Idaho Free Press from Nampa, Idaho • Page 17

Emotions high in Idaho-ISU battle By John H. Killed If the emotional intensity gets any hieher the roof of the new Kibbie Dume might fall in tvery lime we meet them, it's a big thing, Trox C0ach Ed "The team with the emotional edge is definitely going to have an advantage says Idaho State Bengal coach Bob Griffin. That's probably no surprise lo anyone as Idaho and Idaho State renew the oldest intrastate college football rivalry in Idaho balurday evening at 9 p.m. (MDTl in Ihe brand new domed stadium on the University of Idaho campus. IDAHO STATE, looking at statistics, would have to be given the edge.

The Bengals not only have a 2-0 record and a No. -I national ranking, Ihey also own a defense that has allowed just 10 points and last week allowed usually explosive Nevada-Las Vegas just 180 yards worth of total offense. They also have a tough, grind-il-out running attack. Idaho, while in the right frame of mind after dropping Big Sky opponent Northern Arizona last week 22-12, looks like the underdog. They lost their opener 23-6 at Arkansas State and have yet, even at Northern Arizona, lo get their offense out of first, let alone in high gear.

But this is a meeting with a slranae background. The team that's supposed to win doesn't always da so. "There's a lot of personal pride involved everytime we meet them." says ISU's Griffin. "This is one you have to live with for awhile." Troxel knows. Last year, even though (he Vandals managed only a 2-8-1 season in his first year, his 28-9 win over ISU in Pocalello stood for a lot.

The gome could stand for a lot more this year for both teams. WHILE BOISE STATE is still the inside favorite to repeal as Ihe Big Sky champ, both ED TROXEL'S Vandals are ready if the tension gets any thicker, the roof might fall in at the brand-new Kibbie Dome. Idaho and Idaho Slate should figure strongly in the league. The winner should have a clean shot at upsetling the Broncos. The loser? It'll be uphill on a slick road.

"This is goin'g lo a important ball game for anyone who a to be a league contender," says Troxel. For Idaho lo retain their conference hopes. il's going to lake an offensive showing of the kind a the Vandals haven't yet been able to muster. "I just don'l know exactly how we're going to gel the ball in the endzone," moans the Vandal coach. "Our line just hasn't played as well as we'd hoped they would so far and the running allack hasn't really started going yet.

Th'ings in general haven't been quite wlial we'd hope for on offense. We're really quite concerned." Troxel's got a right to be. So far, about the onlyconsistenl performer on offense has been senior quarterback Dave Comstock. Cornstock engineered the NAU win and did a tot of it on his own as he ran for one 52-yard score and completed six of 10 passes for 76 yards more. But from there on down, the Vandals haven't had much.

J.C. Chadband, the league's lop fullback lasl year, has managed only 59 yards in two games and he hasn'l had much help. The pass will help, but Idaho's no aerial circus. ALL THAT MAKES things look sorry enough for Troxel, but toss in the defense, and you've really got to feel sorry for the coach. ISU is currently the top defense in the league, having allowed just 47-1 yards in two games against Wyoming and Vegas.

The Bengals are tough against both the pass and the What's Troxel lo do? "I'll tell you after Saturday night," jokes the coach. "Maybe then, I'll have (he answer." Troxel gets to play Ihe underdog, with the statistical disadvantage, but Griffin isn't counting his touchdowns. Even though Troxel tries to minimize the psychological advantage of being at home and being in a brand new stadium. Griffin's aware of bolh factors. "WE WON THOSE first two ball games, and I'll admit thai gives us some momentum, but this is conference, and that's a whole new thing.

Those other two games don't mean a thing now." What does mean something to the ISU coach is getting off to a winning start in the league. He admits that there may also be a little revenge in the back of his team's mind to get back at Idaho for the loss handed them last year in their own minidome, but "pride and prestige and a league win are much more important here." Like he says, though. Griffin does have momentum. He's also got the league's second ranked rushing offense and the third-ranked offense overall. Along with a iron-fisted defense, they're bound to a match, no mailer who's dome they're in.

Top ABA teams want into NBA DENVER (IJPI) The Denver Nuggets, who compiled pro basketball's best regular season record a year ago. and New York Nets have petitioned Ihe National Basketball Association for admittance, sources said Wednesday. The move, which was expected to be announced during a Thursday afternoon news conference in Denver, was reportedly designed lo force a merger between the 10- leam American Basketball Associalion to which Denver and New York belong and the older NBA. Nugget General Manager and President Carl Scheer was in New York Wednesday making arrangements with Nets and NBA officials for Ihe pelition effort which, if successful, would go into effect for the 1976-77 season. However, ABA President John Y.

Brown, husband of the majority owner of the Ken- lucky Colonels, said both teams contacted Kentucky about joining the petition cfforl but Ihe Colonels declined. "I talked with the people from Denver and New York aboul a month ago and they wanted us to go along on this bul we're not going lo," said Brown. "From a legal standpoint, they arc contractually obligated to the ABA and Ihey can'l get out of it. REPLACE YOUR OLD FURNACE with A I NEAT PUMPt END HIGH FUEL BILLS! I.I.MJil;ij"lJii-i 467.1188 CALL TODAY FOR FREE ESTIMATE REFRIGERATION -INSTALLATION-SEHICE Installed In Existing System! The Idaho Free Press The News-Tribune. Thursday, September Weber secondary gets an acid test CHAD DRECKSEL will be at fullback Saturday nighf in Ogden when Weber State hosts Boise State.

