The Greenville News from Greenville, South Carolina • Page 37

Sunday, Sept. 14. 19 73 Scores Opinions Schedules CbtIqh, 3 cocks Stun Jackets, 23-1 7 a squad, but one victory doesn't make a season." Carlen said of the win. "We kept coming back from adversity and the players were always posi-live. They never gave up." Carlen, who took the USC job after Paul Dietel resigned, said "We have to get better each week to be a good football team.

We made some mistakes that we've got to eliminate. "Jeff Grantz had a super game, but this was a team victory and Jeff would be the first to say that," Carlen added. Grantz agreed. Speaking of a key 53-yard touchdown pass to Randy Chastatn. he said "A block by Clarence Williams really made that play.

Also, I can't say enough about the offensive (Continued On Page 10-C) tfh 0 0 A 7 IT" biiJth CtrNin 111 SC. Hj Minima JC jr4ru rm iFrti lurk I fpJ run iBwuImu lwfc hnjm SJ pM iron Orwi (Mil kirk) in 1 jihl from Myn (Biittilim kKki M' Long i pm Iran Crnu Oork UiM) A il.CS earlier, Grant tried an Alley Oop pass to Jay Sal-dl. However, Tech line-" backer Lucius Stanford reached up, brought the ball down, and began a juggling act with It. As 51.428 fans watched, the ball fell incomplete in the end zone. Grantz didn't miss again.

"He was taller than I thought he was," explained Grantz afterwards. Grantz was a much-maligned player after the Gamecocks flopped in 1974. The Bel Air, Md. player had led USC to a 7-4 mark as a sophomore, but the mark was reversed last year. USC publicists had sent out a leaflet saying as in Grantz is next to as in Heisman" in building up Grantz' junior year.

The Gamecocks' offense last year performed creditably, although not well enough to overcome the bad defense. The week before this year's opener, the USC student paper "The Gamecock" published a cartoon picturing Grantz and saying as in Grantz is next to as in has-been." "That cartoon hurt me only because it hurt the team," Grantz said after By Rl'DY JONES Nrwi Sports Writer COLUMBIA Jim Car-hi had a wircrw.ful di hut as the htitd football roach at South Carolina, taking a 23-17 win over Grorcia Tech Saturday night, but was some old faces which sparked the Gamecocks to the upset win in the season opener for both teams. Jeff Grant had probably his finest passing performance in his Carolina career, completing of 19 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. Scott Blackman, on the USC jayvee team in 1974, starred on defense, making several key tackles and recovering a Tech fumble. The Carolina defense, which allowed more than 4,000 yards last year, held' the Yellow Jackets' wishbone offense better than the 3fi0 yards total offense indicate.

However, Tech was in control of the game for most of the second half and a last-minute defensive stand after USC had regained the lead on a pass from Grantz to Kevin Long, was needed to preserve the win. The winning play almost never came off. One play the tme. "Another sihl could use to recruit against Carolina." Although the Gamecocks relied on the pans a great deal, Grantz said that was not part of USC'i game plan. "We just tixik what they gave us," GranU said.

"I don't think they took us lightly," Wackman was a terror on defense for the Gamecocks much of the game, but didn't play a down in 1974. The USC defense controlled Tech in the first half, but Tech's vast array of running backs took away the momentum in the final periods. The Yellow Jackets were able to make the big gainers and for most of the second half the game was a battle of offenses. Tech didn't attempt a pass until seven minutes remained in the third period, and that pass resulted in a key interference call to set up a Yellow Jacket touchdown. The Yellow Jackets gained I'M yards rushing in the second half, while USC gained just 58.

The win for Carlen came at the expense of former teammate Pepper Rodgers and his alma mater. "I'm really proud of our 1 f. rv-. lv 1, J.r -tezt IS Ftf drww Mum )jrd Puma Va Cinema Ml il i so 14- in i ii ii JO H4 AP SOUTH CAROLINA'S ANDY NELSON (27) HANGS IN THE AIR AFTER BLOCK Georgia Tech's David Sims (46) knocked defender down Turnovers Help Tulane Spoil Tiger Opener parted after a fumble in the third quarter, and Fuller came on to call the game. This time, when Fuller was hurt, it was O'Cain who came In to try and save the day.

