Hard-Running Backs, Green Line Mark Expulsion-Weakened Army Squad as Earl Blaik Conjures with 24 Sophomores

Immediately after the August West Point cribbing scandals, the experts pointed out that no school with as strong a junior varsity as Army had in 1950 could possibly be weak in football. The experts pointed out that no school that boasted a list of 24 All-Americans since 1942 could possibly be weak in football. The experts pointed out that no school with the traditional Army fight and physical fitness could possibly be weak in football.

The experts were very wrong.

The newly-scrubbed Black Knights of the Hudson have lost three straight contests to date, fairly decisively, to the quite strong teams of Villanova and Northwestern and the mediocre team of Dartmouth. The black shirts and the gold helmets have been the same, but the eight yearlings, 24 sophomore, seven juniors, and nine seniors inside of them are not, and never have been, associated with the gridiron class of Davis, Blanchard, Galiffa, and Blaik.

But Blaik the elder--Earl by name--has rightfully and maturely declined to run out on the fall's nastiest job, that of trying to build, out of the total wreckage of a formerly awesome football machine, a team that will be defeated but not put to shame by a fairly impressive list of opponents.

His job has not been easy. A rude jolt was handed to his plans in the past week when big Ed Weaver, one of the two ends who are the only lettermen left from last year's squad, was declared temporarily ineligible for today's game, ostensibly for failing an exam. Also injuries have been added to the basic insult over the past few weeks, and top backs Tom Bell, Freddle Meyers, John Wing, and Pote Manus were unable to appear last Saturday against Dartmouth. All of them, however, may be back in action today.

Although the Cadet line, excluding the ends, leaves great quantities to be desired, Blaik has managed to dig up a good number of backs that are hard-running and come in the large economy size. None, however, have the speed or agility of West Point greats of the past.

A pair of plebes, Meyers and Pete Vann, keep the quarterback position from being the weakest on the team. (West Point, in accordance with the N.C.A.A. ruling, allows freshmen to play varsity ball.) Meyers, a good T ball-handler and passer, brought a leg injury out of the Northwestern game severe enough to keep him on the bench while his mates bowed to Dartmouth. Vann is a bullet-passer, who is fortunate enough to have ends who can hold onto the ball. Because of line deficiencies, the first-year Cadet has been buried far behind scrimmage several times in the opening contests.

Allegedly ahead, of Vann, as second quarterback, is junior Dick Boyle. But, although Boyle is a better ball-handler than Vann, the more experienced man's forward passes have a distinctly unstable end-over-end tendency.

Many Good Ends

Blaik is knee-deep in good ends. Lowell Sisson and Ron Lincoln occasionally go both ways, although the coach, largely out of desperation, uses two platoons in order to train his inexperienced charges to be adopt in at least one aspect of the game. Defensively, however, Lincoln is turned out of a play far more easily than is Krobock.

Another good offensive end is sophomore Bob Mischak, who, because of his speed and deceptive wisardry in an open field, is also used defensively as a safety man.

In the backfield, the Pointers feature strength at left halfback and speed at right half. Bell and Paul Schweikert are both hard to tackle, and Manus and Freddie Attaya are both rapid--if and when they can get past their own line.

John Wing, a meagre 174-pound fullback, was one of the most reliable ball-carriers on the team in the first two games. Wing was unable to play against Dartmouth, but could be one of the top Cadet threats this afternoon. With Wing out last week, freshman Dick Reich carried the major burden of the Knights running attack and performed admirably.

The offensive line is heavy and reasonably well experienced, although center Lew Williams is its only member who is above the sophomore class. Defensively, the Cadet line has had less training and is less efficient, with hard-charging and easily-trappable tendencies. Men like Bob Guidera (205) and Ray Bergeson (190), however, are fast and adopt for their weight.

With this flock of lower-class talent, the football prospects of the Academy are not overly gloomy. Earl Blaik's distant future is comparatively pleasant; his immediate future is dismal; but his very immediate future--this afternoon--might not be too hard to take.