Evening star., 1962-09-20

FootbuII Is King
Down Navy Wuy
By MORRIS sIEeEL

ANNAPOLIS, SEPT. 20-Most of the real domestic
interest in the fancy y-shmancy ring around -the-rosy
aquatic splash at Newport must be concentrated right
there in Newport Here at the Naval Academy where they
mass produce thousands of eagong each year. they
couldn't care less about the Americas Cup races
From Gretel and Weatherly they seem to know moth
ing Instead all the yakyak about matter easily
understood and enjoyed than infrequent display Of
diversified bed sheets in favorable wind conditions Here
they dig football Until the Army game is played, and
won naturally the Brigade content to conne its mari
time pleasures to the Blue Jackets Manual and sight
seeing barge on the Severn.
The big hit Saturdays opener at University Park Pa
against Penn State NavyS the engagement
is understandable Penn State is not in the habit Of
losing its first game of the It's happened only
three times in the last 20 and only 10 times in
rs years.
WE THINK WE'RE READY" Coach Wayne Hardin
told yesterdays weekly muster of the press corps
Hardins team anywhere ready he appeared
to be there good chance that States respecta
bility, rated No. in the East will be brought down
couple of pegs by dusk Saturday.
We're looking forward to this one" Hardin added
chanengngy as he'd like to be tossed into the Nttany
Lions cage with nothing except Billy XIV, Navys goat
mascot to defend him
The way Hardin pictured the Penn staters, Navy
should be more than mere 6-pont underdog. Their
dnemen, the way Hardin described them are all big
enough to be listed in James Fighting Ships Their backs
just miss qualifying, Hardin said.
Their offense is simple" he said They send tough
NO-pound back through a hole opened by AO-pound
hneman and led by another 200-pound back"
1t sounded gruesome, more like a problem for the
Bureau of Standards than a Navy football team But
Hardin thinks he's got solution For the first time in
his four-year hitch Navy football skipper his Mddies
are concentrating defense than offense for
this game.
IN PRACTICES AGAINST the jayvees and plebes
Hardlns battle plan for Saturday has brought only
slight degree of satisfaction We've held them scoreess
in every Scrimmage he reported but they are hardly
the caliber of Penn State"
Hardin's diagnosis of his own team followed tele-
phone interview with Penn State Coach Rip Engle whose
remarks were ampfed via loud speaker system to the
assembled brainpckers In the classic tradition of all
coaches Rip held true to the line and downrated his
teams chances In defense of Enges bland replies he
only was doing justice to the questions put to him by
radio man whose idea of penetrating interview would
make Harpo Marx sound like a renowned orator
Engle's worries, to hear him NOPE made Cuba Berlin
and Laos appear inconsequentia Our squad has been
hit by number Of INJURIES" Rip said "One of our BOYS
even had wisdom tooth pulled" The interviewer sighed
In sympathy as If this were crpplng injury.
ENGLE HAD ANOTHER complaint, too School was
interfering with football practice. The other day. for
example he practced his squad for only 40 minutes An
academic formalty like enrolling school for the coming
term necetated the showdown Left unsad was the fact
the squad which had ony 40 minutes rehearsal the other
day had been toling twice day at unlimited intervals
since Labor Day.
Hardin listened attentively to Engle's tale of woe
Next to beating Army which he has done every time in
his fouryear reign at Navy another favorite pasme Of
Hardins is studying people"
From their answers, he says, he get good idea
of what they really thinking about and what they
really mean After hearing Engle Hardin thought his
coaching rival said pretty much what thought he'd
say Nothing"
Summing up his thoughts about Saturdays kickoff,
Hordin hnIc Ctafa
they'll prove it before the season is over"
1t would suit him perfectly if the demonstration
wouldn't begin this coming Saturday.