Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 39

ilj- All SECTION In This Section Joe Falls Page 6 Racing Results Page 8 Want Ads Pages 12-19 4 VJ Lb SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1970 9 inns TTTTT Iff hlllHffl''' t-v Vv Woi Slip vermes A II nW '-''A Past Arizona, 20-9 IK- 1 1 1 fi BY CURT SYLVESTER FrM Press Sporti Wrilir ANN ARBOR The Michigan Wolverines, fortunately, didn't play their opening football game in a domed stadium the dome might have collapsed, too. Just about everything collapsible collapsed Saturday. But the Wolverines held on and pinned a 20-9 defeat on the belligerent Arizona Wildcats in front of 80,386 fans in Michigan Stadium. It was thanks only to a defense which never rested that Michigan was able to make the score -as respectable as it was against a Western Athletic Conference team which won only three of 10 games last year. Interceptions by sophomore defensive halfback Bo Rather and linebacker Marty Huff allowed the sputtering Michigan offense to pick up a field goal and touchdown that finally put the game away with less than four minutes to play.

UNTIL THAT POINT there had been some very un-Michiganlike happenings at least if you were thinking about the Michigan team which was 8-2 and a co-champion of the Big Ten last fall. There were early penalties, there was the fumble of a punt, and the punt and kickoff coverage was overeager and costly. But, most of all, it was the offense which sputtered and fizzled, unable to break loose for a 30- or 40-point game as it had so often in 1969. The defense stood up magnificently, yielding only 10 first downs to the stubborn Wildcats all afternoon and coming up with four interceptions of Brian Linstrom passes to keep Arizona from stealing the ball game. It was opening day, though, and that is important to remember.

"Don't underestimate the fact that we won that's the most important thing," said Schembechler. The Wolverines did all their scoring in the first and fourth periods of the game 1 10 points in each quarter. Dana Coin kicked a 42-yard field goal to open the scoring and he kicked a 20-yarder to make the Michigan lead 13-9 after Arizona had cut the margin to one point early in the last quarter. BETWEEN Coin's kicks fullback Billy Taylor scored Michigan's first touchdown, taking a short screen pass from quarterback Don Moorhead and racing the rest of the 29 yards down the left sideline. Second string tailback Lance Sheffler got the final Wolverine TD, taking a pitchout from Moorhead and pounding six yards into the Arizona end zone for the touchdown that made the score respectable with 1:08 left.

SCHEMBECHLER has said all along that the Michigan offense would be behind the defense, that the rebuilding in the middle of the line and the loss of proven blockers like Jim Mandich and Garvie Craw would take a while. Neither Taylor nor speedy tailback Glenn Doughty was able to spring for the long gainer typical of their performances in Michigan's ride to the Rose Bowl last year. Taylor finished in a dead heat with Moorhead as the best ground gainer on the team. Each had 64 yards. It took Moorhead 20 tries and Taylor 18 to team up for their 128-yard total.

Doughty finished with 27 yards in 11 carries and his backup man, 1 Turn to Page 9C, Column 1 off -ji, 4 a Hi A i AP Phelo 3Iichigan's Bill Taylor dives into the end zone to -complete a 29-yanl touchdown run against Arizona ried, 4. Mets Fall xh Games Spartans Bu U-M Falters And Crowd Boos Bo BY TOM MILSOM Frt Preil Sporti Writer SEATTLE Sensational Alex "Sonny" Sixkiller proved to be a passing fancy in the extreme sense of the word as he led the underdog Washington Huskies to a surprisingly easy 42-16 win over the Michigan State Spartans in Saturday's opener for both schools. Sixkiller, playing only three quarters, completed 16 of 36 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns as Washington gained. 598 yards offensively to break Boston College's 1946 offense record against MSU by 61 yards. Sixkiller also broke the 1950 total offense record by an individual Washington player as his total of 313 yards edged Don Heinrlch's 300.

