Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-14

Tom Nugent:
Pro and Con
BY MORRIS sIEcEL

TOM NUcENT BREEzED into the area several years
ago with presidential appointment to make Maryland
football respectable" again This was all that University
President Wilson Ekns asked Of the little with the
choirboy face when he hired him. according to Nugent
These days. Nugent prepares to begin his fifth sea-
son as the beguing resident genius Of the T formation
at College Park his team longer is his No.
1t hasn't any championships yet but it is respec-
table, in Nugents estimation Now Nugent worried about
his own public image. He has right to be.
In the first 40 games Of his Maryland tenure Nugents
Terrapns have eight games than they lost
The coachs record in the field Of public relations may not
be as high
REGARDLESS OF WHERE the fault lies, Nugent adj
s he has alienaed several members Of the press;
Der OF Jim Tatm- coached players who viii admit
that anyone is better coach than the late Massa Jim
many old hands in the scholarship providing Terrapin
Club and delegation of his players Of the last couple
Of years.
He doesn't know exactly what to make Of the predca
ment It happened before he says and he's prob
ably right At vAn and Florida State where he prepped for
the assignment at Maryland, Nugent unquestonaby
top banana.
College football still is the big thing in Lexington Va
and Tallahassee Fla Here in cosmopolitan atmos
phere other recreatonal interests considered
important particularly pro football
1t has reduced Nugent to the unaccustomed role Of
second string personality for the first time The demoon
unappeang and doubt accounts greatly for many Of
the conflicts centerng around him.
go
HE Is AN AVOWED self acknowledged egotist. He Is
also expressive ebulient zestfu opportunis whose
knowledge Of football coaching is respected even by his
rivals.
"Are you concerned about the publicity you've been
getting2" asked him at lunch yesterday
mo-" he smiled ats the publicity haven't been get
ting that bothers me-"
He feels the worst is behind him at Maryland There
Two he
ready to uproo family Of nine children and head
the hinterlands again.
His first was marked by the tragedy Of Sonny
Lohr, the young Maryland nneman who died following
heat stroke at football practice Nov would you like to
have crackpotS and cranks call home at all hours Of
the morning and call you murderer" he asked.
In the beginning he also had to compete against the
Tam legend Dsgruntled Old Liners who accused Presi
dent Ekns Of chasing Tatum to North Carolina took their
revenge Nugent, he claims
Now that stage is over, he says. IT didn't mind the
Tatum legacy he unused The fellow who followed me at
Florida State had go through the kind of thing
He lasted only one season."
ANOTHER CRISIS APPEARS in the making Nugent
was the first Atlantic Coast Conference coach to
the intention Of playing Negro Daryl HILL fancy-step-
ping hafback resigned from the Naval Academy to enroll
at Maryland two years ago. He will be on the varsity this
fall.
ct have received many letters from South Carolina
warning what to expect Hill plays there He will play.
have talked to him about it. It's up to South Carolina to
control the crowd"
His team had disappointing Ga record last year. He
had built up my best team ever Graduation, drop
outs academic failures and disciplinary crackdowns have
robbed his upcomng product Of several Of its better
formers.
Most coaches would fret but not Nugent could be
greatest team" he boasted with artificial cockness
Nugent begins his fifth year at Maryland with new
publicity director who hearing aid 1t will prove
helpful.