The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-17
PROPOSED FooTBALL CHANGES.

Pisss for Further Restricting Mass Plays
and Atioysiae the Quarter Rack TO Rus.
There Is considerable talk among college mon
about additional changes In the football rules,
although there was very little fault found with
tho regulations that governed the sport last
fall. IL 10 acknowledged on all sides that tho
rules a. they stand. at present do away with
nearly oil tho brutal features that disnGured
the game several yesrs ago. But certain foot
ball retormers bslievs that tho game can DO
mado even cleaner and more free from acci-
dents by the addition OF one or two now amend
msnts to tho code
mass playing Last fall In the shape of tandem
tactics, as performed by the Princeton. Penn
s~ylvsnia. and Harvard elevens. Tho celebrated
guards back" interference. as originated by
the Quaksrs. was universally copied until
nearly all the big college teams wero r~esorting
to this mode Of limo breaking, which WAS sim
ply . modified formation OF tho old flying
wedge" While the Tigers did not adopt the
guards back " play entire they used a tandem
formation that was based on tho same idea'.
and proved to Do disastrous to Yale's defence. To
these scmi.mass plays, therefore. tho advocates
OF open play In football attribute tho majority
Of tho accidents that occurred In the various
games played during tho past season.
II an attempt should DO made to entirely do
away with formations back OF the rush line by
making the seven forwards remain In their
positions until tho ball had been put In play, a
protest would be almost sure to arise from q ma
jorlty OF the big colleges. Consequently In order
to bring about more omen play and at the Same
time place no restrictions upon mass formations
the men closely identified with football rule
making are considering the nd INSTABILITY OF IN
crrRsing the distance to he gained In four downs
from Ave yards to ten ynrds. IL an eleven must
make ton ynrd. in four downs or lose the ball. II
Is argued. II will he 50 diticuit to make sufficient
ground on each down By plunging through tho
line by tho aid of mass or tandem formations
that long runs around the ends, long passes, md
There WI also be much more %puntipS. the nd.
yocates o: this change claim, for II will be much
harder TO gain the required distance after the
ments. The suggestion liar met with considsrA-
BILE favor among football mon. apd. II q meeting
OF the Rules II called II will un-
doubtedly be considered al length.
Another radical change that will be brought
TO TIE notice OF the rule makers Is the idea OF
In other words. II IL the idea to let the quarter
back have the same privileges as now enjoyed
three years the quarter backs have been per.
mitted to punt whenever they cared to, but they
have never been allowed to carry the oval for
third man. Football experts who have been
questioned on this polnt do not know how the
originated. and they cannot give a, plau.ible
reason why. 1t should not be rescinded. They
all admit that II the, quarter back, could run
with the ball IL would open up q feld OF an rn.
tlrely new system OF team play. and would
serve TO Introduce many scientific moves NJ
1t may be that the number OF mon allowed to
form back Of the line may be restricted To four,
ineln ndi ,hs . quarter 6asS, Which ", sh u !, should
the ground to DO made In four downs would NOT
Are =: s Ii. gisS, q S' e: ss 81 sesss S 81 Gs:, ssi I ~!s.
and VIII not DO altered.