The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 25, 1974, Page Page 7, Image 7

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James P. Hersh -- Asst. Sports Editor Football season ends The Carolina-Clemson football game--and con sequently the entire 1974 football season--is history, end'ng the last, and probably one of the most disap pointing, seasons of coaching for Paul Dietzel. Although his team won four of its last six games the final 4-7 record was a result of five consecutive losses at the beginning of the year. Dietzel had promised before the season that this was the best team he had ever coached at Carolina, and after going 7-4 in 1973 hopes were high that this year would be even better. However, that is not the way things turned out, and now Carolina has to regroup under a new head coach. Who the new coach will be is anybody's guess. Lou Holtz of North Carolina State, the prime choice of many people to come to USC, removed himself from the running officially last week when he said he wants to remain at State, where he built a consistent winner in his first few years at Raleigh. - The Wolfpack will be playing in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston this year, their third bowl game in as many years, and it seems as though Holtz would like to hold onto his successful program at North Carolina State. With Holtz out of the picture the situation is again unclear. Mooney Player, maybe because he is making it his business to get the job, is mentioned more prominently than any other name. But whoever gets the job will inherit a job that has given previous coaches problems in trying to build a winning -team. . Dietzel, a highly successful coach before coming to Columbia, spent nine years trying to build a consistent winner. Last year it seemed as though he had finally accomplished his goal when he coached a fine team to a good record. But this year things went bad again, spoiling his chance to go out a winner and as the coach who had turned USC into a football school. Basketball season begins Tonight the Carolina basketball team will have its annual intrasquad game, a contest that usually draws a large crowd of USC basketball enthusiasts who are curious to find out what kind of team the Gamecocks will be. They should find the Gamecocks to be an exciting, fastbreaking team that is capable of crashing into the top five teams in the country. Everyone, except Brian Winters,- is back from last year's team, and Tom Boswell is certain to give USC more strength underneath the backboards and more flexibility in the frontcourt. Returnees like Mark Greiner-, Bob Mathias, Mike Dunleavy and Alex English have all been around p laying regularly for two years, or since they were fresh men. Dunleavy and English started when they were fresh .men, and this year they are the team's co-captains. Mathias and Greiner both started last season as sophomores, and It is indicative of USC's ability that both of them are fighting for.the forward position op posite English. Greiner. started there last year but is fighting to keep his job as the starter while Mathias will serve as a back-up both at forward and for Boswell at center. Nate Davis, who was the star of the intrasquad game last year when he shattered a backboard stuffing the ball before the game, is expected to slip into the starting lineup at forward. Davis, only 6-4, usually gets 'the crowd enthused with his leaping ability anid he should be even better as an all-around performer this year after ' *his experience gained in his freshman season. And, the Gamecocks have two freshmen guards who should help considerablv--Jack Gilloon and Billy Trultt. Clems< shells BY GEORGE MORRIS Of The Gamecock staff CLEMSON--Clemson, utilizing the running prowess of Ken Callicutt and Mark Fellers, grabbed a commanding early lead and hung on to beat Carolina 39-21 Saturday at Frank Howard Field. Callicutt rushed for 197 yards in the game over 100 of which came in the first quarter, and was voted Clemson's most outstanding player in the game, as was Jay Lynn Hodgin for USC. Quarterback Fellers gained 106 yards on the ground, scored three touchdowns and passed for 123 yards more. The win for Clemson gives the Tigers their first winning season, 7 4 since 1967 and their best record since 1959. Red Parker Winner at Clemsoi Parker: BY BILLY BAKER Of The Gamecock sta CLEMSON--Clemson's win ovei Tiger mentor Red Parker in a rel team picked before the season to j bottom in ACC competition and i games had added the finishing to season. "I would have to say that we strongest 7-4 clubs in the countr "After our first two losses of the A&M 24-0 and North Carolina Si could have given up, but I had a me seniors and