The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-12
LINE IS VERY WEAK
Several Points of Fundamental
Weakness in Play Of the
Gophers Saturday.
Wretched Work in Handling Punts
Minnesota Backfeld Does
Magnificent Playing. "
Football Scores Saturday.

WEST.
Minnesota As, Ames 0. .
Michigan 70, Beloit 0.
Wisconsin 40, Lawrence 0.
Chicago %, Purdue 0.
Ohio State "a, Dennison 5. r'."
Marietta s, Ohio Wesleyan 7. ....-~ =.
Northwestern %, Washington 0. .'-.. 80
Iowa %, Drake 6.
Illinois Ga, Rush NEEDLES 0.
Notre Dame %, Lake Forest 0.
Indiana 81, Earlham 0.
EAST.
Yale %, Springfield 0.
Amherst 5, Harvard 0.
Pennsylvania SO, State College 0.
Cornell II, Colgate 0.
Georgetown 90, st. Adams 0.
Navy 6, Virginia 5.
Princeton 20, Brown 0.
Phillips Andover 81, New Hampshire 0.
Holy Cross II. Wesleyan 6.
Dartmouth "a, Union 0. .r.,
Phillips Exeter Is, Bowdon 0.
Carlisle 80, Franklin and Marshal 0. 80
There is much to praise and much
to criticize in the work Of the Mime
sofa football team against Ames
Saturday. The score of IS to 0 in
itself indicates strength, but an analy
bis of the play shows many points Of
fundamental weakness in the gopher
aggregation.
The scoring ability Of the back field
cannot be disputed. Three of the men
hre stars individually, and the inter-
ference Saturday was the best a Min
hesota team has shown for some years.
O'Brien ran the team with great speed,
and selected his plays with good judg-
ment. Irsfield and Davies showed up
splendidly in all departments Of the
game.
:. Tho rooct disco1ra pino feature Of
the game was not the milling, altho
the serious nature Of this defect can
not be overlooked, but the weakness
shown by the line. This weakness was
apparent in the Hamline game last
Wednesday, but Anes showed it up in
a much more glaring manner.
One critic said that Minnesota's
line was a stone wall. A sieve would
be a better term. Ames only gained
first down three times in the game,
it is true, and repeatedly she was held
for downs or forced to punt. But this
was due, not to any strength in the
line, but to the superb defensive work
of the Minnesota back field. Time
and again Ames opened big holes in
the gopher rush line, and sent her
backs thru, only to have them stopped
and thrown back by Irsfield, Davies Or
Currant. The magnificent way in
which these men backed up the for
wards was the main factor in pre-
venting Ames from gaining freely
when she had the ball.
Forwards Work on Defense.
- On the offensive the line did not
do much better. 1t was just able to
keep Ames from breaking thru and
messing up the interference, but it was
rarely able to open holes for plays be-
tween tackle and tackle. AS in the
Hamline game, nearly all Minnesota 8
gains were made outside the tackles.
or around the ends. The weakness of
the line was clearly shown in one
instance, when Ames held the gophers
for downs on the Iowan's 1-yard line.
upon the game here some years ago,
said: when a team is held for
downs inside. It's opponents 5-yard
line, it indicates a fundamental weak
ness 1t certainly indicates a funda-
mental weakness If a second-rate team
conditions. .e' ...G
1t is clearly evident that Minnesota
line must be braced up quickly if
there is any idea of winning from
Michigan. If the forwards do no bet
ter work than they did Saturday, it is
will break thru and tangle up the in
reference before the back field car
get started. It is also certain that
Heston, Graver and Hammond will
gain almost at will thru the Minnesota
line unless that line is strengthened
materially. Minnesota's backs are
very strong on defense, but Michigan's
line plungers cannot be thrown back
In the way Ames backs were thrown
Saturday. The weakness in the line
is the more serious, since Schacht is
out Of the game with broken rib
and it is doubtful whether he will be
able to play by Oct. 81.
Fumbling Is Costly.
Another great fault Saturday was
the fumbling. O'Brien did wretched
work In handling punts, catching