The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-03
YOST ON FOOTBALL
Michigan Coach Reviews the Season
of 1902 in the Middle
West.
Says Eastern Teams Must Look to
Their Laurels-Fulsome Praise
for Michigan.

(, Their. Laurels-Fulsome Praise
for Michigan.
Coach Yost of Michigan, in the current
number Of Outing, sums up the western
football season for 1902. His comment is
marked by a. feeling of pride, perhaps
pardonable, in the work Of his own team.
He says: ss-5.-~ --. ~
''The football season in the middle west
was not only marked by the greatest gen
eral interest ever shown in the game in
that section of the country, but the cham
pionship was settled in the most conclus-
i've manner. Michigan and Wisconsin,
both Of whom claimed first honors in the
season Of 1901, were able this year to set
tie their disputes by something more
definite than comparative scores; in con-
sequence there are no post-season claim
ants to the championship.
IAN important factor in creating inter-
est in football has been the system of
interscholastic teams in vogue in Mich1-
gan, Ohio, and other states. These con-
tests have been of great value in educat-
ing the masses Of the people in the fine
points of the game, and preparatory and
high schools are availing themselves of
the aid of experienced coaches, whose aim
is to impart to the young players the very
latest and most effective methods AS a
result, the high schools and smaller COL
leges have become good feeders to the
universities, and the standard is raised
accordingly.
THE union of the nine leading uni
versities into the Big Nine conference
has also had a very noticeable influence
on the standard of athletics. This organ
ization has exerted a very powerful effect
not merely upon it's members, but also
upon outside colleges and universities:
E~~ 4L-H s.~L- ~
helped and advanced by means of the
| rules and regulations which it enforces.
."Au of the large western teams have
a very competent coaching force made W
| of former stars of Yale, Harvard, Prince
| ton, and Pennsylvania. With wealth Of
| football material in the shape Of big
strong, healthy men, many Of them verseo
in the fine points of the game, the west
ern coaches have a fine foundation upor
! which to build. The snap and fire which
is inbred in the character of the average
westerner, has much to do with the
! teams success
t'As to the comparative strength, Mich
igan, no doubt, is easily the leader AL
though it had the most difficult schedule
of any team in the west, it went through
| the entire season successfully. and gained
! the western championship by defeating
Minnesota on Thanksgiving day. Som
! idea, Of the task Michigan had to conten,
| Will, l1ldy No 6dllcu 1lOu1 d COIIlpdT1SOl
| of Its schedule with those Of Harvard ant
! Yale. Michigan had to keep all her play
ers in first-class condition from the latte
part of October until Thanksgiving, TO
| the three hard games against Chicago
| Wisconsin. and Minnesota; while Yal
trained her players for the Princeton an,
Harvard, games; and Harvard for tn
Pennsylvania, and Yale games, Michiga,
has become noted for the versatility o
her plays, as compared with those Of tn
other western universities. The Illinoi
team relied upon the old Princeton styl
Of play, varied occasionally by the tackle
back; Chicago upon her whole-back form
alton; Minnesota upon a back field shift
with the tackle back, and a double tan
dem; and Wisconsin upon the Princeton
style of play. Michigan was noted TO
team work of the highest order, while it
fast play and varied style of attack mad
it a" difficult aggregation to oppose. Lin
plays have been the feature of one game
place kicking Of another, and end run
Of still another. Captain Weeks is largel
responsible for the exceptionally fine wor]
Of the team. AS leader of forces and
strategist I believe he has no equal o.
the gridircn to-day. His generalsii
throughout the whole season was superb
he has the ability to get the most work GU
j Of every man and use it at the right tim
and place. He is q most remarkabl
player in every way, and there never ha
Il been time in two seasons when his re
sourceful mind was unable to pull his team
. out of a. tight place. .
1.-THE criticism of the western team
would show that Minnesota has playe
=. strong and consistent. game. Its team
is composed of strong and aggressiv
players who fought to the very end. The
were defeated in an early game by Ne
, braska,' 6 to 0, but improved rapidly u
to the last game. On Nov. they de
feated Illinois at Minneapolis, II to s, an
on Nov. Is defeated Wisconsin II to Q
, and they lost the Thanksgiving game t
, Michigan 20 to 6. 49, s.> ., .
wisconsin is noted for the first elias
teams which it always turns out; tlli
year has shown no exception to the past
They have been rather unfortunate in tn
way Of accidents to their star players
Captain Juneau was injured in the Michi
gan game Nov. 1, and was unable to play
Chicago produced q team thai
throughout the whole season, did nc
cease to improve and perfect it's work
from the beginning of the schedule t
| Thanksgiving day, when it played it's hes
game against Wisconsin, winning by ]
to 0. The team lost but one game, t
Michigan, Nov. IL, 81 to 0.
illinois played exceptionally good ba
at times, and not so we'll at others. Chi
; cagos score against it was 6 to 0.
Nebraska this year showed grea
) strength, defeating Minnesota and wir
! ming the championship of the Missou
valley. It's team defeated Kansas 16 t
{ 0 and Missouri u to 0. <~ -..o
"Michigan's strength this year can be:
be shown by the total score for the sea
: son, which was GA points to it's oppor
ents' ~, or an average of over point fe
:. every minute of play. Michigan's recor
: for the two seasons Of 1901 and 1902
{ LIZA points, as against IL for her or
] ponents in: TWENTY-FIVE games.
3 LAS to@sthe future Of football in til
{ middle west, 7 believe that the standal
! lot excellence will increase each year, an
? that 10 one team or several teams wi
5 stand in a class by themselves, as til
5 large universities are getting their equ;
) share of experienced high school and CO
/ legiate players. who have had the benef
of good coaching; the tendency will be or
: of equality. The increased interest ever,
/ where manifested in the game will resu
in higher standard for the sport genel
) ally. The east will need to look to hi
3 laurels, for no longer do the leading ives
~ .