Imperial Valley Press

You've heard of master mind football coaches. and scoffed at the idea of a super strategist. But up at Illinois University in the Big Ten there is a mentor who has been outguessing his rivals for 25 years Following is a review of Bob Zuppke's success as painted by Steve Snider of the United Press.

CHICAGO. NOV. 9. (U.P.) - Bob Zuppke was a bustling high school coach traveling among giants when he showed up at Illinois 25 years ago with a flock of new ideas on how to win Big Ten football championships and he's been a step ahead of the pack ever since. This is Zup's silver jubilee year at Illinois Somewhere along the way. he invented the huddle. the flea flicker: and flying trapeze. He rode the crest with the fleeting Galloping Ghost-Harold (Red) Grange: grew famous for his upset victories. and in 1934 nursed within one game of the conference title 11 little iron men who were so small any other big time coach might have laughed them off the field when they first reported for practice. Zup's 25th season already is a rousing success-with one major victory. a tie and two defeats. His plucky Illini. described by Zup. himself. as a team "with two lines and half a backfield," weren't given a chance against a Notre Dame squad touted as the coming national champions. but they held the Irish to a scoreless tie. Only Saturday. he pulled another game out of his hat by defeating Northwestern's Big Ten champions who were on the upgrade after losing to Ohio State. In the Northwestern game. he had to devise a defense strong enough to hold the Wildcats scoreless while his backs prayed for the breaks and a touchdown. He stopped Northwestern with a trick defense which shifted rapidly from his customary six man line to a seven man forward wall and even into a 5-4-2 formation. Northwestern's great backs-Capt. Don Heap. Bernie Jefferson and Bob Swisher- were baffled. On offense. the Illini used the new "pinwheel" formation Zup devised "to help the kids get started faster". His backs lined up usually facing three different directions. Any one of the four could receive the center's pass and be off in a flash. Zuppke's jubilee celebration apparently has been celebrated just a year too soon. Most of his linemen will be back next season and coming up from a powerful freshman squad are a half dozen of the finest backfield prospects Zup has seen in all his years.