors. His throws netted him 313 yards last season, a new Dartmouth record, and accounted for nine touchdowns. So far this season, the 195-pound senior has tossed six scoring passes and has a mark of 40 completions in 83 attempts. In addition to his passing ability, Clayton is a running threat, specializing a bootleg play which he used very effectively in last year's 27 to 13 victory over the Crimson.

At left and right halfbacks, respectively, will be Bob Tyler and Alan Reich, Tyler, who missed most of last season because of a broken arm suffered in the opener against Penn, is a specialist in running back punts and kick-offs. He is especially fast and hits hard for his 170 pounds. Reich, 170 pounds, was unheralded at the start of the season, but his performances against Michigan and Penn have gained him the starting post over the veteran Ed Isbey.

In addition to Isbey. McLaughry has a number of talented backs who will probably see action today. Among them are Eddie Williams, Dick Brown, Tom Collins, and Wayne Linman.

McLaughry has been using a modified two-platoon system in the games played thus far. When the Big Green goes on defense, Ed Larigan and Don Myers, a pair of 100-pounders, go in at the end posts. Bill Monahan, who is a rugged defensive player despite his 188 pounds, takes over tackle, and Craig Murphy, 205 pounds, teams with him. The guards are veteran Pete Bogardus, 195 pounds and Pete Reich, a 202-pound sophomore.

Alternatively filling in for the graduated Herb Carey as a linebacker, next to Staley, are centers Bill Vespirini and John McNary. The halfbacks are Collins and Charlie Curtis, both of whom are rated superior pass-defenders. Tyler plays safety man.