we discussed our pre "The seniors on our club de credit," said Parker. "I just can' proud, proud, proud I am of ther Parker thinks the Tigers played quarter against USC silthough I scoring drives stopped by fumblei very good football team in the fow said Parker. "Those fumbles jus efforts." The Tigers game plan was to ri Gamecocks. "We didn't think ab additions to our offense during tl wanted to do what we do best." The 39-21 victory proved Pard Clemson rushed for 433 yards Gamecock defense honest by comn eight passes for 123 yards. Thb managed 264 yards rushing. "I was proud of our overall tean Parker. ."We didn't violate a principles. SoutJ Carolina Is vea de agunant in 's off Gamec The loss ended a frustrating season for Carolina, as the Gamecocks finished a year billed "Total Excitement" with a 4-7 mark. This was also the final game for retiring coach Paul Dietzel, whose career record is now 109-95 5. In the Carolina dressing room Dietzel held his final post-game interview. He said: "We had our chances. I thought our team gave it everything they had. I am very proud of this team. All I asked of them was that they do their best, and I am very proud of the effort they put forth. I didn't want them to win it for me, I just wanted them to give it all they had. "It was a bitter way to end it, but that's the kind of year it has been." Carolina entered the game hoping to make good their last chance at salvaging something out of a season which saw them drop the first five games before winning four 'out of the next five. All last week USC players and coaches expressed the hope that Carolina could stop the big plays which Clemson has been so successful at this year. It was apparent from the first Clemson possession, however, that the big play would haunt he Gamecocks all day long. Carolina took the opening kickoff and marched 89 yards for the first score of the game. It was characteristic of what the Gamecock offense would be like throughout the game--steady, unspectacular, and at times, un stopable. The drive took 16 plays and consumed 8:29 of the first quarter, with Kevin Long scoring from the two. 1 A satisfie "We didn't th rf Parker. "Iguess the same as their Carolina put Parker praised 4 axed mood. A "USCexecuted w 1nish near the say that the South vin just a few job in turning arc uches to a 7-4 half of the samen is, ire one of the "You can nevei y," he said. your defense whel ueason (Texas kind of offense ate 31-10) we Parker. "They ca eting with our handoff." blems. Earlier in the v serve all the last shot at a bowl t teillyou how a team they had d ri all." "I don't have an3 a good fourth people," said Par ey had three (Clemson) play te ."We were a give people their irth quarter," bowl Is taking al i nullifled our andlit's adarnual Parkrsaid it . in right at the team mentally I Mut any fancy received the Tang ie week. We else wred thebt asisant coaches oer correc. practice. AD of t mud kept the dous respeCt in al pleting six of playes were upom Gamecocks for us after Thuri "I jus told the. effort," said bowl game," said my defensive played a great y difficult to r etstdhir ense ocks Mark Fellers Clemson needed only four plays to score. Three plays netted the Tigers 22 yards before Callicutt took a pitchout and ran- around right end for 58 yards and a touch down. The play cost Carolina more than six points; Gamecock defensive back Henry Laws suf fered a knee injury on that play which ended his participation in the game. At this point the roof seemed to fall in on USC. Just two plays after the Clemson score, safety Dennis Smith intercepted a Jeff Grants pass and returned it to the Carolina 44. Three plays later, with the Tigers facing a third-and-eight, Callicutt took another pitchOut and ran 26 yards to the Carolina 16, Continued em Page Eight d coach row as much today," said rou can see why. Our plan was S.", arolina and its coaching staff. ell," said Parker. "I want to Carolina coaches did a great and their team in the second I really know how hard that afford to be too confident of ra you are playing against the South Carolina runs," said n really hurt you on the inside reek Clemson learned that its bid had been given to Georgia, efeated earlier in the season. bones to pick with the bowl ker. "But you watched them day. You tell meif they don't noney's worth. lb not go to a vay from their acievements iame." as hard enough to prepare the or the game when Georgis -ein Bowl bid bt something mam. "On Thursday on of ou (Duke Owen) collapsed at he players have muchb trem Iwceur mnthat many ofthe t. Thng dha't hook that good iday's practice. that the game today was me Parber. "They went out and game of bali contrel. We ease s much that we kasw we baD."