From the Halls of Siwash . . .

This year the Marines made college football. This week they are wrecking it.

Long before the beginning of one of the dizziest football seasons ever, Marine procurement officers scoured the colleges for the biggest, healthiest men--ideal Marine officer material. Many were naturally athletes. This week most of them (and some Navy trainees) move on from their foster alma maters to active training. The transfers will leave gaping holes in all but two of the top U.S. elevens:

> Alonzo Stagg's College of the Pacific team (which lost its glowing chance fortnight ago of representing the West Coast in the Rose Bowl) now loses six regulars and four substitutes, all Marines.

> Southern California's brilliant Howard Callahan leaves for further Navy training. U.S.C. also loses three Marines--both starting ends and its All-Coast quarter back.

> Washington is lucky: only three of the nine Marines in its starting line-up are being transferred. (If it can hurdle transportation restrictions and beat unscored-on Southern California, Washington is almost certain for the Rose Bowl.)

> Unbeaten in seven games, Purdue is hardest hit of all. Gone are nine Marines, including the nation's leading ground-gainer, Tony Butkovich.

> Powerhouse Duke, top-ranker in the South, loses more than half its squad by Marine transfers.

> Michigan's star fullback, All-America (at Minnesota) Bill Daley, is moving on for Navy training. Also missing are a star tackle (Navy) and halfback (Marine).

> Pennsylvania has already lost six players, but one came back. As a civilian, Bob Odell was the standout back in the sere Ivy League. Last week he was inducted into V12, and immediately assigned --to Pennsylvania. Two days later Navyman Odell streaked 40 yards for a touchdown that helped tie favored but mud-bogged Army, 13-13.

> Notre Dame loses only one regular, Marine Angelo Bertelli. But he is the No. 1 quarterback and passer in the U.S. and the key to the offense that has won six straight for the Irish. In his final college football game (at least for the duration) Bertelli last week threw three passes for touchdowns, scored one more himself, added two points after touchdowns, as Notre Dame romped over Navy, 33-6.

New crops of trainees are not promising, but the Marines (and Navy) have stayed just long enough. In the month of football still left, only two games stand out. This week unbeaten Army tackles Notre Dame, still rated the nation's most potent eleven despite the loss of Bertelli. Three weeks later comes the famed Army-Navy game. Among the strongest teams in the U.S., they alone are unaffected by transfer orders from Marine and Navy personnel bureaus.

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