University of Virginia Library

Player Of The Week

Paczkoski Plugs Hole In Middle

By Tom Sansonetti
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Perry Williams stands 6-2 and
weighs 225 pounds. He is not the
type of guy who is used to stepping
aside for people. As a matter of
fact, he usually steps on people.

In the second quarter of the
Virginia-Purdue clash this
past Saturday the Boilermaker
fullback had just broken through
the line of scrimmage and was on
his way into the secondary when-he
got hit. Real good too.

Big o Perry went so far
backwards that upon rising he
raised his hands to form the next
Purdue huddle.

Only one man was responsible
for this sturdy deed—Bob
Paczkoski. And he is the first
member of the 1968 Virginia
football squad to earn player of the
week honors.

Evidently the Virginia coaching
staff felt that Bob deserved
something for his performance also,
for he is the first recipient of the
defensive Have Helmet-Will Hit
award.

The fact that the six foot native
of the booming metropolis of
Shamokin, Pa. made six unassisted
tackles and four assisted ones, plus
his intimate meeting with Mr.
Williams back up his selection.

Defensive coach Don Lawrence
said, "We gave him an 80 after
grading the films. That's real good,
because a 90 is pretty impossible to
receive on defense the way I
grade."

"Bob did a particularly good job
on pass coverage," Lawrence
continued "As a matter of fact, I

think only one pass was caught off
of him all afternoon."

Originally a fullback, Paczkoski
is now the solid middle linebacker
in Lawrence's complicated
defenses. He missed three games
last season due to a knee injury.

This spring he underwent an
operation for the removal of some
cartilage, and now, according to
Coach Lawrence, his knee is not
only fully recovered but better than
before.

Although formerly an offensive
player with a lot of potential,
Paczkoski was tried at defense as a
second-yearman. He adapted so
quickly that the coaching staff
forgot about his offensive abilities
and concentrated on bringing out
his hidden defensive talent.

He is the perfect example of the
hard-nosed player. His best trait is
his ability to cover on passes. He
uses his fine speed to the utmost,
whether his opponent be a huge
tight end or a fleet halfback.

One of the few people who can
occasionally overpower Bob, who
has lettered twice, is his wife with
whom he lives in a Copley Hill
apartment.