The Town Talk from Alexandria, Louisiana • Page 13

ALEXANDRIA DAILY TOWN TALK, ALEXANDRIA-PINEVILLE, FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 1971 SECTION A PACE THIRTEEN But Something Missing Charie Plan Devaney ives ac ame Bill Carter Town Talk Sports Editor MIAMI, Fla. Nebraska's Bob Devaney, one of football coaching's real nice guys, gave Charley McClendon of LSU his game plan for their Orange Bowl clash here tonight. "He said he was going to run and he was going to throw." quipped McClendon in the last press conference before the first meeting ever between Nebraska and LSU. "But he didn't tell me when he was going to do either, and that's what makes me nervous." Offensively, Nebraska is ranked second only to 1 Texas. Defensively, LSU has no equals.

Does that set up a defensive struggle, or maybe a free-scoring game? McClendon doesn't want his ball club in a scoring match. He doesn't have that kind of personnel. Devaney, who unlike most is not overlooking LSU's scoring potential, and figure his Cornhuskers will have to score at least three touchdowns to win. Devaney, who has the best record in the country among the active coaches, shrugged off McClendon's moans about Nebraska's powerful attack and high scoring average. I "We finished second in scoring because LSU put Notre Dame below us by holding them to three points," said the Nebraska coach.

"And if they (LSU) had played Texas, we might have wound up No. 1 in scoring." Nebraska apparently has the best balanced attack LSU faced this year. The Cornhuskers alternate two rangy junior quarterbacks, 6-2 Jerry Tagge and 6-3 Van Brownson, and two powerful tailbacks with excellent speed, 196-pound senior Joe Orduna and 200-pound junior Jeff Kinney. The ace receivers are lightweights in a camp of giants, split end Guy Ingles, a 5-9, 158-pound senior, and fleet John Rodgers, 5-10, 171-pound sophomore. These pointmakers operate behind a massive line which compares with Notre Dame in size.

The offensive line is headed by All-America Bob Newton, a 6-4, 248-pound senior tackle. The other tackle is also 248-pounder, Wally Winter. Center Doug Du-mier, a 230-pounder, is flanked by guards Dick Rupert (216) and Donnie McGhee (255). The tight end, a converted halfback who is rated the best sophomore at that position Nebraska has ever produced, is 210-pound Jerry List. Dan Schneiss (222) and Bill Olds (210) share the fullback duties for the Cornhuskers, whose only blot on an 11-game record was a 21-21 tie with Southern California one week after the trojans had crushed Alabama by three touchdowns.

Nebraska averaged scoring 37 points a game and yielding 16 points. Even Devaney admits the defense against scoring statistics are deceiving. "Most of those points were made after we had a big lead and put in our reserves," said the veteran coach. "We discovered early that our second unit was not as good as our opponents first unit." In fact, the best football player in the Big Eight Conference, according to all the polls, is Jerry Mur-taugh, who plays linebacker on Nebraska's defensive unit. Like Newton, the 6-3, 212-pound Murtaugh was on just about everybody's All-America team, in addition to receiving the "Player-of-the-Year" award in the Big Eight.

Nebraska's defensive unit had three other All-Conference performers, 201-pound middle guard Ed Periard, 238-pound tackle Dave Walline, and deep back Bill Kosch. Then, too, end Willie Harper was selected the "Sophomore Lineman of the year" in the Big Eight. End John Adkins (222) and tackle Larry Jacob-son (247) complete the defensive line. Other defensive starters are linebacker Bob Terrie (208), cor-nerbacks Joe Blahak and Jim Anderson, and monster man Dave Morock. Orduna, Rodgers, and Newton and kicking specialist Paul Rogers were Nebraska's representatives of the offensive unit of the All-Big Eight Conference team.

Orduna came back to net 834 yards in 187 rushes as a senior despite two operations on the same knee. He missed last season, but Kinney filled in well with 590 yards rushing. He did even better this fall, with 661 yards while alternating with Orduna. Tagge and Brovnson have been sharing quar-terbacking duties for two years. Despite being plagued early with an injury, Brownson, who started three games, completed 47 or 72 passes (65 percent) for 659 yards and six touchdowns.

He had only two intercepted. With another season to go, Tagge has already broken school career records for passing and total offense. In two years he has totaled 3,040 yards. This season, Tagge hit 63 percent of his passes, 107 of 189, for 1,355 yards and 12 touchdowns. Only seven were intercepted.