Washington scored first with just 1:51 gone in the game as Sixkiller hit speedy Ira Hammon with a 59-yard bomb that completed a four-play, 78-yard advance. Mike Rasmussen, MSU quarterback, didn't get the coverage Sixkiller did but managed to complete 17 of 35 for 215 yards. Michigan State's Brad Mcl.ee intercepted a Sixkiller pass on the MSU 20 and ran it back 80 yards for a touchdown that put the Spartans on the scoreboard. Borys Schlapak's kick tied the score at 7-7. But Sixkiller, a Cherokee Indian, then began to direct a potent Husky running game that.would accrue 318 yards over, through and around what appeared to be a slower, less hardhitting Spartan squad.

At 13:43 of the second period Sixkiller lobbed a six-yard scoring pass to Husky fullback Bo Cornell that, after a successful conversion kick by Steve Wiezbowski, put the hosts on top, 14-7. Sixkiller had more than adequate blocking from Washington's line, which was outweighed by the MSU defense and proved to more than 52,000 fans that MSU's defensive secondary, especially, was just as porous at last season. By halftime, Sixkiller had completed 12 of 24 passes for 207 yards. Ira Hammon scored his second touchdown of the day when he snared a Sixkiller pass at 2:41 of the third period which gave the Huskies a BY JOE FALLS FrM Press Sports Editor ANN ARBOR Just call him Boo Schembechler. It didn't take long for the 1969 coach of the year to fall into disfavor with the followers of the University of Michigan just 39 minutes and 46 seconds.

That's how old the 1970 season was when the fans started giving it to the boss of the Wolverines in Saturday's shaky 20-9 victory. The folks, 80,386 of them, came out expecting to see another Schembechler steamroller in action. But when the Big Blue Machine sputtered, coughed, choked and all but came to a halt, they let Bo have it. Tigers Suffer the 7-6 I g. 1 4 fY 0, i in Vx hrolJlltlltinMMTrllllinrltllmi'lf comfortable 21-7 lead and perhaps coaxed the stunned Spartans into playing a dangerous type of catch-up ball that would never materialize.

WHEN DEFENSIVE tackle Wilt Martin caught Sixkiller in the end zone for a safety at 6:59 of the third, hope was still prevalent. But Washington halfback Mark Wheeler increased the lead to 28-9 by scampering 52 yards on a reverse that proved this year's Washington team, indeed, is a revitalized one. The steadily harrassed Rasmussen, hurrying and desperate, tossed a pass intercepted by Washington's cornerback Bob Burneister who promptly sped 28 yards, much to the glee of the sun-basking home-towners. Almost halfway into the fourth period, MSU coach Duffy Daugherty put sophomore George Mihaiu into service and Mihaiu directed the Spartans to their only offensive tally of the day as they went 54 yards in seven plays with Henry Matthews sweeping right end for Turn to Page 9C, Column 8 Purdue 15 TCU 0 Story on Page 3C Stanford .34 San Jose 3 Story on Page 3C Texas 56 California .15 Story on Page 3C OleMiss. 47 Memphis State 13 Story on Page 5C 1 Penn State 55 Navy 7 Story on Page 9C Southern Cal 21 Nebraska ...21 Story on Page 3C Notre Dame, 35 Northwestern 14 Slory on Page 3C Oklahoma 21 Wisconsin 7 Story on Page 3C Missouri .34 Minnesota .12 Story on Page 3C Illinois 20 Oregon 16.

Story on Page 3C They wanted touchdowns big, explosive touchdowns like a year ago not field goals. Doesn't Bo know field goals count only three points? "Yeah, I heard them boo me," Bo said after the game. "But if you think it bothered me, you're wrong. I may not be a very good coach but I'm a lot smarter than they are." The booing came mostly from the Michigan side of the field, where the students sit. The kids were pretty subtle about it at first.

