University of Virginia Library

From The Sidelines

Leo
+
Dook

By Davis Marshall

WHAT DO PRO FOOTBALL STARS Roman Gabriel,
Norm Snead, Karl Sweetan, Al Woodall, and Gary Cuozzo
have in common? Give up? They were all standout
quarterbacks in the ACC. But hold on. Get ready to add
another name to the list for the conference's greatest
signal-caller yet to graduate. His name is Leo Hart. Leo plays
for Dook, you know, the school near Chapel Hill with the
statue of a fat man smoking a cigar and the prefabricated
ivy-covered brick buildings. Tomorrow our own true grit grid
heroes will endeavor to defeat Leo and his boys for the third
straight year. It won't be easy. Leo is not likely to forget last
year's 10-0 thrashing, or the 50-20 blitz the year before.

BUT IF LEO IS SO GOOD, HOW DID THE WAHOOS
EVER WIN," you might inquire. Easy, of course Leo was good
but in '68 it took more than a sophomore (No, they don't say
second-year man at Dook), it took more than a sophomore
sensation to detail a mighty Wahoo express which overran
opponents by 63-47, 47-0, and the like. Last season the
situation was a bit different as a fearsome front four racked
Leo over and over before he had a chance to pass, eventually
giving the ACC's all-time total offense leader a nasty
game-deciding injury. Consequently, Leo and Dook can't help
but seek revenge.

BESIDES, IF PRESS RELEASES OUT OF DURHAM are
any indication, Leo has some help this year. Never mind that it
took a 45-yard field goal with one second left for Dook to
beat Maryland 13-12, they also lost to SEC title pretender
Florida 21-19 because of a few missed field goals, extra points
and a fumble on the one yard line. So Leo does have some
help. Roommate Wes Chesson is his number one offensive
asset. The fourth leading receiver in the conference last year
with 45 receptions, Chesson already has 18 receptions this
year, eight ahead of Virginia's second place Sully Sullivan. But
Chesson only snags about a third of Leo's aerials because the
Kinston, N.C. native has connected for a .608 passing
percentage with 45 completions in 74 attempts for 482 yards
and two touchdowns.

TAKING SOME OF THE PRESSURE OFF of Leo's arm is
sophomore surprise Steve Jones, one of Coach Tom Harp's
better recruits. Carrying a third of the time for three fifths of
the yardage, Jones has rushed for a 5.4 average and trails only
Don McCauley and Ray Yauger in the conference standings.
But can Jones out do the Lacey-Helman tandem? Leo's line is
relatively light and inexperienced they are all sophomores -
but Ray Graves' Gators didn't seem to notice. Maybe Wills,
Randy, Andy and Ed will.

FOR THE DEFENSE DOOK HAS six '69 starters
returning. All-ACC and '69 pre-season All-American linebacker
Dick Biddle returned this year after a pre-season injury forced
him to forego last season. But he injured his knee again last
Saturday against the Terps and it is not known whether he will
make it past the opening kickoff. All-ACC safety Rich Searl
also returns but the Devils' defense thus far has been led by
defensive end Bruce Mills. He is the man who makes Coach
Harp say the Dook defense is as "strong as since I've been at
Duke" (What do you want, good grammar or good defense?).
Against Florida Mills made 11 tackles and blocked two passes
while the 6-2, 220-pounder led the team with 14 tackles, an
interception and a blocked punt against Maryland. The rest of
the defense appears to be either a combination of weakness
and experience or strength and inexperience.

BUT EVEN WITH AN ABUNDANCE of unproven
performers the Blue Devils go into tomorrow's game a slight
favorite over Blackie's Cavaliers. After all, they did come near
to defeating SEC power Florida and all Virginia has done is
shut out a 51-18 loser to Alabama - Florida's near grid equal.
But Dook mentor Harp will only talk nebulously about the
game, saying he expects "a real tight game," Virginia has a
"fine offense," and Dook will "try to make 'em bleed a little
for what they get." Who knows? Maybe if what Harp calls the
"blitzingest team in the country" does its job, and maybe if
Larry Albert continues his fine performance, and maybe if 170
pound Jim Lacey can pick up those third and one situations,
just maybe...

By the way, Beat Dook.