Varied Indian Offenses To Test Crimson; Game Crucial in Chase for League Title

For eight years, everyone in the Ivy League has lived in terror of Dartmouth. Ever since the league was founded in 1956, the Indians haven't finished lower than third. They have an eight-year winning percentage of .750. They tied for the title last year and won it in 1962.

Two weeks ago, however, Princeton wandered up to Hanover, where Dartmouth is never supposed to lose, and powl The Tigers won 37-7.

There were reports that coach Bob Blackman went home and cried for three days and then put on sackcloth and ashes There were reports that the football team got only coals and vinegar at the Dartmouth training table for the next week.

Anyway, something happened. The Indians looked like themselves again last Saturday, wearing down Brown 24-14.

Blackman was counted out by so many sports writers after that game that he unquestionably would like to complete his revenge by beating Harvard and going on to win the Ivy League title. Harvard ended his 15-game winning streak last year as Billy Humenuk pitched the Crimson to a 17-13 win. And the Crimson has won three of the last four games played between the two clubs.

Three Teams

What does Blackman have to stop Harvard with? Well, to begin with, good depth, perhaps the best in the league. He is the only coach playing three-platoon football, alternating a team of offensive specialists, a defensive team, and a two-way unit.

Dartmouth's offense is traditionally hard to stop because of strong lines and a bewildering variety of offensive formations. Blackman's club uses all the varietes of the T-formation, and the coach also bills himself as the inventor of the "V" formation, with the fullback playing just a step in back of the line for better blocking power. Against Boston University this year, Dartmouth ran out of nine different offensive formations in its first nine plays.

As usual, the Indians can run or pass. First-string quarterback Bruce Gottschall is a roll-out quarterback, who runs well enough to be the team's leading rusher, with 131 yards in four games.

Halfback Bob O'Brien, injured and out of last week's game, will start today along with captain Jack McLean. Both are 170-pounders who would rather run outside than in, leaving the middle to fullback Mike Urbanic, a 205-pounder who has averaged three yards a carry.

Beard a Threat

Gottschall has passed well enough, completing 27 of 56 throws for 422 yards and four touchdowns. But the real passing threat on the Indians is probably Mickey Beard, the quarterback on the "Tomahawks" offensive unit. Beard, a sophomore, has completed 21 of 32 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns. Last week he was 7 for 7, leading the team to two second-half scores.

Beard runs less than Gottschall, but his companions in the Tomahawk backfield are almost on a par with their counterparts on the two-way unit. Halfback Paul Klungness has averaged 6.4 yards a carry for a total of 39 yards. Fullback Irv Burkholder has a 5.3 average.

There is a hole in this backfield with Gene Nattie, a halfback, injured today. Don't be surprised if his replacement turns out to be good.

Small But Tough

The Dartmouth line will be at a slight weight disadvantage today. Steve Bryan (178) and Tom Clark (218) are the best of a good group of ends. Tackles Dan Williams (224), Pete Frederick (236) and Tom Boyan (215) are good and big in the Dartmouth tradition.

Ted Bracken, a top-notch guard, has been out since the B.U. game and may not start today. Ed Keible (206) and Tony Yezer (196) will probably start on offense, flanking Bob Komives (202) at center.

Harvard, meanwhile, is in its best physical shape since the season started. Halfback Dave Poe, who suffered a concussion against Bucknell, and end Ken Boyda, who separated a shoulder in the same game, should be ready to go at full speed after seeing only limited action last week.

McCluskey Ready

John McCluskey, too has shaken off the effects of a persistent leg injury and should be ready to go at top speed today.

McCluskey will be the starting quarterback today, since Tom Bilodeau came up with a charley horse against Cornell and missed early practices this week. Bilodeau should be able to see action today.

There will be one other change in the starting backfield, with sophomore Bobby Leo moving in at right halfback in place of Walt Grant. John Dockery, last week's Ivy Back of the Week after his 104-yard run with a pass interception against Cornell, is the starting left half.

Grant will team with his old running mate, Poe, in the second backfield. Yovicsin prefers to use the two halfbacks as a team and wants to leave Dockery on the first-string after his performance last week.

One other question mark in the backfield is sophomore fullback Pat Conway, who missed practices early in the week because of a cold.

Still unanswered is the question posed by the first two games of the season: is there a Harvard pass defense? Against Columbia the line took care of the problem by dumping Archie Roberts all over the field. Against Cornell the weather took care of Marty Sponaugle. But the Dartmouth line won't be as penetrable as Columbia's, and the pass defenders may get their first real test since Bucknell today.

Harvard's fabled TV jinx also is on the line today. Harvard hasn't ever won a televised game; Dartmouth hasn't ever lost one.

The winner in this one will become a top contender for the league title. Victory today will leave Dartmouth with a 2-1 record and only Yale and three tail-enders, Cornell, Columbia, and Penn, left on the schedule. A 3-0 record would put Harvard in great shape for a run at the title