Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-12
w. w.
ROPER'S
O. O.
BY w. w. ROPER,


fCopyright 1927. in all countries. by North
American Newspaper Alliance)
MOOT BALL in the Middle West
l. this Fall gives every promise OF
being as god if not better thar
last year, with a race which
should produce fireworks be
fore the Big Ten championship is set
tied.
Teams which were weak last season
will be much better, while the stronger
elevens should be even stronger, II
all signs at this time mean anything.
Just now it looks as If the cham
poinship would be found either at
Minnesota, Ohio State or Michigan,
with Illinois and Northwestern having
q look.in, and Chicago improving
rapidly over her poor showing of last
year.
OF course, many things may happen
before the last of November, and
some dark horse may come to the
fore. But Minnesota has the call now,
and it is hard to convince Westerners
this is not to be her year, especially
those of the Northwest who saw the
team progress last Fall.
I have talked with fans, officials
and coaches, and they agree that the
outlook favors Minnesota, with prob
Shift Bothers Rockne.
Notre Dame is not in the Big Ten,
and discussion of championships ig-
more that great bunch except so far
as national titles are concerned. AS a
matter of fact. Notre Dame plays only
two members of the Big Ten. Indi-
ana and Minnesota. She undoubtedly
will beat Indiana. but the game with
Minnesota will be a corker. worth 60
ing miles to see. Minnesota is ach-
ing to get revenge for the 20-7 defeat
of last season, defeat administered
before the Gophers became the whirl-
wind they were at the end of the year.
Rockne will have a great team at
Eotre Dame IS always, but it is some
thing of q problem what he will do
with his shift l doubt if it will be
as effective under the new shift rule.
which provides that a second must
elapse after the shift and before the
ball is put in play.
MinnesOta's Prospects.
Minnesota played Michigan twice
last season, losing the first game, 200,
and then coming back to outplay
Michigan, but finally to lose, Z to 6,
when try for goal was missed. In
the last game the Gophers gained
something like 10 first downs to about
fer Michigan. but always some
thing seemed to happen when the ball
was near the Michigan goal line. That
growth in strength represents i'm
provement of the Minnesota boys and
not any decline on the part of Michi-
gan.
This year Minnesota will start off
with almost that entire team intact.
The only losses the Gophers suf-
fer are Peplaw, halfback: Wheeler,
end, and Hyde, tackle. In their places
are numerous candidates from the
varsity squad, and promising men
from last years freshman team.
Altogether, Is IN" veterans return,
Including Herb Jossting. All-American
fullback. with Almquist and Nydahl,
other backfield stars. 1t is said that
ut least 10 to IL men from the frosh
team have varsity capa bilities. though
that is bit too much to expect. They
are mostly big. heavy fellows. but the
. strength Of the regulars will hardly
To- give more than two or three real
chances to make the varsity. So there
is no question that Minnesota. under
DR.. Speer will be in the battle, and
whoever beats her possibly will be the
champion.
Strong Team for Michigan.
While the losses at Michigan were
heavy, and included Benny Friedman,
All-American quarterback. whose pass
ing. kicking and generalship did much
to help Michigan tie-up the title;
Flora, n star end; Weber and Molenda,
fullbacks. and Lovette guard, Coach
Yost will have a mighty strong team
AS matter of fact. he will need only
three new men to make one of the
strongest teams in the West, and
these are an end. a quarter and full.
Osterbaan. a real end, will be back
TO captain the team. and with him will
be several who have served one to two
seasons on the eleven. In Miller a
good substitute for Friedman may be
found. He has had two years on the
squad. Mcbride, from the frosh. is
promising also. Others with expert.
ence who may get the assignment are
Hoffman or Domhoff. Robbins, from