University of Virginia Library

THE
SPORTS
SCENE

By Bob Cullen

NOW THAT THE TUMULT has died away, and the bruises
are beginning to heal, it might be worthwhile to take stock of
the Cavaliers in the light of Saturday's contest with Purdue.

The key word is contest. Purdue's players were as sore as
Virginia's on Saturday night, something they had not counted
on being. They had played in a ballgame in Ross Ade Stadium,
and we doubt whether Notre Dame will hit a great deal harder
than the Wahoos did. There were no tears on the plane going
back to Charlottesville, because Virginia knew that they had
played well.

TO BE SURE there were mistakes. The secondary will need a
lot more work and a lot more experience. The kicking game will
probably be a chronic sore spot this season, at least until the
offense gets its timing down. When the coaches get finished with
their films, the list of errors will undoubtedly be a great deal
longer than the one we compiled from the press box.

And the greatest problem evident in the Purdue game - lack
of depth - will be a problem, though not to the same degree, in
all of the games this season. The new rule which calls for the
clock to be stopped after every first down is primarily
responsible. There were 43 first downs in the game Saturday, 27
by the Boilermakers, and 16 for Virginia. By our calculations,
(20 seconds per time out) the rule added at least 10, and closer
to 15, minutes of playing time to the game Saturday. That's
time for about 40 plays.

OBVIOUSLY, a team that has the wherewithal to substitute
freely and keep its men fresh is going to have a tremendous
advantage if their subs are good enough to be nearly as effective
as the first string. Purdue had that type of team. A good
example is linebacker Veno Paraskevas. He was inserted after
star linebacker and defensive captain Dick Marvel was injured in
the first quarter. To most teams, the loss of such a player would
be a serious blow. But Paraskevas came on to be one of the
defensive stars of the game.

The Cavaliers do not possess that kind of depth. There are
some like Dave Wyncoop, Jim Willits, and Bill Lockwood, that
are as good, for all practical purposes, as the first team men. But
generally, the coaches must trade reduced effectiveness for a
chance to rest one of the starters.

THE GAME DID produce definite bright spots. The
defensive line and the linebackers demonstrated that no one is
going to run up the middle with much success against Virginia
this year. Whether the Cavaliers can cover as well against the
pass and the sweep depends on whether some one else can come
up with a runner or receiver the likes of Leroy Keyes. We doubt
that they can. The cornerbacks should show definite
improvement with experience, and watch for Andy Minton to
blossom into a good one. He hits extremely hard.

Offensively, the Cavaliers came up with some good
performances from Dave Wyncoop and Jeff Anderson, to go
along with fine blocking in the line by Greg Shelly and Chuck
Hammer. The running game should improve at about the same
rate that Frank Quayle's toe does. The fourth-year halfback
broke his big right toe early in the practice season, and it has
not yet completely healed. He is a step or two slower than he
used to be, and will be for the next couple of weeks.

QUARTERBACK GENE ARNETTE did not have one of his
better days, and opposing teams now know that if they can
keep Arnette from getting set to pass, he loses a great deal of his
effectiveness. Again it is doubtful whether any future opponents
can muster defensive line of the strength and magnitude of
Purdue's. As his receivers gain experience, and start making their
cuts at the proper spots, Arnette's passing should improve.

Last week we wrote in this column that if the team was
beaten by Purdue, the spirit in the Student Body that a winning
team needs would die before it ever got started. We're glad (for
once) to admit that we were wrong. People around the Grounds
were so impressed with their team and the showing that it made
Saturday, that it seems to us that optimism is running rampant
about the rest of the season.

INSTEAD OF THE COMPLETE resignation and apathy that
we expected would greet the team when it returned, people are
talking in terms of a 9-1 record and a Conference championship.
We enjoy hearing that kind of talk. This is a team, that with
only a minimal number of breaks, could do just that.

So now the Cavaliers are on the spot. Last year, an inferior
VMI team beat them because they wanted the game badly
enough. This year's VMI team is just as inferior, and will be just
as psyched. If the Wahoos blow it, there can be no excuses. It
will be their own fault.

WE FEEL, THOUGH, that this is not the type of team that
will allow itself to give any games away. They remember the
humiliation of last year's game all too well. Thus, they should
respond with a good game Saturday. Like the students, they
know how good they are, and the ACC championship looks very
attainable to them too. We don't know whether Virginia can
win it; we do know that this is the best team the Cavaliers have
had in many years.