But three straight passes fell incomplete as the clock expired. Fuller wasn't the only freshman that stood out in the Tiger lineup. Defensive end Jonathan Brooks of Saluda turned in a solid performance, and punter Richard Holliday of Belton and placekicker Willie Jordan, indicated that the Tigers' kicking game should be a solid one for the next four years. Jordan, also a bright prospect at quarterback, had field goals of 23 and 41 yards and showed he can reach the end zone consistently on kickoffs, while Holliday averaged 42.2 yards on six punts. One of the brightest newcomers for Clemson was an old face to Tiger fans sophomore Stan Rome who was a starter on last season's nationally-ranked basketball team.

He caught three passes for 38 yards from his flanker position, and brought the 45,100 on hand to their feet with a 50-yard punt return that came within one player of going all the way.s Tackles G. G. Galloway and Jeff Mills paced a Clemson defense that swamped Tulane in the opening moments. Mills forced a fumble on a screen pass on the third play of the game, and Billy Wingo recovered to give Clemson possession 10 yards from the end zone. Four plavs later, Jordan connected with a 23-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with only 2:29 gone in the game.

On the next Tulane possession, Nelson Wallace came up with the big play, dropping Green Wave quarterback Buddy Gilbert for a seven-yard loss on third down. A 28-yard punt again gave the Clemson offense excellent field position this time at the Tulane 46. Ken Callicutt ripped off 18 yards on the first play, and six plays later O'Cain kept it for 17 yards and a first down at the five. But then the Tigers miscues started to plague them as an O'Cain-Callicutt handoff was fumbled and Nathan Bell recovered for Tulane. "We just had to hang in there," said Ellender.

and hope that the momentum would start to swing our way. Our players stayed calm, and fortunately it did." Possibly helping it swing as much as anything where a pair of penalties that accounted for half of the 60 yards called against the Tigers in the game. One was a holding call after a Holliday punt had gone out of bounds at the four. Taking the punt over, Tulane this time got some room to work. Although they didn't reap immediate dividends, their punt by Howard McNeill resulted in the Tigers' By HENRY FREEMAN News Assistant Sports Editor CLEMSON "We can't play anybody on our schedule and turn the ball over eight times and expect to win," says Clemson football coach Red Parker.

Saturday, before one of the 10 largest home crowds ever to see the Tigers play, Clemson's opening opponent of the 1975 season Tulane gave Parker's team a graphic illustration of what can happen when you don't protect the football. Losing every other statistical battle to the Tigers, Tulane turned three pass interceptions and five fumble recoveries into a 17-13 triumph. "No matter what else you say, It all comes back to the turnovers," Parker said after the defeat. "You just can't make mistakes like that and expect to beat anyone. "They were just a shock and a surprise.

Not even in our worst moment this fall have we' had any problem with turnovers." Comerback Wyatt Washington was the ringleader of the Green Wave thieves with all three pass interceptions, including a 76-yard scoring return that proved to be the difference in the final score. "Those three intercepts were big," said Tulane coach Ben-nie Ellender, "but the way Wyatt played his area may have been even more outstanding. Several times he took the play away from the receivers simply by being in front of them." The Tigers, preseason favorites to win the Atlantic Coast Conference championship, dominated the early moments of the game on both offense and defense. "Thev really took it to us," said Ellender. "But we knew Clemson would be ready to play.

We beat a good football team." The game wasn't lacking in bright spots'for the Tigers, despite the numerous miscues. The defense showed marked over last year's version, and prompted Parker to say," the kids should be proud to have stayed in the game with those eight turnovers." Freshman quarterback Steve Fuller, called into action in the second quarter, showed an ability to move the Clemson offense, although turnovers took away the final rewards of some of his best efforts. He did team with Craig Brantley for the biggest play of the game, a 78-yard scoring bomb that enabled Brantley to maintain his status as "Mr. Big Play" of the Tiger attack. It was his fourth career scoring pass of over 50 yards, and gives him a gaudy average gain of 59.7 yards every time he catches the ball.

