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University Daily Kansan Thursday. Sept. 12. 1957
Big Eight Conference Grid Roundup
From Soonerland comes pessimism as usual. Oklahomaans say the outlook there is uncertain and that a new team must be built. Most experts agree but add that the new team will probably be better than last year's.
Seven starters are gone, Jimmy Harris QB, Tommy McDonald LH, who hit 70% of his passes the last two years, Billy Pricer FB, Ed Gray LT, Jerry Tubbs C, Tom Emerson RT and John Bell RE are seven starters missing.
Jay O'Neal, QB, Bill Brown FB, Delbert Long LE and Bob Timberlake RE are alternate team members who graduated.
Returning starters are Don Stiller, Joe Ouesky, LG, Bill Krisher RG and Clendon Thomas RH.
Bud Wilkinson is concerned, and maybe justly so, about the Pittsburg game which is first on OU's schedule.
"If we can defeat Pitt we can play with the rest of them." Wilkinson
OU's Starters
said. "We may not beat them but we can play with them."
Wilkinson will probably start Stiller at left end, Byron Searcy at left tackle, Jerry Thompson at left guard, Bob Harrison at center, Bill Krisher at right guard, Doyle Jennings at right tackle, Joe Rector at right end, David Baker at quarterback, Jakie Sandefer at left half, Clendon Thomas at right half and Dennis Morris at fullback.
The Buffs are faced with problems at both ends and center. Six of seven starting linemen are gone. In contrast, however, only John Bayuk is missing from both first and second team backfields.
Buffs Lose Many
Tackles and guards look fairly good with LT Bob Salero and LG John Wooten due to improve on an outstanding sonhomore season.
Based on spring practice observations the two end positions will
probably be only average and center prospects are even below that level.
The backfield seems solid but the line poses a problem. The Buffers, however, with the same breaks they received last year (no serious injuries to key performers) they could shape into a team that will be a contender for the No. 2 spot.
Top men in each position are as follows: LE Gary Nady, LT Bob Salerno, LG John Wooten, C Charlie Brown, RG Bill Mondt, RT Jack Himelwright, RE Ed Clark, QB Boyd Dowler or Ralph Herbst, LH Bob Stransky or Howard Cook, RH Eddie Dove, Ray Engle or Ellin Indorf and FB Leroy Clark or Gene Worden.
Buffs Use Single Wing
The Buffs will continue to use their single wing behind a tight unbalanced line. They'll also run the T and winged T behind a split and unbalanced line which will usually lean to the right. The team will generally go from the huddle to the T lineup and then switch to the
single wing when the play is called for.
Huskers Seek No.2
The University of Nebraska has a problem this fall: How to recapture the No. 2 spot it has held since Oklahoma began its unprecedented swing to national football prominence. With the remainder of the conference getting stronger every year the job is a-big one, but the job becomes even bigger with a new coach at the helm.
Bill Jennings is no newcomer to Nebraska. He was Pete Elliot's assistant last year. This season he and his staff will teach the Cornhuskers the split T offensive and will use a 5-4 defense setup. The huskers will spend considerable time mapping out defenses for the eight different types of offences they will be up against this season.
Washington state uses the slot or professional offense while Army employs the trapping T and drive. Kansas State, Pittsburgh and Oklahoma will use, almost exclusively, the Split-T while Syracuse uses the unbalanced T.
