Football: What Might Have Been

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No one really expected the College All-Stars to beat the mighty Cleveland Browns in last week's game at Chicago's Soldier Field. After all, the All-Stars were only inexperienced rookies who had practiced together a mere three weeks before taking on the seasoned National Football League champions.

For the first 2½ periods, the game —played in a soaking rain—lived up to expectations. Though not nearly so sharp as usual, the Browns nevertheless displayed massive power and diversity, scoring by ground, by pass and, in a pinch, by a field goal off the talented toe of ancient (41) Lou Groza. The All-Star offense was buried under about one ton of Brown linemen and line backers. Navy's famed Roger Staubach, the starting quarterback, was helped off the field in the second quarter with a dislocated shoulder. His replacement, California's Craig Morton, completed only two passes for a total of 9 yds. The All-Stars dragged behind the Cleveland Browns 24-3.

Then Coach Otto Graham sent in a new quarterback—Notre Dame's John Huarte (pronounced Hew-art), 22, last year's Heisman Trophy winner. In a matter of seconds, the 68,000 spectators were sitting up and beginning to wonder who was the pro and who the amateur. Calmly sidestepping blitzing Brown linebackers, Huarte effortlessly picked apart the Cleveland pass defense. In one spectacular stretch in the third quarter, he completed six consecutive passes, moved the All-Stars 80 yds. for their first touchdown. The next time he got the ball, he did it again. The score: Browns 24, All-Stars 16. Thoroughly alarmed, the Browns got the ball in the remaining four minutes of the game, held onto it for dear life till the clock ran out.

As newsmen rushed into the All-Star dressing room after the game, Coach Graham held up both hands in mock surrender. "I know what question you're going to ask. Why didn't I put Huarte in sooner? Well, that's the way we had them listed: Staubach, Morton, Huarte. But I'll be second-guessed about this for months." Even years, maybe.