The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-28
GOPHERS' POOR PLAY
Minnesota's Showing Against the
Carleton Team Is a Disap-
pointment on the Whole.
O'Brien Plays Star Game at Quarter
back-Carleton Eleven Shows
Up Well.

II Minnesota's showing against the Carle-
ton football team Saturday afternoon was
ON the whole disappointment. Inc
gopher offense was ragged, and the ue-
Tense showed weakness In spots, the only
encouraging feature of the defense was
shown In the second half, when Mime
sofa held for three downs on her own
two-yard line.
1t must be said that Carleton played
the best game any team from that instl-
tuition has put up against Minnesota IN
the last six years. Coach Baird has GER
tainly done wonders with the Northfield
bunch, which played about as good a
game as any team of it's weight could
have done. The tackling Of the Carleton
mon was Of the highest order, and their
defensive work all thru was excellent
They charged hard and low, and rarely
did the gophers get the charge on them
Lee, the left end, and Cundy, left half,
played the star individual games
Admitting the strength Of Carleton.
however. Minnesota's work was still a
disappointment in view Of the fact that
the gophers started work earlier than
Carleton, and with much bigger and
more experienced bunch of material. as
well as more material advantages In the
way of training quarters, etc. With these
advantages there is no reason why Carle-
ton should not have been outplayed at
every point. Yet the only marked super
iority shown by Minnesota was in weight
Had Carleton tried to rush, instead of
attempting drop kick on the third down
on Minnesota's two-yard line, the North
field men might have scored a touchdown,
for they had gained good thirty yards
from scrimmages just before that. AS it
was, the visitors threw away their only
chance to score.
The spectacular play Of the day was
an eighty-yard run for a touchdown by
OBrien, who, by the way. played a star
game during the whole game. In the
second half he took the ball on a direct
pass from center at Minnesota's thirty
yard line and swept around right end, with
splendid interference protecting him from
the Carleton tacklers. Five men ctrcled
the end with O'Brien, and the Carleton
backs were unable to get thru the wall OF
men. O'Brien easily carried the ball
across the line, all of his blockers finish
ing the trip with him. Another run of
twenty yards for touchdown, and two
more dashes Of twenty-five and thirty
yards respectively are credited to the
speedy quarter.
AL, Of these runs were made on direct
passes, O'Brien going back to right half
backs position to take the ball. 1t is
hardly likely that this play will make
much ground against a strong team, since
the formation gives the direction Of the
play away.
Besides his work in ground gaining
OBrien ran the team with good speed
and judgment, and his tackling In the
opening was excellent. Twice he shut off
touchdowns by bringing down a, Carleton
runner, altho once he had to break thru
two blOckers to reach the man with the
ball
The individual work of the Minnesota
bao Irt=f he holt
and Neussle went into the line hard and
low and made good distance, altho Carle-
toms good tackling forced Minnesota to
fight for every foot of ground. Davies and
Irsfleld did good work in the second half,
and Thorpe also put up a good game.
The defensive work of Minnesota's ends
was a disappointment. Rogers allowed
himself to be boxed on an end run, and
Tuck in the second half was circled by
Cundy for a twenty-five yard run which
promised to end in touchdown. Marshall
played the best game Of the three ends
The work Of the ackles and guards was
fair.
Minnesota's offense showed only fair
speed. The longest gains, as stated be-
fore. were made on direct passes to
O'Brien, a play of doubtful value The
interference, tho ragged, not more so than
is usually the case at this time of year.
1t was In the second half that Mime
sofas rooters got a bad scare. A tumble
gave Carleton the ball on Minnesota s
fifty-yard line and on the next play Cundy
got round Tuck for long run. O'Brien
dove at the runner, who tried to hurdle
him, but was tripped, and second Min
nesota tackler quickly dropped on the
Carleton half. An offside play gave Garlic
ton eight yards, and the next two at
tempts brought the ball to the vineyard
line.
Here the gophers braced, and held for
two plays like the traditional stone wall.
On the third down Carleton, with appar-
entity bad Judgment, attempted a place
kick when a buck seemed quite as likely
to succeed. The pass was fumbled, and
the ball struck a Carleton man. After a
long discussion Referee Harding gave the
ball to Minnesota at the ten-yard line,
and O'Brien quickly made the fifth score
of the day by his long run. The lineup:
~ Sri Minnesota. Carleton.
Rogers L. E. Freer, Street 49,. r. E.
Warren ......... l.. T. Payne ..........R. T.
Fenson. Russell. L.. G.. Swanson .........R.- G..
Strathern ..........C. CLANCY ......... C.
Burdick Pattie. RI. G. G. NJ Hays -. y. G..
Webster r. T. E. w. Hayes :..L T.
Marshall, Tuck r.. E. Lee ............ Il. E..
O'Brien .......Q. B. Hendrckson 80 B.
'Burgan, Davies. LII. b. Johnson Norton. r. II B..
Neussle, Irsfeld. r. H.B Cundy ........L H. B.
Currant, Thorpe. Fl. B. Rose ..........F B.