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Show Gardner prepares cagers for '68 season 1 not win the WAC h t make for some excitiXij making their first appearence against the Utes. Rutgers and VMI will participate in the first annual Utah Classic in December, along with Colorado State. Sixteen intersectional games will give Utah fans a good cross section of American collegiate basketball, with 10 Western Athletic Conference contests rounding out the rugged schedule. Although there are no Jerry Chambers or Merv Jacksons dotting the roster for the coming season Coach Gardner and his assistants, Jerry Pimm and George Fisher have been working overtime to form their available material into a winning team. What they have developed may By Greg Fowler Staff Writer Head coach Bill Meek can sit back and relax, while Jack Gardner starts stocking in a season's supply of milk, because the athletic spotlight at Utah has shifted from football to the hardwood floor of Einar Nielson Fieldhouse and the 1968-69 basketball season. With the start of the casaba season only a few days off (the varsity will test the frosh Tuesday night), head coach, Jack Gardner faces many of the problems that hampered the football program, noticeably lack of experience, plus a tough schedule. Coach Gardner has never had a rebuilding problem like the one staring him in the face for the coming season. The loss of an All-American like Merv Jackson is one thing, but when all the first string players from the previous season are taken by graduation the problem becomes an almost insurmountable one. Rebuilding Program When a rebuilding program is called for, there is generally a foundation to build on, but even sophomores last season and saw only limited playing time. Three are guards, with the other playing the foward slot, leaving the key position of center with no experience whatsoever. Six Freshmen Move Up Gardner has brought up six members of last years freshman team to round out the '69 squad. If the Utes are to be competitive it will take the rapid development of these young sophomores. Guard Mike Newlin and forward Ken Gardner are the most promising of the group. Both may be in the starting lineup in their first varsity season. Two redshirts from last season, Jim Mahler and Dennis Cook, both 6' 10", will probably see most of the action in the center. And the only junior college transfer on the roster for this season, Walt Hopkins, a 6' 4" forward will bring some needed experience to the Redskins. Challenging Schedule As in football, the eager Utes will be facing a challenging schedule, including three teams Utah's foundation graduated. Six of the seven leading scorers from last year are gone and all seven of Utah's top rebounders have finished their college eligibility. Coach Gardner will need all of his tricks to gather what forces he has and build them into a winning team. But Gardner hasn't earned the nickname "Fox" for nothing, his record is one of the most impressive in the country, and if anyone is capable of rebuilding Utah's basketball team the Fox is. Jack Gardner and basketball in the intermountain West have become synonyms. He has been ( the head mentor at the University ., since 1953, during which time he has established a record that is , comparable to any coach in the nation. Championships From 1953 to 1968 he has won 293 games, almost 20 per season. He is one of the only coaches to take his squads to the finals of the NCAA Championships four times, and in 30 years of coaching, his teams have won 15 championships. At Utah his career record includes seven titles. One of the foremost authorities on basketball, Gardner has demonstrated the ability to mold winning teams from almost anything handy. Give Gardner a little to work with, and he can develope a team that will win games, if not a championship. And "little" is what Gardner has this year. Five lettermen will , return to the Utah hardwoods, but of that group only one has had any significant experience. Forward Joe English saw considerable action as both a , sophomore and junior, but English will be the only senior in the lineup this year. The other four were all |