Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Steve Parker Statistical Importance America's coaches, regardless of the sport,, have long spilled forth with the statement that "'statistics are for losers." That being the case, this ha.s certainly been a statistical year for Carolina's football team. In fact, after this weekend when North Carolina's Tar Heels will probably bring those dreamers in the Carolina community back down to earth, the realization that the Gamecocks will probably finish out the year with no more than three wins will set in. And this football season will be forgotten by all eXcept the trivia buffs. Already, this season had seen a few poteritial trivia questions arise. Carolina's dropping the season's first five games marked the first time in the school's history that a Gamecock squad has lost the opening five en counters. (Previously, the record had been the opening four in 1940.) And USC's win at Mississippi kept intact Coach Paul Dietzel's personal record of never having lost a game at that school's home arena. But, should Carolina stumble through the rest of the schedule as they have the first half, how significant will trivia make this year? To judge this, maybe an examination of past football trivia at USC will help. Trivia Quiz (1)-What's the most number of games a USC football team has ever lost in one season? (2)-In what year did USC set a team touchdown mark and also set a team mark for yielding touchdowns to opponents? (3)-Which of these players holds the record for most touchdowns scored in a single season: (a) Tommy Suggs (b) Jay Lynn Hodgin (c) Jeff Grantz (d) Carlton Heywood. (4)-Which of these players holds the record for most passes caught in a seasbn: (a) Fred Ziegler (b) King Dixon (c) Mike Haggard (d) Jim Mitchell. (5)-Which of these players holds an NCAA mark for rushing yards by a quarterback (260): (a) Bill Troup (b), Tommy Suggs (c) Jeff Grantz (d) Glenn Morris. (6)-Which of these Carolina football players did not also play baseball: (a) Jeff Grantz (b) Dobby Grossman (c) Jackie Brown (d) Ron Bass. (7)-True or false: Bill Troup holds a school passing record. (8)-Which coach won the most games and also lost the most during his career at USC: (a) .Paul Dietzel (b) Rex Enright (c) Marvin Bass (d) Mooney Player. (9)-True or false: Paul Dietzel has never coached two connsecutive losing seasons at USC. (10)-Bobby Marino's winning field goal against Florida State in 1972 was; (a) 10 yards (b) 29 yards (c) 38 yards (d) 52 yards. . Answers (1)-Nine games, accomplished in Dietzel's debut season; 1966, when the team struggled home 1-9. (2)-1973, last year, when all kinds of offensive.marks fell under the new veer, but a weak defense surrendered just slightly less. (3)-Jeff Grantz, who scmpered for 10 last year (one of those many offensive marks which fell.) (4)-Fred Ziegler, with 59 catches, as any statistical buff would know. (5)-Jeff Grantz, who ran for that total against Ohio University last year. (6)-Ron Bass, who gained much of his experience last spring when Grants elected to play. Brown also played a season years ago and Grossmian pinch-ran some two years ago. (7)-True, Troup holds a few marks, including most passes attempted (47 versus Virginia), longest non Continued on Page 8 Grantz doubtful sta Tar Hred BY STEVP. PARKER Sports Editor Jeff Grantz, who' di,played flashes of returning to last year's form against Mississippi Saturday after not starting the previous week against Virginia Tech, could well find himself sitting on the bench again this weekend when USC plays North Carolina. Grantz won't be sitting down because of his performance, however, but rather because of injuries. After enjoying his finest game of the season against the Rebels, Grantz has hobbled around this week on crutches, because of bruises sustained against Mississippi. While Grantz is still listed by Dietzel as a doubtful starter this weekend, the coach has made some lineup switches becatase of Grantz' status. Third string quarterback Scott Curtis, red-shirted thus far this year, will dress out and be used if Grantz' backup Ron Bass should be injured. And freshman walk-on Max Runager, of Orangeburg, will punt no matter what the status of Grantz. Grantz piled up 195 yards in total offense against the Mississippi defense. Carolina should find itself with Dietzel's BY BILLY BAKER Of TheGamecock Staff Paul Dietzel's claim that USC's 10-7 win over Mississippi was his "greatest win ever" left many confused. "I think the obvious fact in my memory is that I have had a lot of great- victories in my career," elaborated Dietzel. "In this particular instance I felt that the amount of effort and work put into getting ready to play the- game by the players and coaches was just too great to lose." "We worked so hard that we kind of put everything on the line," he said. "If we had not won it would have been a great tragedy. It was the greatest victory of