The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-12
LOOKOUTS BEATEN TWICE-IN DANGER OF BOTTOM PLACE
EVERY COLLEGE
 WILL LOSE SOME STAR MEN
VANDERBILT SAID TO HAVE FINEST PROSPECTS-C0MMO- DORES' FIGHT AGAINST AU- BURN EXPECTED TO BE BRIL- LIANT AFFAIR
Rr c. ". CHEER

The dawn of the 1912 football season IS at hand. Pigskin warriors of practicaiy every college in the south are beglnnlhs 10 "cut,, cigarettes and dope, to limper muscles and to make ready for the grill inv grind of the gridiron. This fall Will see many stars missing from the various southern colleges. These are Ill soAie eases replanted by new material, but Tn many cases their absence Will De sauiy felt by their respective colleges. Ala bama and Vanderbilt are heavy losers while Tennessee and Georgia are practi- cally intact.
 The approach of the season shows that the thin red line" of the University or Alabama will as usual have to depend to a considerable extent upon it's determneo fighting spirit, which with it has grown to be almost proverbial The line will be weak-woefully weak. The loss of Bar nette. the 1go pound center, who has been ii tower of strength in the line for the mast two seasons is irreparable. Keller at guard, Countess and Powell, tackles of last seasons eleven will also be among the missing. Bumgardner. last year right end and captain, has played his tune cut and it is probable that Hicks, the chief asset of the scrub line last year. will not be in condition to play. In the back field, however, Alabama Will nave more weight and experience than 1t has enjoyed in some seasons past With Mc- Dowell, Van de Giraffe, Moody and Harsh of last years squad on the field, and with Wilkinson, a star performer of two years ago, again in the smoleskins," the back field is evidently formidable. But unless new material for the line is forthcoming another season will find the gritty crim- son aggregation fighting its way through its schedule doggedly and determinedly, though handicapped by lack of weight and experience.
 Auburn, too. though she has wealth of new material to work with, will miss the strength and experience of several stars Bonner, captain and lineman of the 1911 eleven will be among the missing as VIII Moore at halfback. Allen, an all-southern tackle for several years, has seen last service in football uniform, and sev- eral other performers of the past season will be among the missing. Notwithstand- ing this loss however, prospects for a winning bunch at Auburn are very bright. The large number or students from which she is able to select, and the wealth of "scrub and sub" material of last year insures her another heavy aggregation, and 1t is safe to predict that she will finish well toward the top in the s. l. A A standing on next Thanksgiv- ing Day.
 The Univefsity of Tennessee aggrega- tion, which meets Alabama in Birming- ham on Thanksgiving, has, according to ; reports, the brightest prospects for win ming eleven that she has had in several seasons. Coach Hall expects his line to average 1S5 pounds, and his back field at least 160. Eight of the last seasons aggregation of pigskin artists will be on hand for the first practice next week, and much available material is reported to be among the new candidates.
 The Mississippi Agricultural and Me chanical college of Starkville fares not so we'll Five stars of last seasons team will be missing from the lineup this fall. These are Cooper, who 1t will be remem- bered played a star game for A. and M. against Auburn in Birmingham last fall; Allen, guard of last season; Rhodes, fullback; Kmball, left end, and probably Cole. Wells, Jennings and Blondie Will Hams will report for duty, however and these form in themselves the nucleus around which to build a formidable ma chine.
 Vanderbilt, it is reported, has more available material for a heavy and ex- perienced squad than she has ever had. In fact, it Is claimed that the Commo- dores will compose this year one of the greatest football machines that the south has ever seen. A wealth of heavy and experienced material from Tennessee prep" schools is reported, and many substitutes will be fighting for places upon the 1912 varsity squad. While all of this may be true, it Is hard to see where Van derbilt is going to find material that will take the place of Capt. Ray Morrison, J land. At any rate, Vanderbilt and Auburn tie up in Birmingham for the first time in two seasons and a great battle for southern supremacy Is expected.