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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 22, 1963)
rei administrate and the % pearing at yt. all games as:, dich the entin bulky. OX HAND contests on. plays at many games. The date by the mgeles, Calif., [ ben A&M me: empetition. i said last % t both Baton! >ock this seas; R. In previous 1 alternated an i'exas Tech hallj also travels li n Texas eaehyi js Trip parait ry two years inuguration. FRESHMAN EDITION BATTALION COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 196?, SECTION FOUR v « -x --T-y Changes In Backfield Counted On For ’63 IFTER 3-7 RECORD LAST YEAR v........ ....v , CENTER RAY KUBALA . . . Aggies’ all-everything prospect for 1963 A stronger, more experienced line, a re-arranged backfield and a simplified offense are what Head Coach Hank Foldberg is counting on to improve on last season’s 3-7 record for A&M football. Southwest Conference experts predict a middle-of-the-field finish for the Cadets this season—some thing compai’able to last year’s tie for fourth and fifth among the eight teams. But most of them also agree A&M is the best bet for a dark horse that could sneak up on the established league giants. REGARDLESS OF rankings and records, when the season ends in December A&M opponents are sure to have bad memories of the Ag gies forward wall. The menacing, seven-man front will be led by 249-pound Ray Kubala, the Cadets All-everything prospect for 1963. The 6-4 center and middle line backer from West forgot he was supposed to be an under-study to All-SWC center Jerry Hopkins last season and ended up being honored as the Ags’ outstanding lineman. A senior, Kubala will captain the Farmers this season. SERVING AS alternate captain will be 6-2, 220-pound Ronnie Car penter, to whom Foldberg looks for much-needed improvement at end. The senior from Marshall owns two varsity letters and is counted among A&M’s four all- star candidates. Besides Kubala and Carpenter, Coaches Start Soph Season Man rear ndertf^ A&M’s football coaching staff ill begin its sophomore season lis year. Head Coach and Athletic Direct- Hank Foldberg and his assist- its turned in a 3-7 record in 1962 id the team ended up in a tie for mrth in the Southwest Confer- ice. Foldberg came to A&M eai’ly the spring of 1962 after a suc- ssful playing career here and at r est Point, and a two-year coach- ig stint at the University of iichita. With him he brought as- stants Leonard Brown, Dick Anson, Jack O’Brien, Craig Ran- all, Neil Schmidt and Joel Wahl- erg. li Retained on the staff from the ini Myers era was Elmer Smith, ’ho has been on the Aggie staff nee 1954. Following is a brief capsule on leh of the Aggie coaches: ★ ★ ★ Foldberg was twice an All-Amer- | Sn end with Army’s great teams I f the mid-forties and further dis- Aguished as “coach of the year” > the Missouri Valley Conference 1960. He was born in Dallas and aduated from Sunset High pool. Following graduation he ttered in football, basketball and aeball at A&M before accepting I appointment to West Point. Leaving the Academy in 1948, •Idberg played professional foot- II with the Brooklyn Dodgers and ‘icago Hornets of the old Ameri- Football League. He began ®<’hing in 1950 at Purdue, and in 51 came back to A&M as an sistant to Ray George. Hie following year he when to University of Florida, where served as an assistant for eight to-s before accepting the Wichita l3 t in I960. ★ ★ ★ Brown, a 1947 graduate of the n >versity of Missouri, joined iddbevg at Wichita in 1960 and lei i followed him to A&M. fvz the Tigers of Missouri town lettered three times, making All-Big Six team as a quarter- his senior year, when the Tig- captured the Cotton Bowl »me. Coaching posts have taken wn to Multon, Mo., high school, kson High School in Miami, Panama City, Fla., high school, and Lamar Tech in Beau mont. Before joining the Wichita staff he was head coach and athletic director of West Palm Beach, Fla., high school and recorded a 28-13-1 record. ★ ★ ★ Johnson, only 24, graduated from the University of Wichita in 1961 after winning three letters as a quarterback under Foldberg. He was named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference team in 1960. As a collegian Johnson set Wichita passing records with 34 completions of 62 tries as a senior while leading the team in rushing with 370 yards, in passing with 551 yards and scored 44 points, tops in the conference, Randall, also a youngster at only 29, is a 1956 gi-aduate of Colgate University, where he played under Coach Hal Lahat and was a stand out lacrosse player. After finishing college Randall coached both football and lacrosse at Colgate, and later at West Point. He a native of Locust Valley, N. Y. ★ ★ ★ Although a Pennsylvania native, O’Brien has made a name for him self in football in Florida. He was a standout end at the University HANK FOLDBERG begins soph season as grid coach of Florida in 1950-53, where he captained the team and made All- Southeastern Conference in 1953. O’Brien played under Foldberg at Florida and coached at Boone High School in Orlando, Fla., after a pro career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In his only other coaching job, at Boone High School, he averaged eight victories per season. ★ ★ ★ A former Purdue Star, Schmidt comes to A&M with 11 years of coaching experience and an envi able playing background. In 1951 as a Purdue graduate Schmidt was awarded the Big Ten Medal for combined proficiency in scholarship and athletic and the Gimet Trophy as “the senior athletic judged to be most out standing” in his four years at Purdue. The ace halfback also starred in basketball. Following graduation he served at an Indiana high school before returning to Purdue in 1952 as a freshman assistant. From there he went to two other high schools before joining Fold berg at Wichita in 1960. He is a combat veteran of World