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Crippled Terps Off to Play Duke With Pass Defense Big WorryBy Merrell WhittleseyCoach Jim Tatum reminded his Durham-bound University of Maryland football team today that it already has given up three more points in five games this year than it did in 10 last year, and he wants the Terps sharp on defense against Duke tomorrow.In winning 9 of 10 games in 1949. Maryland’s stout defense held the opposition to 82 points, with only Michigan State. George Washington and Boston U. scoring more than one touchdown. They each scored two.This year, the Terps have given up 85 points in five games and held only Michigan State, which is supposed to be the best team they have played, to one touchdown. Georgia scored 27 points. Navy 21. N. C. State 16 and Georgetown 14.Only against Navy were the points scored against players other than Maryland's top defensive outfit. Several of the touchdowns were made easy by Maryland fumbles in its own territory. and Tatum has been stressing tight ball-handling all week.Cox Is Big Aerial Threat.Duke does not figure to be too much of a threat on the ground tomorrow, but Maryland’s pass defense will have to be alert. The Terps have not met with a passer this year who boasts a record comparable to Duke’s Billy Cox. second in the national statistics in the passing department.And Maryland couldn’t meet up with Cox at a more inopportune time as the Terps are hard hit by injuries in the pass-defense department. Buck Earley was lost for the season in the Navy game; Lynn Davis will be out at least another week with a shoulder fracture, and Johnny Idzik has been taking it easy this week, favoring a shoulder injury.Cox. for all his completions, has had nine passes intercepted and if Maryland had Earley, Davis and Idzik roaming in the secondary on defense, Tatum would have fewer (worries. As it is his pass defense setup will be patched up.Terps Have Busy Week.Maryland’s 44-man squad left by chartered plane at noon, and in addition to studying defensive charts on the plane, the Terps had an afternoon meeting scheduled on arrival. This has been a busy week, marking the firsttime the lights have been turned on for practice, as Tatum and his aides shoot for Maryland’s first victory over the Blue Devils.Each week Maryland is forced to dig into its reserve strength to replace key men. and unless the battered Terps show quick improvement. the injury list tomorrow may be the tops for the season.Earley and Davis, of course, will not even make the trip. Then there’s Idzik with his ailing shoulder. Ed Modzelewski and Jake Rowden limping with leg and ankle hurts. Joe Petruzzo still bothered by a shakeup received in practice on Wednesday and Ed Fullerton under wraps with a bad leg.Duke lost only one game to ^Maryland’s two, but its opposition %is not considered as tough, ar.c the Terps rule slight choices to rebound from the NC State defeat with a victory.i(ji
Newspaper Details
Washington Evening Star
Washington, Washington-DC, US
Fri, Oct 27, 1950
Page 125
Full Page
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MD, USA 01 Nov 2024
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