The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-09-17
FOOTBALL SEASON
OPENS AT IDAHO
FORTY MEN IN SUITS FOR INITIAL
PRACTICE-PROSP SHOW
PROMISE

The Vandals are off on the 1928
coast and northwest conference foot
ball race.
The Idaho squad cut loose with a
moderately stiff practice Saturday af-
ternoon, along with the other squads
in the two conferences. This was the
first day that teams could engage in
organized practice but all outfits
were on the mark ready to start as
soon as the bars were lowered.
10 Men In Suits
Coach R. L. Mathews and his staff
of assistants put squad of about
40 through series of conditioning
drills and exercises especially worked
out to get the players in top condi-
tion as early as possible. This is the
first year that the opening practice
has brought out SO near full squad.
Players arrived on every train yes
terday and kept dribbling in as late
as today noon Mathews communi-
Gated with each of the varsity cand1-
dates recently and pointed out to
them the necessity of starting as
early as the conference rule permits.
Idaho has a schedule which requires
her to get pointed rather early and
to stay on edge through the five re-
naming games
Of the 40 candidates out the first
night all but an insignificant few
have excellent chances to get into
play during the season and possibly
make the award. The lettermen from
last year constitute a small part Of
the squad but will loom up more pro-
minently when it comes time to Sc
lect the first string eleven.
Outlook Promising
Although it is logically impossible
to make any predictions with but
one workout as a foundation, it
seems justifiable to say that the 1928
squad appears on the whole more pro-
missing than the one last year. The
players are responding with a willing
ness which argues well for the morale |
of the squad. 1t will be remembered |
that it was the closely knit co-opera-
ton and unified spirit that made the
Vandals the most talked of team on
the coast last season.
Competition will be strong for
every position. Backfield players
will get bigger taste Of it possibly
than the linemen, for the sopnomores
are coming in with some fine back
field timber. Mathews, however,
Isn't paying much attention to posi-
lions just yet. He is conducting his
work now with the idea Of discover
ing just how many football players
ne has; the placing will come COM
paratively easy at later time
Conditioning First Work
The big job now will be getting
he squad into condition for the scrim-
mage and tackling practice, which
will be the final preseason proof of
! players ability. After the players
Ire hardened he will start introduce /
ng some of the new plays which he
las worked out during the summer
Coach Mathews has Albert H. Knud-
on, Dale Vohs, Babe Brown, and Jim
Zeal, all former Idaho players, as {
ssistant coaches
Registration has not proceeded
to enable Coach Dave {
1acMillan to ascertain what he has +,
n line for the freshman team 1t S
5 not likely that the yearlings will
hape themselves before a week or {
lore. Idaho needs another good |
team this year. which will {
e mighty powerful talking point
Or a strong varsity next year This S
lay seem long distance ahead, but i
daho realizes that the long-sought t
hance to move upward in football is i
hand and desires to be ready {