The Washington times., 1925-10-03
GRID
SESSION
OPENS
vlrginians Expected to Give
Middies Plenty of
Trouble
BY HUGH r. RILEY

ANNAPOLIS, Oct. 3.-The
Naval Academy eleven opens its
season here today, playing Will
liam and Mary. There is reason
to believe that the Virginians are
strong enough to afford a real
test to any team, and the outcome
Of the game will be watched with
keen interest by navy people all
over the world.
Stung by failure to achieve the
great objective of their efforts,
the defeat of the Military Acad-
envy team, in three seasons, and
kumiliated by the worst season in
many years, the Naval Academy
made a changs in its head coach
last season, securing Jack Owsley,
who had been assistant coach at
Yale.
With q new head coach, almost an
entirely new coaching staff and
changed methods, the whole navy is
hopeful Of great results this season.
There is no question about the ex-
cellence Of the material at hand, so
that this season will determine
whether or not it is handled wisely.
marked Owsley's regime from the
start. One of the most notable was,
that he picked a varsity team almost
at the start. This combination has
worked together continually and
has advanced much further in team
play and coordination that a Navy
team ever has UP to this point in
the season.
Il OwsIey has shown himself q
firm, but not q harsh, coach. His
way is not to abuse or m0rtify
players with the idea of squirting
them on to greater efforts. In.
stead, he points out errors quiet
" and encourages the candidates
to correct them. Nearly all Of the
signal and formation drills are
carried out without his close d.
rectiOn, apparently for the pur-
pose Of increasing the self reliance
OF the players.
The team which viii start against
william and Mary is: Left end,
Harwick; left tackle, Wikhort; left
guard, Lentz (captain); center, o.
burn; right guard, Edwards; right
tackle, Eddy; right end, Bernet;
quarterback, Hamilton; left half,
Wippin; right half, Banks; fullback,
Shapley. Only one change has
been made in this lineup since the
opening Of the season, Hardwick
having been substituted for VIII
Hanson at left end.
The line is as heavy and power
full as that Of any college team
in the East. and the backfield, with
Shapley, FIippin, Hamilton and
Banks is strong, speedy, versatile
and experienced. While William
and Mary is basing it's hopes of
victory on its belief that its team,
which lost, IA to Z, to the Navy
last year, is better than a year
ago, the view is expressed that the
Navy team is at least so per cent
stronger than at this period Of last
season.
The weakness in the kicking line,
which has been present with the
Navy teams for several years, has
been largely overcome. All of the
backs except Banks can punt.
Flippin is a good place kicker and
both Hamilton and Shapely have
developed considerable ability as
drop kickers. Every member Of the
backfield can also pass.
This condition is quite a con-
trast to that which existed last
year. Then the backs were gen.
orally able to do little outside of
running with the ball and some
passing. Chillingworth, a guard, did
the punting and when he dropped
back it was known to the whole
opposing team that punt must
follow. The present versatility be.
hind the line is expected to tend to
the confusion Of the Nays op-
ponents.
Under the circumstances, the
game with William and Mary
means more than early season
games usually do, and the whole
Navy is looking to it as a test as
to whether their expectations for
the team of 1925 are to be realized,