Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-05

should be just as strong in
foot ball as it was a year
ago, but still may not make
as good a record as it did then,
according to Head Coach Bob
Neyland. The reason lies in the
difference in the caliber of the
schedule to be played this Fall and
that played last season, che list
of games now facing the team
being much more difficult.
Several days ago, Bill Alexander
coach at Georgia Tech. when he made
the statement that North Carolina, Van
derbilt, Georgia and Tulane ought to
be the strongest teams in the South,
was asked why he had left out Ten
nessee, which had been great last year
and had back virtually its whole squad.
Alexander's reply was that Tennessee
had an easy schedule last year and
hard schedule this year, and even with
a better team this year probably would
not do so we'll as the 1929 eleven.
Neyland's opinion seems to bear out
AlexanderS estimate of Tennessee'S
prospects, as he expresses it in his own
words:
Makes Big Difference.
"Our team should be strong, but I
personally do not expect it to do as well
as last years team. The extremely
strong opposition we face, together with
the fact that we play Alabama, Van
derbilt and Florida, three of our strong
est opponents, away from home, makes
it appear that we will be lucky to win
more than four of our seven conference
games"
A glance at TenneSsee's schedule of
last year Is sufficient to show that its
opposition then was not anything like
as difficult as it faces this Fall. Also it
was against several easy teams that it
ran up the big scores which made 1t
the leading team in that particular.
Last year Tennessee opened with Gen.
ter, which it defeated, 40 to 0. It got
70 points against Carson-Newman and
three of its four conference games were
with the weakest teams in the organi-
Eation, Mississippi, which it beat, So
to a; Washington and Lee, from which
1t won by 80 to 0, and Auburn, which
was sent down on 27-to-0 count. The
three strong teams it played resulted In
close scores, Alabama being whipped,
to o; Vanderbilt, IS to 0, and Kentucky
tied, 6 to 6.
In addition to the hard teams met
last year the Tennessee eleven this Fall
takes on North Carolina, Clemson and
Florida, and at least two of these will
be among the leading six or seven
elevens of the South. In other words,
of the f1rst six or seven teams being
picked to stand at the top of the South
ern heap this year, Neyland'S team
plays i've. Here Is the schedule:
September 27-Maryville at Knox
vile.
October Center at Knoxville.
october 1l-Mississippi at Knox
october 1s-Alabama at Tusca-
October as-North Carolina at
Knoxville.
November Clemson at Knox
vile.
November D. Newman ct
Knoxville.
November 1s-vanderbilt at Nash
Vile.
November 27-Kentucky at Knox
Vile.
December eEFIorida at Jackson
vile.
To meet this schedule Tennessee has
back almost its entire team of last sea-
son, and on that team were some OF
the best backs in the country. The en-
tire quartet of first-string backs are
again in uniform, and there were few
better aggregations anywhere, by all
accounts. It is likely that the same
men will be in the four regular jobs
again. They are Hickman, McEver.
Dodd and Decker. McEver was high
scorer for the country and was selected
on some all-America teams, but many,
and among them Neyland. think that
Hackman was an even more valuable
back. The regular linemen back In suits
are Brandt and Hug. ends, and Thayer,
guard. Four regulars were lost, johnson
and Johnston, tackles, and Fuller,
guard, and F1nney, tackle. Three tackles
from the Freshman team Of 1929, Ait
kin, Smiley and Still. and two from the
second-string outfit. Hickman and
Saunders, are available to I'LL the va
cant tackle jobs. while there seems to
be plenty of good material for the CEN
ter and guard Jobs that were open at
the start of practice Monday.
Puts TarheeIs First.
In speaking of the team he expected
10 be strongest this year, Neyland holds
that North Carolina ought to be placed
at the top of the heap, Alabama next,
Vanderbilt next, Georgia next and Ken
lucky and Florida fifth and sixth. But
in making this ranking Neyland went
Just bit further and said, II have not
included any consideration of Tennes-
see, as frankly I do not know what we
shall do. AS I said before, we ought
20 have q strong team, but the differ
ence in the schedule we play this Fall
may make a great difference in our
record. We should have a team as good
rs last year, perhaps a little better, but
II we run into a flock of injuries and
bad fortune we might have a lot worse
team"
It might be mentioned that Neyland
Is one of the most delightfully."- frank
coaches in the country. When he gives
an opinion 1t Is an honest opinion, no
matter what the subject. And last year
he expressed one opinion that was just
about as amusing as any the writer has
ever heard. Shortly after the Kentucky
team had nAlkrlauad rrnnnarsaa ,nthich