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THURSDAY, JULY 24, 1975 Off The Cuff With Jim Carlen By Sports Editor Billy Baker Jim Carlen lives in a world of reality. He is not a windbag of cliches recalling yesterday's conquests; nor is he an egotist. He explains very simply, "I'm just a head football coach." Well, for the grand old sum of more than $40,000 a year Jim Carlen has become the 25th coach at an institution some have referred to as the "graveyard of college football coaches." Jim Carlen accepted the challenges of rebuilding programs at West Virginia (1966-1969) and Texas Tech (1970-74) and put those schools into the nation's "Top Twenty" before departing for greater challenges. He was 25-13-4 with the Moun taineers and 37-18-1 at Texas Tech. "Before I say anything else let me remind you that the team I coach belongs to the students," Carlen said. "I wanted to become a head coach because I wanted to work with young people. "I feel like young people have the answers to many of our problems," Carlen said Monday at his beautiful office at USC's Roundhouse. "Machines certainly can't solve all our problems. If you have a chance to influence young people I think you should try." Wanted to Run His Program Jim Carlen has never been impressed with athletic directors telling him what to do. He discovered a long time ago that they couldn't help him win football games. "You can't analyze why people do things," Carlen said. "I had the opportunity to run a football program by coaching here and I didn't want to pass up the opportunity. "Let me say that I'm not politically minded," Carlen said. "I didn't apply for the job here; they came after me." Carlen Went After Defensive Personnel Twenty four of USC's 26 recruits for the fall played defense in high school. Carlen is quick to remind one that USC's defense gave up an average of 344 yards per game during last year's 4-7 campaign. "You have to fill the voids," said Carlen. "Defense is a big part of college football." Carlen has claimed that USC has basically eight really blue chip athletes on the team. He claims it takes at least 20 to make championship teams. "I've never seen Jeff Grantz play a game before," said Carlen. "I hope he is as good as people say. He is not playing summer baseball. As a matter of fact, I think he is around campus working his legs Jin Carlen into shape." Carlen said Ron Bass was injured most of the spring so neither quar terback seems to have an advantage over the other. Grantz missed spring drills because of a baseball commitment with Bobby Richardson's number two ranked club. Carlen is quoted in a recent issue of Southern Football as saying: "We don't know how many games we'll win, but we'll just work as hard as we can and accept the results. We'll strive to create a winning attitude with* our players and I guarantee you they won't lack enthusiasm." A Bobby Dodd Player Jim Carlen played under the legendary Bobby Dodd at Georgia Tech in the years 1951-54 as a linebacker and punter. During these years Tech recorded an impressive 40-5-3 record and won all four of its post season bowl appearances. Carlen was raised in a winning atmosphere. "Bobby Dodd taught me to be interested in the football player as a human being," Carlen said. "I'm a personal kind of man. "I hire my men to coach," Carlen said. "We are associates and we make decisions together. I am not on an ego trip. When we win it is our victory, but when we lose it's my loss," Carlen said referring to his coaching staff. "I have said it before and I'll say it again, I have the finest staff in America." His Philosophy "You simply have to work hard," Carlen says. "There are no easy roads. "The key is to recruit good athletes," Carlen claims. "I'm not a gimmick man. I (don't have a bunch of witty sayings. Hard work will always pay off. " "I can remember years when I just lost one game and do you know which one I remembered the most?" he asked. "That one loss was replayed in my mind hundreds of times Ilassure you." "'I guess I'm selfish because I only want UJSC to win,'' said Carlen. "'I want people to s upport the program . The worse thing t hat c(ouldI happerw is to have st udents I et (down) on the foot ball players. TIhere is no nleed to because they will be playing as har(l as they can." .Jim Carlen, the country boy from Cookville, Tlennessee is still a new name to most South Carolinians. lie can sometimes be seen around C:olumbia (riving his 1932 red and blac'k Chevrolet coupe. lHe's nothing fancy, but he gets the job done as well as any coach with the same amount of talent. V(I amut Celtics Sign USC's.Boswel Former USC basketball star Tom Boswell signed a