my career because we had all the disad vantages in the world." Dietzel said that two factors against his club were the long trip and the fact that Mississippi had been beat 49-0 the week earlier. He supported the fact that Mississippi was a good team by their close loss to Alabama. "Furthermore it was their homecoming and 'a lot of pressure on any new coach (Ken Cooper) to win and do well," added Dietzel. "Considering all these cir cumstances and disadvantages and the effort we put into the game I would have to call it may greatest win ever." Dietzel said that Ole Miss was his greatest rival when he was at LSU. He further stated that beating a SEC school was-a must. "I know all the people there," he said. "It was my coaching home." In summarizing Carofana's previous five games any win would have been considered a relief. Dietzel reviewed each game and his comments might help explain why he would say the Mississippi win was his greatest win. ter Oct 24, 1974 is test Gai enoilgh of a battle even with Grantz. North Carolina's Tar Heels, with a record of 4-2, are fresh off a win against previously undefeated North Carolina State. The win which could pull North Carolina into a three-way tie for first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference if State upsets Maryland this weekend. But North Carolina's win over State has riot been the only im pressive outing for the Tar Heels. Powerful Pittsburgh fell by a 45-29 slate to UNC. JAMES BETTERSON* ...poses rushing threat. And the Tar Heels won their initial two games of the year, versus Ohio University and Wake Forest, by a com bined score of 77-7. Maryland defeated the Tar Heels, 24-12, in a rainy, mud soaked battle, and Georgia Tech slipped by UNC, 29-28. Both losses were on the road. greatest? beating 0 Georgia Tech: "We were just not ready to defense a wishbone of fense." Lost 32-20. Duke: :"Defense should have won that game for us.." Lost 21-14. Hodgin ran among US4 Almost unnoticed in the ex citement over Carolina's 10-7 upset win over Mississippi was the arrival of Jay Lynn Hodgin as only the third back in Gamecock history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a career. The 200 pound senior from Thomson, Ga., netted 104 yards against the Rebels to raise his three year total to 2,006 yards, behind the late Steve Wadlak's 2,878, and Warren Muir's -2,234. Barring injury, with five games remaining, Hodgin should move into second place behind Wadijak and ahead of Muir before his career ends. Hodgin, who also throws the halfback nass with cniale necoeks After playing so inbresilvely against Missisippi, - Carolina's defense will have to prove that shutting down the Rebel rushing attack was no fluke. And that proof may be hard to offer against the rugged Tar Heel rushing attack. James "Boom Boom" Betterson averages about five yards a carry and is a team leader in scoring along with halfback Mike Voight, who also runs for close to five yards a trip. The backup runners do not see nearly as much action Ls Betterson and Voight, but all have im pressive rushing averages. Should Carolina shut off the UNC ground game, the Gamecock's pass defense, ranked the best in the nation, will be tested. Quarterback Chris Kupec is the ACC's leading passer percentage-wise, but is not a threat to run. In Carolina's favor is the fact that Paul Dietzel has never lost to a Bill Dooley-coached team Starting this weekend with the 7:30 encounter with UNC in Williams-Brice Stadium, USC will play four ACC schools in the next five weeks. North Carolina State follows UNC and Wake Forest and Clemson close out the year. Only Applachian State is not an ex conference mate of the Gamecocks. fe Miss ranks first Georgia: "Such an emotional week at practice after my an nouncement that I felt I did a sorry job getting the team ready. Frankly, it was the sorriest, most dreadful, game I have ever seen one of my teams play." Lost 52-14. Houston: "Worked hard as the devil and played liked I thought we could play all year." Lost 24-14. Virginia Tech: "Against Houston we showed we could play and then Virginia Tech knock the devil out of us. Lost 31-17. The sad thing for Dietzel is that his greatest victory came in his, 'most disappointing season ever." Still he is quick to say that with just a few breaks his club could have been 5-1 as they challenge North Carolina this weekend. ks third 7 rushers skill, has passed for 339 yards during his career and has a chance to become the first non quarterback in Gamecock history to compile 3,000 yards In total offense. The 109 yards gained by half back Kevin Long agai'nst Mississippi were the most by a Carolina back this season and propelled the Clinton sophomore Into third spot among Gamecock rushers so far this season behind Hodgin, who has 460 yards, and quarterback Jeff Grantz, who has 220. Long has 144 yards In 22 rusheS for a 6.5 average, the same average Hodgin maintained with 72 rushes.