"I wish I could say I was surprised by Fuller," said Ellender, "but we tried to recruit him too and we knew he was a good one. I think he's got a great future and I wish him well. I might have felt differently if he had thrown another score." Fuller might have pulled off that needed Tiger scoring pass in the closing seconds, but he was "stunned" after carrying the ball 11 yards to the Green Wave 16 with 14 seconds to play. He was the second Tiger quarterback forced to leave the game after being shaken up by a Tulane tackle. Starter Mike O'Cain de- (Continued On Page 10-C) TULANE CLEMSON 12 16 54-161 49-151 155 125 l0l 5-lft-O 7-24-3 3-3 65 4-30 6-60 First Downs Rushes-Yards Passing Yards Returns Yards Passes Fumbles Lost Penalties-Yards GRKtNViLl MtWS-PltriMONTOeoriie W.

Gardnrr, Jr. CLEMSON FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK STEVE FULLER TRIES TO ESCAPE From Tulane's Paul Brock (77), Jim Gueno (on ground left) and Blane Woodfin Paladins Fall, 1 7-5 Cunningham 'Boots' Furman the distance in the 19 play drive which ended at 6:37. Goss missed from the 29 on the Paladins next pos- session, Bobby Behr was 1 short from the 34 on the following Furman serives. The Paladins only threatened once more aafter Marshall Williams scored the game's only touch-, down for Tech and Cunningham added his third field goal. Whitehurst passed 30 times, completing 17 for 203 yards.

It was his predominantly air-directed drive in the final 4:12 of the game that got Furman to the Tennessee Tech four yard line, but failed to net the Paladins their first touchdowns of the season. Knowing they would need possession one more time to manage at least a tie, the Paladins stuck By ED McGRANAHAN News Sports Writer Murray Cunningham played soccer in high school when the placekick-ing job on the football team was offered to someone else. Ohio State kicker. Tom Klaban was that someone. So rather than follow Klaban to Columbia, where we would surely have to play second fiddle again, Cunningham entered Tennessee Tech.

The Furman Paladins are wishing Cunningham would keep his shoes on. Field goals of 46, 41 and 42 yards by the barefoot kicker from Cincinnati were all that Tech needed Saturday night to defeat Furman, 17-5. A Greater Greenville Night crowd of 15,200 at Sirrine Stadium watched as Cunningham hit his with their hurry-up offense from the Furman 21. Passes to Brette Simmons, Harry King and Andy Goss moved the ball to the Tech 42 where on fourth down fullback Ike Simpson ripped off 32 yards for a first down at the 10. One pass fell incomplete and Whitehurst hit Goss for seven.

Goss lost a yard to the four, then on fourth down the Paladin quarterback tried to shovel pass to a lineman. The ball fell incomplete. Backup quarterback Marty LaPrade saved one final gasp for the last play of the game when he arched a pass from the 50 yard line to Simmons. But the sophomore tight end from Swansea couldn't hold the ball in the end zone. first two attempts of the season for a 6-0 lead.

His final kick capped the Golden Eagles' scoring for the night as the Paladins were forced to play catchup the entire game. Even after Andy Goss' field goal off a drive at the outset of the second cut the score in half? the Paladins played catchup and quarterback David Whitenurst began throwing the ball with frantic regularlity. The Paladins failed to cross the 50 yard line in the first half and only until' the 'drive preceding ooss- neia goal in their first possession of the second half, did the Paladins manage that feat. A pass to Tommy Southard for 22 yards and a quarterback draw good for 20 more, consumed half With knee bruises to both Larry Robinson and Harry King cutting into the Furman depth at running back, the Golden Eagles were able to contain the Paladin ground attack the entire game. The Paladins managed only 86 yards total offense in the first half and 103 yards rushing overall.

But the nagging fumble set up Cunningham's first two kicks. Furman had the ball for only one play when Simpson fumbled at the Paladin 39, less than four minutes into the game. Linebacker Ed Nunley recovered. Playing as stubborn as their opponents, the Paladin defense held at the 30 but Cunningham, whose family now resides in (Continued On Page 6-C) i4n A tLtfi'l. xr ii a CRttNVILLE NtWS-PIEDMONTGeorge W.

Gardner, Jr. FURMAN'S ANDY GOSS (35) HAS A HARD TIME FU's Jeff Holcomb, Tech's Jeff Jacoby on ground.