Evening star., 1946-11-08
Composed Cadets Sef
For Toughest Test,
Make No Claims
By Whitney Mortin
Assoeiotsd Press Sports Writer

WEST POINT, N. Y, NOV g.
Their ears still ringing from the
tremendous Beat Notre Dame" rally
staged in the ghostly light of great
bonfire on the plains in the forbid
den posttaps hours last night,
Army's football players today head
ed for New York and the scene Of
their most trying test of their three
years of undefeated play-the con-
test with the mighty Irish at Yankee
Stadium tomorrow.
Their program until game time
was simple, light lunch this noon
followed by final limbering up on
the stadium sod, a review of motion
pictures of last years Notre Dame
Army game, dinner, a movie and
then to Knollwood Country Club for
the night.
1t was quiet, coolly confident
bunch of trim, erect youngsters who
boarded the bus. If they have any
secret qualms, are imbued with any
undue emotion in contemplating the
stupendous task facing them, they
have failed to disclose it to their
coach. Earl Red" Blaik marves at
their composure.
Army Calculatingly Confident.
It's neither cockiness nor appre.
hension. Its just the cold, calculate
ing confidence of seasoned CAM
paigners in their ability to do a job.
They know full we'll what they are
up against, but that does not call
for show of hySteria. They're
ready to give their best. That's all.
And with the exception of the dis
abled Herschel "Ug" Fuson, who
would have teamed with Glenn
Davis, Doc Blanchard and Arnold
Tucker in the starting backfield, the
Cadets physically are ready to give
their best.
We have no complaints Blaik
said, adding that you never can tell,
as he had team at Dartmouth that
came down with ptomaine poisoning
the night before game. He also
said he hoped Notre Dame has no
complaints and that Johnny Lujack,
ace quarterback, would be ready
to go.
That's the way it should be" he
commented. I'D hate to play them
without Lujack"
Wet Field Feared for Cadets.
The prospective weather tomorrow
was subject of some apprehension.
Rain, or a heavy field, definitely
would hurt the lighter and less
numerous Cadets squad more than
it would the Irish.
Nobody knows just what to expect
in tomorrow's titanic encounter. but
Blaik is confident that if Army loses
| it won't be due to failure to register
points after touchdowns.
"Jack Ray has missed some. Of
course, some with no apparent ex-
cuse, although couple were blocked.
But in one game he kicked six out OF
seven and this week he has been
working hard at it. He made Is out
of Is under pressure one day and
II out Of IL another"
Until yesterday Blaik had not had
q chance to discuss strategy for the
game with Quarterback Tucker,
other than the brief minutes they
could get together on the practice
field. A cadets life is so regimented
he Just can't get away from the
routine without special permission.
He got that yesterday.
Depth Of Irish Big Worry.
Tucker, incidentally, came in for
high praise from his coach, who
rated him as the equal Of Lujack as
an all-round football player. He
pointed out that Tucker Is an ex-
ceedingly dangerous runner and
that he has a world Of confidence.
Hes been all right for U.s." Blaik
said crisply, and that's high praise
from him.
The depth of Notre Dame in good
players seems to be one of the Irish
advantages that prey on Blaik's
mind. He mentions it frequently,
as a man might keep harping baGk
to his major worry of the moment.
They have it on us there" he
says. Now If we had some depth
| in really good men to spell our top
men now and then ="
He just can't spell. that's all