University of Virginia Library

Improved Defense Sparks Deacs

If a few leaks in the defense
get patched up - as
expected - the situation at
Wake Forest could be vastly
improved over a year ago.

The defense, which last year
lost seven games by 163 points
and gave up an average of 269
yards per game on the ground,
is decidedly toughened. Only
four lettermen were lost from
the defense and among the
returnees are more than a few
solid performers.

Included among the Deacon
defenders is Win Headley, a
rugged tackle who is already
being touted for post-season
all-star honors. Backing up
Headley are three experienced
linebackers in Ed Bradley, Ed
Stoltz and Carlyle Pate, a
two-year letterman.

Five lettermen are back to
bolster the secondary, including
Terry Kuharchek and Dick
Bozoian, both of whom saw
considerable action in '69.
Kuharchek, in fact, is rated by
many, including coach Cal
Stoll, as one of the premier
defenders in the ACC.

The offense, which was
basically sound in '69, should
be at least as effective in '70
Quarterback Larry Russell
who finished fourth in total
offense in the ACC a year ago,
is back with a year's experience
under his belt.

Russell will also have his
favorite target of a year ago,
Gary Winrow, on hand. Winrow
speared 27 Russell aerials
for 277 yards and ranked sixth
(behind Virginia's Bob Bishchoff)
in the Conference.

A problem this season for
the Deacons is at running back,
where the graduation of Jack
Dolbin, Buz Leavitt, and Ron
Jurewicz will hurt. Filling the
void somewhat are junior college,
transfer Larry Hopkins,
who had a great spring, and
Steve Bowden, a '69 letterman.

Coach Cal Stoll, boosting
his own team's chances,
offered We've a better team
this fall mainly because of improvement
on defense. The
improvement lies in the fact
most of the kids are back from
last year."

The former Michigan State
Assistant, in his second year at
the helm at Winston-Salem,
was also quick to add a few
reservations about his Deacons:
"Depth is a problem and if
we're going to be competitive,
we'll have to avoid injuries."

For his part, Virginia Coach
George Blackburn, whose Cavaliers
suffered a flukeish 23-21
loss at the hands of Stoll's
Deacons, concurred with the
Wake mentor's overall assessment
and commented: "Wake
is better mainly because of a
shored-up defense which can
count on their three linebackers
(Stoltz, Pate, and Bradley)
and Win Headley. Headley was
in our hair all afternoon last
year, and he is as good a tackle
this season as any in the ACC."

"There's been no question
about Wake's offense and so
this year, if they can come up
with a little more balance, they
should be tough."

There's still a little hangover
left from last year's loss to the
Deacons, as Coach Blackburn
indicated when he promised:
"I might add that we at Virginia
don't plan on playing
Santa Claus this year. They've
already had their gift which
should last for another 50
years or so."