University of Virginia Library

USC Rolls

Cavs Humbled, 34—14

BY JOHN MARKON

Injured Larry Albert (11) Watches From Bench

Starting Quarterback Was Sidelined Early In USC Game

The only word for it was rotten.
On a rotten night in the rotten little
city of Columbia S.C., the Wahoos
played football in a mostly rotten
manner and emerged on the rotten
end of a 34-14 score. It could have
been much worse.

The bonus yards the Cavs rolled
up against the Gamecock's second
line defense and the inability of the
USC offensive rinkydinks to move
the ball did much to even the final
statistics but any conclusion that
the game was closely contested is a
lie.

In the first half the front line
Gamecock defenders prevented
Virginia from mounting any sort of
an offense. The Cavaliers under
Larry Albert, injured again in the
first quarter, and Harrison Davis
managed only one first down. A
synthesis of the half came when,
late in the second period, the 'Hoos
recovered a fumble on the USC 10
and proceeded to lose eight yards in
three plays and missed the instant
field goal try.

The game was delayed shortly
after it began when most of the
lights in Carolina Stadium, which
still has a few bugs in it, died.
Twenty-two minutes later the
carnage began. On Virginia's first
play from scrimmage tall back Kent
Merritt fumbled on his own 23 and
the night's pattern was set.

A seven yard run by Tommy
Simmons capped the five play USC
march and a kick by Tom Bell
made it 7-0. Another fumble by
John Rainey, a replacement for the
injured Gary Helman, gave the ball
away near mid-field and allowed
the Cocks' Bobby Reynolds, a
coffin-corner specialist, to punt the
'Hoos deep in a hole.

Albert having reinjured his
fragile left shoulder, Davis came in
and did not move his team. From
his end zone Billy Maxwell, who
suffered through his worst game
punting, kicked to Dickie Harris on
the 43 and seven seconds later it
was 14-0.

The next time the 'Hoos got the
ball they again employed their Ford
Foundation offense and gave the
ball away on an interception at
their own 33. Robbie Davis rolled
in on a fourth down play from the
seven to make it 20-0. Only a bad
center snap foiled the extra point.

The second half got off to a
rousing start when, after two
penalties put the Cavs on their own
nine, Maxwell got off his shortest
punt of the day. It went one yard
into the body of a Gamecock and
was recovered by John Leheup for
another cheap touchdown.

The only legit score for USC
came later in the period when
Tommy Rhodes hit Billy Freeman
to end a 39-yard drive with a 12
yard pass. No South Carolina
scoring march originated in
Gamecock territory.

The fourth quarter, played
before emptying seats in the drizzle
that lasted all evening, was all
Virginia. Kent Merritt bolted 41
yards for six on a perfect
draw play and, with 21 seconds to
play. Davis rolled into the end zone
from the two to complete a 43 yard
march.

Aside from those highlights,
everything was discouraging. All the
errors the Cavs studiously avoided
against Vanderbilt reappeared in
multiplicity. Seven turnovers, 81
yards penalized, several dropped
passes. In defense of the QBs for
much of the game the Cavs'
offensive line, as well as the
Carolina Stadium press box, leaked
like a sieve.

The general consensus in the
losers' locker room was that the
game had been given away. Larry
Albert, who could not raise his left
arm before halftime, will start
against Clemson. Don Lawrence, a
shaken individual, said that "you
can't make so many mistakes and
expect to win." He has said this
before.

Harrison Davis, who was 5 out
of 27 passing with 3 interceptions,
along with the rest of the offensive
Wahoos, refused to label USC as a
powerhouse. "I had the open men"
he lamented, and the Carolina
coverage "wasn't too cool." The
game, played before 43, 861 fans
who turned out to yell "Go
Cocks!" in the mist, wasn't too
cool either.

Cavalier Linebacker Rick McFarland Returns Intercepted Pass Against Gamecocks

USC Turnover Was Not Enough To Lead Wahoos To Victory In Night Game In Columbia

     

Virginia	0	0	0	14	—	14
USC	7	13	14	0	—	34
SC-Simmons 7 run (Bell kick) SC-Harris 43 punt return (Bell kick) SC-Davis 7 run (kick failed) SC-Leheup recovered blocked punt in end zone (Bell kick) SC-Freeman 12 pass from Rhodes (Bell kick) UVa-Merritt 41 run (Maxwell kick) UVa-H.Davis 3 run (Maxwell kick)

           

Individual Rushing
H.Davis	19-69
Merritt	13-58
Rainey	5-22
Helman	2-6
Albert	1-1

     

Passing
H.Davis	5-27-3
Albert	0-1-0

   

Pass Receiving
McGuan	5-63