Evening star., 1947-11-09
Brennan Scores
0n0peningKick
With 95.Yd. Run
Irish for First Time
Are Hot on Ground;
Cadets Stubborn
By ChorIes N. Eeon
Stor Stoff Correspondent


SOUTH BEND, Ind, Nov. g.
Notre Dame answered all the ques-
tions about its running attack this
afternoon as the Irish gained net
total Of 361 yards by rushing while
pounding out a 27-to-7 victory over
rugged Army. 1t was the final game
of a 34-year series that has
captured the publics Imagination as
no. other ever has.
The crowd of 59,171 persons, larg-
est in Rockne Memorial Stadium's
17-year history, got its greatest
thrill of cold, windy afternoon on
the very first kickoff. Terry Bren-
nan, slim, 19-year-old halfback
from Milwaukee, made a sparkling.
over the shoulder catch of a long
kick while facing his own goal line,
and then dashed 95 yards down the
left sidelines for touchdown.
Hardly an Army man touched
Brennan before he burst into the
open, and he easily outran Bill Gus
tafson, Cadet halfback, in the last
80 yards. Fred Early added the
first extra point and the Irish led,
TO, with the game only 18 seconds
old.
When Coach Frank Leahy's
charges smashed to another touch
down midway of the first quarter,
there were many who envisioned a
rout, but it did not turn out that
way. In fact, the Cadets put up a
stubborn fight throughout the rest
of the game, but they simply weren't
able to cope with the deceptive as
sortment of running plays that
Johnny Lujack, Notre Danes ALL
America quaterback. hurled at them. |
Ground Attack Dazzling.
Luiack, whose passing had been
Notre Danes greatest weapon IN
its first five victories this season,
threw only eight passes today, conf
pleting four for As yards. He sent
Brennan, Fulback Mike Swistowicz,
Halfback Emil Sitko and many /
others on a dazzling succession OF
charges through the Army line and
around its ends. Twenty OF Notre
Danes % first downs were on run
ming plays.
One of Lujacks favorite plays was
the shovel pass on a play which
Sitko and Swistowicz gained almost
as easily as Steve Van Buren did
against the Redskins in Washington
last Sunday.
The end-around was another
plan pulled out of the bag by Coach
| Leahv; who all season has been be-
moaning his lack of a ground game
and a breakaway runner. Five times
big Jim Martin, star left end, came
steaming around the Army flank on
this play, and he never failed to
gain. Martin went 18 yards on one
trip, IA on another, and his total
gain was Al yards. Reserve Bill
Wightkin also was successful on
the end around.
With Brennan picking up n yards
In 18 tries from scrimmage and
Swistowicz gaining only one less IN
10 dIGtIHptS, III WHO'LL iioSC'oiS 1ot
Leahy to switch Lujack for ball
carrying purposes as the doleful
coach had indicated he would do. !
Johnny carried the ball only once |
Hpm scrimmage, dashing IA yards
around Ihis own left end. This gave
him a total of 141 yards in seven /
tries this season for a phenomenal
average. Lujack ran the team most
of the time, Frank Tripucka play
ing only briefly.
Irish Hit Peak, Says Leahy.
That Leahy was mighty pleased .
with the Notre Dame showing was
indicated in this statement imme-
diately after the game:
"Our team played its best game
today. I am especially pleased with
our ground attack, which is the best
we've had all season. 1t was great
victory over a great team, particu-
larly since we gained 1t chiefly on
the ground"
Brennan, with his kickoff return
and a 3-yard smash for touch
down, was outstanding among many
Irish stars. His defensive work was
brilliant, while on one occasion he
threw a timely block which enabled !!
Sitko to gain 13 yards despite the
fact he fumbled behind the line of
scrimmage.
Sitko was particularly devastating
(See NOTRE DAME, Page B-3D