New Britain herald., 1928-09-26
By DIR. (. w. SPEARS Coach University of Minnesota


 Football in the Western Confer ence will be quite up 10 standard this year in u,ateeial and in high quality of play, but the alignment of strength is likely to be considerably altered from is47. Michigan and Minnesota, two of' the more success full teams lat year. are the most damaged by the llcas ot dependable players. Indtan4 and Purdue, two teams that hsve3 been a little back ward in other beasons, gained the momentum @st eAr Hhsch promises to carry then tk thp front ranks in 1928.
 Illinois is. of course. the outstand- ing team in any preliminary specu- lation. Bob Zuppke's team of 1927 was essentially | sophomore and junior team so perfectly balanced in line and backftefd . and so ably coached that 1t finished its season without defeat and was conceded the Big Ten pionslip. What is more it was ratei. or deserved to have been rated. with the two or three greatest teams of the season. Illinois suffered few losses from graduation and starts with 20 vet erans including Crane. an All- America guard. Nowack, an All Western tackle, Timm. an All- Western back, and other experience ed men. A veteran team that has already won championship. it's prospects are exceedingly bright.
 Next to Illinois the most hope- full groups appear to be at Wiscon- sin and Iowa. Reports come of abundant new material 10 add to squads that remain fairly intact from 1927 and squads that. toward the end of 1927. were beginning to show great power.
 Wisconsin had a big, fast. rangy line last year but lacked backfield power and experience. The line re- mains. Rebholtz and Rose, two great natural backs. will have the plunging of Smith. a sophomore, te help round out strong attack Wisconsin should have its best team in several years.
 Iowa also had an immense ana powerful line in 1927 and this veal strengthens its backfield with Nc. l Lean. the 23o-pound plunger. As { member of the Haskell team he Wa, | the highest scorer in the Countr, two years ago. Mclean will be sup ported by Armil and Glasgow. botf good backs with experience, and b, Gensvold. who was olfst anding as quarterback on the freshman team
 Purdue will be another dangerou team if Jimmy Phelan can find line of average strength to help tackfield which may turn out to b the strongest in the Big Ten. Pest Welch. 19a pounds and fast. shouI be one Of the seasons outstandin lacks. perfect man around whom to build versatile attack for h can kick or pass and is q remark able ball carrier Welch will hay Carraway, prep school mate, an Harmeson, a heady quarterback, | help him.
 Chicago Needs an Uffense
 Pat Page was getting ready i 1927 with big and scrappy u somewhat green team for d grea season in 1928 and there is ever reason to believe he will have i Certainly it will be Indiana's bes team. Page draws upon d splendi freshman squad to round out a tear that lost few regulars. In Bonnet he has truly great back and, i we'll balanced line. His team will b hard to beat.
 Stagg started with sophomor team at Chicago three years ago an has it ready to play football for hir now. It was d powerful team nea the end of last season. Chicago ha always had d strong defense but Ina lacked backfield power in some sea sons. This year. however, Libb and Anderson arc backs aroun whom d strong attack can be bull Northwestern lost hea, fly from ii line by graduation and said a re lnctant farewell to Lewis and Gu: tafson, both Of whom were brilliar backs. but the back field replace mcnts ar said to be more tha adequate Fisher, an end, and Johr