University of Virginia Library

Cavaliers Travel To Tobacco Bowl

Winless, But Scrappy Keydets
Play Host In Richmond Classic

As festivals go, the Tobacco
Bowl may not rank with the
Mardi Gras, but some mighty
strange things have happened
in Richmond on this particular
weekend. Think back to the
fall of 1965, the last time the
Wahoos graced fair City Stadium,
and remember with glee
how the Cavalier bombed undefeated
and nationally ranked
West Virginia 41-0.

So four years later Virginia
accepts another invitation to Richmond,
but this time around the
Cavalier faithful are hoping all goes
according to plan.

The VMI Keydets have yet to
score — a sad tale but one to inspire
the Keydets on to bigger and better
things this week. Rice whipped the
crew cuts, 55-0, then it was
Richmond's turn, 20-0. Last Saturday
the stubborn Keydets fell to
West Virginia, 32-0.

Coach Vito Ragazzo has run
into nothing but trouble thus far.
"We have been playing 10 or 11
sophomores in starting positions
and just haven't been able to put
things together, particularly on
offense." One thought that distresses
the Virginia coaching staff is
that these more inexperienced players
will indeed jell into a more
effective team. Bill Clay, scouting
the Keydets for Mr. Blackburn,
promises that VMI is "playing real
fine defensive football" and if they
can put an improved offense with a
consistent defense, "could be a real
dangerous opponent."

Another coaching worry is one
of the players' possibly poor mental
attitude. The Wahoos needed an
embarrassing first half against the
Indians in Williamsburg last weekend
to pull them from lethargic
slumber. The last time the Cavaliers
were "down" for a VMI encounter,
the consequences were tragic, Back
in 1967 an eager crowd filled Scott
Stadium to see 18-point favorite
Virginia upset 18-13.

Injuries have hurt an already
thin Wahoo defensive platoon.
Neither Tom Patton nor Ed Kihm
will see Tobacco Bowl action.
Patton is out with a reinjured hip
pointer, while Kihm suffers from a
badly bruised shoulder. Coach Lawrence
has had to do a little shuffling
of personnel to make the necessary
adjustments; Randy Lestyk will
move from his tackle slot out to
one end with Al Sinesky manning
the opposite side.

Paul Reid, ACC lineman of the
week, shifts from middle linebacker
to replace Kihm at one outside
linebacking position, and Charlie
Blanford gets the nod for the center
linebacker spot with Boyd Page
completing the blitzing corps
opposite Reid, outside.

Jim Willits and soph Andy
Selfridge will go at the tackles,
while Maury Bibent's pass defense
remains basically the same with
Peter Schmidt, Bill Lockwood, Bob
Rannigan, and Andy Minton placed
strategically through the secondary.

This defense has the distinction
of putting the Wahoos in the
national eye. Coach Lawrence's
boys rank seventh in the country
on the rush defense, and tenth
overall.

The Cavalier offense continues
to show improvement, and one
doesn't have to look much past
Gabby Helman and Jim Lacey to
figure out why. Helman's four
touchdowns and 142 yards (in 37
carries) earned him additional ACC
recognition, and Jim Lacey has
added a dangerous outside threat
that opens up the middle for
Helman. Helman stands eighth in
scoring nationally, twelfth in rushing.
The second-year tailback ranks
tops in the ACC rushing list, with
Lacey not far behind in the eighth
position.

Lacey, All Of 165 Pounds, Carries Ball Through W&M Defense

The VMI offense has had its
troubles; 33 punts, five interceptions,
and seven fumbles. The
defense, respectable in personnel,
has yielded a three-game total of
107 points in three games. So the
Lexington crew cuts are supposed
to get beat.

But emotion plays a bigger part
in football games than many would
concede. Coach Clay reports that
the Keydets, down 32-0 late in the
game, never gave in or let up
Remember again the fall of 1967

For rather obvious reasons the
VMI group doesn't appreciate the
often free-living, sometimes irresponsible
Cavalier. The Keydets have
a way of disregarding the favorite/
underdog issue; they are 0-3 and
hungry. There is too much at stake
for the Wahoos to feed them.