The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-09-25
BRILLIANT SEASON SEEMS CERTAIN
UNDER NEW RULES.
SOME CHANGES IN THE
MODE OF ATTACK.
THERE WILL BE FEW SPECTACLE
LAR RUNS THIS YEAR.

pected TO BE Up 10 That of Last
Year, But the Increasing Interest
In the Game Insures n Record
Breaking Season in the Matter OF
Attendance.
With rare exceptions, and these for
the most part the disgruntled ones
whose advice has not been acted upon
by the Rules Committee, expert follow
ers of the American game of football
predict a brilliant season on the grid
iron, or, more properly speaking, check
erboard of 1904. These predictions are
not the offspring of exhilarant enthu-
slasm, but the result of careful study
of the new playing regulations, as well
as of the system in vogue at the big
universities East and West.
Certain it is that the big college
coaches this year will work harder and
longer to perfect the niceties of indi-
vidual play, so painfully neglected of
late years in the attempt to turn out
an offensive engine not to be stopped
by mere flesh and blood.
The new rules make this imperative,
and it is this, rather than the attempt
to open out the play for the benefit of
the uninitiated spectator, that cheers
the heart of the old-timer. High tack
ling, slovenly handling of kicks, crude
blocking in the line-faults that arose
from the necessity of teaching the men
fearfully and wonderfully complicated
plays and from unhealthy attention to
the tackle back"-are doomed, ac-
cording to the best authorities.
Aim of the Coaches.
The attitude of nearly every promi
nent coach may be summed up in the
words of one among their number,
whose name, for obvious reasons, can
not be appended to his opinion.
While it is possible that the extra
time allowed in which to coach men in
the play of individual positions it may
rob the game of spectacular runs made
on picked up fumbles, of sensational
plays resulting from blocked kicks and
the like, it is deemed more than prob
able than the sport-loving public will
see more finished teams-elevenS whose
every potentiality has been developed
and whose finished work reduces ac-
cdental victory in the big games to a
minimum.
This does not mean that there will
not be full play for the inventively in
Fundamentally Glenn S. Warner. But
it does mean that what may be termed
the life principles of football will be
nourshed as they were in the days
when the better team almost invaria-
bly, won.
Briefly, before taking up the possibil-
titles of the game, it should be stated,
that last years rule of seven men in
line, operating between the twenty
five-yard line, has been extended to
cover the entire field. Provision has
been made, however, to permit of a
modified form of tackle back forma-
ton, in which the extra. man must take
up his position outside the extreme end
of the rush line. In this respect the
attack, when within what is known as
striking distance" is only slightly
todified.
Considering the offense, it would
Reem that Princeton and Harvard
should derive the greatest benefit from
the new rules. Princeton's wide, swing
ing attack, in which the tackle fire.
quently figures, would seem to require
no modification. Throughout the era
of change in formations and trick
plays the Tigers have chung steadily to
their own style. Their attack has al
most invariably been the swiftest and
most unexpected of any of the big col
lege elevens. Their forwards have not
been as aggressive as some of the
others, perhaps, but their back field
has always provided an invading force
that never knew when it was stopped.
In the words of an old Yale coach,
you can never tell how many inches
there are in a Princeton yard. and
those extra inches, with exasperating
frequency, mean a first down." Dress
a Princeton eleven in any uniform
and three plays will remove the dis
guise In other words, there seems lit
tie likelihood of any necessity of
change in style of attack to meet the
new rules.
Harvard's Case Different.
Harvards case is somewhat differ
ent. The Crimson used last year a
three-man tandem, using the backs
only. which was extremely effective
against Yale. With the same backs
IN the same style of work. not foolishly
wasted in midheld, Harvard should be
able to produce a powerful offense
quite within. the rules. Her tackles,
though dropped back occasionally last
season, should fit in readily with this
years requirements. Thus Harvard,
as well as the Tigers, should prove
formidable on the offense within the
bounds of striking distance
Yales offense. however, doubtless
will undergo notifications. So much
use was made of Hogan last season,
and so steady ground gamer was he,
that ii would seem more than possible
the New Haven coaches Will work him
quite as hard another season. even
though il become necessary to plug up
his line position with a heavy back.
Such a back is Owsley. of whom
much is expected this year. In a
word. the strategists believe that Yale
will work harder than any other team
to retain as much OF the old tackle
back" formation as possible. Undoubt-
eddy another feature of Yale's offense
will be the quick opening in the line,
through which a comparatively light
and speedy back is flung in the hope
that the second defense may be smoth-
cred and a clear field result The
style of forward usually selected at
New Haven is better fitted for this
style of attack than perhaps those of
any other eleven.
Without doubt the Yale coaches
have something Of a problem 70 solve
this year. but 90 make a guess at the
New Haven style OF offense. II would
seem that. while somewhat modified,
Il VIII remain somewhat more notice
ably massed than that OF any other of
the big elevens.
Because OF its close resemblance TO
the Yale system, the Columbia style
Immediately suggests itself. with the
weight al Morley's command this sea-
son. u iE likely that he. too will keen
his ohense just as tightly massed as
possible and Htlll remain within the
rules The quick opening between