University of Virginia Library

'Desire Personified'

Helman, 'Player Of Week'

Photo By Bob Gill

Gary Helman Follows Blockers Into William & Mary Defense In Picking Up 148 Yards Saturday

His Fine Performance Against Williamsburg's Indians Earned Him Coaches' Praise, CD Recognition

Gary Helman, second-year fullback
from Youngwood, Pennsylvania,
has been chosen
Player-of-the-Week by The Cavalier
Daily for his record tying performance
last Saturday in
Williamsburg.

The 5-11, 196-pounder lugged
the pigskin 37 times to tie former
Wahoo All-American Johnny
Papit's single game record and
amassed 148 yards to maintain
second place among the ACC
rushing leaders with 346 yards in
81 carries.

In addition, Helman tallied all
four Cavalier touchdowns to tie an
ACC record held by five others

Anyone who knows Gary
Helman personally would never
believe he is the bruising, bull-like
fullback exhibited around the area
on Saturday afternoons. A quiet,
unassuming guy, his teammates
have sarcastically nicknamed him
"Gabby." But on the playing field
Helman is transformed into a
human dynamo, pounding out yard
after yard of rough and tumble
turf. Not having the overall athletic
ability of someone such as Frank
Quayle, the 19 year old Dean's List
liberal arts major is "desire personified,"
in the words of Wahoo
offensive coordinator Ken
Campbell.

For instance, there was a crucial
third down play on a touchdown
march against William and Mary.
Up in the press box Coach
Campbell spied Tribe mentor Lou
Holtz instructing two of his Indians
just where to play off tackle to stop
the first down. With only 165
pound Jimmy Lacey blocking for
him Helman hit the hole but was
stopped at the line of scrimmage.
With a great second effort he rolled
off the two Indians and fought his
way for four yards to the first
down.

Helman attended Hempsted
High School where he was All-State
and Big 33 in Pennsylvania. The
all-around athlete also lettered in
basketball and track before coming
to Charlottesville. Helman did not
last long on the first-year team.

After a productive first game he
was injured in his second start,
forced to undergo knee surgery and
to forego the remainder of the
season. But he came through with
an outstanding spring practice and
was listed as a possible fall starter.

His keen competitive spirit and fine
speed prompted Head Coach
George Blackburn to comment that
Helman was "hard nosed and
dedicated to football...with a talent
to become one of the best players
in the ACC."

But over the summer he
contracted mononucleosis without
knowing it. Pre-season x-rays
showed a swollen spleen, indicative
of the tail end of a bout with
mono. Though Helman claimed he
felt fine, he was forced to avoid
contact work until a week prior to
the season's opener.

This weekend the Cavaliers face
perennially sky-high VMI in the
Tobacco Bowl in Richmond. With
Tom Patton (hip pointer), Ed Kihm
(badly bruised shoulder) and Paul
Shreeker (pinched nerve in neck
area) on the injury list and
expected to miss Saturday's game
the Wahoos may need Helman's full
running abilities.