The Cavalier daily :: October 7, 1971 :: University of Virginia Library

Will success spoil Virginia? Can
the Wahoos handle victory? The
answers to these and other
questions heard around The
Grounds could be provided
Saturday night when the Cavaliers
travel to Columbia S.C. to take on
ACC expatriate South Carolina.

This year's edition of the
Gamecocks boasts a 3-1 record with
a loss to Duke spoiling a perfect
beginning. The Cocks rolled over
Georgia Tech and N.C. State and
last week squeezed out a 7-3 verdict
over Memphis State. Against Duke
the Gamecocks had the statistical
edge, but then again, who hasn't,
and still lost 28-12.

Head football coach and athletic
director at USC is the ebullient and
well-traveled Paul Dietzel, formerly
employed at LSU and West Point.
Gypsy Dietzel is pushing his
defensive unit this year, calling
them the "Carolina Bandits",
bringing to mind the famous
"Chinese Bandits" of his LSU
teams.

"We've had excellent defensive
play this year" said Dietzel, noting
that the defense has surrendered
only three touchdowns all season.

Expounding on his near-miss in
Memphis, Dietzel thought that it
helped his squad, even though the
offensive performance was not
consistent. He also remarked, in
speech patterns he probably never
used at West Point, that "We were
lucky to escape with our lives
because they hit us plenty hard."

The leaders of the offense are
quarterback Glen Morris, injured
against Memphis State but ready to
play, and receivers Jim Mitchell and
Jack Brown. The Gamecocks have
their two other QBs ready to wheel
in should Morris falter with the
number two man, Robbie Brown,
directing the team to its only
touchdown last week.

Injuries have crippled the
offensive backfield with starting
tailback Billy Ray Rice doubtful for
the game and fullback Chuck
Mimnis definitely out. Carlton
Haywood and Tommy Simmons,
two 200-pounders will start in their
places.

An offense in himself would
seem to be Dickie Harris, a fleet
kick returner who led the ACC in
both punt and kickoff runbacks last
season. Duke so respected his
talents that they aimed kicks away
from him throughout their game.
The Cavalier defense has been
taking extra kick coverage practice
this week to try and contain him.

The newly respectable Wahoo
offense will have to contend with
the Bandits, a unit that has allowed
less than 200 yards total offense to
three of the Cocks four opponents.
Harris is stationed at defensive back
here and is more or less the
defensive leader. The Cocks'
defenders are on the small side and
rely on quickness rather than
strength to, as Dietzel says, "punish
the opposition."

Punished already by the likes of
Michigan, the Cavs seemingly won't
be too fearful of physical harm
against the Gamecocks but do go
into the game as underdogs.