Evening star., 1934-09-25
SQUAD HAS MADE
SPEEDY PROGRESS
Coach Well Pleased With
Development Shown in
Past Two Weeks.
By III. c. BYRD.


" SOL why We should not be
as good as we were last
year. said Coach Dutch Bergman in
briefly summing up the outlook for his
Catholic University foot ball squad.
I'VE did not get organized 50 well
during the first two weeks of practice,
but the last five or SIX days have seen
us develop very rapidly and l feel that
we should have a gradual development
which should make US Just as strong
as we have ever been. barring untore-
seen eyentualiueS in the way Of accl-
dents. injuries and so on
Bergman does not hesitate TO let his
optimism be known, when talking
about his prospects for the coming
season, but does have back III his
mind some worries over the possibili-
ties of two or three of his best men
falling by the wayside through injuries.
In some positions the Interpretation
of regulars would not hurt a good
deal. as there are second stringers on
hand fully capable of filling the first
string berth, but in other places the
loss of the regulars for important
games, such as Holy Cross, would be
extremely costly.
Line Is Big and Fast.
~ATHOLIC U. has a big line, and
an exceptionally active one, and
its backfield is heavy and fast.
Right now the BrooklanQers seem to
be just as capable as they were this
time last season, and maybe a little
more SO.
You know how this foot ball thing
goes" said Bergman, when one day a
team is right because it is hitting on
all fourS and the next day it is wrong
because a cog is loose somewhere. A
winning foot ball team depends on SO
many small things. SO many inde-
terminable factors that one always can
prepare for but never meet with entire
effectuality that it is not only difficult
but almost foolish to predict what the
result of a season is going to be. l
don't know whether we shall have a
winning or a losing season, but do
think our team should be strong and
give a good account of itself.
"A GOOD deal of varying opinion
n is being expressed by coaches
about the smaller ball now in
use on foot ball practice fields. Some
say that there is no noticeable differ
ence, while others indicate that punt
ing and passing should be far more
effective. 1t also is said that on a
wet field it will be found that the
ball will be much more difficult to
handle.
Coaches here indicate that they see
very little difference in the handling
of the ball, that there is no more
nor less fumbling and that as far
as general play is concerned the
smaller ball should make no differ
ence. 1t is felt, though, that the ball
is easier to grasp than last years,
although forward passing depends so
much on the natural accuracy Of the
thrower that this is not given any
great Importance in the effectiveness
of passing as a method of gaining
ground.
So far it has not appeared that, un-
der the stress OF aggressive rushing
by the defense the passers have at
tained any greater degree OF accuracy
than was noted with the old ball.
v VIRGINIA is said to be some
" what worried over the outcome
of its game with Hampden-
Sydney this year The Orange and
Blue remembers that the smaller
school jumped into Charlottesville last
season unheralded and walked away
with a tie, to o.
Right now Hampden-Sydney has its
1888 line intact and most of its back
field also. The chances are that VIZ
ginia will win with some ease. but it
is only natural for it to feel some mis-
givings.
Last wear Virginia Military InSti-
tute took a real drubbing from Duke
but is more optimistic about its game
SATURDAY.. This and the Washington
and Lee game with Kentucky provides
South Atlantic teams with much Big
ger contests than usual in September.
Also the Virginia Polytechnic 1nstl-
tute contest with Temple at Phlladel-
phia and the North Carolina one With
Wake Forest should develop hard play.
In fact. it can hardly be remembered
when so many schools in this section
we're faced with such difficult contests
so early.
Another school that may find itself
up against more than it desires for
an opening game is University of In
diana, which entertains Ohio Unlver-
sity. Ohio has been one of the best
in its section the last few years, and
it should give Bo Mcmillan rough
workout for his advent as Indiana
coach.
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND
trots out this week for the first
time under the coaching of Glen
Thistlewaite. The former Western
Conference coach has been used to a
good deal more material than he now
has, and it will be interesting to note
what his team does in its first en-
counter.
Richmond meets Roanoke College,
which last week was defeated by Vir-
ginia Tech by a fairly wide margin.
ThistleWaite some time ago, on visit
to Washington, expressed the opinion
that, because Of the difference In his
material at Richmond he might have
to change somewhat the type of play.