The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-09-08
FORDHAM RAMS
 POWER-PACKED
 WITH VETERANS
Backheld May Surpass All Previous Ones for
 Strength
BY LACK GuENTHER

@AAAAS
 (Unted Press Staff Correspondent
 New York, Sept. s-(UP)-The fans who follow the fortunes of the Fordham football warriors may be relieved to learn they won't have many new names to nemorize this fall. There are just five holes to be plugged in the entire Ram line- up and at a casual glance the sup- ply of replacements appears more than equal to the demand.
 Starting his seventh season as director of the Fordham grid 6es- tinies, Jimmy Crowley virtually is assured anothev of the rugged type teams for which the Bronx Ram TnerS long have been known. And If that newest bugaboo of all teams - the draft = continues to brush him only lightly, Crowley again may challenge for the myth teal title of the East.
 In all, Fordham lost only five important men through gradu- ation-halfback Len Eshmont and linemen Lou DeFllippo, John Kuz- man, Joe Ungerer and Vince Dem nery. TO date the draft hasn't se- rioisly Tnenaced any player, SO there are six case-hardened veter- ans ready for the opening game against Southern Methodist on oct. { = perhaps the toughest one on the schedule.
 Backfield Stands Out
 By departments, the backfield looks best. It may well be the strongest in the Ram records. Jim Noble and Claude Pieculewicz both return at quarter; Jim Blumen- stock will be back at half, and Steve Flipowicz again will take over & halfback spot. Eshmont un- deniably will be missed, but there are several replacements.
 Chief of these Is Joe Andrejco, who is regarded as terrific" Ad- ditionally. there are Benny Babula, George Creverko and Joe Malley, all hailed as adept performers. An- drejco probably will take over Esh- mont's bunting duties, while Filip- owicz last season was the best sophoomer passer in the eastern sector. Babula, Cheverko and An drejco all are known as excellent defensive men and with Blumen- stock and Noble should provide the Rams with their best protection in years.
 While only three regulars return at the line-end Jim Lansing and guards Larry Sartori and Tom Bennett - there is no cause for alarm. F'ordhaln always comes up with a crop of muscle-men to mop up on the forward wall and l9Al should be no exception. Sophomore Joe Kovach, 8 center, is the most highly praised newcomer, but there are several returning lettermen.
 Sophomors Show Promise
 Chief of these are tackles Steve Hudacek and Alex Stabitilli and end Stan Ritinski. The former two players will be bolstered by sopro- moreS. 230-pound Joe Yackanich and 26O-pound Ed Slodowski. Three more prospects are sophomore ends, all of whom hover at the 20O-pund mark-Jim Mran, Jim Finder and George Tepo. If Crowley is shy on anything, it will be substitute ma terial at center and guard.
 The head coach has announced no plans for startling changes in his normal modified Notre Dame system. The Filipowicz-Lansing and Filipowicz Blumenstock passing combinations are intact and what is lost on speed through the grad uation of Eshmont will be compen- sated by increased power. Crowley is expected again to make good use of the lateral pass, one virtually abandoned weapon which gained mbuch ground for the Rams last year.
 Fordham has scheduled eight games, the same number played last season when the team scored seven triumphs and an invitation to the Cotton Bowl.
 The schedule:
 Oct. 4-s. M. U. at New York.
 oct. ii-North Carolina at Chap el Hill.
 Oct. S-s - West Virginia at New York.
 Oct. 2S-Texas Christian at New York.
 Nov. l-purdue ct New York.
 Nov. 8 - Pittsburgh at Pitts burgh.
 Nov. a - St. Mary's at New York.
 Nov. % - New York U. at New