Freshmen Face Tufts To Open Grid Season

This year's freshman football team has more players with more spectacular press releases than one would have thought possible. Whether facts and sports writing agree will be answered this afternoon as the Yardlings take on the Tufts freshmen next to the Stadium in their first game of the season.

But, despite its many highly-touted individuals, this year's squad is not as far along as last year's was at this point, according to coach Henry Lamar. "They're just not yet a team."

Lamar emphasized, however, that it was still impossible to truly assess the potential of the team. To date it has had little opportunity for scrimmage, today being its first real opportunity. Nonetheless, Lamar feels their enthusiasm and desire to play will carry them a long way, and also hopes that the team will jell today.

Individuals have not had a chance to show their true ability, either. Lamar recalls that last year neither Wally Grant nor Dave Poe distinguished himself until the Tufts contest and he is eagerly looking forward to similar discovery this year.

Today's contest should be close if reports on freshmen Jumbos are accurate. Unofficial sources have indicated that the Tufts squad is one of the best it's had in recent years. But if the visitors don't live up to their pre-game buildup, the game could easily turn into a blood bath.

Coach Lamar plans to use as many boys as possible, hoping to get at least 40 into the game, since all assignment, are extremely tentative affairs at the moment. The squad should be able to develop fairly good depth as over 70 freshmen are out for the squad and 50 to 55 will dress for the game.

Although few definite decisions have been made, Lamar has worked out three full units which he plans to play together as much as possible. On the first unit, at the ends are Peter Hall and Justin Hughes; at tackles, Steve Diamond and Alfred Davis; at guards, Joe O'Donnell and Steve Crosby, and at center Ernest Manders. The backfield finds Pat Conway at right half, Everett's wonder boy Bobby Leo at left half, Matt Donelan at fullback, and John Shelvy at quarterback.

The second unit, though in no sense second string, consists of ends Chris Fredrickson and Vic Petzy, tackles John Peterson and John Szobota, guards Richard Cloppola and Greg Hering, and center Tom Bindus. The backfield will have Dave Greuel at right half, Tom Chosuette at left half, Clint Allen at fullback and Mike Krinsky at quarterback.

Massachusetts and the Boston area in particular seems to have provided a significant share of the talent of the first two units. Seven of the first eleven and four of the second unit are local boys.