Ingles and Rodgers not only are the leading receivers, but also handle kick return chores. Ingles caught 34 passes for 603 yards and eight touchdowns. Rodgers averaged 25.3 yards on four kickoff returns, 13.4 yards on 26 punt returns, caught 35 passes for 665 yards, and gave the Cornhuskers a fourth runner in the backfield, netting 250 yards on 36 carries. Rodgers totaled 66 points and scored in all but one game. CARTER'S COLUMN Those Orange Bow Rumors Again fjj -p: I'll ri Iti 1 Ill 1 1 un mmmmrn -Kmt i awiiiwI iiiiim inia li ill v( '-i wMHIIiVl i fit Nebraska head coach Bob Devaney chats ange Bowl Thursday afternoon.

Nebraska in Miami. Nebraska is a foor-poitavoTite with his players after a workout in the Or- meets LSU in tonight's Orange Bowl game over LSU. this season. "Frankly, I don't prefer night games because of the long wait all day," said Devaney. McClendon elbowed in with: "Bob, since I've had more experience at night games than you have, let me tell you right now it is difficult.

I think your boys should think about it all day Friday, it is a long, long wait." The writers and announcers roared. And Devaney grinned. In answer to a question, McClendon said on New Year's Eve, or any night before a game, his players always attend a movie, and then bed down. "I tell my players," quipped Devaney, "to be in before the bars close at 5 a.m. I like for them to be relaxed." The press loved that, too.

On a serious note, McClendon said the e-game talking is over with. "We'll go on the field for about 20 minutes today (Thursday) just to keep our mind on the game. From here on it's" a case of emotion." Devaney, with his dry humor, couldn't keep it serious. "I agree with Charley about the emotion, but John McKay of Southern Cal doesn't. He said his wife is one of the most emotional persons he has ever seen, but that she's a terrible football player." WINNER THE BEST The coaches were asked if the loser of tonight's game would think the victim was the best team in the country.

"Yessir, if LSU beats us I'll think they are the best," said Devaney. "I must have thought our team was No. 1 all season. I voted myself first every week. Devaney is on the 35-coach panel that handles the poll for United Press International.

''I wasn't on that board so I didn't get any No. 1 votes," said McClendon. "Well, if I had known that I would have given you half of mine," Devaney answered. McClendon is constantly asked how he felt about his 9-1 team in 1969 not being invited to the bowls and if it made him feel that playoffs should replace the bowls. "You are looking at a man who (Turn to Page A-14) MIAMI BEACH, FLA.

It seems that every time LSU comes to the Orange Bowl there is a rumor that the coach is leaving. Turned out it was no rumor in 1962, the last time the Tigers were invited to this classic. Paul Diet-zel denied a report that he was leaving LSU for Army, but left anyway. Charlie McClendon, who was promoted to head coach when Dietzel left, is playing it pretty cool, about reports that he will resign after tonight's game with Nebraska and switch to the University of Alabama. "It really isn't worth a denial, so I just haven't been saying anything," said McClendon, with a wink.

The speculation has some logic. McClendon would like to be athletic director, which he isn't at LSU, and probably never will be, at least as long as he is head coach. LSU prefers to keep the jobs separate. Then, too, he does not have the fringe benefits, such as a television show, which have made less, successful coaches at other universities wealthy. Still, it all came about, perhaps, by a year-old story just now finding its way to some circles.

It is true and was published, in this column, that after the 1969 season "Bear" Bryant tried to get McClendon to come to Alabama s.p the veteran coach could retire. McClendon, admittedly flattered that his old college coach would choose him as his successor, nevertheless turned down the offer, explaining that he had a good job. So, Bryant stayed, at least for one more year. McClendon said he hadn't discussed it since. He did not say he wouldn't discuss it later.

WARNING FROM MAC Among the press, there isn't a more popular coach anywhere than McClendon. Those meeting him for the first time fall under his charm, and keep asking, this fellow for real?" It is difficult for them to believe that he can be so honest and frank and never hedge on their questions. He. delighted the press, and the Orange Bowl Queen and her court, again Thursday, at the final press con-ference. Nebraska coach Bob Devaney was asked if playing at night would affect his team, since the Cornhuskers, under Devaney, have played only two night games, losing in the Orange Bowl and being tied by Southern Cal Johnston Dislikes Bringhurst Field City's Pro Baseball Hopes Jolted Although he personally discounted Alexandria as a site for a Texas League team this year, he did leave a slight possibility of the city housing a club for the coming season and offered a recipe to assure a club in 1972.

"No decision will be made by the Texas League until Jan. 15," he said. "We still do not know whether we'll have six, By Terry D. Swanson (Town Talk SUff Writer) The dream of Alexandria becoming the home of a professional baseball team this year was virtually shattered as 1970 made Us exit. Ray Johnston, owner of the Texas League team in El Paso and another club in Iowa, provided the jolt that brought the city back to reality.

