Two "rebuilding" football teams will match improvements today when the Varsity takes on Brown at 1:30 p.m. in the last Stadium game of the '51 season.
Judged by the past performances of the contestants, today's contest should be one of the events games in the Stadium this year, with the Crimson slightly favored. Not only do both teams sport identical two-and-five records, but both gained one stirring upset victory, and each has beaten a "breather" opponent. An additional leveling factor is the recent rain, which has left the Stadium turf soggy and slow.
The Crimson will be ready for this one, although Coach Lloyd Jordan will definitely be without the services of starting wingback John Tulenko and probably without those of defensive end Don Cass; both have injuries. John Ederer, who played a fine game against Princeton, will take Tulenko's place, while Fritz Drill and Slug Dolan will fill in for Cass.
Cox Returns
A brighter bit of news is the return of Howle Cox, sidelined for the first seven games with a broken hand. Cox gives the Crimson a smooth-passing tall-back to spell Dick Clasby.
Jordan has worked the team hard this week--when the rain permitted--and the squad's spirit is high, as it has consistently been all season. The Crimson went through a final brisk workout in Briggs Cage yesterday.
It appears now that Jordan will continue to use tackles John Nichols and Bob Thompson solely on defense, because Hank Toepke and Arnold Horween ran with the first offensive unit in yesterday's non-contact drill.
The backfield alignment is the same, with Tom Ossman at fullback, Gil O'Neil at quarterback. Clasby at tailback, and Ederer on the wing. (The two halfbacks change positions when the Crimson lines up in a single wing to the left.) Ederer, a fast runner, is also an above-average left-handed passer, who will be a threat today in the Crimson's familiar reverse wingback pass play.
Brown which a has won only once here since 1928, will be up, too: this is it Bruins' objective game. They already have a fine 14 to 12 triumph over Yale their credit, and in addition parlayed snowstorm and a stout defense to limit mighty Princeton to a meager 12 point Coach Alva Kelley's boys beat Rhod Island State, 20 to 12, for their other will.
Rebuilding at Brown
Kelley, in his first year at Providence has done a fine job with the remnants last years bedraggled Brown club. Like Jordan, he has stressed fundamentals and like Jordan, he has seen his tear play some fine football as well as some of the other kind.
The Bruin reconstruction program has been crippled by the mid-season drafting of fullback Vit Piscuskas, the man who sparked the Yale win. So the Bruins have had to rely on the good passing of quarter back Carl Leone and the outside running of sophomore Ken Kessaris, an exception al halfback prospect. Proof of Leone aerial efficacy are the statistics of last week's Rutgers game, which Brown lost 28 to 21: 13 out of 21 passes, for 19 yards.
But you need a hard hitting inside make to keep the defense drawn in. Piscuskas was that man: his replacements have been nowhere near his quality. So Rutgers stayed back, and picked off two keep passes, running one back for the game clinching touchdown.
The Bruins have a couple of tough linebackers: two-way center Ed Sexto and Jack Carson. The latter broke his jaw earlier this season, so must wear. Martian-like protective mask which completely covers the bottom half of his face.
Co-captains John Pietro and Jim Marland also play without relief. Pletro a guard, while Martland fills the fullback slot on offense, and the safety post who Brown loses the ball.
Read more in News
Mather Asks Clergy's Assistance for Struik