University of Virginia Library

VIEWPOINT

By Ted McKean

IN HOPES THAT we of the Cavalier Daily do not possess
something like the well known SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
prediction jinx, the time in the season has come to offer an
estimate as to just how the various teams of the ACC will fare
this fall. It is a difficult task to predict how your own team will
make out. Let it suffice to say that I feel that the Cavaliers are
destined for a first-division finish, and, with the breaks and few
injuries, perhaps a shot at the Championship.

CLEMSON, once again, should prove to be mighty. Coach
Frank Howard's Tigers are shooting for their third straight ACC
Championship, and they have the personnel to pull it off.
Leading a pack of 38 returning lettermen is halfback Buddy
Gore. Gore managed to rip the league apart last season, when he
set the ACC rushing record for a season, 1,045 yards in 230
carries. As Virginia fans may remember, he was trailed in this
department by Jeff Anderson and Frank Quayle, respectively, in
the third and fourth positions.

The Tigers will not solely be dependant on Gore. A capable
replacement for All-ACC quarterback Jimmy Addison has been
found in Charley Waters, who backed Addison last year. And
the defense should not be neglected: returning are all but one of
the 1967 defensive line and linebacker platoon. Depth and
balance, that objective of every football coach, will be featured
by this Tiger team.

CLOSE ON the Tiger's tail should be the North Carolina
State Wolfpack. Coach Earle Edward's squad, winners of the
Liberty Bowl over Georgia last season, has been hard-hit by the
graduation of such well known stars as quarterback Jim
Donnan, and defensive tackle and All-American Dennis Byrd.
But the Pack had tremendous depth last year, and this depth
should carry Coach Edward's charges along well this fall.

Edwards will have to dig up a capable quarterback, and when
he does, he has a fine back field to surround him. Halfback
Charlie Bowers and Bobby Hall are both experienced veterans.
A seasoned offensive line should be able to open the holes. And
last but not least, field goal kicker supreme Gerald Warren, who
set an NCAA record last year with 17 three pointers to his
credit, stands ready.

BEHIND THE WOLFPACK should come a surprising outfit
Paul Dietzel's South Carolina Gamecocks. Last season, the
Gamecocks exceeded all expectations, in posting a 5-5 slate.
This season, with 21 lettermen back, and 45 sophomores up
from an unbeaten freshman team, Dietzel may finally present a
squad reminiscent of the old days at L.S.U. and Army.

Warren Muir, fullback, will lead the USC backfield. He
topped sophomore rushers in the ACC with 805 yards in '67.
Finding a quarterback may prove a problem, but the ACC's top
receiver, Fred Ziegler (35 for 370 yards) returns at split end to
catch the mystery man's passes.

Defensively, the Gamecocks really have it. Thirteen
lettermen return to form what should be a solid unit. Tim Bice,
all Conference linebacker, steps up to the middle guard spot to
lead the defense; The secondary lost only one man to
graduation.

A SPIRITED Wake Forest club should be next in the parade.
Depth has been a perennial problem for the Demon Deacons,
but Coach Bill Tate seems to have the problem licked this year.
Back are 32 lettermen and 16 starters. Leading the way for the
Deacs will be flashy quarterback Freddie Summers, all ACC last
season. Behind him is an experienced backfield. Track sprinter
Jack Dolbin, who averaged 5.8 yards per carry in his last three
games of the past season, will be at running back. Watch for a
lot of roll outs and option plays from Summers.

Unfortunately, the Deacons defense is spotty. While
experienced players dot the lineup, it may take awhile to mold a
cohesive unit. The defensive secondary is disastrously green,
and may prove to be the factor which wipes out Wake's hopes
for a championship. It should be noted that this past Saturday
North Carolina State topped the Deacons, 12-7 in a tight
contest.

NORTH CAROLINA AND DUKE should battle each other
for the next to bottom spot. The Tar Heels coach, Bill Dooley
commented, "You simply don't rebuild a football team in one
year or even two." and this might as well be the Heels battle
cry for '68. They will depend heavily on sophomores, as will the
Blue Devils. Only Tom Harp's Duke squad should have even
more of a depth problem; no more Jay Calabrese, Bob Foley,
etc.

MARYLAND should find itself once again in the basement.
The Terps could not find the scoring punch last year, and it
does not look like they have found it yet.

WATCH FOR a real battle for the top, with Virginia in the
thick of it for the first division.