University of Virginia Library

Midshipmen Await Cavaliers

Helman, Lacey Hit
Navy Homecoming

So far this year the Cavaliers
have not lost to any team
outside the ACC. This weekend
Coach Blackburn and his squad
will be looking to extend that
string of wins when they travel
to Annapolis to face the
Midshipmen.

Over the years, Virginia's
record has not been a winning
one against Navy. The Middies
hold the advantage, 18-3. But
Navy's program has been declining
recently while Virginia's
has been steadily rising.

Last year Blackburn beat his
former colleague and former head
football coach at Virginia, Bill
Elias. It was the first Cavalier win
over Navy since 1909.

After last week's drubbing at the
hands of N.C. State, the Wahoo
squad will be looking to spoil the
Middie Homecoming.

Navy has not yet hit the win
column after five games under their
new head coach, Rick Foranzo.
Before the season got under way,
five veterans decided not to go out
for football this year, and tough
teams like Penn State and Texas on
the schedule have not helped the
situation.

Much of Navy's trouble has been
defense, or the lack of it. In the
first five games 1,594 yards were
gained against the Midshipmen on
the ground. So with Virginia
sporting a fine running game,
Foranzo has been stressing rush
defense.

Stopping Virginia's two fine
running backs, Gary Helman and
Jim Lacey, will be a job for Navy's
erratic defensive front men. Wally
Winslow and Frank Miller will
probably be handling the defensive
end positions. Winslow weighs 209
and Miller, 205.

Dick Wheldon and Dick Wilkes
will at defensive tackles face the
Cavaliers' off tackle plays, and will
have the duty of rushing Danny
Fassio or Mike Cubbage.

Middie middle linebacker Ray
DeCario, the only senior on the
defensive front squad, leads the
linebacking corps of Bill McKinney
and Tom O'Brien. Their size compares
closely with the Wahoo's
linebackers.

The Navy defensive backfield
has been hard hit by injuries.
Letterman cornerback Tom Sher
was lost last week for the season
when he broke his arm against
Rutgers. The other corner man,
sophomore Dan Weaver, tore knee
ligaments in the Texas game and will
not be able to play any more this
season. Jeff Lammers and Fred
Ziska, who have seen some action
in the form of back up men, have
been out with injuries but may play
this weekend.

Offense has been a little brighter
picture for the Midshipmen. Running
back Ron Marchetti has a 4.0
average for 195 yards gained in 48
carried. Dan Pike is the other rusher
and has 145 yards in 50 carries.

Navy quarterback Mike McNallen
has had some trouble with his

running, in addition to getting
dumped in his own backfield, and
has lost 149 yards. McNallen's
passing has been up and down. He
has completed 81 of 196 passes for
904 yards. But against Rutgers his
tally was 0 for 18. However,
Forzano cited 13 dropped passes as
the reason for the nonexistent
passing game.

When some are caught, they
often go to fullback Carl Schwelm,
12 receptions for 222 yards, or end
Mick Barr, 17 for 181 yards.

Coach Blackburn is looking for a
tough game against a physically fit,
hard-hitting, and hustling Navy
football team. They can score (78
points in five games) and they have
the advantage of playing before the
Corps of Midshipmen at their
Homecoming in Annapolis.