Veteran end Hank Rate, injured in Saturday's Springfield game, will be out of action for "about three weeks," Coach Lloyd Jordan said yesterday.

This is Rate's third year as starting right end. He hurt his knee against the Maroon, and spent the weekend in Stillman Infirmary.

"We will miss Hank very much," Jordan said. "He is a good blocker, and his spirit is an inspiration to the team.

Jordan has not decided who will replace Rate. Sophomore Joe Ross filled the slot in yesterday's light drill, but Jordan remarked later that "all the sophomores are competing for the positions: (Bob) Cochran, (Frank) Yoffe, (Bob) Richter, and (George) Clark."

Jordan said that the squad was "not as far advanced right now as we'd like." He pointed out Ross and rookie guard Tim Anderson as first-year men in key spots.

"They're both doing nice jobs for sophomores, but they lack experience and smoothness."

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Senior guard Eli Manos, still limping from his bad ankle, run through practice with the "B" team Latest medical reports indicate that he will probably be able to see action against the Lions Saturday.

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The lights went on for the first time yesterday. Additional mazdas have been installed, so that part of the freshman field is now lighted, too.

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Jordan considers Columbia the "best-conditioned club in the East right now." He praised the coaching skill of Lion mentor Lou Little (Lou's always got a fine ball club") and called the Light Blue "sound in every way it's possible to be sound; a good senior team."

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Trainer Jack Fadden, free at last from his music-manipulating chores with the Red Sox, attended his first practice yesterday.