Alexandria must now wait until after the Jan. 15 league meeting to see if the city will get a team this year or will be forced to regroup its forces, and set its sights on 1972. However, as Mathews explained, "We'll have to receive some kind of guarantee before we go Into anything like building a new stadium." Field) but it would not last long. In three years the novelty would wear off." Noting that the seats in the park were too wide to have backs as they now stood and would be too narrow if bacRs were added, he explained that the fans have to be comfortable to return time after time to watch the team. All in-all, Johnston was impressed with Alexandria as a future site for one of the league's clubs.

He said that the area fits well with the geographic arrangement of the league and, although the population was limited, his figures indicated the area supported sports. "I would view a stadium with 2.4C0 comfortable seats favorably," he said. "No more than 3.0C0 seats are really We Will Be OPEN Our Regular Hours 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. JAN.

2nd, 1971 BUSTER'S MacARTHUR VILLAGE BARBER SHOP Phone 445-3738 Recognition Means More to Rod Laver NEW YORK (AP) Tennis champion Rod Laver doesn't mind making money but he likes the recognition more. "You don't have to be poor to be a hungry player says the lefthanded wizard. "I like the idea of a third Grand Slam and if the money goes along with it, that's tremendous. YOUR LOCAL INDEPENDENT seven or eight clubs. We are awaiting word from the Southern League." Later, however, he indicated that Alexandria would have a chance at landing a club for the 1971 season if the league is composed of eight clubs.

Johnston decided to ease Alexandria out of the picture after touring Bringhurst Field. He was found shaking his head at almost every turn as he toured the field, and concluded that the cost to bring the field up to requirements would not be worth the effort. "Frankly, you would be better off to build a new park," he told Commissioners O'Hearn Mathews and Carroll Lanier. He noted that the press box would have to be enlarged, dugouts and club houses would have to be built, parking area would have to be constructed, the entire park would have to be painted, and about a dozen other changes made. Wants New Park The two Alexandria officials explained a plan for accomplishing virtually everything that Johnston said would have to be done for a professional club, however the Texan concluded that nothing short of a new park would fit the bill in the end.

"I tried fixing up an old park before," he said. "I soaked into repairs and 18 months later you couldn't see where it had gone. Wooden benches soak up the paint In no time, but when you paint metal it lasts." However, he Implied that if the city was to construct a new stadium he would recommend a club for the city In 1972. He explained that two clubs In the league are looking for possible new sites and that It would be no problem to find a club to move here In 1972. "What you need Is a long range plan," he said.

"You could start here (Bringhurst Laver, who won more than jfStaftni NOW IN ALEXANDRIA! "In 1970, I didn't enter either the Australian or French championships," he said. "For the new year, I have entered not only all of the major tournaments, but will be playing In the Philadelphia Tennis Festival in February and the Grand Prix." Joining Laver on the tour are Tony Roche and John New-combe, who meet In nn exhibition match Saturday. Paneho Gonzalez, Arthur Ashe, Roy Emerson, Roger Taylor and Tom Okker. dm R. L.

Beck i sy mm ji ttMa w0f For Blue Grass Liquor Inc. WHOLESALE Liquors Wines Open iVi Days Per Week! I Intuty I Jits i mmmmmmtimmmmm $200,000 last year in limited play, gets off on his quest for a third Grand Saturday against Ken Rosewall in the opening match of the $210,000 Tennis Champions Classic. Laver won the four major tournaments French, Australian, Wimbledon and U.S. Open -In 19i2 and 1908. His five-set match against Rosewall Saturday at Mndison Square Garden Is a $10,000 win.

ner-tnke-all affair that starts the 12-imatch tour through New York; Rochester, N.Y.; Detroit; Philadelphia and Boston, A player could capture $170,000 by winning all 12 matches In the two-loss-and-out tour. Laver says lie never gave a thought to the money he won lust year. But he is thinking about the unprecedented third slam. I A If L-l T.I 1 Ufl WS Terms Flexible Loans for All Purposes Same Day Service FURNITURE REAL ESTATE Debt Consolidation Family Budgeting Lower Payment PERSONAL AUTOMOBILE 1 Wtbufaai'B' (Wholele only to licensed retell liquor dealeri) 3616 LEE STREET PHONE 445-7153 REED AILING NEW YORK (UP1) Willis Reed, captain of the world champion New York Knicks, Thursday was ordered to a hospital bed for the second time this month by team physician Dr. Andrew Patterson.

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