The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-09-14
WALLACE WADE
CHANCES OVER
SOUTHERN LOOP
Alabama Coach Says It Is
Hard to Win Conference
Title in South
HAS 20 GRID TEAMS
Loop Has Only Three Coaches
Who Have Not Been There
for Five Years
HAS % GRID TEAMS
BY WALLACE WADE
Couch. University of Alahamal

| \SV0SUt OUtVS1 StLy VI <4I0O0m0y
The Southern Conference consists
Of 22 large universities and this ma
turally makes q championship diff
cult to win. But the fact that the
leading teams play from six to eight
conference opponents results in .
schedule which is unusually difficult
for any team to finish undefeated.
Last season three teams were unde-
feated in the conference-GeorRia
Tech, Vanderbilt and Tennessee.
Georgia Tech, Georgia and Wander
bilt appear, at this time, to have the
best prospects for . championship
team this fall.
Georgia Tech should have a great
team because from the strong unde-
feated 1927 team only two men are
lost. Last years squad furnished
strong reserve material, as well as
regulars; to this will be added some
splendid freshmen players. Tech
will have q veteran ;backfield con-
sisting Of Thomson, Mizell, Ran
dolph and Durant. The team should
be heavy, fast and experienced and
should have splendid forward pass
ing attack. I believe Georgia Tech
should have one Of the outstanding
teams of the year.
Georgia Was Good
Georgia's team was good last year,
largely on account Of splendid back
field that could run, block and pass,
and was exceptionally effective on
defense. This complete backfield
combination will return. Two very
good ends will be missed, but it is
believed Georgia will be as good as
last year, when it was the only team
to defeat Yale.
From Vanderbilt's undefeated team
of last year three exceptionally good
men will be lost-Spears, quarter
back; Creson, end; and Sharpe, cen
ter. However, Vanderbilt has a
great back returning in Armistead,
and several good men who were in
eligible last year have become eli
gible and Vanderbilt will begin the
season with the best material in
years.
Tennessee also finished the season
undefeated last year and has bright
prospects for another great team in
spite of the fact that seven regulars
from the 1927 team will be missing.
Tennessee has some exceptionally
promising sophomores to replace
these lost stars.
Alabama, Mississippi University,
Florida, Auburn, Louisiana State
University, Virginia Poly and North
Carolina State all have hopes Of hav-
ing teams that will be in the running
this year.
Many of the Southern Conference
teams will begin the season with
new coaches this fall. After one Of
Georgia's most successful seasons,
Coach George Woodruff resigned and
was succeeded by his chief assistant,
Harry Mehre of Notre Dame. It is
expected Mehre will continue the
policies which have been used at
Georgia during the past few years.
Coach Sebring resigned from the
University Of Florida aft~- a success
full season. He will be succeeded by
Charles Bachman, who developed
several fine teams at Kansas Aggies.
Bachman should have good material
and great deal is expected from his
first team in the south.
Cohen at Louisiana
Russell Cohen, who has coached 1t
Georgia, Mercer, Vanderbilt, and AL
ALBANIA, has taken charge at Louisiana
State. He knows southern football
as well as any man in the south, and
if given proper support will un-
doubtedly develop = strong team 1t
Baton Rouge.
George Boiler, after several years
Of very successful experience 1t
Mississippi College, has become head
coach at Auburn. Auburn has good
material and Boiler has rejuvenated
the old Auburn spirit to such an ex-
tent that his team will be hard one
to defeat this fall.
! Billy Laval, whose teams at Fur
man won more games from confer
ence opponents than any other S. /.
A. A. team, goes to South Carolina
as head coach. His material will be
good, and there is no doubt as to his
ability to make the most Of it.
There are only three coaches in the
conference whe have been at their
present positions more than five
years. They are McGugin at Wander
bilt, Byrd ct Maryland and Alex
ander at Georgia Tech. A great inn
provement has been made during the
past year or 50 by those teams in the
Southern Conference which had not
been so strong in football. Probably
Mississippi University, under Homer
Hazel, has made the greatest Inn
provement. Conditions are now such
that Z Southern Conference team Is
worthy opponent for any team. &
| Among the s. !. A. A. teams, Gem
tenary, Howard and Chattanooga ap-
pear to have the best prospects for
outstanding teams. All Of these
teams have veteran players return
ing and are prepared to make .
strong bid far tho channnionshin