Show I IG G R CE OU might not think that football YOU was back with May on its w way y to June but football is always back It has bas few intermissions now from January to January January Janu 1 ary when you pack in spring practice and the never y n ing flow of football Y talk I found this thin true again on a are re recent recent cent jaunt through the Southeast where X record squads were busy at spring practice In Florida r d Georgia Alabama and the Carolinas Carolina Many of these practice delegations ran from to men The early enthusiasm far beyond beyond be be- even under blazing suns was yond normal I ran into Wally Butts Georgias Georgia's coach who coyly admitted his 1946 1948 Bulldogs would be better than fair Wo We had bad no line last fall rall Wally Nally said but we have a good Use line now non and with on hand for the backfield plus a few more we hope to be ready for Alabama and Okla Oklahoma homa A. A and M. M to mention only two Also L SU In the meanwhile Alabama and Oklahoma A A. and M. M are facing the chance of losing Harry Gilmer am and Bob Fenimore two America All stars The beckoning finger of the army draft has called both for a physical test These two have been in the 4 F 4 F class the last two sea sons But if they are taken there can be no replacements to match their worth Alabama has a great grea squad But losing Gilmer is like Ilk losing a Sammy Baugh or a Luck man Losing Fenimore the pound sprinter passer and kicker would be no worse than the army anny losing Doc Blanchard Florida Full o of 0 Hope Hone Florida was running a high football football football foot foot- ball fever Ray Wolf and a new nev strong staff are now at Florida with th the best Gator prospects In hi several seasons Miami university Orange Orang Bowl winner over Holy Cross expects expects ex ex- to have a much better team than the 1945 squad backfield coach at North Carolina reports the arrival arrival ar ar- ar rival of or halfback Justice at Chapel Chape Hill plus pins several additions that Carl Car Snavely Suavely can use with considerable pleasure I also received the news new that Bob Dob Neyland will have another Tennesse Tennes squad that will be hard liar to clean away Also that Wallace Wallac Wade back at Duke is busier than tha ten swarms of or bees getting read ready for a hard campaign Southern teams have a still stiff spring training grind and they are busier busie than usual with so many Bowls t to tobe tobe be filled next year With Neyland and Wade back they also face tace keener keen keen- er competition especially if it Frank Thomas at Alabama loses Gilmer No one can say yet what Henry Frnka will have at Tulane but you youcan youcan youcan can gamble the Green Wave is rollIng rolling roll roU Ing forward It might also be noted that no one can say yet Just how ho many good football players th the draft will remove from the scene all al allover allover over the map This draft procedure will wreck some teams while missIng missing missing miss miss- ing others completely Arn Army and Notre Dante Dame We ran into several Notre Dame ex stars ex-stars stars who advised us to keep an eye on Frank Leahy's 1946 1046 squad The last two Army teams piled up points against us in 1944 and 1945 1045 A bea beating tIng is one thing A massacre is something else But Bu brother it Is going to be different in 1946 Notre Dame will be therewith there therewith therewith with what it takes This means line backfield power and speed Leahy will have both Kelly and Mello back Here lIere are two of ot the best backs Notre Noire Dame has known in years nut Cut they are arc anI only a small smal part of the material now on hand for spring sprin practice at South Bend You dont don't figure any Army pushover pushover push push- over I asked the Notre Darner Damer Certainly not But Army wont won't be the Army of 1944 19 and 1945 Why The line Yes Army will have or should have the best backfield in football headed by Blanchard Davis Da vis and Tucker But dont don't forget forge Army has lost a number of valuable linemen and that Army Anny line has been a big factor In their victories In the meanwhile Capt Tom Hamilton now on the job at Navy finds himself caught between n two fires fires Army Army and Notre Dame Tom Hamilton Is not ol only y one of the best coaches in football but one of the best Inspirational leaders Hamilton Hamilton Hamil ton has the foundation or basis for fora a hustling fighting squad that can make it extremely uncomfortable for any opponent on Navys Navy's schedule Michigan's Troubles Hamilton was the one man who saved college football during the war At least he did more for tor the cause than any other three men meu I know about One team that may acquire more than its share of draft trouble is Michigan l Last fall Call Fritz Crisler had 18 freshmen on his squad 8 of whom were classed among his regulars The Wolverines Wolver Wolver- toes ines had one of the youngest squads In n the country and for tor this reason may suffer heavier casualties |