The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-11
!. Quarter back; 2. Fake runner
this principle in the surprising rush
which Harvard made at Springfield every

body admits.
The conservatism of football players is
indicated by the fact that when Mr.. De-
land sought to apply the result of his
studies to the Harvard eleven he was
looked upon as a theorist, with no prac-
teal knowledge of the game. Nobody
favored his plans, and had he not per-
sisted, he never could have got Harvard
to try them. As matters were. the flank
wedge with momentum" which electrified
Springfield, was not put into practice
until the week of the game, and even then
but little attention was given to it. On
the Wednesday before the game some rad
ical changes we're made in the position of
the men, and with these changed posi-
tons the play was never rehearsed against
any opposing eleven. So in the Yale
game the stratagem was for the first time
put to actual test with the men in their
new places. Mr.. Deland accordingly be-
lieves that the gain of twenty yards made
by this play was not half what should be
made.
To explain this play without diagram
is rather difficult. The trick is intended
for use when the ball is first put into play.
The usual opening play is to form wedge,
and with this try to drive through the OPP
posing line. For starting this flank wedge
the quarterback stands alone on the line
holding the bali, Five or six yards back
of him and little to the right stands an
other man, called the flake runner" Ten
or fifteen yards back of the man with the
ball aud twenty to the right. four of the
heaviest men of the team stand in line.
Five of the lighter ones are punched few
yards back OF the bail and to the left.
When the play begins the line of heavy
men start at full speed. and in close single
file for the ball. There is thus driving
diagonally across the field a heavy col
umn, with much momentum. Just before
the head man of this column reaches the
ball the quarterback touches the bali
down, putting it into play. This Is the
signal for the opposing men to rush for
the ball; but instead of meeting the old
fashioned wedge, which would be barely
under way, they are blocked off by the
heavy flying column, going at full speed,
and now in front of the ball. While this
play is being made. the five light men.
formed into a cross, have moved more
slowly to the point where the ball was. for
they have a comparatively short distance
to go. Thus the man with the ball has in
front of him and on the right side the four
heavy runners; and close to the left and
behind are the other five, into whose rear
the flake runner" has fallen. In other
words, the column and the cross have
come together at right angles. the head of
the cross striking near the head of the
column. The quarter back is In the little
space between the rear of the column and
the head and the right arm of the cross.
When the men are thus together the
quarterback passes the ball to one of the
backs in the cross, and he carries the ball
ont through some opening made for him.
For the opposing line this wedge is
confusing piece of strategy. The enemy
has to watch for two different speeds, that
of the column and that of the cross There
are four different times of starting, one for
the column. one for the cross, one for the
fake runner, and another for the bail.
This play is but one of a series of OPEN
ings which Mr.. Deland has planned. In
speaking of future contests, he says: "In
the past Harvard has been handicapped in
her contests with Yale by the unusual fa-
cilities which are offered Yale in the way
of long and constantly increasing list of
graduate coachers. 1t will be long time
in the inevitable course OF events before
Harvard can compete with Yale on this
ground, but believe she has another
field, which Yale has left comparatively
undeveloped, and which it would please
me 10 see Harvard make exclusively her
own That is the field of strategy: and |
believe that the results which this field
will Weld. if faithfully worked, will be
sufficient more than to eounterbai-
ance the benefits which Yale derives from
her rich mine % graduate coaching.