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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 25, 1960)
FRESHMAN EDITION The Battalion SECTION Volume 69 COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 1960 Number 132 Gridders Begin Season Against LSU Tigers Jim Myers Expects 56 Squadmen; 18-Lettermen Included on Roster Roy Northrop team captain and center Coach Jim Myers starts his third season at Texas A&M this fall with an assortment of per sonnel. On hand will be a squad of some 56 players including 27 sopho mores, 12 seniors and 17 juniors. Of these, 15 lettered last year while three others lettered in pre vious seasons. Included among the returnees are seven 2-year lettermen. The three who lettered prior to 1959 are George Gray, who was a Idt- terman lineman in 1958 as a soph omore; Don McClelland, letterman end of 1957 who has returned from military service and Jon Few, back, who was a 1958 letterman. Because of the large number of sophomores on the squad an anal ysis of prospects is difficult but among these first-year men are several prospects who could blos som into top-notch Southwest Con ference material. The speed in which they blossom will be the determining factor in A&M’s success this year, especial ly in view of the opener with LSU 'at Baton Rouge. . .Pressed for Time’ As Coach Jim Myers put it after spring training, “We’re pressed for time for the sophomores to devel op but this group of youngsters probably will mature very rapidly when submitted to the rapid-fire treatment they will receive at the hands of LSU’s three platoons in our opening game September 17.” Many feel that the 1960 soph omores at A&M surpass any since the 1955 crop of first-year men led by John David Crow, Charles Krueger, Loyd Taylor, et al, who opened with the defending national champions from UCLA and lost a 21-0 contest only to bounce back the next week and trim LSU 28-0 in the Cotton Bowl at Dallas. It appeared at the time that the young Aggies of 1955 took out all their frustration from the UCLA opener on a fine LSU team. At any rate the 1960 Aggies open with a powerhouse Tiger team and by mid-season it should be a mat ter of record whether or not the Aggies have matured. A&M lost nine lettermen from 1959, among them eight 3-year winners including six starters but in spite of the losses the 1960 squad could have a better record due to many factors. First there is the matter of competition at all positions. At least two men will be battling hard for every position, not only letter- men but sophomores and squad- men and hold-outs who failed to letter last fall but who showed up well in the spring. Secondly, the sophomores as mentioned before will greatly strengthen the squad at certain positions where they are needed. At the close of spring training Fullback Lee Roy Caffey, first- year man from Thorndale, was the only sophomore to earn a starting berth and pushing him is Sam Byer, another soph from Marlin. But at other spots soph omores are right on the heels of veterans and may move up after fall workouts begin September 1. Quarterbacking Problem On the debit side of the ledger is the quarterbacking and kicking game—both headaches for 1960 plans. Gone is Charlie Milstead, three-year quarterback, leader, passer and kicker deluxe. Milstead left 13 new records in the books at A&M and his replacement is hard to find. Anyone of four quarterback can didates could wind up with the job this fall and after spring training, none had earned the tag of No. 1. The four are Powell Berry,* senior from Snyder who lettered two seasons behind Mil stead; Daryle Keeling, junior squadman from Tyler; Ronnie Brice, soph from Andrews and Babe Craig, junior transfer from Tennessee. Among their assets, Berry is the best on defense and the most experienced; Brice has fine speed, and is a good runner and passer; Craig, a former tailback, is a good runner and passer and Keeling, who played some behind Milstead and Berry in 1959, does everything well. Along "with the quarterbacking headache, the kicking game suf fered when Milstead left. A top QB and passer, he also was an excellent kicker. Milstead was one of the nation’s top punters, both long and quick-kick. His toe will be missed greatly. As for the field goal and extra point department, Randy Sims re turns for his final season. The Houston Austin halfback set a new conference field goal record against Texas last Thanksgiving with a 51-yarder 10 seconds before the end of the first half. Among the major position changes in spring training in volved Wayne Freiling of San An tonio, a junior letterman; Bob Caskey of Gonzales, junior squad- man; Jack Estes of Olton, senior letterman and Kenneth Kipp, soph omore from Houston Milby. Freiling was moved from guard to tackle where he is currently No. 1 on the right side; Caskey was switched from fullback to right halfback; Estes from end to right half and Kipp from end to a de fensive quarterback. Kipp will be a defensive specialist. Estes was a freshman halfback in 1957 but has lettered at end the past two seasons. He currently is listed as No. 2 RHB behind Caskey. 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