War II and was awarded a battle star in Okinawa. ★ ★ ★ The local dean of the staff, Smith came to A&M in 1954 after winning two state titles and com piling a 54-27-2 record at Southern Arkansas State College. Prior to that he had coached at Centenary in Shereveport, La., and was a professional baseball player. At Hendrix College in Arkansas, where he graduated in 1931, Smith was a four-sport letterman and one of the school’s all-time greats. He was a Na\ r y lieutenant com mander in World War II. ★ ★ ★ Wahlberg, 26, a native Texan has played high school football in Corpus Christi and was recruited by Foldberg fi-om the University of Florida. At Florida he was the starting center on the school’s best team in 29 years in 1957 and won All- Florida honors. He assisted at Florida in 1958- 59 and followed Foldberg to Wichi ta in 1960. His 1959 Freshman team at Florida was unbeaten. there will be 18 lettermen return ing; 12 of them juniors. The rest of the team will be made up of green, but promising, youngsters. The two captains are only part of the reason for optimism about the line. Melvin Simmons, who made second team All-SWC last year as a sophomore tackle, has been switched to guard. The 6-1, 210-pounder from Odes sa will lead a guard corps con sisting of lettermen Ronnie Moore, 6-1, 215 - pounds from Browmyood, Yancy Bounds, 6-0, 205 from Cart hage; and Squadman Mike Swan 6-1, 206 of Athens. THE BIG question-mark in the line is the tackle slot. Here the Ags lack experienced depth. With Simmons moved next to the cen ter, 6-4, 220-pound James Craig of Jasper and 6-1, 2-6-pound Ray Gene Hinze will be the only letter- men tackles. But a pair of lads named Ward were “pleasant surprises” during spring training. The coaches ex pect Waylon, a 6-3, 220-pounder from Mount Pleasant and Bill, 6-3, 210-pounder from Austin, to end their tackle worries. Added strength at the tackle may come from sophs Larry Florence, 6-4, 230 of Abernathy and Don West, 6-2, 210 of Corpus Christi. LAST YEAR’S SORESPOT, the end position, should pull its load this time around. Carpenter is the only senior but expexuence at the other flanker spot will come from John Brotherton, 6-2, 208-pounder from Mineola, who has proved an able blocker and receiver. Backing them up will be Richai’d Whatley, a 6-3, 195-pound Port Lavaca sophomore and James Drennan, 6-4, 196-pound junior let terman from Hooks. Joe Wellborn, a 6-1, 210-pound soph looks now to be Kubala’s chief support at center. The Houston lad will glso get competition from junior Donnie Mai'tell and soph Gary Williams. Barring possible injuries, A&M’s 1963 line should bp as good as any thing the SWC can offer this year. BUT IT TAKES four more men to round out the team and this year’s backfield will make or break the Aggies. At this stage the fullback slot looks to be no problem. Low-run ning, hard-hitting Jerry Rogers, a 5-11, 207-pounder from Corpus Christi, is back after missing all but three games last season with a bad knee. Backing up Rogers will be Ken McLean, moved ■ from end at the last of spring training; Mike Khol- man, who turned in impressive play last year as a sub; and Jerry Kachtik, a standout sophomore dur ing spring- drills. McLean is 5-11 and weighs 195, Kohlman is 5-11 at 205 and Kachtik is 6-1, 195 pounds and still growing. Graced with experience and ample speed, the big halfback deficit is size. Five lettermen will be battling it out for the two start ing- positions. LEADING THE RACE for half back at the end of spring training were seniors Travis Reagan, 5-7, 171-pounder from Wichita Falls and George Hargett, 5-9, 170- pounder from Linden. Both own two varsity letters. Right on their heels were letter- men Mike Pitman, 5-11, 159 of Dal las and Henry Boxley, 5-11, 180 from Bryan. As a soph last season, little Pitman had developed into a Aggie ’63 Schedule Date Opponent Place Sept. 21 LSU Baton Rouge Sept. 28 Ohio State Columbus Oct. 5 Texas Tech Lubbock Oct. 12 Houston Here Oct. 19 TCU Fort Worth Oct. 26 Baylor Here Nov. 2 Arkansas Little Rock Nov. 9 . SMU Here Nov. 16 Rice Houston Nov. 28 Texas Here mam mm ■ 1 I ppg « standout performer on defense by the middle of the year. Other lettermen in the scramble are 6-0, 173-pound Tommy Meeks of Bryan and 6-1, 187-pound Jim Willenborg, moved from quarter back during spring drills. Top soph material at halfback will come in the forms of 6-2, 188- pound Bubber Collins from San Antonio and 5-11, 185-pound Jim Stabler from Dallas. THE OTHER big backfield problem for the ’63 Aggies is the all-important quarterback slqt. Jim Linnstaedter, A&M’s leading ball carrier as a junior last year, was shifted from halfback during spring training-. As it looks now, the 5-11, 165- pound two-year letterman from Brenham will be the starting field general. He is backed by 6-4, 194- pound Jim Keller from Terrell; 5- 11, 182-pound Danny Mcllhany from South Houston; and 6-3, 190- pound transfer Bill Uzzell from Eagle Lake. A&M’s success in the forthcom ing campaign will largely depend on the halfbacks making up for their lack of size and performance at quarterback. The Fai-mers lacked offensive punch last season and Foldberg hopes a more simplified attack, bolstered by the increased line strength, will provide it. THE LEADING SCORER last year was place-kicker Mike Clark, who’ll be starting his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles this fall. His absence shouldn’t be noticed, however, with sophomore specialist Bob Lee from San An tonio on the roster. While they were low on the list of ground and air gainers in the league last season, the Aggies finished among the top three de fensive squads. They probably would have been out in front if leaks in the pass-defense had been plugged. This year’s defqjise should be better—or at least equal to—the stingy unit of 1962. QUARTERBACK JIM LINNSTAEDTER . . . may be solution to offensive problems