Evening star., 1937-12-19

L iiC oWO ShpSI ID VIC lVohcu up were
Howard Jones, head man of South
ern California, and Bill Spaulding,
head coach of u. G. L. A.
Their teams played California this
season and being smart, observant
coaches with long experience, their
combined opinions should carry weight.
Especially as both seemed to agree
fully on the main details. Here's their
angle
Strength of Golden Bears.
HOWARD JONES: California has a
strong, well rounded team. 1t has
a fast-charging line with more than
average speed-an active, aggressive
line and two exceptionally good ends
in Schwartz and Dolman. Schwartz is
a strong offensive end-Dolman a
frst-class defensive player.
California has one of the best back
fields I've seen. In John Meek, the
225-pound quarter, they have smart
held general, an unusually fine blocker
and strong defensive man. Chap
man, Bottari and Anderson complete
topnotch cast. Chapman can do every
thing well-and he is also fine de-
fensive player. Bottari is a spark
plug-an elusive ball carrier who also
can pass.
Il wouldn't rate California as an
outstanding passing team. 1t isn't. But
it Is good. 1t is one of the best de-
fensive teams I've seen. I'd say that
ho fn
touchdowns to win. I don't believe
Alabama or any other team I've seen
normally could hold California to less
than two touchdowns. can tell you
now it will be hard team to beat. 1t
is a hard team to score against with
Meek and Herwig-225 and 2l5 pound
ers-both fast-backing up the line"
More About the Bears.
PILL SPAULDING: "You see few
teams with so many outstanding
players-Chapman, Meek, Herwig,
Schwartz Stockton, Bottari-all stars.
And Dolman is fine defensive end.
1t is big team and fast team. But
1t has no unusual reserve power. It
is fine first team. 1t isn't two deep
by any means-much less three deep.
ut is hard team to run against
with Meek, Herwig, Chapman and
others looking after the defense. Ala
bama will have to gamble largely on
the passing game. Our U. c. L. A.
team made more than $50 yards against
California, but we had an exceptional
passer in Washington. We lacked the
needed line strength to face Cali
fornlas strong line. No one can say
what will happen when a good passing
attack starts to clcking-if Alabama
has a good passing attack. But this
California first team is a high-class,
well-rounded outfit-especially good in
the first two quarters before reserves
are needed. 1t will take quite foot
ball team to beat them"
More About It.
ASKED Howard Jones and Bill
spaulding If they cared to make
a forecast. Here was their combined
opinion:
Alabama had a hard time getting
by Tulane. Georgia Tech and Van
derbilt. The margin in these three
games totaled only IL points. Ala
bama will need stronger offense than
this to beat CALIFORNIA; good scoring
team
But this modern game of football
doesn't add up. It is more roulette
than football. You can be outplayed
and win-or you can outplay the other
team decisively and still lose. We are
not sure what even California can do
against passing attack that happens
to be working that day-such as Dixie
Howell and Don Hutson showed
against Stanford
Passing Is Main Factor.
HOWARD JONES: II still think the
running attack should have a
much better chance to prove its place.
But passing seems to be the vital fac
tor. Look at the case of Cornell and |
Pennsylvania-or our game with U. |
c. L. A-or SO other games this sea-
son. Any passing attack in college
football-or any football-that hasn't
Howell or Baugh is largely a gam
bic. I mean by that it works one
game and doesn't work the next game.
No one could say what might hap
pen If Alabama suddenly should
come along with a passing attack
that happened to be working. I be-
lieve California will make much more
ground than Alabama makes. But
that doesn't happen to mean much on
many big OCCASIONS. If you'll check
back you'll find that just one play
that night have gone either way-de-
cided more than so important games
this season. That's why it was so
difficult to pick winners"
Jones and Spaulding again: Gala
bama, to win this game, will have to
play better football than it has shown
so far. Alabama will be UP against
q team that can score-up against a
team with a powerful defensive
against good running game. It
should be fine contest that Califor-
mia, on form and playing strength,
should win. But this doesn't 20 any
too often in modern football against
passing attack which happens to
click that day."
The general opinion around here is
that it will take an Alabama team of
the 1884 type with Howell, Hutson,
Riley Smith, ETC., to have an even shot
against the Bears. But, as Howard
Jones says, "wl1o knows what will hap
pen in the football of today?"
(oopyright. 1887. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, mc.)