Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • Page 9

Blackman With No More Worlds to Goes to Illinois iewsof Sport MHiimiHiiHiiiiiiiiimiiuiiiiiiiiiiiHiiettiHiiiHiiiiiHiiuiimiiiiiiiifiiiiiini By Red Smith On Saturday mornings this kid would get on his bike Long Beach, and pedal 20 miles through traffic to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. There he would spend arched away up in the peristyle so far beyondi the end zone the players on the field were hardily more than specks. Even at that distance, he could pick them out instantly, guys named Ernie Pinckert and Sweet Musick, aius Shaver and Cotton Warburton. Guys? Gods, to young Bob Blackman who knew that one day he would be playing like them on this same field, wearing like them the vestments of the University of Southern California. As long as he could remember, he had known this.

At four or five, when contemporaries dreamt of more glamorous careers as cops or firemen or garbage collectors, future was set. He would be a football player and perhaps an all-time all-American, and then he would coach. In 1937 when he was a blocking back and captain of the Southern Cal freshman team, he contracted polio. When they took the cast off his right leg, he could not move it. He became a coach sooner than he had planned, having charge of the freshman backs for the next three seasons.

From graduation he went into the Navy, withered leg and all, for a World War II hitch as Chief Petty Officer and coach of a team of professionals at San Diego Naval Base. Coaching jobs followed at Monrovia High in California, at Pasadena City College, and the University of Denver. Then came a call from the athletic director at Dartmouth, a former third baseman for the New York Yankees named Red Rolfe. Blackman Moves To Illinois stories about coaches broke for the same edition this week. Phil Bengtson quit the Green Bay Packers before they could fire him.

Dartmouth announced that Bob Blackman was leaving to become head coach at Illinois. The first surprised nobody. When Bengtson moved up from coach of the defensive unit three years ago, it was strictly mission impossible. He was succeeding Vince Lombardi. Nobody could follow Vince act, least of all a quiet, self-effacing man whose reserve emphasized the difference between him and his explosively emotional predecessor.

Phil Bengtson behave like Vince Lombardi, sound like Vince Lombardi, and win like Vince Lombardi. Reports that three-year contract would not be renewed had been current all season, but there had been no talk of leaving Hanover. After 16 eminently successful seasons, he topped the Ivy League in tenure, and there was no question about his continuing welcome. IX A LINCOLN, SATURDAY, DEC. 26, PAGE 9 Still, considering his personal history and his temperament, it difficult to understand his decision.

He had no more worlds to conquer at Dartmouth. His teams had a record of 104 games won, 34 lost, and three tied. In 16 seasons they won all or part of seven Ivy League championships. This year Dartmouth won the Lambert Trophy as best in the east with nine victories and no defeats. The coach goes out on top.

Like all outstanding competitors, lBlackman is at his best under pressure. At 52, he still relishes challenge. Illinois will give him that. Winners of three of their ten games this season, with only eight victories to show for 40 games under Jim Valek, the Illini have been the patsies of the big ten. Field Has Poison Joy Moving into a bigger, tougher conference than the Ivy League, Blackman must cultivate a field now overgrown with poison ivy.

There was rancorous bickering in the athletic department before Valek got to Champaign. This year he was fired in midseason and finished out the schedule only because the players threatened to strike otherwise. Next to dress designing, moviemaking, and counterfeiting, coaching football is the most imitative of the arts. In a world of shameless plagiarism, Blackman stands out as an original, an innovator of bold and creative imagination. He can take something as cut and dried as the kickoff and transform it into an offensive strategem that confounds the opposition.

Experimenting tirelessly, he found that if a ball propped up on the kicking tee was booted hard just above its waistline it would bound over the turf for ten yards or so, then hop straight up in theair. Thereafter, Dartmouth used three potential kickers on kickoffs. One lined up directly behind the ball, flanked by the other two. At the starting whistle, all three advanced toward the ball; just short of the 40-yard line two of them halted while the third followed through. Forewarned by a signal, Dartmouth players would flood the area where the kick was to go.

More often than not they would recover the short one. If the defensive came up to guard against the shortie, Dartmouth would boom it down the middle to the poor sucker left there alone. Unable to cope with the maneuver, the coachly fraternity did what the brothers always do when outsmarted ruled it out. But a sample of Bob ingenuity. need all of it where going.

Big Eight Footballers Star in Yank Victory mwi' Wvtlm 1 fl UPI TELEPHOTO horth flanker Mike Savoy (right) is stopped on the three-yard line by South defensenian Leonard Dunlap, but North went on to score. Statistics North Pirst downs 25 Yards rushing 128 Yards passing 257 Return yardage 92 Punts 5-38 Passes Fumbles lost 2 Yards penalized 32 Miami, Fla. (JP) Lynn Dickey, with flashy white shoes and long hair, gives the appearance of a Joe Namath with healthy knees. And also got an arm of gold. hit them up the middle with said the Kansas State quarterback after leading the North to a 28-7 decision over the South in the Christmas Day Shrine All-Star collegiate football game.

linebackers seem to react. So, we kept The handsome 6-foot-4 Dickey hit 14 of 27 passes for 180 yards and was named the most valuable player. It was the fifth straight success in the event. are good athletes, all of said Dickey. I think it was a case of the North having a little edge in major college All in all, it was a big day for the Big Eight Conference.