1957 Football Roster
Lerus
| Name | Age | Ht. | Wt. | Class | Home Town |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| *Horner, Tom | 24 | 6-4 | 230 | Senior | Johnston, Pa. |
| **Letcavits, Jim | 21 | 6-1 | 185 | Senior | Massillon, Ohio |
| **McCarthy, Lynn | 24 | 6-1 | 190 | Senior | St. Peter, Minn. |
| Miller, Grant | 19 | 6-2 | 190 | Sophomore | Elmhurst, Ill. |
| Nichols, Lloyd | 20 | 6-1 | 180 | Sophomore | Gainesville, Texas |
| *Palmer, H. C. | 20 | 6-2 | 185 | Junior | Atchison |
| Peppercorn, John | 19 | 6-2 | 190 | Sophomore | Mission |
| Remsberg, Dale | 20 | 6-4 | 180 | Sophomore | Iola |
| Simpson, Sam | 19 | 6-1 | 187 | Sophomore | Worland, Wyo. |
| Kuhlman, Werner | 19 | 6-2 | 195 | Sophomore | Washington |
| Meyer, Lee | 19 | 6-2 | 195 | Sophomore | LaGrange, Ill. |
Tackles
Brooks, Jim | 23 | 6-0 | 214 | Sophomore | Wilmington, Ohio |
*Claiborne, Ron | 21 | 6-5 | 241 | Junior | Amarillo, Texas |
Dryer, Bill | 20 | 6-2 | 210 | Sophomore | Great Bend |
**Gilson, Frank | 23 | 6-2½ | 215 | Senior | Massillon, Ohio |
Hermick, Don | 23 | 6-2½ | 218 | Sophomore | Mentor, Ohio |
Montgomery, John | 18 | 6-4 | 215 | Sophomore | Erie |
Mook, Harland | 19 | 6-2 | 205 | Sophomore | Lincoln, Nebr. |
*Prelock, Ed | 23 | 6-3 | 232 | Junior | Cleveland, Ohio |
Guards
Blasi, Bill | 24 | 5-11 | 183 | Junior | Pratt |
Horeis, Gerald | 18 | 5-11 | 198 | Sophomore | Chicago, Ill. |
**Kraus, Bob | 22 | 6-2 | 210 | Senior | Massillon, Ohio |
Rohl, Dick | 19 | 5-10 | 198 | Sophomore | Kirkwood, Mo. |
*Russell, Tom | 25 | 6-3 | 210 | Junior | Grove City, Ohio |
*Staab, Ervell | 21 | 5-8 | 187 | Junior | Hays |
*Swoboda, Paul | 26 | 6-0 | 215 | Senior | Dupo, Ill. |
Vanatta, Chet | 22 | 6-2½ | 220 | Sophomore | Bartlesville, Okla. |
Richards, Jim | 20 | 5-8 | 187 | Sophomore | Blue Springs |
Centers
Burnison, Bill | 18 | 6-3 | 210 | Sophomore | Ontario, Calif. |
*Schmidt, Walter | 19 | 5-10 | 175 | Junior | East Greenville, Pa. |
Vonesh, Norman | 19 | 6-1 | 200 | Sophomore | Franklin Park, Ill. |
*Wertzberger, John | 20 | 6-3 | 230 | Junior | Lawrence |
Barth, Jim | 23 | 6-1 | 215 | Sophomore | Dodge City |
Hull, Jim | 21 | 6-1½ | 215 | Senior | Wichita |
Quarterbacks
Casteel, Bob | 19 | 6-0 | 185 | Sophomore | Pontiac, Mich. |
*Marshall, Bob | 19 | 6-0 | 185 | Junior | Warrensburg, Mo. |
McKown, Larry | 22 | 5-11 | 174 | Junior | Oil City |
Morris, Duane | 20 | 6-0 | 175 | Sophomore | Salina |
**Strauch, Wally** | 21 | 6-0 | 175 | Senior | Elmhurst, Ill.
Halfbacks
Barnes, Ray | 24 | 5-8 | 175 | Sophomore | Tacoma, Wash. |
*Floyd, Homer | 21 | 5-10 | 168 | Junior | Massillon, Ohio |
**Francisco, John** | 21 | 5-10 | 180 | Senior | Massillon, Ohio |
Lukinac, Charles | 20 | 5-10 | 180 | Sophomore | Muncie |
*McCue, Charles | 21 | 6-0 | 190 | Senior | Lawrence |
Merritt, Buddy | 20 | 5-10 | 170 | Sophomore | Ellis |
*Robinson, Bobby | 26 | 5-10 | 190 | Junior | Peru |
Suder, John | 19 | 5-9½ | 180 | Sophomore | Cincinnati, Ohio |
**Traylor, John** | 21 | 5-9 | 154 | Senior | Massillon, Ohio |
Uhlir, Jack | 19 | 5-9½ | 172 | Sophomore | Chicago, Ill.
Fullbacks
**Baker, Jerry** | 25 | 6-0 | 200 | Senior | Minneapolis |
Carrier, Larry | 23 | 6-1 | 196 | Junior | St. John |
Harris, David | 20 | 6-2 | 185 | Sophomore | Washington, D. C. |
Lewis, DeWitt | 20 | 6-0 | 190 | Sophomore | Barnesville, Ohio |
Feller, Don | 24 | 6-2 | 193 | Junior | El Dorado |
* No. of letters won*
Missouri will employ Georgia Tech's belly series. Kansas uses the trap-pass offense while Iowa State goes from a single wing behind an unbalanced line and Colorado has a multiple offense from an unbalanced line.