one-year contract yesterday with the professional Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. Boswell, although offered a 3 year contract by the Celtics said he would rather have his freedom than security and took only a one year pact. The Celtics refused to disclose the terms of Boswell's contract yesterday afternoon, but did say that the USC forward would receive the highest salary ever paid for a rookie at Boston. Boswell, who started his career at South Carolina State College, had another year of eligibility remaining at USC after redshirting his first year here. In his one season with the Gamecocks, he led the team in both scoring and rebounding. In 27 games for Coach Frank McGuire's team, Boswell averaged 16.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per outing. The 21-year-old, one of six children in his family, was dr dafted last year by the New York Nets of the rival American Basketball Association. He was not chosen in this year's ABA draft, however. In his sophomore season at S.C. Staste, Boswell averaged 24.8 points and 17 rebounds per game under Coach Ben Jobe, now an assistant to McGuire. For the Gamecocks, who finished 18-8 last season, Boswell hit on 53 per cent of his free throws while leading USC to the National Invitation Tournament where the Gamecocks won once and lost once. USC Idles On A BY BILLY BAKER Sports Editor No new significant developments have surfaced in USC's desire to rejoin the Atlantic Cost Conference (ACC) it left in 1971 over eligibility rules for athletes. Dr. William H. Patterson, the University's president, told the Gamecock Monday there has not been any communication from the ACC Commissioner, Robert James, on USC's possible re-entry into the conference. "Actually, we have never for mally applied for re-entry into the ACC," Patters,>n said. "We have been exploring the matter unof ficially. We intend to explore it Table Tennis ( Victorious In F This past weekend two members of USC's 'Table Tennis Club ex perienced success in their first tournament of the summer. On July 19, participants gathered in Atlanta for the AGTTA Summer Open Table Tennis Tournament. Seve-l states were represented including Kent ucky, Tennessee, North Ci(arolina , G;eorgia, Alabama, Florida, andl South Carolina. Wilson Bryan and Bob Ervin, both officers of USC's club were rewarded for their efforts with Irck SPC Tom Bosw LCC Issue further at the NCAA meeting of schools in August." The NCAA has called 1 special meeting to discuss the economics of college athletics to be held in Chicago around August 14-15ac cording to Patterson. "If the ACC presents us with obstacles we feel we can't meet then we will remain Independent," Patterson said. "I don't know of any Board member who has changed his mind about wanting Carolina back into the ACC." Patterson said three sponsors are needed by a university seeking admission to the ACC. Thus far USC has not sought any support, according to Patterson. lub Members 'irst Tourney trophies. Bryan won second place in the Class B sirngles event while Ervin gathered the first place prize in Class C. Oddly enough, both faced the same opponent in their respective final matches. A Chinese now living in Tallahassee, Florida, Ilong Tchen proved to be an extremely tough opponent winning second place in Class A, first place in Class B, and second place in Class C. USC's club members plan to attend several additional tour naments this year. 41 (.33) Walsh Future Discussed USC's president said he would support Donnie Walsh as Frank McGuire's successor should USC's highly successful basketball coach retire in 1980 when his present contract is due to expire. Howeve'r, D)onnie Walsh is not expected to be an assistant to McGuire at that time. In an ex clusive interview in last week's Gamecock Walsh said, "I think I'm ready to be a head coach. Coach McGuire feels the same way. He has put me into every aspect of coaching one would need." "D)onnie Walsh is a fine man to work with," Patterson said. "Hie certainly has my support for the job." Walsh also told the Gamecock he couldn't understand some of the things that have happened to Coach McGuire in recent times," he said. "Look at what he has done for the university and they (USC's Board of Trustees) wouldn't even make him the athletic dlirector when he asked for the job. I don't know if I can develop a warm trust in them. Look at what they have (lone to a person like Frank McGuire. I just wonder what they would dio to me if I accepted the jot) here in the future." Walsh said that he recently turned down two head c'oaching jobs at major universities to remain Associate Head Basketball Coach to McGuire at USC.