He set a school record last year against the Broncs with a 97- yard run for a touchdown. Simpson leading AFC statistics NEW YORK (UPI Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bracl- shaw and Buffalo running back O.J. Simpson were among the first week leaders in American Football Conference individual statistics, with Ihe Sleeler quarterback passing at i 75 per cent clip and the Bills running back dashing for yards in their teams' opening game victories. llrndshaw completed 21 of 28 passes for 227 yards to easily outdistance Baltimore runnerup Bert Jones, who hit at 62 5 per cent of his passes for 177 yards. Jones compleled 15 of 24 passes.

Denver's Charley Jnhnsnn was lops in Umchdiiwn passes with three while two old AFC stand-bys-Joe a a and Bob Griese-- were victimized for a league high four interceptions. Simpson was the only AFC player lo crack the 100-yard barrier and he would have broken the 200-yard mark had noi two long runs been called back because of Buffalo penalties. OGDEN, Utah Take a look at Ihis week's Big Sky football statistics and you'll see Webor Stale. Boise Stale's opponent in Ihe league opener for bolh learns Saturday, on lop of the loop's pass defense statistics. A prohlcm for the pass oriented Broncos? Could be.

liut you should read on. You'll note that in two games, only 1C passes have been thrown at the Wildcats. Boise will throw that many before halllimc. "That's right," says Orrin Trussell, Weber's star returnee in (he secondary. "Our pass defense hasn'l been tesled in the first two games.

I guess this game with Boise will determine what we're really made of." In Iheir first Iwo games, Weber has faced a couple 01 lough, run-oriented ball clubs in Southern Mississippi and Western. Illinois. Weber dad both of them at home, but came out on the short end in each, losing 14-10 and 1U-10, respectively. Trussel knows what lo expect ot Boise. He was in the secondary lasl year as the Broncos brushed Weber Slate aside.

42-H, in Boise. Bul Trussell also knows thai, for one Ihing, Weber held Boise to (heir second lowest passing yardage lolal ot the season lasl year (213 yards) and that the Wildcat secondary returns essentially intacl this fall. He's not conceding anything. "THIS HAS TO HE THE besl passing leam we'll see all year and it's a real challenge to our secondary. But we're looking forward to Ihe test." It's doubtful lhat Trussetl's jusl lalking.

A 5-3, 172-pounder, he was second-learn, All-Big Sky lasl year as a sophomore and against Boise, he intercepted one of Lee Huey's passes. HP knows what Boise has, and he knows what Weber has to do if they're going lo slop Boise. Lasl year, says Trussell, it was a mailer of McMillan. The top small college quarterback in the nation, Jim McMillan impressed Trussell greatly. "I don't know how he couldn't have been the best in thenalion.

Boy. that was some passing game." But McMillan's gone. And while Trussell's impressed wilh both Lee Huey and Greg Slern well, he's not in awe, by any means. "They're bolh good bul from the films we've seen, it doesn't look like either of them has the liming that McMillan had." But Trussell's quick to say that he doesn't expect lo back down or intercept everything Boise puts into the air. "They've slill got Ihose great receivers.

Holton (Mikei and Crabtree (John) and I know lhat eilljer quarterback can get Ihe ball lo them." HE ADDS THAT STERN IS a special problem because of his double Ihreat. "Stern lias a good arm plus he can run the ball so well. Thai's something (hat 1 Huey doesn't seem lo be as effective with." So what does Weber plan to do about Boise? "Well, if we can slop the run, for one Ihing, il'll help, because then they have to throw," Trussell that Weber's defense is basically designed to stop running attacks. If Weber can shut off the Boise runners (otaiiy, he says, then he and his mates can play pass all night something Boise probably wouldn't appreciale. "Il'll make a big difference whal kind of rush we get.

too." On Ihe whole. Trussell sums up his end ot things by saying lhal the Boise game is an opportunity for Weber to gel themselves in motion. Slanding 0-2 so far Ihis year, the Wildcats could get a boosl from a good game againsl Ihe Broncs. Another man looking to improve on what's gone down so far this year for Weber is fullback Chad Drecksel is Ihe man who set a Big Sky record lasl year when he ran 97-yards up the middle against BSU to score Ihe longest scrimmage in league history. He eventually was second leam, all league.

Things aren't going so well right now, The combination of the inexperienced line and the emphasis on Ihe passing of quarterback Bobby Martin has led the usually-run oriented.Weber offense lo show up in lasl place in rushing right now. That hasn'l led to much optimism on Drecksel's part as far as any more record breakers go. but he does feel thai Weber is ready lo get things rolling. He figures they might as well do it agains! Boise. "I KNOW ONE THING.

WITH their offense, il's going lo be important lhat we control the ball as much as possible lo keep it away from them." That means lhal Drecksel and Don Reddic, one of the league's lop backs two years ago and Weber's present rushing leader, have to gel their end moving and a i who's hit 20- of-39 for 233 yards so far has to keep il going. "We're looking forward to il. says Drecksel. "We've improved a lot since our first game. We'd like to get ourselves on the track this week." i HUNTER'S SPECIALS PICKUP TIRES BRAND NEW! (NO BLEMS) 6 ply nylon traction tread tires for your pickup as low as FET 6.50-16 MICHELIN OFFERS YOU 4 TIRES ft TO GET YOU THERE AND BACK MichelinXC MichelinXCA MichelinX WE HAVE SHOCK ABSORBERS TO HELP YOU HANDLE THE LOAD 4 WAYS Heavy Level Super Weight Duty Lift Shock Lifters ALL CUSTOM WHEELS TRIPPER JRACTION i95 -rFET 10-15LT HIWAY 58 95 10-15 IT RAISED WHITE LETTERS WIDE RUGGED! BANKAMEPICAM.

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