The Husker varsity won 22-20 over the alumni this spring.
Nine 1st-Teamers Back
As far as size goes, Coach Bus Mertes Wildcats are about the same as last year with a 200 pound average in the line. The backfield, however, tends to be smaller than last season.
Eighteen lettermen return to the Kansas State lineup this fall, nine of those were members of last year's first team.
Speed is fair again this year in the line while in the backfield new men add to the hustle.
In the hands of Gene Keady, senior halfback, rests much of the hopes for a strong backfield. Keady led the Wildcats in scoring, rushing and pass receiving in 1946.
Ends are deepest with five lettermen back and two sophomores making a strong bid. The quarterback position is in the hands of Dick Corbin and Keith Wilson, another senior, standing by.
Depth is poor at tackles and center as only about 50 men will make up the squad.
Don Zadnick LE, Jack Keelan LT,
Don Miles LG, Ellie Rainsberger C,
Jaydee Stinson RG, Gene Meier RT,
Joe Vader RE, Dick Corbin QB, Ben
Grosse LH, Gene Keady RH, Ralph
Pfeifer FB
Single Wing at I-State
Jim Myers faces a real task at Iowa State. First he has to teach 24 returning lettermen the workings of the single wing. They have been used to the T.
A position chart based on spring drills is as follows:
A breakdown of the lettermen shows Brian Dennis and Gale Gibson at ends. Andris Poncius, a top notch tackle; Ralph Loose, guard; Frank Powell, center; Charley Martin, and Terry Ingram at quarterback; Bob Harden, half back and Marv Walter at fullback.
Sophomore help is expected from Jerry Schoenfelder, and Roy Barnhart at guard, Bob Anderson at end, Dave Eller at center and Roger Spaulding at halfback.
New Zest at Missouri
Frank Broyles at Missouri has added new zest to that school which has been able to turn out only very mediocre football teams, largely because Don Faurot believed that playing the game was just as important as winning.
Broyles has captured the loyalty of the alumni and has shown considerable interest in the letter of intent saying that it should, by all means be adopted by the Big Eight.
Broyles' main concern is the center position. Although he has lost two good quarterbacks he feels his No. 1 worry should be getting the ball back to the backs and then up to the line.
Bill Fied played center as a sophomore and Pat Fisher is another main contender for that position.
Center Spot Suffers Losses
Center is the only position on the Kansas football squad hard hit by graduation. Captain Galen Wahlmeier and Frank Black both were lost.
But the Javhawker coaching staff feels that its new croon of centers will come close to filling the gap.
A top prospect for the first-team center job is John Wertzberger, junior letterman from Lawrence. Wertzberger has recovered from a spring practice foot injury and has brought his weight down 25 pounds to 205 during a self-imposed rigorous summer training program to strengthen his foot.
Wertzberger's availability released Chet Vanatta, highly promising 220-pound recruit, for return duty at guard. Vanatta was shifted from his original position following Wertzberger's injury. He still can play the pivot if the need arises, but is more at home at guard or tackle.
Also on the center roster this fall are two sophomores, Bill Burnison, 210-pounder from Ontario, Calif., and Norman Vonesh, 190-pounder from Franklin Park, Ill. Burnison, one of the standouts in the freshman line last year, is expected to develop into a contender for center.
Also playing in the first-team center position this fall is Walt Schmidt, a junior letterman from East Greenville, Pa. Last year Schmidt was known as the best passer among the centers and was frequently sent in for extra point snaps.
Fall Intramurals Under Way Soon
Mikols said a managers meeting will be held Friday, Sept. 27. Deadline for entries for fall intramural sports is that date. Play will begin Monday, September 30.
Walter Mikols, director of intramurals, stressed the importance of proper conditioning by men who expect to enter the program this year. He said all future entrants should begin getting into shape now.
The intramural office will send out letters explaining the program soon. Entry blanks will accompany the letters. Further intramural information will be printed regularly on the sports pages of The Daily Kansan.
Three men will vie for the quarterback position. No. 1 is Ken Clemenson who was No. 3 last year. Don Mason, on last year's third team and Phil Snowden, Kansas City star, is another contender.
Probable starters will be George Boucher and Don Hopkins at the ends positions, Mervin Johnson and Norris Kelly at tackles, Pete Jensen and Don Chadwick at guard, Clemenson at quarterback, Hank Kuhlmann and Charles James at halfback and George Cramer at fullback.
WALLY STRAUCH