PALMER SATUDIUM Nov. 6--Hustling out of the press box and jostling my way through the mammoth, milling mob at this 47th annual gridiron classic, I cornered Tiger mentor Charlie Caldwell under the stands during half-time.

"What's the dope?" I asked the genial strategist, grabbing his arm.

He scowled, thought for a moment. "Get away from me you twerp," he said. But then he settled down and began to analyze the game--calling it just the way he saw it.

He was plenty dissatisfied, with the way the struggle had been going. He had an answer, though. Two-platoon football. "You just can't expect a kid to be sharp on both offense and defense without it. Who the hell does old Jordan think he is kidding with all this mummsey wummsey stuff? He wants it just a badly as the next fellow."

Hit 'Em Hard

"He certainly isn't kidding you today," I noted, and he rewarded me with that fatherly gain usually saved for occasions when photographers are around and he has his hand on Royce Flippin's shoulder.

And with this remark the coach clenched his fist, took a long pull from his flask, and started to enter the locker room. "Anything else, Coach?" I asked.

"Yeh," he came back, "this is all off the record."