The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 26, 1974, Page Page 7, Image 7
Georgi
Conur
Battle oj
By BILLY BAKER
Gamecock Staff Writer
Carolina and Georgia, two teams
coming off dismal performances
last week, meet "between the
hedges" at Georgia. Saturday at 2
p.m. before an expected sellout
crowd of 59,000.
Georgia was a reported two
touchdown favorite over
Mississippe State last week but lost
38-14 in Jackson, while Duke was
upsetting the Gamecocks 4
before the Gamt :ock's home fans.
The teams enter the game with
similar problems.
The quarterback position does
not belong to one individual on
either club. Jeff Grantz and Ron
Bass will continue to share playing
time while Georgia fans can expect
to see at least three quarterbacks
during the contest.
Sophomore Dickie Clark began
the season as the team's first
string quarterback, but because of
his poor performance against
Mississippi State he has been
demoted to third string. Matt
Robinson is slated to start for the
Bulldogs with Ray Goft second
string. "We don't have a quar
terback to make the veer go," said
Meets Furman-D a'
USC cross
Carolina's cross country team,
which Coach Bill McCJ'ire says will
be "as good as we have ever been,"
opens its season Friday with a
meet against Furman and
Davidson in Greenville.
According to McClure, much of
the Gamecocks' success this year
depends on 24-year old Leon Cook,
who spent four years in the Army
before enrolling this Fall at
Carolina. Although he spent one
semester at Baptist College before
going into the Army, Cook is a
freshman.
"Cook is probably our best run
ner," McClure said last week. "He
has really looked good so far in
practices. He isgoingto make a big
difference in our team. He's a
sleeper in our program."
a, USCI
ig from 1
Georgia Coach Vince
Dooley brings team off
loss last week, while
Jay Lynn Hodgin is
USC's rushing leader
Fveers takE
Dooley in pre-season comments.
Obviously things haven't changed
much two games into the season.
Carolina's quarterback
problems seem to ' be more
pleasant. Overall the Gamecocks
.have -more experience in the of
fensive backfield with senior Jay
Lynn Hodgin sporting a 8.5 rushing
average after two games. Grantz
has had a problem regaining his
1973 form and has only a 3.5
average in 26 attempts. The
Gamecocks might fair better if
they allow Hodgin to run the ball
more than he has in the first two
games.
Horace King, Georgia's much
heralded running back, has been
just as disappointing to Georgia
fans as Grantz has to USC sup
porters. In 22 rushing efforts King
is only the team's third best runner
statistically.
King's 4.1 average is over
shadowed by junior Andy Reid,
who leads the club with a 9.3
average, and junior Glynn
Harrison who has rushed 138 yards
in 20 carries for a 6.9 average.
Defensively, Georgia seems to
be better equiped to stop the veer
offense that both teams employ.
ridson
country sec
BILL
McCLURE
Other top Carolina runners In
clude seniors Don Layden and
Wayne Thomas and junior Bob
Day.
"We have four kids who wjIl
pretty well," McClure said, "and
who I think can run against
)oth.
upsets
'S shape
The Bulldogs have Sylvester Boler
at linebacker, already tabbed an
All-America candidate, to help
stop the veer attack. The Dogs
have allowed opponents 483 yards
rushing in two games while USC
has given up 832.
If the Gamecocks fail to get their
running game going it appears that
the Dogs pass defense could allow
USC to score much easier. The
Dog's have allowed 312 yards
through the airways. If a passing
game is desired, junior quar
terback Ron Bass could get his big
chance for Carolina. Wide receiver
Philip Logan has the speed to
breakaway from single man
coverage if the quarterback can
get the ball to him in passing
situations.
Georgia will devote most of its
offense to the running game.
Horace King has the potential to
get untracked early for Georgia
and even break Duke's Marinez 199
rushing yards against USC.
Two teams on the rebound
always try to play hard. This
particular game could make or
break the season for either club.
Should Carolina upset Georgia,
both clubs would have 1-2 record
for the season.
ison opens
anybody. We need five guys to be
able to run together and this we are
a lot closer together than before.
"We used to have Jim Schaper
(who graduated last year) and not
as many guys close together at the
lead,"McClurp said. "We'd be
spread out more than we will this
year."
After the Furman-Davidson
meet, Carolina will run in the
Governor's Cup Race Oct. 5 in
Columbia. Other meets this year
ate with teams like Georgia Tech,
Clemson and Auburn.
"I'd say we are probably as good
as we ever have been," McClure
said. "But a lot will depend on how
Leon Cook can moVe in. If he can
move in like I think he can, we can
have a fine team."
James P. Hersh
Asst. Sports editor
The athletic department reacts
An insight into how the athletic department has
reacted to the resignation of Puul Dietzel as football
coach, and possibly his removal from Carolina
altogether, can be gained with discussions with athletic
officials who have been at USC since Dietzel arrived.
Ralph Floyd, USC's assistant athletic director, was an
assistant football coach for ten years before Dietzel
was named head coach in 1966. He was named business
manager in 1966, then was promoted to administrative
assistant to the athletic director in 1969.
Officially, Floyd said Wednesday morning "my
loyalty is to the University and my boss. and the people
I work with."' If Dietzel should not be kept as athletic
director, Floyd said he will just continue to work for
the University and his new boss with the same
"dedication" he says he does now.
Floyd refrains from discussing publicly whether he
thinks Dietzel will be rehired as athletic director, and
he does not even like to say whether he thinks Dietzel
should be rehired.
But, his feelings about Dietzel .arm sometimes hard to
disguise. When Dietzel announced his resignation at his
press conference Saturday night, Floyd, who helps to
organize the conference for Dietzel, had tears in his
eyes. Floyd said he first learned of Dietzel's decision
when he and Dietze) were walking from the lockerroom
to the press interview, where the decision was made
public. "I guess you could say I was stunned," said
Floyd.
Floyd hopes Dietzel stays
Even though he does not like to be drawn into a
public discussion about it, Floyd hopes Dietzel remains
at Carolina. "I'd have to say he (Dietzel) is one of my
best friends," Floyd saidslowly on Wednesday. "He has
always treated mysen and my family, and I emphasize
my family, with the utmost of respect.The statement
came out of Floyd's mouth like a canned press release,
but in more open discussion, it is not hard to determine
that Floyd wouldlose a friend should Dietzel leave.
Floyd: 'He cares about my family'
"He cares about my family," Floyd said. "It's the
little things he does that sometimes go unnoticed even
by me, but that they tell me. Like if I'm out of town or
something like that, he'd go by the house and pick them
up and take them wherever they'd have to go. Those
are things that go unnoticed, but you appreciate them.
Or when my boy Nicky has a game; the next day
Coach Diet.zel will call me on the phone and say. 'Well,
waht's the report? That's something you appreciate,
something the average person doesn't know arout."
Ticket manager Ray Faircloth, who has been at that~
position since 1966, talks a bit more openly about the
Dietzel question. "I hope we win every football game
to the end of the season and a move is put underway to
keep him here as athletic director," Faircloth said.
And, Faircloth said most people in the athletic depart
ment share his opinion.
"There's no question about that, everyone hopes he
stays on," Faircloth said. "And it's not a question that
everyone just wants him to stay so we're all sure of a
job. No one has ever discussed it from that stand
point."
From talking with Floyd and Faircloth the athletic
department seems to be like a family. One that is in
danger of losing the head of the family. If Dietzel
leaves, no one will like it, but they'll keep on working.
anyway, like any other businnes would