Evening star., 1905-11-05
EASTERN FOOT BALL
MORE OPEN

Two features of this years foot ball in
the east-the increased versatility in attack
and the uncertainty in defense-apparently
have placed the game more nearly on a
plane with the western article. Western
coaches recently have asserted that the
game they taught was better foot ball than
the eastern brand. This was promptly de-
MED, mainly because eastern elevens show
ed defense apparently better grounded
and more certain than that of the western
ers. Superior speed granted to the
westerners, but it was asserted that the
eastern attack. though not more elusive,
was more difficult to check than the west
ern.
Time has changed all this. Today the
eastern elevens, without one single eXcep-
ton, are worrying about the defense and t
the same time developing a swift, binding
attack that is expected to cover a multitude
of defensive sins. In a word, the eastern
coaches have been compelled to develop fast
scoring teams, in the meantime doing what
they can with the defense.
That it is possible to play comparatively
open game under the present rules already
seems to have been proved in the east.
Yost and Stagg, in the west, knew it long
ago. They developed style of game which
they believe has done more for foot ball in
the general sense than can be matched by
the eastern methods.
Just a year ago the contention of the
westerners was laughed at. Today 1t is ad
mitted that the western coaches (moSt of
them transplanted from the east and out
of the ruD know something about foot ball,
and may possibly be able to show the east
tern teams a point two.
One play alone VIII serve to illustrate the
progress made by the west This is the
quarterback rum In changing the rule to
allow the quarterback to run on the direct
pass from center the rule makers had in
mind dashes by all the backs from this
hv lDpnaD drawn ba q,
for the purpose. The play was tried in the
east, using other players than the quarter,
and abandoned mainly because the eastern
centers were below standard, and, with the
exception of Upton, had been below stan
dard for some years.
Not so the west. This particular play has
been a groundgainer at Michigan, Wiscon-
sin. Minnesota and Iowa, and the Carlisle
Indians only week ago used 1t TO good ef
feet against Pennsylvania. In the west
every man in the line is called upon TO
carry the ball save the center. An advan-
tage of such a style is so obvious that 1t
has been taken up by Yale, Harvard and
Cornell and very likely other elevens will
take 1t up before the season closes
Where hitherto Harvard has depended
upon the touchdown and the backfeld tri-
angle, the team is now using nearly every
formation possible and Yale and Cornell
are also undertaking the scope of the of
fense.
With such defenses as very few eastern
e,evens had year ago it was necessary to
develop an offense of the simplest charac-
ter, relying for two yards clip merely on,
the available power. This year 1t is diff
ferent for not a single eastern team can
boast of impregnable defense. and the
deficiency must be overcome along another
line.
Judging by the style of game so far
shown by the big eastern teams, more spec
tacular foot ball may be expected in the big
games.