College Football: Don't Get Duffy Mad

In twelve years as head coach at Michigan State University, Hugh ("Duffy") Daugherty, 50 (TIME cover, Oct. 8, 1956), has learned to live with insults. He has had to. Michigan State has never won a Big Ten championship, and the Spartans have not been to the Rose Bowl since 1956. Alumni have written Duffy poison pen letters (including one that was mailed in Detroit and addressed simply to "Duffy the Dope"), and students have naturally hanged him in effigy. Daugherty has taken it all with rare humor. "A football coach's main problem," he shrugs, "is that he is responsible to irresponsible people." He once confided to a newsman: "Look, I have a couple of big freshmen linemen preparing for a special job. At the end of the game, win or lose, they are going to hoist me to their shoulders and carry me off the field. Then fans in the stands will say: There goes Duffy again. He might not be much of a coach, but his players sure love him.' "

In the Cards. It took a long while, but somebody finally got under Duffy Daugherty's Scotch-Irish skin. Last summer Big Ten sportswriters picked Michigan State to finish no better than fourth in the conference, and M.S.U.'s own publicity people handed out releases suggesting that the Spartans would "have difficulty bettering last year's 4-5 record." Duffy's answer was to send a personal postcard to every member of his team, outlining a four-week program of good food and exercise that they were to complete before reporting for practice.

Daugherty even did sit-ups himself—and the results exceeded his fondest expectations. Tackle Don Bierowicz left school last June weighing 211 Ibs., came back weighing a hard 231 Ibs. Middle Linebacker Harold Lucas weighed 257 Ibs. in June, was up to 286 Ibs. when practice started. Defensive End Charles ("Bubba") Smith, a 241-pounder in 1964, reported back at 268 Ibs.

In their opening game the beefed-up Spartans knocked off U.C.L.A. 13-3—no mean accomplishment as it turned out, since by last week U.C.L.A. was the nation's No. 6-ranked team. Then in quick succession they rattled off victories over Penn State (23-0), Illinois (22-12), Michigan (24-7), Ohio State (32-7), Purdue (14-10) and Northwestern (49-7). Going into last week's game with Iowa, the unbeaten Spartans were ranked No.1 in the U.S., needed only to beat the hapless (season's record: 1-6) Hawkeyes to assure themselves at least a tie for the Big Ten championship and, perhaps, a trip to the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. Halfback Clinton Jones ran for four touchdowns, Dwight Lee scampered 14 yds. for another, and Hawaii's Dick Kenney—who kicks the ball barefooted —footed five perfect placements as the Spartans won 35-0.