The Washington times., 1931-02-07
PLACES FAITH
IN PLAYERS
:UNDERH|M
BY GEORGE A. SIMPSON

10y OEOhOE a. S1mFSO
Edgar E. RIP" Miller is deter.
mined to succeed as head varsity
football coach at the Navy.
One can read this in the spark
ling eyes of the 29-year-old coach
who steps into a major football
position as field boss of one of the
country's leading elevens. Miller
does not appear cocky nor of the
tyral1nic type. Rather, he seems
to be of the kind for whom
players will battle to the last
ditch.
70 Wants Team of Character
He will plunge into his new
Job, with one purpoSe-to put out
Q Navy team that will be a credit
to the institution not only in the
win and lost column but also one
whose sportsmanship, character
and high qualities add to the good
name Of the Naval Academy.
In fact, Miller Is more con.
cefned with teaching the play.
efs character, though it can't
be said that no coach cares
nothing about winning, espe-
cially when the alumni wolves"
howl for his hide when his
team suffers losses regularly.
Miller, who lived through foot.
bail as a member of the brilliant
Notre Dame teams of 1922, 1923
and 1924, playing regular tackle
IN his last year, says there's a
lesson to be learned from foot,
ball--a lesson that lasts through.
out life and befits one for Ife's
bitter struggles.
Should Hear Miller
Some of these college presi,
dents, who decry overemphasis in
football, should seat themselves
beside Miller and give ear to his
football philosophy. They per.
hapS then wouldn't be so quick
to condemn a sport that today
is one of the pillars of the col.
lege world. Says Miller:
81 know will have the sup
pert of players because many
OF them have already written
me saying how glad they
are to hear they would play
under me. That counts a whole
let, because q coach will get no.
where IL his players aren't will
ing to fight for him. Look what
happened at Penn when poor
Lud Wray not only had to fight
the athletic council, the faculty,
and the alumni, but many of
his own players never gave him
their best.
- "And want my Navy players
to know now that I'm with
them, heart and soul. 1 want
them to consider me as one Of
them and not as their superior.
Let me also say that the Navy
boys are as fine and as an ag-
gresSive bunch I've seen.
Besides, I'll have the fullest
cooperation of every officer at
the Academy. It's up to me to
succeed and I'll do my level best
to attain that aim or die in
the attempt"
Miller plans to leave here the
first week of March for Lafayette,
Ind. where ne will watch the
Purdue University gridders in
spring practice. The reason for
this mission is to obtain first
hand information on the latest
Notre Dame spinners and reverses
that Frank Carideo, quarterback
of the unbeaten 1929 and 1890
Notre Dame elevens. will give to
the Boilermakers in his new ca
paeity as backfield coach.
Wants NOtre Dame Aides
AS the new Navy coach will
bring the Rockne style to Navy,
he finds it necessary to have two
former Notre Dame men as his
assistants. one for the ends and
one for the backfield, as nat
urally only pupils of Rockne can
teach his system. Good ends
who can ride the defensive tackle
out of play without assistance
are compulsory under the Notre
Dame style,
Although Miller refused to
name his new assistants, there is
q strong belief that Christy Elan
agaHl, who handled the Purdue
backfield last year, and Johnny
O'Brien, end of the 1880 Irish
eleven, will get the posts. Of
ficial confirmation, however, must
come from the Academy.