November Is Reversal Bad News for NU Gopher Month; . By DON FORSYTHE Minnesota, under coach Murray Warmath, has been characterized as a team slow to hit full stride. The v Gophers have stumbled at the start, but have always been potent come November. Part of it, Warmath believes, is scheduling. . He claims last week's 49-7 romp over Ohio University is something the Gophers have long needed . . . and hints that it would have been even better to have played the Bobcats the week before meeting Missouri which thumped Minnesota, 34-12. ' "I can't recall a team of mine ever showing such a reversal of form from our opening game to our second came," Warmath says. "This is the kind of competition we've needed in our opening games for years and years and years. It's the kind you always need, a team that plays well but a team that you have to play well to beat. But also an opponent that gives you a chance to have a shakedown and get your team organized. This is the type of opponent I'd like to see us. play early in every season." The "shakedown" game out of the way, the Gophers figure to be ready to resemble their November image much earlier this year. ; For one thing, Minnesota is a veteran team. Warmath greeted 35 lettermen, including 14 starters, this fall. - The bulk of the experience is on the defensive platoon, where nine starters return. - It includes Walt Bowser, who last year at this time was playing quarterback. When Warmath switched the swift 170-pounder to safety at . mid-season last year it solved most of Minnesota's pass defense problems.- . : The aerial defense will be much better than Nebraska faced' last year when sophomore Jerry Tagge hit ,15 of 23 passes for 219 yards. Junior Mike White, inexperienced at this time last year, has already intercepted four passes in two games.1 He's the Gophers' swiftest back. Halfback Jeff Wright' is another secondary standout and middle linebacker Bill Light proved in the Missouri , game that he can do everything a linebacker must do meet the" running plays tough at the line of scrimmage or retreat and pick off pass attempts. There's nothing new up front. The Gophers are gigantic again. Their four-man front goes 235, 235, 235 and 243. Cornhusker scouts say that the big fellows are agile, too.' Power is the name of the game on offense, too, although the Gophers are better prepared to throw this year with junior Craig Curry at the throttle. "He's a Jimmy Jones type," Cornhusker scout Jim Walden says of Curry, who is a threat to either pass or run when he drops back. The big horse in the backfield is 6-2, 215-pound senior Barry Mayer. He attacked the Nebraska line 20 times . last year and pounded out 90 yards. ' Ernie Cook, a 210-pound junior, handles the fullback chores, but quantity is a strong point in the backfield.' Close observers rate this year's collection of running backs as the equal of those on Minnesota's Rose Bowl clubs in the early '60s. ; . The interior offensive line, headed by 6-5, 250-pound right tackle Alvin Halves, is an all-letterman aggregation and it proved that experience pays as the Gophers rolled for 485 yards on the ground against Ohio University last week. ,: r Warmath claimed it was the best early season blocking a Minnesota team has had in recent years. I Crowder Respects K-State By Associated Press Are the Colorado Buffaloes "self-satisfied" by last week's victory over Penn State?, coach Eddie Crowder thinks s o and said Wednesday the Buffs are in for a surprise in their Big Eight football opener at Kansas State. "Kansas State is a very physical team and their poor showing to date is the result of an injury to quarterback Lynn Dickey," v Crowder .said. Dickey is scheduled to play and K-State coach Vince Gibson sums up tbe Wildcats position simply: "We have to have our passing game. You can't play with two wide receivers like we do and expect- to run the ball down people's throats." ' The other conference opener finds Missouri at Oklahoma State and Tiger coach Dan Devine feels his squad is better prepared benause good weather this week has permitted outside practices. : The question was asked Kansas coach Pepper Rodgers if the KU stadium's artificial turf would hurt New Mexico Saturday. He would only say the Lobos would find it "different." Iowa State worked out in sweat clothes and shoulder pads after viewing films of this week's foe, Utah. The unbeaten Cyclones have a shot at a three-game winning streak for the first time since 1961. Oklahoma held its second secret practice after the Oregon State defeat and coach, Chuch Fairbanks juggled his offensive lineup.
