Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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sports Miami .mm. <H*B* jHF^ i Pick Crum Football freshmen accepted By DOUG JOLLEY Gamecock Staff Writer George Rogers came to Carolina to play football. And SO Hid most nf hie frnchmnn teammates who are playing on USC's varsity team. "I had the opportunity to play football at almost any school I wanted, but I chose Carolina for two reasons. Carolina has a fantastic coaching staff. They're always honest with you and wiU go out of their way to help you," Rogers said. 441 WAS REALLY fired up by the spirit here, the brotherhood. "Wp rpallv arp one big family. I saw that, and I said, 'Man, I'm going to be a Gamecock," he said. Ten freshmen are playing on this year's varsity team. In addition to Rogers, the freshmen dressing for games are Johnny Wright, Willie Scott, Steve Gettel, Tim Gillespie, Stevie Lee, Mike Miller, Chuck Allen and Joe Doyle. Freshman Eddie Leopard, a place kicker, is the only regular starter. USC head coach Jim Carlen is pleased with the play he has received from the freshmen. "We've got a lot of top recruits this year," Carlen said. "More than half of the team dressing out are freshmen and sophomores. We have no real standouts. I'm just glad we've got them all. "We don't play people according to what year they are. Class means nothing. We play the people who are willing to Innlrc fnr By VINCE MOORE Assistant Sports Editor Dick Crum could tell you about the ups and downs of college football. He has seen bcth of them. He cruised through his first three seasons as head coach of Miami of Ohio with a 22-1-1 record. But the good times ended last season when the Redskins struggled to a 3-8 record. IT WAS MIAMI'S first losing season in 35 years, and Crum hopes that it will be the last. Hie Redskins got off on the right foot by Dealing uayton, 26-23, in their season opener. But the Gamecocks will be a bigger obstacle in Miami's return to glory .when the two teams meet Saturday night in Williams-Brice Stadium. Is Crum's team ready? "We had better be ready," Crum said. "But we still have a long way to go. I'm glad we won our first game, but I can't say I'm especially pleased." p1'" r Freshman runningback Johnnie Wrl Georgia Tech defender in last Saturday's 10 freshmen who dress for varsity gai give 100 per cent and are going big step to do the best job." who hai stadium MOST OF THE freshmen fans. Of backed Carlen up on this point. Gettel, o Several freshmen and up- is awed perclassmen agreed that crowds regardless of class, if a player football, shows the coaches he's willing "I car to work, they'll give him a school, a chance. many "It doesn't matter who or games," what you are, everybody has your m an Mllial phnnr>n " linoKanlrm nonU^rl v?" V.IMI.VV, iiiiiyi^a^ivci pnviw^i Lee said. i biggest The transition from high playing school to college football is a with all I return to Miami had an open date last weekend, and Orum wasn't n?Wir?n1nrlv onthncoH1 urUti v?i^ team's vacation. "I kind of hate to have open dates," he said. "Because once you get started, you like to keep going." Crum also has the disadvantage of trying to reach conclusions about his team from one game. Defense has always been the trademark of a Miami team, and Crum is still unsure of how this year's defense will perform. "OUR DEFENSE is fairly young and still has to prove itself," Crum said. "I just think one game is not enough to tell." But Carolina coach Jim Carlen has seen enough to know Miami has switched to the veer offense this year, giving the Redskins a new look. "Their Offense is a little more wide-open than I've seen ivframi in a while," Carlen said. " muy nave a good quarterback, and the key to I their offense is throwing the football out of the I fTBLJBr * JfcS <; II By ' *j^ ^HMI^BBBBBBBB^BHasBBBM^MMHBBfc I ght is grabbed by a rushed for 56 yards game. Wright is one of Rogers are two of c lies. Wright, who has ningbacks. \ for some freshmen Gettel, ajong_wi /e never played in a other freshmen, ii which holds 55,000 came to Carolina I fensive lineman Steve the coaching. "Th >f Ormond Beach, Fla., are great. I wo I by the size of the anywhere else," he in major college LEOPARD is i with Carlen's honest ne from a small high it like it is" attitud ind we didn't have that coaches are straig people attend the The only thing r Gettel said. "It blows phasized for fre ind coming into a concentration. Fres stadium. I guess the encouraged to hai thrill of my life was together on campus against Georgia Tech Scott's main r< :hose people out there, coming to Carolina glory veer." Crum agreed that Miami's offense is not as conservative as it was in the past. MI suppose we are more wide-open on offense," he said, "because of the nature of the veer offense. Our quarterback, Larry Fortner, nas really Deen coming along. He's making good progress." Crum also knows what to expect of the Gamecocks Saturday. "They have a good offense and a balanced attack," Crum said. They're aggressive defensively and fairly physical. They really get after you." IF THE 1977 Gamecock team is going to avoid the fate of its predecessors, they'll have to get after the Miami team in a hurry. The Redskins are undefeated against Carolina, which includes a 20-7 defeat of the Gamecocks in the 1975 Tangerine Bowl. Miami also won games played in 1972 and 1973 at Columbia. But Carolina hopes the fourth time will be a charm. hhhhhbhhhhb Mark Alexander-THE GAMECOCK in two games, and runningback George oach Jim Carlen's five-man group of ninth several play football. "I knew I had a . -?- -i - ?-?? s bihu ne whole lot to learn when I came because of' here," he said. "I like to play e coaches football, but I came here to get ulan't go an education." said. Runningback Wright, known mpressed by the team as Georgte Rogers' y "tell better looking twin, was attracted to Carolina by the ntforward. closeness of the team. "The eally em- freshmen are accepted, no shmen is strings attached," he said. "I >hmen are never felt a bond like the team ig around has here. We're tight. We joke around a lot, but no one gets eason for hurt. There'3 no stress; it's all was not to in fun."