It rained steadily and sometimes heavily on Soldiers Field yesterday afternoon, turning the field into a spongy mudflat and the visitors' stand into a puddle collector, but the varsity football team practiced outside until 5:30 p.m. before they moved into Briggs Cage. After the practice concluded, Coach Valpey said that the rain had not prevented him from doing all the work he had planned.

Outside on the mud splattered field, the varsity practiced its offensive in a live scrimmage against the biggest and the toughest looking bunch of freshmen this writer has ever seen. When it took the role of defender, the varsity's opposition was Ben McCabe's junior varsity.

On the medical front, Valpey was happy to report that there were no injuries incurred in practice yesterday. But as for the group already injured, the news was not so good. Captain Howie Houston still has a 50-50 chance to play Saturday, but Chief Bender, behemoth tackle, almost certainly will not participate in the Columbia game. Hal Moffie and Jim Kenary were counted definitely out last Monday.

To provide more depth in the guard position vacated when Houston was hurt, former Jayvee guard Pete Coyne had his white pullover taken from him and he was promoted to full varsity status. The running guard position will be handled this week by Sam Butler, with Bill Rosenau spelling him part of the time on defense.

Valpey was encouraged by Rosenau's rapid improvement at defensive guard. "Rosy has come a long way in the last few weeks."

At the tackle slot usually occupied by Bender, Duke Sedgewick will perform on offense and Dick Guidera on defense.