Dickey, North coach Vince Gibson and top Yank pass Lynn Dickey K-Stater Is Star all receiver Mike Montgomery are from Kansas State. Kansas runner John Riggins gained 96 yards in 20 carries and scored on romps of 13 and eight yards to far outflash the ball carriers from both sides. Larry Brown of Kansas grabbed five passes for 24 yards and Otto Stowe State caught four yards. Each represents Eight. say the difference was our said Gibson.

Kansas State boy, Dickey, did his usual fine job, but forget Ken Anderson of Iowa for 51 the Big Just No in Sparkling LSU Defense By DON FORSYTHE Miami, Fla. Any way you look at it on paper or on film as the Nebraska offensive coaches have been doing for a couple of weeks the LSU defense is tough. Grange Bowl opponent has led the nation in defense against the rush for two straight years. The Tigers have a sound defense and one which can make the big plays. pretty hard to find a soft says Cornhusker backfield coach Mike Corgan of the LSU defense.

The Tigers particularly imposing physically. They look like much until the other team snaps the ball.4 strong, quick, have good range and tackle says Cornhusker assistant Clete Fischer. Coach Charlie McClendon has employed a basic 4-3 defense the last two seasons. in an even front about two-thirds of the says Nebraska assistant Tom Osborne, occasionally use a five-man front like we The longer the Cornhusker coaches study the Tiger defense the more impressed. think the soundest defense says Osborne.

not just this year, but the nine years been The Tigers are especially impressive in short yardage situations. seems like when teams need a yard for a first down or touchdown they just make says Osborne. The leaders of the miserly LSU defensive unit are tackle John Sage, linebacker Mike Anderson and defensive back Tommy Casanova. Each earned all-America acclaim. From what the Cornhusker coaches have learned from the films the key to the LSU success has been the play of Sage and his running mate at tackle, Ronnie Estay.

better tackles than any faced this says Fischer. Senior and defensive captain Sage, at 6-3 and 220, and jimor Estay, at 6-1 and 233, aren't huge, but effective. strong against the rush but great pass rushers. so good that LSU can get by with a four-man rush and drop seven people says Osborne. Sage dropped both Pat Sullivan of Auburn and Archie Manning of Mississippi, the top two quarterbacks in the South, for safeties during the 1970 season.

Arthur Davis and Buddy Millican are small as defensive ends go, but are quick and efficient. Anything getting past the front four has to deal with an outstanding linebacking corps led by the 6-3, 225-pound Anderson. A consensus all-America, Anderson has a great knack for being in the right place at the right time. Like Jerry Murtaugh, started every game since joining the varsity and holds the all-time school tackling record. running mates are 195-pound Louis Cascio and 193-pound Richard Picou, both juniors.

The Cornhuskers will be throwing against a secondary which intercepted 25 passes. Casanova, who plays the left corner, usually draws the top receiver. He held Notre Dame all-American Tom Gatewood to four catches for 24 24 yards. A :09.7 sprinter, he has both the speed and size (6-1, 191) to handle enemy receivers. Veteran James Earley (6-0, 188) handles the other corner spot with two more seniors, Bill Norsworthy and Craig Burns, playing the twin safeties.

While Casanova claimed most of the honors as a defender it was Burns who led LSU Defense Left End Mike Anderson all-America linebacker. Irurzun Wins Miami, Fla. Wl M. T. Irurzun went through the field on the stretch turn and closed with a rush to win the $25,350 Christmas Handicap at Tropical Park Friday.

7 Sunday Noon (7). Pro Football San Francisco v. Minnesota, Noon (6-10). Pro Football Miami v. Oakland, 3 p.m.

(3). Creighton Highlights 11:45 p.m. (7). No. Player, Hometown Ht.Wt.

Class 93 Arthur Davis, Sulphur, La 5-11 191 Sr. 91 Mike Doyle, Houston, Left Tackle 6-2195 Soph. 73 John Sage, Houston, 6-3 220 Sr. 99 John Weinstein, Opelousas, La Right Tackle 64 220 Soph. 78 Ronnie Estay, Larose, La 6-1 233Jr.

61 Bobby Joe King, Shreveport, Right End 6-0221 Sr. 86 Buddy Millican, Baton Rouge, La 6-0 215 Sr. 79 John Wood, Lake Charles, Left Linebacker 6-4 220 Soph. 45 Mike Anderson, Baton Rouge, 6-3225 Sr. Lloyd Frye, Baton Rouge, La Middle Linebacker 6-1 204 Jr.

