University of Virginia Library

Unbeaten Vandy To Throw
Wishbone Attack At Wahoos

By JOHN MARKON

When the Wahoos take the
field Saturday in Scott Stadium in
search of an end to their three game
losing streak they will again be
facing a team without a loss. The
Vanderbilt Commodores,
members of the Southeastern
Conference and owners of a 2-0-1
record, will provide this year's
Commonwealth Day opposition.

Vandy's two wins have come
over UT-Chattanooga and
Mississippi State with the tie, a
scoreless one, coming against
Louisville. There is, however,
trouble in Paradise.

The win over Chattanooga was
by 20-19 over a squad the
Commodores had ripped apart 39-6
the year before. If ties are like
kissing your sister the pointless
affair with Louisville, a somewhat
stronger team than traditional patsy
Chattanooga, must have been like
shaking her hand. It was only in the
49-14 romp over State the Vandy
showed some hopeful signs.

The game was won on defense
as two new linebackers and some
key interceptions throttled the
State offense. Commodore
quarterback Steve Burger had his
best game running the Wishbone-T
attack and is rated by the Cavalier
coaching staff as the best thrower
running a triple-option attack in the
country.

Vandy Coach Bill Pace has
installed the Texas-type wishbone
for 1971 and his team may be
finally grasping the intricacies of
this potentially devastating offense.
Through their first two games the
Commodores were experiencing
considerable difficulty.

Burger leads the attack and,
while not the running threat of the
man he's replacing (the injured
Watson Brown), his passing
statistics are more than respectable.
Joining him in the backfield are
tailback Dennis Mazar, a breakaway
threat, and fullback Bill Young,
used mainly as a blocker. On the
other prong of the wishbone is
halfback Jamie O'Rourke another
speedster.

Burger will throw to wide
receivers Walter Overton and Gary
Chesley and tight end Rob O'Neal.
Overton is also a speed merchant
with Chesley the leading returning
receiver from last season.

Hard to miss on the offensive
line will be mammoth Linc Fuge, a
6-5 sophomore who tips, or rather
crushes, the scales at 270.
Anchoring the line is center and
Co-captain John Drake.

Wahoo passer Harrison Davis
and his running mates will have to
contend with a large defensive line
composed of John Carney, another
co-captain, George Abernathy,
Mike Kirk and Mark Hgenfritz.
Barring pre-game gluttony or fasting
they will average about 228
pounds.