The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-21
FOOTBALL
CHICAGO CRITICS
FAIR TO GOPHERS
Work Of Disorganized and Grip
pied Team Opens Eyes of
Dopesters.
New York Sun Special Service.


in an article this morning, says. There were no
real surprises in the events Of last Saturday.
Minnesota was expected to defeat Northwestern
by a larger score than II to o. and Yale was
believed to be more than II to o stronger than
Harvard The game on Marshall field was the
last that can have any direct bearing on the
western championship" Minnesota main
tanned it's unbeaten record, anticipated,
and now has only Iowa to beat. Any serious
setback for the gophers In that game Is not ex-
pected altho they will have to beat Illinois
score of Twenty-Five to satisfy their supporters,
of course DR.. Williams men met their most
determined opponents of the year in Northwes-
tern, and were given harder fight than even the
gopher coach expected @'
Purple Was Fast.
Coach Mccormack had whipped the purple team
into fast fighting shape, and they put up an ex-
hibition which was not only credit to them.
selves and their college, but which wiped out
much of the sting of the defeat met at the
hands of Chicago.
There one brief period of Ave ten
minutes when it looked as if the Methodists were
going to forget all the football and fight. Nc
lCornack had taught them but the intermission
interviewed to save them from that disgrace, and
served to brace them to harder and more sue
cessful efforts in the second half:
II Northwestern, barring the last few minutes Of
the first half, played as much football as did
Minnesota showed as complete and perfect
/ knowledge of the game and much of the true
football spirit their opponents. Minnesota's
victory was due to it's superior weight more than
to any other factor. This shown by the
fact that for more than the first half Of each
playing period the purple played the maroon and
gold fairly even But before the end Of each
half the lighter Northwestern line and backs
wore themselves down against their heavier op-
ponents, and then the gophers, trained and
drilled to make the most of their strength, knew
what to do and how to do it. They swept the
purple back across it's own goal line twice in the
closing moments of the first half, and once after
the middle Of the second half, altho it is ex-
tremely doubtful If the score in the second half
would have been registered If Of Cotton 8
tpunts had not been blocked and Minnesota not
been fortunate enough to secure the ball close to
the puppies goal.
Championship Talk.
The Record-Herald says: Minnesota's show
ment to the gopher adherents. They expected a
much larger score. Coach Williams, of the
Minnesota team, says that his team not
4 itself account of numerous injuries to its
star linesmen and Captain Stratherns absence
from the lineup.
Minnesota's ofense Saturday was woefully
slow in comparison with the Michigan standard,
poorest showing his team has made this year.
The fact that the gophers have rolled up scores
in several games this year high they were
humorous is ample proof that there is plenty of
speed in the Minnesota attack when it is working
right. There will be claims and counterclaims
of championship titles as long as big western
teams do not place one another on their sched-
ues
Even with Michigan.
The Chronicle says: No unbiased critic is dis
posed to give the top place to either Michigan
or Minnesota. These teams undoubtedly sur
pass all others in this If not in all sections
of the country, but the record of one is as
good another, and the only thing that would
settle the matter would be meeting Of Will.
nams' and Yost's men, which is now Altogether
out of the question. ecause Minnesota asker for
game and refused, the gophers have the
greater claim II the title to be awarded
In that way.
Minnesota exceptionally wel-coached
team, but Northwestern proved to be not only
much faster but much quicker to- take advantage
y of every opportunity. Northwestern's attack
Z was certainly faster and Its interference much
better than 1t has been at any time this year
Yet the purple able to gain very little
ground, and only by superior punting was able tc
keep the score down.
The Northwestern line almost invariably got
the charge on its opponents, but the mass o,
muscle thrown against 1t was not to be denied
An Even Thing.
The liner Ocean football critic says
'The last battle that has direct bear
Il championship has been fought out. There are two
unbeaten teams-Michigan and Minnesota. Both
claim the title. From the standpoint of having
q clean record Of victories, both are entitled t(
claim it. Coach Yost says he does not claim II
over Minnesota, but thinks his team could wtr
If it met Minnesota. Coach Williams says he
uOeS uOL cldlul the C1Cle over M1Cnlgan but
thinks If the matter could be put to the test
4 his team would demonstrate its superiority ovel
Yost's machine. ~
'These sentiments are backed up by the preju
diced views of all adherents Of the rival teams
The followers of the sport who are not directly
interested in Michigan or Minnesota who have
seen both teams play, have their personal opin
ions of the relative strength Of the two elev
Il ems. Every enthusiast has an idea of what would
happen in the event of meeting between the
Egophers and wolverines.
"That Minnesota has great team there is
no questioning. The men who compose 1t are
exceptionally powerful. 1t is well-balanced
team and shows the effects Of careful and skilfu]
& coaching. The defense work of the team against
Northwestern was extraordinary. Northwes
terms attack was fast and we'll executed, but
it able to make little impression on the heavy
Minnesota line, and rarely got far past the Sec
stondary line Of defense when the line had been
lpunctured. For steady, consistent defense the
Minnesota eleven is perhaps the best in the
4 west this year.
&. 1T is hard to compare the defense of one
Il team with another A defense can be considered
slonly relatively. Hence it is hard to compare
/ fairly the defense of Michigan and Minnesota
lit might be inferred by many that Minnesota
81 had the superior defense, because Chicago was
able to gain and score on Michigan. But before
this be definitely stated the relative strength
Iof the Chicago and Northwestern offense must be
i taken Into consideration. Any defense looks