Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Car Duke Duke hasn't played Carolina since the 1971 season when Er aje Jackson, a Columbia native who slipped away to Duke, guided thel Blue Devils to an easy 28-12 win. Jackson is gone now of course, as is the whole awesome Duke team Carolina last faced. Duke tumbled to a 2-8-1 mark last year, including a tie with Atlantic Coast Conference weakling Wake Forest, but this year's team figures to be* much improved. The Blue Devils supposedly flaunt s improved defense and more dpth than the squad they entered in 1973 competition: But Duke's season opener with North Carolina State, which had the benefit of playing the previous weekend, indicated- that Duke's effese may have improved while the defense remains more or less as poor as last 'iyear's. North Carolina State's Wolfpack piled up 523 yards of total offense in downing Duke this past weekend, 35-21, and enjoyed a 28-0 led at one point in the third quarter. But the 21 points that Duke ended up with represents a scoring total that they surpassed on only two games last y9ar (27 and 23 points in their two wi last year). Unfortunately for the GamecocksJ' judging from the opener with Georgia Tech, an improved offense could make Duke a respectable match for Carolina's home opener. Carolina had dif ficulty in slowing down Tqch's offense and if Duke can muster an offensive attack like last week's when they gained'2f yards through the airand 130 on the grpund, the Gamecocks could, be' in for troubte. ' Wide receivers Ben Forlh#m and Troy Slae were the main reasons Duke managed to mount an aerial attack against the Wolfpack. But Duke's running backs figure to be the offense's points of strength. Fullback M4ike' Bomgardner and tailback Tony Benjamin are capable running backs but Larry Martinez, who scored three touchdowns against State in the opener may be earning more of a name among the fans in Durham. Georgia To say Georgia has dominated the Carolina-Georgia series would probably be an understatement. Not only does Georgia lead the series 22 to 4, but the Bulldogs have outscored the Gamecocks 603 points to 223. Carolina, once, long ago,. did stage a mild uprising and downed Georgia in consecuttive meetings, during the 1958 and 1959 seasons. But the Gamecocks have not been able to win another of the match ups- in 11 meetings since. Competing In the rugged Southeastern Conference, Georgia's perenlally tough squads usually play the bridesmaid's role to conference-mates such as Alabama; Mississippi and Ten nessee. In an effort to Improve on his already highlys successful winning formula,. Bulldog coach Vince Dooley switched. the teem's offensive attack from last year Installing the veer offense. Judging from the Bulldogs' season opener with Oregon State,. olina fac Houstn run ing Dooley roved sccessfuin his i hi ls to ugrae th ofensie atack Caolin wi Gerga amle fr34 yrd.o sor2hist h goud,aded11 mrewihan ilb iii aeril atack in amasing 48 ffene t.fe toHro stonun utn's 4 GButi rled ord5 hasrason oberegaisr wory he grun,dddog19smretrn wil fobeali'smti aeterl attack ina-yasin 748 mates wto pts. t pvrablydolsfn in AthePec AlitoH surpris anddyeay,Geogiagar upnmor pcointa tohoey, id-ar Huto anGeorgamy havthbgest yea,ulpinGibons4 oesv Or ne Stathenao Bumthn arola hardly ren tomse rearde teren afro last -efnr's p- maet whtp teamac aainTch tokaoepint the- aot trunning Makryad ins the chAnt of to Btowl. ponpfGeri' baki ld, erin ole Aund, acrin toambley, forBtar1974e 100fyarsiv inte ien thenertfo, years ahn smtgCarolina hinn ardly . n went........ es tough si ceMrsalJono etn in17. folatya's eenewicIa I lmstcetanl te 0t bst.nth nain ift Cogrs.ear 4escndgm witMar hl Jieousona,s 1 arost ertaily ote 0hbtinctve non, and Cougar sogrse buhae prolemay si defensi ngethequad. ve pns oefcorlegihate hno Arizona State pie ppin reptnofess Coagas. er the goa d ogasei season you're talking the Sun Devils' home opener. But Houston rebounded to stifle Rice. ouston's All-America Rice got just four first downs and he last decade reads only 85 yards of total offense while mal Football League absorbing a 21-0 beating. up. Warren McVea, Houston went 11-1-0 last year to Elmo Wright, Riley be nationally -ranked for the Robert Newhouse all seventh time in the last eight ofessional fame after seasons. This season figures to be America honors at no different. ne, like Dickle Post, Carolina proved as tough as any NFL fame without Cougar opponent last year, losing glate honors. 27-19, with Jeff Grantz playing injured. Unfortunately, Houston,'s ill be one of those rare defense should be better than last Houston's defense is year's. The defensive line and in t offense.The linebackers return almost intact ate; 'Houston's offense should be strong that's almost a conceded point before every season starts. The running back 'positions should again be strong, but quarterback threatens (o remain a question mark. All-America candidate D.C. Nobles, last year's field general, is gone and inexperienced - David Husmann is the quarterback. Husmann is the only starter on Houston's offensive team, at least before the Cougar, season began, who did not letter last year. But Houston's large offensive line returns, speedy receivers are back and running back is again a a point of pride. Running backs Reggie Cherry, Marshall Johnson and Donnie McGraw are all ex tremely good. Virginia Tech Virginia Tech started its season opening game in a fashion which might have seemed familiar to new Head Coach Jimmy Sharpe, an 11 year assistant to Bear Bryant at Alabama. Quarterback Bruce Arians tumbled into the end zone from three yards out and Tech led op ponent Kentucky, 7-0. But the situation of leading a football game, while familiar to Sharpe, proved unfamiliar to the rest of the Gobbler squad and VPI reverted to the form displayed by last year's team. Result: Ken tucky 38, Tech 7. Sharpe's first year at Tech could prove to be just as traumatic as Charlie Coffey's last. Coffey went 2-9-0 before being forced to leave the wastelands in Blacksburg, Va., which were harboring Tech's football team. 4 Sharpe has turned things around for Tech, if only on paper. The Gobblers now use a wishbone of fense and got 167 yards with it against Kentucky on the ground. And the Gobblersnow line upin a 5-2 odd-man front defense. The offensive and defen sive attacks are changed, but it may be difficult to disguise last year's poor players in the new alignments. Perhaps happily, Tech lost almostas many lettermen as. they got back. Maybe new blood, besides Sharpes, will allow . the team to improve as the season wears on. Just a handful of talented players are back from last year. Wide Receiver Ricky Scalesis probably the best, while running back Phil Rogers and defensive tackle Tom Beasley are also good. Scales caught seven touchdowns passes on 36 receptions last year. Rogers rushed for- an impressive 1,036 yards but scored a just one touchdown during the entire season. Carolina came closeto losing to last year's weak team, 27-24 at VPI, but this year finds a Gobbler team almost as weak as last year's playing In Carolina this time. Mississippi Bad news for CAralina fans as regards tihe Mi,,issippI game-- the Rebebn defense appears as tough as ever. Carolina has played the Rebels twice and has yet to score. One match-up was way back In 1947 and so that 33.0 defat is easyto fre....