The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-24
VERY MUCH MIXED
Western Football Situation Con-
fused, but It Will Be Clearer
After To-day.
Illinois, Wisconsin and Chicago Are
\ the Doubtful and Dangerous
&, s Quantities.

The western football situation has
been confused rather than clarified by
the games of the last week. What
does Chicago's failure to beat North
western mean, the critics are asking.
Is Chicago fundamentally weak, or
was her poor showing due to over.
confidence? What does Wisconsin's
big score against Beloit indicate?
What of Illinois, and what Of Mime
sofa? .'
Chicago undoubtedly played below
her normal form against Northwest
ern. The marOonS were OvercOntident.
They even used the signals which
have been used in all the open and
secret practice since the season
opened. Chicago men say that North
western knew their signals. That may
or may not be true. In any case the
game is a good thing for Chicago. The
expansion of the Uranium has been
removed and hard work will follow.
Weak spots have been shown up in
the line, and a shakeup has been
made by Stage, who has put Ellis
worth back at center, where he be-
longs. With all the heavy men Chi
cago has, and a star back field, there
is no reason why the maroons should
not be well up at the finish. To-day's
game with Illinois will show Whether
Chicago has any latent strength.
The Wisconsin-Be loit game is not
seriously regarded. Coach Yost of
Michigan said while here last Satur-
day that his team could have made
more than one hundred points on Be-
lott if it had tried. Wisconsin caught
the little badgers in crippled con-
dition and beat Michigan's score. In
view of the showing of Wisconsin
against the Kirksville osteopaths,
however, it will take more than the
Beloit score to convince the wise ones
that Wisconsin has championship
nOSSihi1itiaS in her team.
Some anxiety is expressed in re-
gard to the Illinois game by many
Minnesota rooters. Illinois and Min
nesota are playing the same kind Of
game this year in many respects. That
is to say, their coaches are both pay
ing more attention to formations and
team play than to the first principles.
Consequently Illinois must win, If at
all, by speed and superior team work,
and it is difficult to believe that the
lllini have anything on the gophers IN
these respects. The possibility that
both Pitts and Ralph may be barred
from the Illinois team by the, faculty
makes Minnesota's chances brighter.
The Illinois-Chicago game VIII, SIM
plify the situation somewhat and the
games Of next week will put the
championship up to the winners of
the two important contests, Michigan
Minnesota and Chicago Wisconsin,: Il
1inOis and Northwestern at present
can hardly be considered serious
championship possibilities
The western coaches who seemed
disinclined to accept the notifications
adopted by the football rules commit
tee have suffered no hardsh1ps from
the changes. On the other hand, their
teams thus far have shown a speed
and power to roll up big scores that
seem to indicate that their style Of
play has been helped rather than him
dered. It was inevitable that the west
should develop characteristics to dis
tinguish a football school differing
from the methods of eastern play as
soon as the teams were able to rely
on home talent, instead of being Who'll
ly dependent upon coaches from Yale,
Harvard, Princeton and Pennsylvania,
as was true of the early days Of west
ern football.
Fast play and sensational scoring
ability have lately marked the work
of the best western elevens, and their
claim that they have advanced beyond
the tactics common among the east
ern teams must be treated with respect
until the test Is made in competition.
Certainly, in the question Of speed in
the back field, such teams as those Of
the Universities Of Michigan and Chi
cagO need fear no comparison with
the strongest of the eastern football
ulllVSi ollleS, ellu lllIel Iel cIlCc l1oto peell
perfected after a fashion that insures
a remarkably aggressive and formid-
able attack. With such strong fea-
lures of the western school, it is likely
that the new rules, as they favor fast
and open play, will be no hindrance to
the pupils Of Stage and Yost.-Illus-
trated Sporting News.
statistics will show that, year in
and year out, the northern members
of the Big Nine are represented by
better football teams than those far
Their SOUTH says Fred Lowenthal, the
old Illinois player.
What is the reason for this? Do
the climatic conditions of Michigan,
Wisconsin and Minnesota produce
men better fitted to endure the grind
ing wear and tear of the game, or
does the uniform superiority Of these
teams lie in the fact that they can get