Veteran Green Team Has 9 Starting Lettermen, Good Potential, One Win

The veteran Green team that enters the Stadium today is a paradox of fumbles, interceptions, sometimes powerful, often inept defense and somewhat impotent offense.

Back in September no one thought that DeOrmond "Tuss" McLaughry's starting team, which boasted nine letter winners, would come into Cambridge winners of one game--that a poor showing against weak Rutgers. And nobody thought that while Dartmouth was losing three out of four, its opponents would score more than twice as many points.

Early Season Setbacks

The Indians, as expected, were trounced by strong Holy Cross, but some people weren't surprised when they played fine defensive ball against Penn the following week. The Quakers, who gained 30 yards rushing, won 7 to 0 on a long pass in the second half. Really surprising, however, were the first half against Army when the Cadets rolled up 37 points and the Rutgers game, when the floundering Indians fumbled seven times.

It is hard to account for Dartmouth's spotty showings; the most likely explanation is that the Green was really only "up" for the Penn game, and the subsequent poor showings were the result of a natural letdown.

There will be no let down today.

Good Quarterback Choice

McLaughry was called a "past master at replacing good men with better men," last year when he played Jim Miller at quarterback for the injured Gene Howard. He will merely be living up to his reputation, if as expected, he spells Miller with sophomore Ross Ellis. Miller is a fine ball player who can pass and handle the ball well. Ellis who played the second half against Rutgers and completed four out of six passes for 44 yards, is apparently even better, and may start today.

Last year, when Howard went in for Miller, it changed the game completely. Howard and Dartmouth dominated the second half and eraced the Crimson's 20 to 6 lead. Miller had fumbled twice and wasn't able to move the ball against the losers.

Howard, and his bootlegging really baffled the Crimson; he scored two touchdowns; one on a bootleg, the other on an end sweep, and he passed for one. Howard is ineligible today, but there are always a lot of unknowns on the Dartmouth bench, and there are Miller and Ellis.

Dick Collins will start at right half, and will do the heavy share of the Green running. Collins, a chunky 165 pounder is a track man in the spring, is always a threat to go all the way. He ran 89 yards for a touchdown against the Cross, and averaged four yards a carry for the 1951 season.

Russ Smale and Dick Calkins alternate at left half, with the former more likely to start today. The veteran Smale had a bad ankle last year, and is still not as good as expected. Calkins, a sophomore, has improved steadily; after the Army game, McLaughry said he played the "best game of his career."

Jennison Ineligible

The Indians were set back at fullback, when Dick Jennison, last year's star sophomore was ruled ineligible for scholastic reasons. Jennison, who averaged over four yards a carry scored the Indians' first touchdown against the Crimson last year when he bucked over from the three. McLaughry uses 200 pound John Spinger, at fullback, but the Indian attack still lacks a good hard runner.

Juniors Bayard Johnson and Paul Mackey have alternated at offensive center, both were letter winners, are fairly steady ball players, although not quite in the Buddy Lemay class. Mackey will probably start this afternoon, but both should see action.

Besides renewing old school acquaintances around 1:55 p.m., Pete Reich will probably play some excellent two way football at guard. Reich, whose older brother Alan was a star halfback for Dartmouth last year, has played both ways for two years and is the Green captain. John Godfrey, one of the two non-lettermen of the starting team is one of the bright spots on the team. A junior who rated low on the pre-season Indian totem pole he has played both ways in almost every game at the other guard post. Alex Athanas, heaviest of the guards at 208 pounds, will spell either Reich or Godfrey on offense.

Rambour Returns

George Rambour, 6 ft. 4 in 235 pound pound tackle who devoted much of his time last year to crushing Dick Clasby on and after every play, will be ready to go again today. Besides his size and speed Rambour also possesses plenty of "fighting spirit." Emery Pierson, only 208 pounds, was a defensive standout at tackle for the Green last year, and may start on offense today, and then play defense too.

Dave Thielscher and Dave McLaughlin, both over six foot one, give Miller and Ellis good targets. Both veterans are very fast, they may give the Crimson's none too strong pass defense a great deal of trouble. Thielscher caught 10 passes for 94 yards last year.

The Dartmouth defense, except for the Penn game has been very sporadic with opponents averaging 23 points--mostly on passes--a game against the Green. A lot of the linemen play at least part of the game both ways, and inspiration is needed at the end to keep going.

Good Defensive Ends

Line coach Johnny Dell Isola will probably use Gene Gabianelli and Frank Caswell at defensive tackles, although Caswell may play on offense, with Plerson playing defense. Gabianelli weighs 225 pounds and is very slow, while Caswell, 25 pounds lighter, is a fine ball player, fast and an extremely sure tackler.

The Green's defensive backfield is a muddle of inexperience. Injured veteran linebacker Mike Papantones will miss the game today, and his successor is still unamed, although either Mackey or Johnson will probably get the nod. Tom Malcolm an alert junior who missed the opening games, will be the other backer.

One hundred and seventy pound Roger Warner, potentially a strong defensive back, will probably start today, with either Hank Fry of Ed Boyle at the other halfback post. Warner is fast and versatile. Fry, who boots the extra points, is a hard worker, and Boyle, who weighs 190 pounds is big and tough. Yet they have made high schoolish mistakes this year, getting crossed on simple pass patterns. Doug Melville, a sophomore who still has a lot to learn, will play safety.

Dartmouth is a fair team with a minimum of depth that can not afford to let down against anyone. It slacked against Holy Cross, Rutgers, and Army. But against Penn's powerful single wing it played 59 minutes of good football. It can be counted on to keep going for at least that long today.