48 Louis Cascio, Bossrier City, 6-0195 Jr. 96 Tommy Smith, Brookhaven, Right Linebacker 5-10 189 Soph. 88 Richard Picou, Gonzales, 5-11 193 Jr. 41 Pepper Rutland, Baton Rouge, Left Cornerback 5-11 195 Soph. 37 Tommy Casanova, Crowley, La 6 1 191 Jr.

16 Paul Lyons, Midland, Tex Right Cornerback 510181 Soph. 39 James Earley, Jonesboro, 64) 188 Sr. 26 John Nagle, Gloster, Left Safety 6-2183 Jr. 15 Bill Norsworthy, Orleans, La 5-10180Sr. 11 John Staggs, Texas City, Right Safety 6-0185 Soph.

30 Craig Burns, Baton Rouge, La 5-11 175 Sr. 38 Greg Bickham, Shreveport, La 6-0 182 Soph. Spotted Line Wins Featur New Orleans W) Spotted Line took the lead at the halfway mark Friday and stayed in front the rest of the way to win the $12,500 Christmas Handicap at the New Orleans Fair Grounds. The victory was worth $9.40, $4.60 and $3.00. Bug paid $5.40 and $3.40 to place and Assumption $5.20 to show.

Spotted Line covered the six furlongs in 1:10 4-5. Tommy Casanova leads LSU secondary. the team in interceptions with eight. Norsworthy stole five passes and Casanova three. Osborne indicates that balance is a defensive strong point for the Tigers.

has really moved the ball on them. Notre Dame came into the LSU game leading the nation in total offense and got just 227 he says. everybody has gone to throwing the ball against LSU but you have to try to both run and throw because they can play you tough if they you have to he says. The Tigers limited their 11 foes to just 574 yards on the ground. Only Baylor managed more than 100 yards rushing against the defense which allowed just 52.2 yards a game.

LSU rarely gambles on defense. Their game is one of recognition, execution and pursuit. That game has been most effective as opponents have averaged only 8.7 points. Ohio State, Hay es Receive Grid Awards Washington Ohio State Buckeyes and their coach, Woody Hayes, have been named winners of two major awards to be given during the 36th annual banquet of the Touchdown Club of Washington Jan. 9.

The Buckeyes will be receive the 1970 Arthur J. (Dutch) Bergman Award as the outstanding college team of the year. Hayes has won ihe Touchdown Club award which goes annually to the college coach of the year. Braxton Oakland (AP) Jim Braxton, all-American tight end from West Virginia, will move to a familiar the East-West Shrine football game here Jan. 2.

pitched in with some good throwing, Anderson, from tiny Augustana College, hit 8 of 20 for 77 yards. Interceptions six of them were the bugaboo. Jim Cooch was the peskiest defender, stealing two. Richmond quarterback Charlie Richards, who was playing for his college boss, Frank Jones of the Spiders, connected on 15 of 26 passes for 249 yards, but was intercepted four times. A fat television contract that paid the sponsoring Shriners a record $110,000 turned the game into a profitable venture although only 15,402 persons showed up.

Sam Scarber backed up Riggins with 57 yards on the ground and the massive 231- pound runner tallied the first touchdown on a three-yard romp. Trailing all the way, the South used its ground game infrequently. The Rebels netted only 23 yards in 22 rushing attempts with Joe Profit of Northeast Louisiana getting 17 in nine tries. Richards fired a 47-yard scoring pass to West Texas State speedster Rocky Thompson for the lone TD. Texas safety Dave Elmendorf was voted most valuable for the South.

The North victory tied the long Shrine series at 11-11-1. North io 3 8 7-78 South 0 7 Jakowenko 27 3 run Jakowenko kick Jakowenko 32 13 run Riggins pass from Dickey 47 pass from Richards McCoy kick 3 run Jakowenko kick Miami (AP) Statistics of the Shrine ll-star football game: at All events free unleee by all time a.m. boldfaced for p.m. Saturday Local Hassling Pro Card Pershing Auditorium, State Hockey Tulsa at Omaha, Ak- Sar-Ben Coliseum, Regional College Basketball Big Eight Tournament at Kansas City, Iowa State v. Oklahoma, Kansas v.

Missouri, Sunday State Hockey Tulsa at Omaha, Ak- Sar-Ben Coliseum, Saturday Pro Grid Highlights 11 a.m. (3). Skiing 3:30 p.m. (7). Soccer World Cup Championship, 4 p.m.

(7). Bowling 6 p.m. (7). Pro Football Cincinnati v. Baltimore, Noon (3).

Pro Football Detroit v. Dallas, 3 p.m. (6-10). East Running West Passing Gakland iff! Eastern entries spent most of their Christmas Day practice installing a running game in preparation for the East-West Shrine classic here Jan. 2.

Halfbacks Don Martin of Ya'le and Jim Braxton of West Virginia ran strongly behind the blocking of guards Mike Sikich of Northwestern and Chris Morris of Indiana. West coach Ed Crowder of Colorado saicf his team is practicing a lot of passing, but he plans a running attack also. Cornell and Armstrong could carry the weight, he said. i i.