The veteran Green team that enters the Stadium today is a paradox of fumbles, interceptions, sometimes powerful, often inept defense and somewhat impotent offense.

Back in September no one thought that DeOrmond "Tuss" McLaughry's starting team, which boasted nine letter winners, would come into Cambridge winners of one game--that a poor showing against weak Rutgers. And nobody thought that while Dartmouth was losing three out of four, its opponents would score more than twice as many points.

Early Season Setbacks

The Indians, as expected, were trounced by strong Holy Cross, but some people weren't surprised when they played fine defensive ball against Penn the following week. The Quakers, who gained 30 yards rushing, won 7 to 0 on a long pass in the second half. Really surprising, however, were the first half against Army when the Cadets rolled up 37 points and the Rutgers game, when the floundering Indians fumbled seven times.

It is hard to account for Dartmouth's spotty showings; the most likely explanation is that the Green was really only "up" for the Penn game, and the subsequent poor showings were the result of a natural letdown.

There will be no let down today.

Good Quarterback Choice

McLaughry was called a "past master at replacing good men with better men," last year when he played Jim Miller at quarterback for the injured Gene Howard. He will merely be living up to his reputation, if as expected, he spells Miller with sophomore Ross Ellis. Miller is a fine ball player who can pass and handle the ball well. Ellis who played the second half against Rutgers and completed four out of six passes for 44 yards, is apparently even better, and may start today.

Last year, when Howard went in for Miller, it changed the game completely. Howard and Dartmouth dominated the second half and eraced the Crimson's 20 to 6 lead. Miller had fumbled twice and wasn't able to move the ball against the losers.

Howard, and his bootlegging really baffled the Crimson; he scored two touchdowns; one on a bootleg, the other on an end sweep, and he passed for one. Howard is ineligible today, but there are always a lot of unknowns on the Dartmouth bench, and there are Miller and Ellis.

Dick Collins will start at right half, and will do the heavy share of the Green running. Collins, a chunky 165 pounder is a track man in the spring, is always a threat to go all the way. He ran 89 yards for a touchdown against the Cross, and averaged four yards a carry for the 1951 season.

Russ Smale and Dick Calkins alternate at left half, with the former more likely to start today. The veteran Smale had a bad ankle last year, and is still not as good as expected. Calkins, a sophomore, has improved steadily; after the Army game, McLaughry said he played the "best game of his career."

Jennison Ineligible

The Indians were set back at fullback, when Dick Jennison, last year's star sophomore was ruled ineligible for scholastic reasons. Jennison, who averaged over four yards a carry scored the Indians' first touchdown against the Crimson last year when he bucked over from the three. McLaughry uses 200 pound John Spinger, at fullback, but the Indian attack still lacks a good hard runner.

Juniors Bayard Johnson and Paul Mackey have alternated at offensive center, both were letter winners, are fairly steady ball players, although not quite in the Buddy Lemay class. Mackey will probably start this afternoon, but both should see action.