Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-07
Staubach on Spot as Army and Navy Clash
Middies Go
For Berth in
Cotton Bowl
BY ROBERT SOMNIERS
Star Staff Writer

by hObEhT SUMMERS
Star Staff Writer
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. L.
Roger Staubach, Nays ALL
America quarterback and Heis-
man Trophy winner. was the
man on the spot today as the
Middies met Army in Philadel-
phia Stadium in the Gath battle
of the service academies.
A throng of more than 100.-
900 was on hand to see the
game and millions of eyes were
glued to television sets around
the Nation CWTOP-9 in Wash
ington at lis PM.
The pressure on the 6-foot-
2, 100 pound Staubach was
tremendous as the Middies bat
tied not only in a last-ditch
attempt to displace unbeaten
Texas as the Nations No. !
team, but also to clinch a berth
opposite the Longhorns in the
Cotton Bowl on New Years
Day.
Tough to Figure
While the Cadets could be
sure that the Navy offense
would be centered around Stau-
bach, they could CLEAN little
satisfaction from the knowl-
edge. It would be ridiculous to
guess what the Middies might
try since one never can be sure
when Staubach is at the con-
trolls.
Although Army is regarded as
a conservative team relying on
ball control and a grudging de-
tense, speculation revolved
around what new tactics the
Cadets would attempt.
The best estimates were that
Army would start out trying to
maintain control Of the ball
and rely on field position to
keep the Middies bottled up
The Cadets defense had been
one of the best in the country
until it ran into trouble against
Pittsburgh.
In the event that strategy
failed, the Cadets were likely
to resort to passing in an at
tempt to get some points on
the scoreboard quickly. And 1t
was quite possible they would
scrap their wing-T formation
In favor Of the shotgun, a de-
vice that closely resembles the
old short punt formation with
It's direct snap from center.
This is not to say that Army
wouldn't unveil a new twist
early in the game. The Cadets
showed something new In al
most every game as they ran
up a To record. losing to Min
nesota and Pitt while beating
Boston University, Cincinnati,
Wake Forest, Utah, Washington
State, Air Force and Penn State
Always Something Special
But if Army thought it had
seen all that Navy has to offer,
it was sadly mistaken. The
Middies haven't gone into a
game in several years without
something special beneath their
gold helmets.
In fact. in the glare Of pub
licity surrounding the quick
striking ability Of Navy, one
pertinent fact has been almost
overlooked.
Navy isn't bad at controlling
the ball itself. Statistics show
it is a bit better than Army in
this phase. In nine games,
Army has run off 494 plays,
Ala rushes and 80 passes.
The Middies were ahead In
both departments. Navy has
run GOT plays-433 rusheS and
TIA passes.
Of course the fact that Stau-
bach, who has thrown $50 OF
those TIA passes, is the next
thing to infallible at hitting
his target is a major contribut-
ing factor in the ball-control
war. His completion average is
a fantastic 81 per cent, while
that of Rollie Stichweh, Army
quarterback, is a more human
So per cent.
Staubach's unnerving accu-
racy has led Navy to victories
over West Virginia, William &
Mary, Michigan, Virginia Mill
tary, Pittsburgh. Notre Dame,
Maryland and Duke. And he
wasn't bad in the loss to South
ern Methodist.
Almost Evened Series
Army hasn't beaten Navy
since 1858 and since then the
Middies, by winning four
straight, have almost evened
the series record. Army still led
with 80 victories, Navy has won
% and five have ended in ties,
Any chances Army had OF
widening the margin again must
hinge on the Cadets ability to
contain Staubach's passing and
running, plus stopping John
Sal and Pat Donnelly in the
ground thrustS.
Navy has been intimidating
the other teams with the threat
of Staubach's running and pass
ing" Paul Dietzel, Army coach
and the man most securely on
the spot, said yesterday after q
brief warmup session on the
stadium turf.
WELL" Dietzel added, che
can't intimidate U.s."
And that is something that
remained to be seen.