Sophomore "TD" Thompson Leads Brown Eleven Today

Experience may be the best teacher, but a slight Brown sophomore will be out to demonstrate that he has gained an intensified football education when the Bruins meet the varsity this afternoon.

For although Thomas Donald "TD" Thompson is playing his first season for Alva Kelley's Brown eleven, he has displayed the ability to easily compensate for varsity inexperience. In fact, he has been the key, if not the master combination to the Brown offense.

Thompson, who weighs only 155 pounds and stands five feet seven inches, leads not only his team, but the Ivy Group in scoring, with 43 points. His total outdistances such circuit veterans as Princeton's Homer Smith.

He is fifth in rushing with 316 yards--a 59 yard per carry average. He is also fifth in yards gained on pass catches, with 266 on 13 completions, four for touchdowns.

The quarterback who threw these passes and who will marshall the Brown T-formation, similarly sparkles in a statistical light. He is junior Pete Kohut, who last season was considered "just another ordinary quarterback" until the Harvard game, in which he led Brown to a 28-to-21 triumph with three touchdown passes.

The rest of Kelley's backfield is less fearsome on offense, but provides solid defensive strength. Pairing with Thompson, at right halfback will be Dave Zucconi, a junior, with little varsity experience on offense, but probably the Bruins' best defensive back. He has accounted for most of the passes intercepted by Brown this season.

Line Balanced

Captain Girard "Jerry" Haverty, one of two seniors in Kelley's starting eleven, will start at fullback. He is playing his third year of varsity ball, after two seasons of defensive action under the double platoon system.

With such defensive strength in the starting backfield, it might be expected that the Bruins could get by with only a fair line. Thompson starred for the Bruin freshmen last year, playing behind a weak forward wall. But, except for the ends, the Brown varsity line provides a balance of power between offense and defense similar to that of the backfield.

At center, junior Charley Brown is the most likely starting candidate. He is a 185-pounder and was a starting linebacker last year, and started most of the present season for the Bruins until he suffered a sprained ankle against Princeton. If the ankle hasn't continued to heal, Mike Reilly, a husky 200-pound junior, will take over the starting assignment.

Two rugged juniors are slated as guard starters: Jim Smith, a 190-pounder, and Bill Harris, a 195-pound performer. Kelley considers both good prospects.

The tackles will be particularly strong. On the left side is the other senior in the starting lineup, Phil Noel, a burly 207-pounder who was a defensive regular last season.

Kiaess Scored TD

The outstanding lineman of the team, and possibly one of the best in the Ivy Group, will open at left tackle. He is Bill Klaess, a junior, who last year was named to the All-New England team. This year, he scored what was perhaps the most significant Brown touchdown so far when he ran back a Holy Cross fumble 82-yards to give the Bruins a 6-to-0 upset win.

The ends are offensively weak. Junior Harry Josephson is the only capable end of any experience. He is one of the top punters in the country, with a 41.9 yard average on 16 kicks. He will start on the right side.

Left end will be Bob Kovalchick, 6-foot 1-inch sophomore who is primarily a defensive player. Neither he, nor Pete Bartuska, number one end replacement have been dependable receivers for Kohut's passing so far.

Kelley has capable line replacements. These include Reilly, and Tim McGinnis, a sophomore tackle who was co-captain of last year's freshman team with Thompson.