Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-01-19
ON THE CRIDIRON.
Needed Changes That Would Perhaps
 Help the Game.

WevUvO ~ooOBVS A0oS WVSsU SVs@epS
 Help the Game.
 The features of the game which are generally considered objectionable, and which have called forth periodical protests from the public, can be class ed under two heads: First. the incrcas- ing tendency toward mass plays, de- pending more for their success upon brute strength and weight than upon strategy and skill; second, unneces- saly roughness.'
 ]. The development and more general use of mass plays have not been brought about by any changes in the rules but by natural development of game caused by the steady and scientific improvements in the defen- sive tactics. especially the defense against end runs. Coaches have grad ually come to realize that it is better to rely upon short. steady but consist ent gains. which will he req asonabiy sure of gaining five yards in three trials without much chance of losing ground on any play. than to try for longer gains on end runs and trick plays where the liability to lose ground or tumble is much greater. End runs were much more ill evidence ten or twelve years ago, not because the rules permitted or encouraged them any more than now. but because the backs of those days were chosen almost solely for speed. their lodging and their individual bri!liancy in car ryinc the bali without much regard 1 for their defensive playing. whereas nowadays the backs are chosen as murn If not more) for their defensive ability as for their ability to advance The ball. This. together with the mod eIm method of end defense and rhe 1 more general use of heavy ends. has l made the defense so much stronger that the individual stars. who electri- fled the crowds years ago by their long lodging end runs. would proba- bly bc powerlcss if playing against the ! hest teams of the last few years. 1 whereas the crushing. powerful, con- centrated offense of our modern teams would no doubt push the best teams of ten or ,norr years ago all over the , field.
 It is evident that increasing the dis tance to be gained in three trials 10 ten yards instead of five without any other change in the rules would fur ther help the defense and render consistent gains impossible It would ha even harder to gain on end runs and trick plays than at present be- cause the team on the defcnsivc. real i izing that those plays were the only i ones likely to gain tha required dis tance, would so place their men as to better defend against them and thus force q line attack where the chance of gaining the necessary ten yards would be small. Weak teams would | nave no chance to retain the ball and secure first down. and with evenly matched teams the game would he little else than q bunting and catching contest between one or two men on each side, leaving the rest of the play CTS with little else to do but chase up and down the field.
 After having studied the question carefully. am of the opinion that the only way of solving the problem of producing more open and spectacu- lar style of play. together with a prop Ter ratio of bunting and rushing fac tics. is by increasing the distance to he gained in three trials to ten yards. and at the same time increasing the effectiveness of the attack. either by removing some of the restrictions plar- cd upon the side having the ball or by placing some restriction upon the posi- lions to be asumed by the players on the defense. to such an extent that the chance of gaining ten yards will Inc accomplished in several ways.
 Firstly compelling the defensive backs to remain at least five or per haps ten yards back of the line of scrimmage until the ball is put in play,
 Second-By permitting off-side play after the Iall is put in play.
 No restrictions have ever been plac- ed upon the positions asummed by thc players on the defensive and with on ly five yards to gain in three trials. there. of course. should he none: but by increasing this distance to ten yards and placing thc defensive backs live or more yards away from the scrim- mage line, q much more open and in teresting game would result. End runs would bc attempted oftcrl,r and with greater success. and shooting bacS through quick openings in the line. would probably be resorted to in pre- ference to the slower pushing mass plays. There would also he Il tendency fo sacrifice weight of speed. especial . ly in the back field. because speed woul.l he essential there in getting quickly to tho point of attack.
 One objection which might he rais. ed to placing the defensive backs far tller away from the line. would be tho greater Ability to injuries. since there would be more open field tackling and sharp collisions between players meet ing each other with greater momen' ium. hut this would b.. more than off set hy inc fact that the more open playing would give the players loss opportunity to use unfair and unne cesSariiy rough tactics. and the off
 .iais would bc better able to dHIeci any infractions of tho rules than m ,ler tine present style of play. Tho greatest ob;ection to this change however. and' one phich probably makes il less pfactiablce than the ether two proposed "hInses which have mentioned. is the fact that the team having the hall wOul'l hay" to wait until lie defending side. assumed