European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 18, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday november 1 a 1988 the stars and stripes Page 25 commentary Rhein main in t left out with Smith you 9uestion the Rhein main rockets and Tony Smith. Can a team win a Safe championship with a second string quarterback Well yes. They la prove it sunday when they ride Smith s left rocket to a 17-7 Victory Over the taken Heath eagles. Just like they Rode Smith s left sidewinder to play off bombings of Sam Bali and Ramstein which meant a Continental sports conference championship for Rhein main for the first time since watergate. Smith s left Arm has been so hot you forget he was second string throughout the regular season. Second siring hat is until Tor Hill got suspended after a drug test leaving he quarterback Job for Iii 6-foot, ibs . Fla. So now Smith has the Best football team in Europe these 10-0 rockets on the verge of greatness. An i Jyh Victory would make this rocket edition the biggest winning team in Rhein main s glorious his tory. And maybe make these rockets one of inc finest teams in Safe history. You scoff you recall the great Wiesbaden teams of the 1960s and 70s? the Pitburg dynasty of 1976 78? Ramstein s 12-0 rams of 1984? absolutely those were among the greatest. Bui Here s a Case for the 198s rockets. Probably no team was As deep As these Guys. It did l Mailer who went Down Rhein main Hada serious football player to replace him. All Star tight end Scott Wilbur injured bring on t. Coltman air Force Academy tailback Gerald Mason out Send in Eric Huber. All Star nose guard Mike Drew going to the air Force Power lifting championships instead of the Safe final go get James my Ashur. Hiil suspended you re on. Tony Smith. And Rhein main has t lost a step much less a game. How Many teams could win a championship like that upper Heyford without Terry Zitkovich at quarterback in 19827 maybe. Ramstein without Jeff Wilson calling signals in 19847 no. Another Case Pitburg 85. The Barons banged through the Csc at an average clip of 44-3. Absolutely the most devastating Safe team of the1980s. Bui before the playoffs they lost quarterback Ray Ransom and linebacker Dennis hues on. Fenil round playoff result Hahn 14, Pitburg 13. No depth. Even Leon haves the Hahn coach Back then later remarked that the upset was easy. Bit Burg had a two Man learn. Stop Dwayne Harp and Freddie Miller and you win 1 with Rhein main where did you Start with Hill the Guy was terrific hitting 53 percent of his passes and leading Rhein main to its killer Victory of the Bucky foxs45 gu5 Schmo tour Tony Smith he guided pm to two playoff wins year that 20-13 Combacker Over Span Dahlem. Without Tor Hill throwing the football said Lind Scy coach Gary Covington Rhein main would nol go 8-0." no How about 10-07 in the last regular season game. Smith took Over in the second half and passed for four touchdowns plus sneaked for a to in Rhein main s 51-0 pasting of Lindsey. That was easily the mightiest quarterback no performance of inc year. Rinallo Fusaye. Come playoff time Hill was out and Smith was the rockets starter. He responded Wilh two to passes in a 21-0 waxing of Simbach then a to pass and run in a 31-15 rout of Ramstein for the Csc title All of which made Rhein main coach Warren Stanley sound exactly right. He said ail year i have the two Best quarterbacks in at tint you thought of yeah then Why did you stick with Hill when your team trailed 13-0 to Spang Dahlum in the fourth Quarter now you think Smith could be brought the rockets Back Rhein main s players certainly have Confidence in Smith. The Only reason Tor started Over him was Tor s ability to run said tight end t. Coltman. If you give Tony Lime hell pick apart any secondary Over Here.",. Coltman said that at tuesday s practice. When Smith sent a Bullet flying Coleman added there s the Premiss Spivey who caught that Bullet offered the Way we practice All year we did it equal. It s not like we had four games Wilh one quarterback. Tony was Smith 22, was actually the Veteran Rhein main quarterback when this Leaion started. He had split a a time with Gerald Fraylon in 1987, and started the 88 opener against Simbach. But when Hill ral lied the troops in week 3 at Span Dahlem he Wasno i. I was living with it says Smith of those second string Days. Early in the season we were going two quarters apiece but then he Stanley decided to go with Tor. If not for the relationship Tor and 1 had 1 would be been a Little ticked off. But we got Here s How close they arc in saturday s Csc final Hill advised Smith on the Rhein main Side line. Tor called the says Smith of his 19 Yard to pass to Spivey. He said look for inc do on Spivey he s getting turned around he was right. When Spivey hooked tic do came in front of him. Spivey walked off him and Well to the end zone. He was All helped a lot. When he was in a game i helped him. When i was in he would help that could happen again if Hill makes it to England As a fan. Stanley said he would Welcome his old starter on the rocket sideline again. That kind of affection makes for a winning atmosphere. And what the Heck Smith will take Hill s advice any Day especially inc Day of a big game. I love it says Smith of the Safe title game. It s the biggest since High school that was five years ago. When Smith s washing ton High team out of Pensacola played an Orlando team in the Florida aaa semifinals. Smith s team most thai won t happen sunday. Blaik army has its Best team since 58 by John Kekis West Point . A at 91, Earl red Blaik still follows army fool Ball. This year he likes what he sees. In i the Busl team since 1958." said Blaik army s coach from 1941 to 1958, when the cadets were a National Power and won National championships in 1944 and 1945 behind the running of Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard. I m very Happy. They re my s team is 8-1 and Riding a seven game winning Streak army s longest since 1954. Blaik provides a lasting inspiration tothe teams of the Jim Young Era. His Book you pay the Price begins and ends Wilh i Lay me Down for to bleed awhile and i will Rise 10 tight with you Young who took Over As coach in 1983, has those words emblazoned on a sign above the door of inc football team s meeting room at West Point in 1983 i decided we needed some thing Young said. We Pul ii up in the Rose bowl when Navy beat us in inc season finale the words offer More than inspiration providing an Apt description of Whyl army football has been through since the Blaik years when the cadets were an impressive 121-33-10. Things began to change Atmos immediately after Blaik retired. The 1960sand 1970s turned into a football fiasco for the service academies. The Rise in popu Larity of pro football sent athletes to schools whose graduates consistently made Illo the unpopular Viet Nam War made Fielding a competitive football team a losing proposition Espe Dally against killer schedules that included such powerhouses As Nebraska notre Dame and Penn army can t use 280-Pound line men they won t fit into were no More 59-0 victories Over notre Dame. Shutouts army posted 27 in Blaik s first seven seasons usually featured the cadets with the Zero. Players struggled to survive let alone win even when Leamon Hall was Selling All sorts of passing records in the late 1970s. After five straight losing seasons under Lou Saban and de Cavanaugh. Army contacted Young and he jumped at the Chance. "1 wanted to come Here because i thought it would be an exciting situation certainly a challenging one said Young who has guided the cadets to triumphs in the Only bowl games the school has Ever played the 1984 Cherry bowl and inc 1985 peach bowl. The turning Point in the Challenge came in 1984, when Young decided to copy air Force and adopt the Wishbone offence. Before that army suffered through 10 losing seasons in an 11-year Span. Since picking up the Wishbone the cadets Are 37-18-1."melt we had to run an option of sense Young said. There s physical reasons. We Don t have big linemen so if you re not As big and Strong As somebody the option is the Way to go and he added the offence Mirror the army Way of life in that there s discipline and teamwork despite the five year service commit ment facing players upon graduation. Army football is thriving again. The Ca dets led he nation in Rushing with 345.3 Yards a game in 1984, were second in 1985 and fifth in 1986 and 1987. They re third in 88 Wilh a 370.7 average. Mkt my wether West Point s leading rusher
