Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-31
Nixon Plans 10 MixUp
Redskins Defense;
Says Team Too Slow
ByLewis F. Atchison
Stur Sfuff corresnondent

backfield coach, took one look at
his charges yesterday as the
Washington team began drilling
for Saturday nights game here
with the Chicago Bears, and
shook his head.
TOO slow" he thoughtfully
decided, much too slow"
Nixon is a qualified Judge,
having played and coached in
the National Football League
after playing in probably the
greatest backfield ever assembled
by Jock Sutherland at the Uni
versity Of Pittsburgh. That
would be on the 1884 Panther
squad, which the late Sutherland
called his greatest college team.
With Izzy Weinstock at full
back. Bobby Larue and Nixon,
who changed his name from
Nicksick that year, at the halves,
and Miller Munjas at quarter
back. Pitt swept through all but
one opponent that year. Min
nesota beat the Panthers, 1877,
scoring the winning touchdown
in the last couple of minutes of
play. One of Pitts victims was
a good Navy eleven featuring
Buzz Berries in the backfield
and Slade Cutter at tackle. It
was a breeze, Pitt winning by a
31-7 score at Annapolis.
Divide and Conquer Game.
Sutherland featured the sim
glowing offense, but Mike is
the first to say that the old
powerhouse method of advancing
the ball is gone.
"You can fool the pros once
in a while, but not very otter"
Nixon says. Even straight T.
formation stuff doesn't work all
the time anymore. You've got
to speed the defense, make the
linemen more cautious, and pick
your spots. It's the old game of
divide and conquer"
Extensively, Nixon likes MIN
BILE Billy Wells and smooth-rid-
ing Scooter Scudero. They have
the kind Of speed Nixon likes to
see in a backfield. Mike also
liked what he saw of Dale
Atkeson, who was obtained from
the Cleveland Browns with End
John Carson.
Hes real quick" Nixon said,
land he weighs 210 pounds. He
might do us some good at full
back, although I think Rob
Goode will be much better than
he's shown. Rob's got the power,
but he doesn't use it,
Don Marks, a back from the
Los Angeles Rams, also made a
favorable impression on Nixon
and will get q chance. both at
right half on offense and left
half on defense. The latter spot
is one of the clubs most glaring
weaknesses.
Will Tighten Defense.
South Carolina fans would be
glad to know that Blackie Kin
caid. who came from the Rams
with Marks, shaped up well in
his first appearance with the
Redskins. although he has a lot
OF little faults. Nixon will spend
a lot of time with him this week,
for his first task apparently will
be to tighten up the defense.
Its no secret around the
league that the Redskins have
ben using the same defense so
long everybody knows what to
expect" Mike said. 1--WE hope
to change that. They've been
playing zone defense, and we'll
keep it, but We'll add some man
for-man stuff that requires q
little thinking. It's too easy to
blame the other fellow for mis-
takes when you're playing
strictly zone"
NOTES-Sam Morley, Slug
Witucki, Chuck Drazenovich and
Vic Thomas were left in Wash
ington to continue treatments
for their various ailments. :.
Thomas knee has been placed
In q cast. Drazenovich's knee
injury was not as bad as feared.
Morley will have the last
pin removed from his mending
shoulder and If he doesn't rejoin
the team in Columbia, Sam
definitely will be on hand for
the Green Bay game at Raleigh,
N. c., next week. AL Dorow
is troubled by headaches He
had them the day before the
Detroit Lions game. =. Irwin
Athey, the Redskins new assist
ant equipment manager, walked
four miles to the wrong stadium
yesterday after getting bum
steer from the hotel doorman.