The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-09-21
VANDERBILT HAS
FEW GOOD PLAYERS
Football Outlook Is Not Very
Encouraging
HARD SCHEDULE is AHEAD
Coach McGuein Is Worried About the
Position of Quarterback Because
Sam Costen Has Decided to
Quit the Football Game.

Nashville. Tenn, September 2O.-(Spe-
eial )-The first week of football practice
at Vanderbilt is over and the situation
for an Al team is still as dark as ever.
Large squads have been on the field
daily limbering up prior to getting down
to business In earnest, but the fact that
there is a noticeable lack of weight in
the squad has been a bit discouraging
to Coach D. McGugin.
With the exception of two or three the
material does not promise much in the
way of linesmen, and 1t is this depart
ment of the team. that McGugin will have
TO build up. Freeland. the Mooney star.
is the only new man that can be counted
upon. Covington is a 1s5-pounder, but
is green and must yet be whipped into
condition. He Is active and a willing
worker, and McGugin believes he will
eventually make good. Gedly was another
man upon whom the coach depended to
make the line but it has been discovered
that he is ineligible, having played out
his time at Central university in Missouri
OF course there are other boys In the
university that are heavy and active, but
as yet they have failed to report, and it
is not known whether they'll play foot
ball or not. However, every effort is be-
ing made to get them out.
OF the old linesmen, Mclean. tackle;
Vaughn, Blake and King, guards, and
Powell. sub-tackle, are back. Sheriff.
has not yet put in his appearance and
his return is doubtful although his
friends say that he will show up some
time next week.
The position that is worrying Coach
McGugin most is that of quarter Sam
Costen, the All-Southern quarter, it is
said, has decided not to play football
any longer because of his parents OBJ
jections. Potts, who was sub for Costen
last season and a rafting good one,
has also given up the game. Thus is Nc
Gugin left without a man that has had
any experience whatever for this import
ant position. McGugin will devote a
large part of his time to this position
daily, and the fact that he has a number
of men weighing around 100 pounds, all
of whom are fast, he will most likely
uncover a good man for quarter ere
long.
In the back field the team loses the vet
eran John Craig and the Demon" Tim
1dupDtlI, DOtU lOWeTS u SllSIBlH III past
seasons. Morton, fullback, has returned.
So has Williams, sub-half last season,
who is very promising for a regular berth
this fall. McGahee, who was in college
last year, but ineligible, is on hand and
is looked upon as firsr-cfass man for
back field position. He exhibited great
ability on the second team last fall. An
other promising candidate for back field
job is Griffing, who halls from Branham
I'D 4.1, 1T11
John Craig. Griffin, according to his
friends. is every bit as good as Craig was
when in the prep ranks. Manner, brother
of the famous Owsley Manner, is in school
again. He is heavy and VIII try for
position in the line.
Not only has McGugin to patch
up the holes made vacant by old men
leaving, but he must develop a
punter to take Bob Blake's place. to
say nothing of man that can pass ac-
curately. To fill this gap as 1t should
be McGugin will have his hands full. He
cannot hope to get a punter and passer
the equal of Blake, but the coach be-
lieves he has a couple of men on hand
that will be able to hold their own with
other southern kickers. One of these is
Freeland, who, unless some one else
shows up, will probably do most of the
punting.
boohihs dt Tie SITUATION at any angie
the prospects are none too good. How
ever, McGugin has way of making foot
ball players, therefore supporters of the
eleven believe he will be right there with
a powerful machine before the season
is very old.
The schedule this season is hard one.
There are three big games as follows:
Michigan at Ann Arbor, Ohio State and
Sewanee here. The other games include
Tennessee Clemson, Mississippi and Rose.
The opening game will be played next
Saturday, s. w. P. u. of Clarksville be-
ing Vanderbilt's opponents