THEY DISPLAYED their displeasure at Michigan's ineffective offense by starting a mild cheer when Arizona began moving the ball midway in the second quarter. Nothing vicious just a little fun. But the young folks got pretty tough when, on a fourth-and-one at midfield in the middle of the third quarter, Schembechler ordered a punt instead of trying for the first down. The boos rolled from the stands in rising volume. Later, Bo got it again when he ordered a field goal try from the Arizona seven yard line and it was blocked.

OF COURSE, everyone was cheering when Lance Schef-fler, on a fourth-and-one from the Arizona six, wrapped up the game with a drive into the end zone for the clinching touchdown. But this isn't what Bo had on his mind when he talked to the press. The booing may not have bothered him, as he said, but it was the first thing he mentioned to the writers. He came into the small interview Free Press Photo by DICK TRIPP Bo Schembechler didn't baby himself or his Wolverines Saturday. The University of Michigan coach paced the sidelines, hollered at his troops and called the plays as Michigan finally pulled away from Arizona, 20-9.

BY JIM HAWKINS Free Press Sports Writer You're already familiar with spring fever, right? Well, now get acquainted with the fall blahs. The symptoms are the same as those that accompany the June swoon but the blahs usually strike much later in the yean when a club is 21 or so games removed from first place with, say, 11 to play. And the blahs are what's wrong with the Tigers right now. Maybe first base coach a 1 1 Moses had the right idea when he sat in the Tiger dugout minutes before Saturday's go a a i the New York Yankees enthusiastically reading the comic strip "Peanuts" aloud. Certainly that had to be much more enjoyable for the Tigers than watching the Yankees overcome a four-run deficit in the ninth ining to take the afternoon attraction 7-6.

YOU JUST don't blow a 6-2 lead in the last inning with your best relief pitcher on the mound unless the blahs have got you. Then, be prepared, because anything can happen. And Saturday it did. Dalton Jones went 3-for-4 including a home run; Price did the same. And Lions Underdogs in Opener at Green Bay Barney Signs for $42,000 from the Lombardian i 1 u-ence to that of coach Phil Bengtson.

Another bunch of a 's playmates from the Packers' halcyon days have departed. BOYD DOWLER, Willie Davis and Henry Jordan hung up their cleats and the unhappy Herb Adderly was sent to Dallas. Marv Fleming played out his option and wound up in Miami. Elijah Pitts and Lee Roy a were traded. Thus the Packers will sport a new look as the Lions meet them in Lambeau Field Sunday at 1 p.m.

(Channel 2-TV, WXYZ-radio). A crowd of fans, the 64th straight regular-season sellout, will watch the opener between two teams considered title threats to the NFC Central Division champion Minnesota Vikings. The Packers are rated a three-point favorite. Starr shared quarterbacking BY JACK SAYLOR Fret Press Sports Writer GREEN BAY Bart Starr's youngest son will see him play here Sunday for the first time, but the Lions could tell him plenty they've seen the Packer quarterback play more than two dozen times. The 36-year-old veteran delayed retirement for his youngster's benefit, but it will also benefit the Packers as they continue their transition time with young Don Horn in the Packers' unbeaten exhibition season, but completed passes at a 54.7 percent rate and tossed five for touchdowns.

THERE ARE newcomers' among his recievers (except for old faithful Carroll Dale) in tight end John Hilton, John Spilis and Jack Clancy, the former Michigan All-America Turn to Page 4C, Column 3 for the 1971 season. The signing of Carney by general manager Russ Thomas leaves only three Lions on the roster without contracts for the 1970 season. Offensive guard Roger Shoals, offensive tackle Frank Gallagher and fullback Bill Triplett have yet to sign. Lem Barney has signed his 1970 Detroit Lion contract and in the process probably has become the highest paid defensive back in the history of football. Barney, a three-year veteran who was paid $17,000 last season, reportedly will get $42,000 this year and $15,000 Turn to Page 9C, Column 1 Turn to Page 2C, Column irH tfrt art! egffli mtl i rffl jmM.