The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-26
From a Staff Correspondent.

Ann Arbor, Mich, Oct. 26.-Can
Minnesota defeat Michigan on North
rop field Saturday?
After watching the former team
carefully all season and after seeing
Michigan play Drake two Gays aso,
this question is quite as perplexlns /
as ever The two eleVens are so even
" matched that luck promises TO play
a large part in determining the lnai
issue--luck, nerves, generalshlp ana
the ability to refrain from errors
while taking every advantage VI oil
opponents mistakes. .:.- ~ s.
This should not be taken to mean |
that Minnesota is clearly the equal OF
Michigan. The latter team has an al
vantage. when every factor in the case
is considered. The advantage is
slight. but it is none the less an ad-
vantage. Granting that Y ost's team IS
a. shade stronger, however, Minnesota
Is close enough behind so that trlhe
may turn the scale one way or Inc
other. Yost is perhaps closer to de-
feat to-day than he has been IN ms
career; certainly closer than he has
been in his experience in the middle
west. s- s.. ~ +" s-l
E Unfortunately, the absence of Hes
ton and Gregory from Mlch1gan's line
up in the Drake game made it 1mpossl7
BILE to estimate with entire accuracy
the strength which Michigan will be
latter team could have beaten the
Michigan team which played Drake
Saturday. Just how much difference
these two men will make can only be
guessed, but Heston's presence will
add wonderfully to the power Of the
back field.
Michigan gave James and NOrcross
the two candidates for quarter, a final
tryout Saturday, each playing one half.
AS the latter has been definitely chosen
by Yost to play the position in the
Minnesota game, we need only deal
with the showing made by Michigan
in the second half, when Norcross
played quarter. In the first half James
at quarter and NorcrOSs in HestOn's
place, played poorly, spelling the work
of the whole back field. With Nor
cross at quarter In the second period,
and Weeks and Bigelow at left half,
the play was of an entirely different
character. The plays did not go off
as fast as MinnesOtas but they showed
more precision and apparently greater
power. Assistant Coach DOble OF Min
nesota, who saw both the Drake game
and the Observation-Disclosures contest the
week before, says that the plays get
under way much more quickly, ana
are executed with more accuracy when
Heston is working in the back field.
If this is the case, Michigan's attack
is at least as strong as Minnesotas,
shade stronger. The Michigan forma-
lions will be very hard to solve but
they are not invlncible. Drake
stopped them occasionally and might
have stopped them more often had
her ends been stronger.
Michigan Strong ON Defense
In defense, Michigan shows up
strong also. Drake made some gains
Of consequence, but nearly all Of them
over Ted Hammond, who was playing
at center in Gregory's place. Michi-
gan is strong at end, tackle and CEN
ter and she is not weak at guard, al
tho her guards are not up to the stand
ard of the other forwards. Altogether
her line looks stronger. than Mime
sofas. Still Yost's men have not yet
been really tested on defense any more
than have the gophers.
In kicking and handling kicks
Michigan showed up rather poorly. In
the former case Hammond's poor
passing was largely responsible. In
catching punts Tom Hammond, James
and Norcross all offended. If O'Brien
shows as much improvement Saturday
as he showed between Oct. 10 and
Oct. II, Minnesota should be as strong
AS Michigan in this respect Michi-
gan has stronger ground gamers than
Minnesota, but Minnesota has more
men who are good in advancing the
ball. Heston and Maddox are better
than any two men on Minnesota
team. Maddox is better than
Schacht because he is shiftier a good
hurdler, and quite as strong a line
plunger. In fact,~he is the strongest
ground-gaining tackle the west. has
seen in years.
Aside from these two men and Tom
Hammond, however, Minnesota can
match any ground gamers Michigan
can produce. Graves is a strong man
hint at oil c11i tIo,,
Norcross does not compare with
OBrien in carrying the ball, either
from the scrimmage or in a broken
field. Rogers and Burdick are both as
good ground gamers as Redeem, AND
better than Burdick the other END
Curtis, the left tackle and the only
other ground gamer, does not carry
the ball as we'll as Thorpe. -
Tom Hammond, the giant freshma r
fullback, is a hard line bucker, and
his weight makes it very hard to stoI
him. He Is quite a bit better thar
Current as plunger. 81. j. j...- 49,"
Michigan Strong individually.
Taking the men individuality Mich.
igan has something on Minnesota
not enough to cinch the game, but
something. Strathern at center should
play at least even with Gregory, ever
allowing that the latter has improved
somewhat over his last years form
Ihofpe at guard Will Outplay Shuttle
He is as good a defense player, and {
much better ground gamer Warren
If he plays up to his limit, can hole
Gooding even. Both are fair defensive
men, and neither is strong in ad
vancing the ball. .m'. IT,. g.. - @iE
At tackle, Maddox and Schach
will outplay their opponents. But
Maddox has more on Webster thar
Schacht has on Curtis. The latter il
81 very strong player a better all
around man than Webster, for he cal
advance the ball. In other words
comparing Minnesota's best tackle t,
Michigan's best, and the formers tt
the latter's weaker man, Maddox Il
better than Schacht and Curtis bette
than Webster. -@..Egs
At ends Minnesota should hav.
slightly the better of the argument
Burdick will show UP better agains
Redden than Longman will agains
Rogers. But the strength Of all tn,
ends on defensive play is yet to b.
tested, tho q fair idea Of the strength
Of Redden and Rogers on defense cal
be gained from their previous records
At quarter 0 Brien is way ahead O
i. Norcross. The latter may show su
/ periority in catching punts but ii
carrying the ball. in running the team
or as an aid in interference, O'Brie1
is far superior. The rest of Michigan,
back field looks stronger than Min
nesota's. Heston, Of course, has n
equal. He will show UP much strong
-. H. = .Ea1 . -