The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-13
WHY MICHIGAN W ms
Coach Yost Gives Fourteen Differ
ent Reasons for the Success
of His Team. s.. -.
Speed, knowledge of the Game, En-
durance and Generalship Were
Potent Causes.

Coach Yost Of Michigan. at a banquet
given at Ann Arbor Tuesday night in
honor of the wolverine team, gave the fol-
lowing reasons for the success, of his
team:
"First-Speed.. All the men are fast.
sure players. We would be willing to run
g. relay race with any team. in the country.
More plays were executed by Michigan
than by any other team in America. This
Is actually shown by charts made during
the games. Comparison of these with SIM
liar charts Of Harvard, Yale, Pennsylvania
and Cornell games shows that In the num-
Der OF plays made during regular games
of thirty-five minute halves, Michigan Is
faster by SIS to SO per cent than any other
eleven.
"Second-Knowledge Of the game. All
Of the Michigan players were well versed.
They have met the following different
styles and successfully solved them: Stage
of Chicago with his 'Whoaback' and other
formations for which he is noted; Wiscon-
sin, using Princeton's style, varied and
bettered by King, with many valuable in
novations; Minnesota, coached by Will
liams and Heffeltinger, both in thorough
touch with Yale's present methods; Iowa,
with guards back with variations, as
coached by Knipe of Pennsylvania; North
western, with HOLSTER and his famous
tandem formation; Ohio State. coached by
Perry Hale, with the formation success
fully used by Yale in 1900.
''Third-FIndurance. The men are of
wonderful endurance. This is much due
to their fine training, and also to the fact
that the men all have age and maturity to
stand the hard playing. The team aver
ages % years of age.
"Fourth-Spirt. The mems love Of the
game has helped give them the proper
spirit. They have the desire to wn-the
spirit of fighters. -
"Fifth-Team work. The rule among
the players on the gridiron is no specta-
tors allowed on the field Every player
in every play ..-.
Sixth - Open field work. The fine
open field Observation-Disclosures Herrn-
stein, Sweeley, Heston, Graver and Weeks
is especially notable. They are dangerous
men for the opponents to let loose in an
open field.
"Seventh-Weight. Michigan had a
well balanced team. The average was 1872
pounds. very equally distributed.
"Eighth-Style of attack. Every man on
the team was used to carry the ball, thus
distributing the work. The team was
equally successful at all styles of games,
kicking, end running, line smashing and
open field style of playing.
e." Tribute to Weeks.
'Ninth-Generalship. Captain Weeks
deserves great credit for Michigans sue
cess. AS a leader of forces and a
stra tegist I believe he has no equal on
the gridron to-day. He is remarkable
player in every way, and never has been
the time in two seasons when his re-
sourceful mind has not been able to pull
the team out of a tight position.
"Tenth-Punting In Sweeley Michigan
has one of the greatest kickers in the
country. He has never had a kick blocked
In his four years playing at Michigan. If
caught In tight place near the enemys
goal Michigan is effective at place kick
ing. using either Sweeley, Lawrence or
Cole. At kicking goals from touchdowns
Lawrence was successful forty-three out
Of the forty-four times he tried
Notwithstanding of punts in back
field. In the past two years in twenty
two games but three punts have been
fumbled to the enemy Both Sweeley and
Weeks were very effective in returning
punts in a broken field
observation-disclosures. The two touch
downs made against Michigan were made
on long runs on plays in the nature of
f1ukes
''Thirteenth-Scoring ability. Michigan
scored over point to the minute, total
Ing GA for the season and $50 last season,
or total of 1874 in the past two years
This means an average of SO points to the
game, and in every game but one Michi-
gan scored more than 20. This year the
average per game is SO points to the
game. At no time did the team show any
slump; a thing which was remarkable in
face Of overwhelming victories won
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. While the
number Of available men who could be
used as substitutes was limited, still they
were extremely versatile. Especially was
this true Of Graver, who played end, quar-
ter full and half '.."' -,
%&"Fifteenth-Met all teams. Michigan
won the championship not by mere com
parative scores, but she actually defeated
every claimant for consideration in the
line Of western football honors.'
Football Not Brutal. .- =.
If that robust game of football hap
pened to be half as brutal as the enemies
of tho game would have the remainder
of the world believe the hospitals and
cemeteries would be full at the beginning
Of each winter, says IIeslie's Weekly. II
Is an active strenuous game, and these
is no place for weaklings in the line OF
back field; and while there is no doubt
that the game can be vastly improved anc
made more spectacular and interesting, fol
the spectators it is equally true that the
sport has as great a following this yeal
as it ever had. Football, as played by
the university teams holds it's own, ant
there must be something to it Or this
you'd not be the case. There have beer