Evening star., 1933-10-07
KANSAS GRID GAME
IS TEST FOR ELSER
Notre Danes Highly Touted
Soph Appears to Have
Every Asset.
BY FRANCIS ]. POWERS.

H1CAGO, OCTOBER lis Don
4 Elser, foot inches and
~ 220 pounds, another Joe
Savoldi? Notre Dame
coaches, Notre Dame students and
Notre Dame alumni-not to men,
ton Notre Dame rivals-are ask
ing that question.
For Jumping" Joseph was a
fullback from away back there In
Three Oaks, Mich, and II Elser is
even 80 per cent Sav6fdi, Notre
Dame will cross many a goal line
this season.
Col. Heartily Anderson and all the
others will have some idea Of how Elser
compares with Savoldi by sundown to-
day, after Notre Dame has finished up
with the rangy and rugged Kansas Uni
versity eleven.
Elser has all the physical qualities Of
Savoldi. He is big and strong enough
to give and take in any competition;
he was fast enough to run the sprints
for Horace Mann High School in his
native Gary, and he was a great ball
handler In scholastic basket ball. Elser
goes into the Notre Dame lineup with
all the recommendations a youngster
could have. Still he won't be accepted
as successor to Savoldi until Anderson
and his aides have seen him under
heavy fire.
W T1ear ie roo1 Notro nopoa r,,for;o1
many of Hunk" Anderson's worries
will be eliminated, for the sopho-
more will not only be one of the main
ball carriers for the Cossacks, but he
also will do good share of the pass
ing and punting and a percentage of
the blocking. There's plenty of work
ahead for Elser If he becomes Notre
Danes f1rst-string fullback
Notre Dame promises to have a whirl-
wind backfield this season. In addi-
tion to Elser. Andy Pilney and Mike
Layden. another pair of sophomores. can
carry the mail, and Tony Mazziotti at
quarterback Is a grand blocker as well
as a smart signal caller.
It may be that Col Anderson will
find the salvation for this years team
In those four sophomore backs. Lukats,
Banas. Tobin, Brancheau and other vet
eran backs may be needed to supply the
leaven of experience to the Notre Dame
backf1eld early In the season, but II the
sophomore group improves according to
expectations, 1t may dominate toward
the end Of the campaign.
In past years at Notre Dame sopho-
moreS were seldom seen except as
members of the shock troops or after
a game had been safely salted away.
Joe Kurth and Ed Krause we're among
the fnu nYrQntiNnS fn vuiy, racy111or
sitions while sophomores during Rock
mes last years at Notre Dame, but the
new crop may break down the barr iers
Of tradition.
DRESUMABLY the Notre Dame line
is meeting with Anderson's ap-
proval, for not much is being said
about the forwards The Irish line
will for the most part, be composed
of veterans or reserves Of last years
team and the old Colonel can be de-
pended upon to produce a f1rst-class
set Of linemen. So the question at
Notre Dame has been the backfield.
During the last two seasons Notre
Dame has lacked good blocker at
quarterback position and that is highly
essential to the success of the team.
Anderson believes he has found a
blocker who may measure up to Frank
Carideo in Tony Mazziotti. who like
Carideo, Is Of Italian descent. If MAJ
ziotti can crack down opposing players
as he has been doing in practice the
other backs will find avenues for their
dasfes And if both Mazziotti and
Elser prove strong blockers, then watch
Pilney, Layden and the others gallop.
If Elser can go crashing of tackle
as Joe Savoldi used to do, I am going
to vote Notre Dame very, very tough
team and one that Howard Harding
Jones out in Los Angeles can start
fearing without any further delay. Don
Elser may be the fellow who will start
the Notre Dame victory march blaring
across the Nation once more.