The St. Louis Republic., 1903-09-21
Coaches Are Silent, Watching
for the Napoleon of Another
Effective System.
PLAYERS WATCH THE TIGERS.
Harvard and Yale May Have Diff
ticulty in Securing Men for
Line POsitiOns-The
Outlook.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
New York, Sept 2o-By the end OF the
week the football season will be under
way under the new rules.
The effect of the new rules has been a
subject upon which all the coaches OF the
larger institutions have maintained abso-
lutte silence. 1t is safe to say that when
such men as Chadwick. Cranston, Hille-
brand and Carl Williams read the rules,
as revised by the joint committee, they
did not hesitate to formulate plays for
the new checkerboard midf1eld that would
prove effective
But the question that bothered most
was what his rival would do. With the
latitude allowed the quarterback in mid
field work it became more of problem TO
the big coaches to meet such plays as
might he sprung by their adversary than
to invent novel maneuvers of their own.
AS to just what can be done with the
new formation back Of the line, it is al
most impossible to extract an opinion
from men OF gridiron reputation.
Many of them believe that fancy work
will be just as difficult as heretofore, but
they object to saying so. fearing that
UP and give them the lie by inventing
some system of play calculated to be
startling and effective.
If the new rules have benefited any
particular team, that team is Princeton,
which has always set great store by end
running. made possible by a wide, swing
ing. interference, that made use of the
tackle. Taking him as the ball is snapped
from his position in the line, the Prince
ton coaches have done more with their
tackle than any other team. Unless there
policy this season, the Tiger tackles will
assume even more importance than dur
ing any of the past campaigns.
YALE'S PLUGGER READY.
At Yale the situation created by the new
rules Is not vastly different. Yale through
out its football history has been a strong
advocate of the simplest methods.
seeker after the most rugged material
available. MIR. Chadwick, who has this
years team In hand, is resourceful
player. an efficient leader and a man un-
likely to be flustered i'll the face OF new
conditions
Captain Rafferty,, who will lead the Yale
team in the field. is man, who. not a
born football player. made" a splendid
season the features of Rafferty's work
We're his courage and his ability to play
his best at the critical moment. With
Rafferty, leading the team on the field and
Chadwick coaching, assisted by the host
that f1ocks TO New Haven every fall, Yale
should easily maintain her position on the
gridiron. .J
At Harvard the situation is somewhat
different. Cranston is an old-time grid
iron warrior. who played in the days
when the four men back of the line was
miliar with the rudiments of football, as
would be few other men the crimson
could choose TO direct its gridiron policy.
The situation made possible by the new
rules likely viii not trouble him greatly
Pennsylvania's system of play, accord
ing to those having her football career in
charge. will not be greatly changed. While
she will have no opportunity to drop back
a guard or a tackle for line breaking, she
has only to develop the clever end run
ming exhibited against Cornell last year
to take high position as sround-sain-
Nor will Cornell be hampered by the
change in rules. Originally gaining most
of her football knowledge from Harvard
its policy of working the tackles and ends
in midfieid.
NEW RULES OF THE GAME
There has been some discussion concern
ing the quarter back of the coming sea-
son. Giving him the direct pass from the
center, the Rules Committee has taken
away at least one Of his interferers. In
the midfield play he will be Obliged to rely
as can be taken out of the line quickly
eDough to get ahead of him and stay
ahead OF him. Naturally. these men will
be the ends and tackles. and in this Ie-
it's status of several years ago-at Ieast
such is the opinion of the most prominent
coaches.
All of the Eastern teams face the pres
ent season with much the same p-osnect,
as far as material is concerned. Until
the men from the big preparatory schools
are tried out. it will be impossible TO get
an active Zine on the prospects OF the
big elevens. AT Harvard. Yale and Prince
ton there will be handy nucleus around
which to build a team. and with such
leaders as Carl Marshall. Rafferty, end
Dewitt the teams OF the three ,nsritu-
the standard.
Both at Harvard and Yale there will be
difficulty in securing men for some line
positions. 1t Is doubtful. indeed. Il the
blue will be able to put forward so rugged
a line as last year. Indeed. 1t would al
most seem that the Rules COMMITTEES leg
islated directly against the Yale team. In
so legislating they struck. not at per
version of football. but at most re-
markable team.