STARS NO. 1 RUSHING OFFENSE TAKES ON TEXANS NO. 1 RUSHING DEFENSE

The No. 1's will be after each other this Wednesday night, August 21st at Downing Stadium (8:05 PM), as Babe Parilli's New York Stars, with the top rushing offense in the WFL, take on Jim Garrett's Houston Texans, boasters of the No. 1 rushing defense in the league.

Garrett, last year the head defensive coach of the New York Giants, has molded a front line of long-toothed pros. Houston's front four totals an amazing 41 years of pro experience. There's Left End Joe Robb (13), LT Jim Kanicki (10), RT Al Dotson (8), and RE Don Brumm (10). These Texans have allowed a sparse 112 yards per game, and only two TD's on the ground.

But Parilli, one of the top passers of all time, has built a ground game worthy of the challenge. The offensive line, coached by Stew Barber, has consistently blown out their opponents in the team's first six games, to rank as perhaps the top line in the league. TE Ray Parson, RT Rick Sharp, RG Larry Butler, C Bob Kuziel, LG Dick Hart and LT Matt Herkenhoff have opened the holes through which the likes of Bob Gladieux, Ed White, Andy Huff and Dave Richards have poured. Offensive backfield coach Tom Moore's charges have galloped for 1071 yards, a 178.5 yard average, and 11 TD's (the latter being the second-best total in the league).

If the battle of No. 1's turns into a standoff, Parilli can bank his fourth-ranked defense, which has allowed only 267.7 yards per game, to bottle up the Texans last-place offense. Houston Quarterback Mike Taliaferro, who, incidentally, was the man the New York Jets exchanged for Parilli in their championship 1968 season, has not been able to get the Texans rolling. Houston was beaten last week by the Southern California Sun, 18-7, and ranks as the poorest offense in the league, with a per-game average of only 200 yards.

The Stars fourth-ranked passing defense, and their rushing defense, which, like Houston's front-line, has given up only two scores via the ground, should be able to bottle up the Texans. Jim Nance, ex-Jet is the top Texan threat with 304 yards for a 3.2 average and two TD's.