Blackman Rebuilding

 

Blackman Rebuilding at Dartmouth; Only Three Starters Return From 1963 Ivy Co‐Champions

Sept. 8, 1964

HANOVER, N. H., Sept. 7—A winning football team has become a tradition at Dartmouth College since Bob Blackman became coach 10 years ago.

During that span the Indians won the Ivy League title outright in 1958 and 1962 and shared the championship with Princeton last season. The record is a strong testimonial to Blackman's dedication and perseverance: In nine previous seasons Dartmouth has won 54 games, lost 24 and tied three. The Indians have never finished lower than third in the league.

But this season it looks as if Blackmail's problems are real ones, and it will take all his concentation to solve them.

There are but three starters among the 16 letter‐men returning from 1963. Five linemen and three‐quarters of the backfield of that winning combination have been graduated.

So Blackman faces an almost complete rebuilding job with the second and third stringers of last year. The particular problems are at fullback, center and right guard.

The mainstays of the first unit are Ted Bracken and Ed Keible at left guard; Bob Komives at center; Tom Clarke of Ridgewood, N. J., at right end, and Capt. John McLean at right halfback.

These four gained valuable experience a year ago, but the other candidates on the 77-man squad are short on playing time. The other leading line candidates are Jaan Lumi of Port Washington, L. I., Jerry LaMontagne, Pete Sapione of Port Chester, N. Y., and Pete Frederick.

The backfield will be manned by Bob O'Brien at left halfback, Bruce Gottschall at quarterback and Mike Urbanic at fullback. Urbanic, a 200-pound junior, has been converted from right half to replace Dick Horton. Horton, a major league baseball prospect, has given up football to concentrate on the diamond.

Gottschall earned his letter last season mainly as a defensive back. Blackman says he is head and shoulders above any of the other quarterbacks right now. But Gottschall is a question mark as a passer, a department where Dartmouth's aerialists have been the league yardage leaders in four of the last six seasons.

Sapione's severe knee unjury, suffered a year ago, makes the right guard situation precarious. The 240-pound senior is unable to take part in any contact work, but if his knee heals quickly, Sapione will fill the line's trouble spot amply.

There's no question of Komives's ability. He is the anchor of the line. The problem is lack of depth behind him, and Blackman may have to do some switching to shore up the spot.

Despite limited varsity experience, Dartmouth's three platoons will be in the thick of the Ivy League race, Blackman believes. Captain McLean expressed it this way: “Maybe that inexperience will be our strong point. For two years most of us sat on the bench. We have no laurels to rest upon. The fellows who won the championships are gone. Now its our turn.”

 (c) from NYTimes

https://www.nytimes.com/1964/09/08/archives/blackman-rebuilding-at-dartmouth-only-three-starters-return-from.html