The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-27

Tvs = - - :
proved to be In good enough condition to
| play the game and play it hard, all the
way through. The Iowa team was not
so tough proposition as expected. But
more than all, the Gophers played game
that astonished even the most optimistic
An Improvement had been expected. The
| rooters knew that Davies would be a tower
Of strength behind the line. They knew
that Irsfield was a good back, and that
the ends We're strong; they also knew that
Flynn, II his injuries were not too seri-
GUS. would be the mainstay Of the line
They knew that Harris at quarter was to
be relied upon. t> ~ - >01'
But they did net know that Thorpe
Would play star game at fullback, or
that smith,, Schacht and Warren would
show such strength as they did They
hoped but hardly expected. that the line
would play fast, charging, aggressive
game they did not look for an improve
ment OF at least 100 per cent in the in
terference, speed and tackling.
Given such strong all around play by
minnesota, coupled with the weakness Of
the Iowa team, and six touchdowns were
only the natural and logical outcome
Every one of the gophers fairly outdid
hlmsef The team pulled together as one
man. individually and as team the mon
put up game stronger than anything
seen last year, with the possible exception
of the Illinois contest. Had the Minne-
sofa team played as strong game against
the Nebraska as it did Saturday against
Iowa, the cornhuskers would have been
beaten by three touchdowns.
What Chance Win Wisconsin,?
The question naturally arises, What
chance has Minnesota to win the remain
ing games Of the season? It must be ad-
mitted that the gophers are not yet in
shape to meet either Wisconsin or Mich-
gan. STILL the material is there, and it
may be developed into form to give both
the badgers and the wolverines a hard rub
But great Improvement must be shown in
the next three weeks. Wisconsin has
wonderfully strong team, bear reports
from Madison Notwithstanding Their
back field is fun of speed and ginger. and
their line both fast and powerful. If the
gophers win they must win by superior
speed and teamwork, and that means the
development of a degree of speed truly
phenomenal. The gophers must get the
jump on the badgers. very hard thing to
do, for the badgers usually get the jump
on their opponents. In Michigan Mime
sofa will meet team which has the ad
vantage In weight, and which has made
itself famous for two years by its speed.
Against Illinois and Grinnell the gophers
should win. Illinois has q strong team,
but not a sensational one. Its play is fast,
but no faster than that of Chicago, hardly
so fast as that Of Wisconsin and Michi-
gan. Grinnen averages 149 pounds, about
twenty pounds less than Minnesota. If
the gophers approach their form Of Satur-
day. the most sensational speed can hardly
make the Iowa eleven factor in the con-
test.
Iowa a Second Rater.
In Saturdays game Iowa showed moth
ing to entitle it to a place with Chicago
or Illinois, not to speak of Wisconsin or
Michigan The hawkeyes have two or
three individual stars. Ochiltree and ST.
berts were conspicuous Saturday. AS a
whole, however, Iowa's offense was slow,
it's line Of mediocre ability. and its tackl-
ing wretched. The gophers repeatedly
shook Oft tackle and made additional dis
lance. Once Davies on a play off tackle
was seized behind his own line and tackled
second time at the line. He shook off
both men, and lodged two others while
Rogers blocked off still another pair Of
.hawkeye players, Davies sprinting fifty
five yards for touchdown.
Something Up Their Sleeve.
One Of the important points Of strength
shown by the gophers was their ability to
attack Iowa's line or ends with equal sue
cess. The Offense showed both power and
II
eleven had something up its sleeve, The
plays were all simple. and Phil King, the
Wisconsin, coach, said with a smile after
! the game that he had seen few formations.
Hardly more than eight plays were used
during the game. A halfback outside
tackles or around the end, line man or
the fullback In straight plunge, .prac-
tically sums up the Minnesota offense.
There can be no doubt that the .gophers
could have exhibited a greater variety Of
plays had it been necessary.
Irsfield and Davies were the stars Of the
Minnesota team in the ground gaining
| line. They showed speed and Judgment
in open plays, and bucked the line with
! considerable ginger and force. Part OF
their success in circling Iowa's ends. how
| ever, was due to the excellent interference
! given them, and in this Harris and Rogers
| were the stars. Rogers never failed to put
| Coulthard cut Of the play when the go
piers tried right end.
Harris did the punting in the absence OF
Knowlton, and did very creditable work.
He also ran the team with great judy
ment, besides taking very active part In
the interior ence. Thorpe surprised all by
his excellent play at fullback. He bucked
| the line we'll himself, and helped material
ly In pushing other men through.
! Tackles Great Surprise.
Ene greatest surprise. however,, Was the
I showing Of Smith, Warren and Schacht in
| the line. The tackles have been the weak
| point in the Minnesota eleven all sea-
sons but Saturday they both played a
| star game, charging well. and carrying the
| ball through the line for good gains. Smith
| also a. tower of strength in leading
! the interference or in line plunging.
! Captain Johnnie Flynn did half the
tackling for his team, and won several
compliments from visiting coaches and
players. He was not called on to carry
the ball often, probably from fear or fur
| Their injury to his knee. Strathern did
| good work at center and Gray more than
held his own at right end 49,.
Minnesota won the toss and Flynn chose
the south goal with a strong wind behind
| the gophers. Ochiltree kicked off, and
| Minnesota was forced to punt Iowa
soon lost the ball on her own twenty-five
| yard line. and Minnesota, advanced it ten
yards. and then held for downs. Iowa
punted out and the Gophers again carried
the leather to the fifteen yard-line. There
they again lost it on downs and it looked
as If the old story Of inability to get dis
lance when it was needed. would be re-
peated. But after Iowa had punted again,
the gophers found a weak spot in the line
! They hammered the guards for short but
sure gains, until the oval was carried over
II TT