Football fever soars to its mysterious heights with every first autumn chill and the advent of an opening game, regardless of the team's prospects for the coming season. In the years just past these prospects have been dubious, to say the least, with strained optimism frequently bnoying up the hopes that some heavy tackle new to the squad "will pan out later" or some tolerable looking passer "will complete a few in actual combat." This year the optimism is not strained. While leveller heads will insist that every team in the country is loaded, that the best bet on nine out of any ten games this fall will be even money, and that the Crimson in particular may well be outweighed by every eleven it faces, even Western Maryland and Dartmouth, the average follower of Dick Harlow's 1947 forces is bound to succumb to a feeling of exuberant hope.

For one thing, there are many familiar faces on Soldiers Field from three successful Crimson teams of last year. A Varsity which won seven of nine-games has returned 20 lettermen, including the outstanding halfback threat Thomas (Chip) Gannon, who runs best to port and huris passes lefthanded. There is six-foot-three 200-pound plunging fullback Captain Vince Moraveo who averaged six yards a line buck in one contest last fall when a three-yard plunge for a touchdown brought his average down, and whose virtual loss from the Yale game with an injury was a mortal blow to the team, There is Ken O'Donnell, brother of last fall's captain Cleo, who played only on the defense last season because his arm was in a cast and earned his cognomen "radar" as one of the leading pass-Interceptors in the country, and who this year shapes up as a potential runner and passer on the offense.

Besides last year's Varsity, there are several other sources of talent from which Dick Harlow can draw to complete his first-string backfield. From the 1946 Freshman team come potential passing threat Jim Kenary and scathack Hall Moffie. Kenary found a starting quarterback assignment in both B.C. scrimmages, completing a few long passes and making several long gains on the ground. Moffie made his first Varsity showing in the second B.C. tussle and endeared himself to such Crimson partisans as were present with assorted lightning breakaways through the Idagles' secondary. Competing with Moffie for the left-halfback slot is runner and passer Chuck Roche, star of the 1945 informal eleven. Returning also are such capable performers in the 1946 backfield as halfbacks Leo Flynn and Paul Shafer and fullback Paul Lazzaro, while Jim Noonan is playing quarterback behind Kenary and O'Donnell. Also competing for a fullback berth and showing some good defensive work is Herb O'Connell of the class of '50, who was inactive last year because of illness.

With this wealth of backfield material to fill such vacancies as that left by last year's graduating captain Cleo O'Donnell, the line is harder hit. Gone are star tackles New Dewey and Eddle Davis and outstanding center and linebacker Jack Fisher, and these men will be hard to replace. Probable starters in the tackle positions are speedy Howie Houston and massive Chester Pierce. Other candidates include big John Gorczynski, a transfer from Pitt, Doug Bradlee and Rocky Stone from the class of '50, and Dean Markham from among the lettermen.

The battle for center rages between lettermen Chuck Glynn and Nick Rodis, former Jayvee Don Stone, and former Freshman Hill Hickey. Rodis was a surprise starter against B.C. Saturday after trials at guard and tackle. He performed creditably enough and appears to be working hard to master his unfamiliar position. Glynn saw plenty of action while Stone looked good backing up the line.

At guard there are plenty of excellent prospects. Harlow is especially pleased with the performance of Bob Drennan in the two scrimmages, while 1945 regular Howie Foster seems to have the edge over such contenders as scrappy Jim Feinberg, Ken Middendorf, former Freshman captain Dick Guidera, and last year's all-Eastern guard Emil Drvaric. Meanwhile, rising out of a heavy competition for the starting end assignments are Walt Coulson and former Jayvee Red Hill. Both men have shown excellent defensive work, while Hill snagged a few long passes in the B.C. competition. Supplementing them are lettermen Wally Flynn, Bob Kennedy, and John Florentine, and last year's glue-fingered Freshman Armando (Stretch) Mazzone.

Naturally the true test of this team will come under actual playing conditions, and year after year the pre-season speculators are ruthlessly contradicted by the passage of time. But if the two lengthy scrimmages in the Stadium are any indication, the 1947 Crimson outlook is favorable. The Eagles' 228-pound line and classy quarterback Ed Clasby notwithstanding, it is giving Boston College the better of it to call those two contests a draw.