Smyrna times., 1954-03-04
SPRING DRILLS
FOR BLUE HENS
Football Team to Open Prac.
tice March s Under Coach
Dave Nelson
DRILL 5 TIMES A WEEK

Monday, March 8 will mark {
return of football to the campus Of
the University of Delaware as
Coach Nelson opens spring practice
sessions for his Fighting Blue
Hens. The Little Admiral announc.
ed this week that drills will be held
five times each week for four con-
secutive weeks, with Saturday the
main practice day for the varsity
candidates. At the present time, nc
scrimmages with other teams have
been scheduled, although such ar.
rangements might be made if
enough players report. No previous
letter winners will be asked to par
ticipate in the drills, nor will vars
ity athletes in spring sports be
asked to attend. Transfer students
and candidates up from the fresh
men squad will receive the most
attention during the four week
period. Coach Nelson indicated
that the greatest need of the Della
ware team would be at the ends in
the backfield. All of the Blue Hens
first line backs return, including
Little All American quarterback
Don Miller; Captain Dan Ford,
fullbaclz; and halfbacks Jimmy
Flynn and Jimmy zaiser. Depth of
sound material is lacking, how
ever, and the coaches will be on
the lookout for men to fill this i'm
portant need. At the ends. Marty
Apostolico and Tom Redfield
should be around next season, but
additional help is needed in the
event of unforeseen difficulties.
From the freshman ranks, Nelson
is counting upon backs Billy Mich
aels, Mike Slaveski, Patsy Friello,
Bart Wenrich, Johnny Oberg,
Carmen Celia, and Bob Moneymak-
er. Prospects for the end berths
are Ed Malinowski, Ethan Stenges,
and Dick Ross, while other line
men counted upon to fortify the
Blue and Gold defenses are Eddie
Sakusky, Ray Ejzak, Curtis
Combs, Walt Ceilings, John McIn-
tyre, Jim Shelton, Jerry Weis, Al
Won Sparks, and Tommy Thomas.
Two transfer students counted up
on to strengthen the squad are
Jim Quinn and Ken McElroy. Both
will be eligible for duty in the fall.
Quinn played one season for the
University of Pennsylvania, while
McElroy started his gridiron car
eer at Ohio State. Quinn will be
one of a group of promising CEN
ter candidates, while McElroy joins
the ends under Coach Irv Wisniew-
ski. All of Nelson's coaching as
sistants-Milo r. Lude, Gene
Stauber, Jimmy Sullivan, and Wis
niewslAi-will assist in the spring
practice program. 1t was en-
phaslzed by the coaches following
the spring staff meeting that many
changes in positions may be en-
gineered this year because of the
large numbers of players vying
for certain jobs. The center slot
will cause the biggest problem,
with lettermen Frank Gyetvan,
Lenny Williams, and Jimmy john
son contending with freshman
stars Weis and Shelton and trans
fer possibility Quinn. 1t is certain
that some of these men will be
shifted to other positions. Ray
Ejzak, a guard with the freshman
eleven, will be moved to the back
field because of his unusual speed.
Bolstered by a strong freshman
squad and with ten of last seasons s
starting eleven returning to action,
the Blue Hens should once again
pose a threat to any and all of the
nine teams on their schedule. I'm
der the excellent guidance of Mel
son and his associates, Delaware
has won sixteen games while drop
ping only eight during the past
three sasons. The Blue Hens last
season were one of the best scor-
ing machines in the East, racking
up 201 points, and one of the best
defensive units, limiting opponents
to 80. They scored seven victories,
including a 48-0 shutout of New
Hampshire, the co-champion of the
New England Yankee Conference,
and were undefeated in winning
the first championship of the
Mythical Middle Six Conference
Only West Chester was able tc
stop the Hens, 27-13, in their bic
for an undefeated season. Both the
Tangerine and Sun Bowl commit
tees showed interest in the Blue
Hens, but acceptance of bowl bic
was not 1,ossihle last wear. Will